hunGer tO leaD: The Desire to Live Up to God's Expectations of a Victorious Leader!

By Shandell Berryman Howell

hunGer tO leaD: The Desire to Live Up to God's Expectations of a Victorious Leader is a book that will help you discover and advance your God-given leadership gifts to serve both God and others. But it does not stop there! In this book, you will discover why you were called to do the very thing that God specifically assigned you to do which is to lead with compassion, integrity, and be unbiased. hunGer tO leaD is a book ordained to serve you in various areas of your life from grade school to adulthood. When you discover your gifts of leadership, God will open up so many doors including recognizing your specific role of raising up future leaders for generations to come. This book provides aspects of the author's personal experience from childhood to adulthood with gripping stories of faith and heartfelt circumstances that will inspire you to lead with compassion and authenticity and embrace diversity, inclusion, and belonging toward others for greater missions abound. At the end of each chapter, embrace your leadership gifts by getting to know yourself personally and/or in a group setting. Be encouraged to open up and share moments that matter provided with prewritten prayers and biblical scriptures after each chapter to personally engage. And it does not stop there! This book also serves as a personal leadership journal that you may use to document your journey for keepsake and study as you become like Christ. This book is a guiding principle for you in becoming the servant leader that God proclaims you to be. So show up, show out, and be a mascot for God!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9781638440741

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hunGer tO leaD

The Desire to Live Up to God's Expectations of a Victorious Leader!

Shandell Berryman Howell

Copyright © 2021 by Shandell Berryman Howell

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

In the Beginning

Why Me?

Something Is Missing

Storing Up Your Treasures

Greater Missions Abound

Always Believing in Others

The Greatest Reward

This book is dedicated to the Most High God who created my life to share with the world.

I am a mascot for God because He first loved me. God called me to preach, particularly to raise up a community and nation of leaders. He has left many CliffsNotes throughout my life to remind me of my calling including using my five-year old son, Maddox, who advised What are you waiting for? Finish it!

I am eternally grateful that God revealed my husband, James, to me in a dream—again, CliffNotes that helped me recognize him when we first met. I am thankful for James’s authentic love and compassion in serving others like Jesus. This book is also dedicated to our son, Maddox, and my bonus children. Daddy and I love you all so much!

I am thankful that God blessed us with time with my mother-in-law, Gennell Gammy, grandfather Roosevelt PI, grandmother Arlene, aunt Barbara, cousin Lamont, sister Amy, and father Willie who are resting in peace. While serving Gammy, I was called to preach on May 11, 2019; and I am honored to do so.

I would also like to acknowledge my mother, Rosemary, stepfather, Alfred; aunts Joeann, Susan; uncles Brian, Wilma, and Wayne; siblings Tawana, Gary, Sheree, Lisa, and Michael; nieces Kenya, Audrey, Erika, Jada, Jasmyn, Jordyn, Jalyn, Jiauni, and Ashley; nephew, Aaron; cousins Sylvia, Stacy, Laveta, Katrina, Meta, Shavonna, Taija, Dwayne, Marvin, Ne’Kada, and Desmond; goddaughter, Amya; godson, Josiah; and best friends Audrey, LaTonya, Cat, Tara, Mrs. J., and Tenise. We all have a bond only God created that is foundational and undeniably humbling.

To my mother, Rosemary, I am the servant leader today because of your teaching. I am thankful to God that you raised me to always lead by faith. I aspire to serve others and continue to lead with authenticity and compassion like you. Game on!

To Pastor Laverne Wright, I thank God for stopping time for us to meet. You were inspired by God to inform me to write this book. I am so thankful that He connected us. You are so gifted and courageous. God has a greater plan for you.

To my uncle, Pastor Brian Cole and aunt, First Lady Susan Cole, I thank you both for your godly wisdom and mentorship. When I was called to preach, I asked, Why? and you both asked me, Why not? Thanks for affirming God’s work in me!

Finally, to Pastor Watson and First Lady Rose of The Saint Paul’s Baptist Church; mentors Rev. Michelle and Jenny; all of my family, friends, church friends, and colleagues, I love you for loving me; and I am honored that Jesus chose me to share with you. Now, let’s show up and show out for God!

Shandell Berryman Howell

hunGer tO leaD

Chapter 1

In the Beginning

There are many moments in one’s life that he or she is given the chance to remember the epoch of when the hunger to lead began. The leadership journey of where we are now in life is never too far away from the beginning. Rather it is by design that our beginning meets our current state, welcoming each other as kindred friends. It is because of the beginning why we share our familiarity and leadership experiences with others along the way.

It is also in the beginning when God introduced Himself to proclaim our leadership calling, even when we spurned to hear Him. Subsequently, we realize that it is because of the beginning when we lacked