The Dawn: Beginning Again with Purpose and Peace
A new term and a new year loom ahead. Leaders begin to shift from reflection to preparation. There is hope, but also pressure, as responsibilities gather again. Now is the time to set the tone for the months ahead.
Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.
John 21:6
The disciples had worked all night with nothing to show for it. One instruction from Jesus changed everything. Leadership begins again not in our own energy, but in renewed obedience to His voice.
Leadership Lesson
The start of a new year is an invitation to begin differently. To cast the net with intention. To follow God’s direction rather than old habits. To trust that small acts of obedience can lead to abundance where effort alone could not.
Reflection Questions
- Where am I relying too heavily on my own effort?
- How might Jesus be asking me to cast my nets differently?
- What hope can I carry into this new term?
- Where do I need fresh clarity or courage?
A Prayer
Lord, guide my steps as I enter this new term.
Renew my purpose, sharpen my insight, and steady my heart.
Amen.
Emmaus Leadership Insight
January is often the moment when leaders return from the break clear about their next step. For some, it is a renewed commitment. For others, it is the beginning of a transition. If your school, trust or diocese finds itself needing to appoint a senior leader early in the new year, Emmaus Leadership is ready to support you with a recruitment approach that is careful, prayerful and deeply attuned to the needs of Christian education.
Light in the Waiting - Four Reflections for Leaders in Advent and the New Year -Conclusion.
As this series draws to a close and the new term begins, I want to leave you with this simple thought. Leadership isn’t a straight line. It moves through seasons, much like these past few weeks. Weeks of pressure. Days of stillness. Moments of honesty. And now the invitation to begin again.
My conversations with leaders over the years have taught me that God is often most present in the quiet turning points. The moment you realise your strength needs renewing. The moment you sense a change might be coming. The moment you feel a nudge toward a different way of leading. Or simply the moment you recognise you cannot, and were never meant to, carry everything alone.
Wherever you find yourself at the start of this new year, know that you do not walk into it empty-handed. You carry wisdom earned through a demanding job, clarity formed in quieter days, and strength gifted by the God who meets us on every road.
And if this season is prompting questions about your own leadership journey, or raising the possibility of change within your school, Trust, or Diocese, please know that I and all the team at Emmaus Leadership will always be here for a confidential conversation. These moments matter. They shape communities, and they shape lives. It would be a privilege to walk that road with you.
Liam
Emmaus Leadership