My vision for Liberatus is not to create a personal brand. After a traumatic brain injury, I of course would like to go fast because I want quick wins, and the societal dignity that comes with them. But making our country more just and free is about going far together. Before she led free people away from the abusers who treated them like slaves, Harriet Tubman survived a brain injury too.
The participation by Liberatus stakeholders in the mission to inspire American unity over the last nine years made it possible to publish 19 writers, include 60 people in content creation, create and ship 215 copies of Volume One to people in 21 states so far, and contribute $666 in funding to three partner organizations to fuel their work to care for people who have been displaced or marginalized.
Craftsmanship in politics is about listening, asking questions and doing deeper research to search for wisdom, and it’s about creating new solutions for the next generation. We can also take David McCullough's advice to “learn to edit yourself” a step further, to its broader meaning: lead yourself.
Over the last nine years, more than 200 stakeholders have brought the mission to inspire American unity to life. Thank you to all of you for your shared passion! We all want leaders who make our country stronger. We want a basic sense of sanity and justice. We want quality craftsmanship, and we want to make the next generation stronger.
Part Nine: Endurance is the defining characteristic of Liberatus culture. For this journal entry in Issue 019: The Trailhead—Leadership for American Unity I want to articulate what it means to build endurance, what dysfunction looks like, and how we can create a culture of unity by moving the mission forward.
While we need leaders who embody the build endurance ethos, it’s important to note that anyone can build endurance, and in this journal entry I’ll lay out how so that we can continue creating a culture of American unity for the next generation.
Our striving in Washington and the unavoidable disillusionment that follows might have more to do with our own motivations and our tendency to blame others for our disillusionment than it does with the failings of our current system. The best way to enter the domain of freedom begins with recognizing the masks we have put in place to protect ourselves and instead lay them aside in favor of our true selves.
What is my role in justice?
As we look ahead to the Kingdom, we’re called to work through grace to bring healing to our broken political systems, weak communities, and destitute neighbors. Doing justice must be done for beauty’s sake. It's the beauty of God's grace that brings about justice to give him honor and glory.
Today marks the 100th Liberatus journal entry about bringing truth and beauty to American politics, written by people on the inside. As we look ahead, you can help us create Issue 017: Refuge—a journal series exploring how we welcome refugees. Just $25 a month will enable us to build community, connect our writers with a local refugee community, and publish Issue 017 in November 2017.
As we continue the discussion on what a new era of American politics would look like if healing were to occur, today we’re looking at practical wisdom for energy management. As a follower of Jesus, I believe that promoting human flourishing in the workplace is part of our calling. On this topic, the best practical ideas I’ve found and practiced are from The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz.
Eight years ago, I was surrounded by some of the sharpest and most idealistic minds in the country. Countless conversations about changing the world happened with friends, colleagues, and contrarians at The Hawk ‘n’ Dove on Capitol Hill. But today, I’m watching a new era of American politics unfold from my home outside Indianapolis, getting ready to welcome our first foster children.
An interview with Liberatus Editor Claire Handscombe on her work Walk With Us: How the West Wing Changed Our Lives.
“My faith very much informs my politics, and it also teaches me compassion for people and the importance of looking out for the poor and voiceless. Those are values I hold deeply and, when it comes to politics, they’re my true north.”
A new era of American politics begins on Friday, and today we start a new series exploring what that era would look like if political healing were to occur. Healing is a continual process, and we have to choose it every day. Here’s a picture of what I believe that looks like, and a recommended reading list of the thinkers and their works that have influenced my own journey.
