In these weekly blogs I do not share much personal information. There’s a side of our lives that we keep private. But today will be a bit different. I’m going to pull the curtain back and give you a snapshot into our lives.

Let’s start with the pain. Mrs. Kayla and I were never able to have children. Both of us wanted kids but for some reason unknown to us, He thought it best to take our lives in a different direction. After visiting doctors and having testing done, the results showed the issue was with me. We soldiered on and continued to serve in our careers and ministry. Most days this unfulfilled dream doesn’t bother us. But you can imagine that Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are NOT our favorite holidays.

While in New Orleans, a door opened for us to work with students. Every Thursday night, our home would be full of seminary students. Kayla would cook a grand meal; we’d have a study and then watch the TV show Survivor. This pattern occurred for several years until we left the Big Easy and moved to Virginia.

Being in a different state didn’t stop us from working with college students. We were involved with the college class at church and that led to a college home group that met every Thursday in our home. You guessed it. Kayla would make this enormous meal that would feed 15-20 students, we’d have a study and then watch Survivor. (Odd how Survivor has been a major theme all these years.) These kids would graduate, keep in touch, invite us to weddings, and often would when they met someone they’d want to meet for lunch to get our blessing.

With the course of life, we stopped working with students for a season. But fourteen months ago, we met the students of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship. They came to our church and started attending a class I was teaching. That led to a weekly Wednesday night study. This past semester we hosted a weekly dinner in our home with six different students joining us on Sunday nights. Kayla’s cooking is always a hit, and her snack game is always on point on Wednesdays.

These kids would come in our home full of questions. How do I meet someone to date? How do I ask them out? Is there really a plan for my life? Does life get easier? How do I honor God with my life? When is the right time to get married?

One evening I sat and watched Kayla navigate a series of questions with a young couple. Her grace and wisdom filled the room. She never once criticized but simply encouraged them to look for the next wise thing to do. At other times, I’ve heard the girls ask her how to respond to a boy who has asked them on a date and how will they know if he’s the one. Her answers were always impressive for she’d always say, “Keep Jesus at the center and don’t lose your focus on Him. You’ll know when it’s time.”

A few weeks ago, it was Mother’s Day. We went to church and did our bit as usual. After the service, I noticed several of the students had gathered around her. She was answering questions and sharing a laugh with them. It was then I got a text from one of the students that said, “Please video Mrs. Kayla’s reaction.” I was confused to say the least. It wasn’t until we got home that I understood the purpose of the text.

These students bought a Mother’s Day card and each of them signed it and included a thought as to how Kayla was a mom to them. When we got home, there on the front deck by the front door was a dozen white roses and that card. I videoed her reaction and shared it with those students. That reaction video is included at the end of this blog.

Why share this? What does all this have to do with leadership? Can someone bring all this together?

Be like Kayla. Be like those students.

First, invest your life in others. Kayla does. Listen to your team. They will have questions and you need to listen and then answer honestly and carefully. The words of a leader and mentor carry enormous weight. Taking time for others is never wasted and she never makes it seem it’s a burden. Leaders invest in others.

Second, be grateful. These students are. They took the time to get a card, have each of them sign it, and then get a dozen of white roses. Beyond that, they had it waiting on her as a surprise. This was all their doing. I was not involved in any shape or form, other than capturing her reaction. The students did this to express their gratitude for her. Leaders express gratitude.

Finally, create an experience. Kayla will never forget Mother’s Day 2026. She’s kept the card and took pictures of the flowers. More than that, she thanked them for such a heartfelt experience. Leaders create experiences for their team and their customers. Be so amazing that they will never forget you.

Attached you’ll find that video. Be careful, you may need a Kleenex.

Leadership matters,

Brian