How do the successful deal with challenges? What is their strategy? And what can we learn from them? I look for people of passion, people who love God and have a single-hearted devotion to be and do all God wants. Vonda Skelton is one of those people.

I met Vonda years ago at a Christian leaders conference, and I’ve invited her to join us today. She is the keynote for Capture Me!, the 2009 iGETitLIFE Women’s Event, and the author of Seeing Through the Lies and the Bitsy series for children. She’s the mom of two and MaMa to a crew. Vonda lives with her husband, Gary, in South Carolina. You’ll fall in love with her feisty yet gentle Southern ways as she shares where she’s going and how she’s getting there. Join me as I glean tips for leading and living my life. Let’s get started and don’t forget to ask your questions or leave comments.

Robin: Vonda, what would you say is your mission, your purpose? Why do you do what you do?

Vonda: I know this sounds silly to some, but I do what I do because I can’t NOT do it. I’ve always loved writing, loved the stage, loved the creative process, but for most of my life I considered all that stuff just selfish self-indulgences. And even though I’d never done any of these creative things professionally, I found they always seeped into my life. They just appeared in my nursing school projects, neighborhood children’s parties, birthday party entertainments, children’s SS classes, children’s church or Bible School programs, and Christian Women’s Club leadership roles. I didn’t set out to be creative in these areas, it just crept its way in time after time. I’d be working on something and POOF! there it was—a skit, a song, a costume, a monologue. They wouldn’t leave me alone!

The day God revealed to me that He could take all those passions and interests and use them to bring Himself glory was an exciting day! For the first time in my life, I felt I was doing what I was created to do! So, to get back to your question, I do what I do to bring glory to God.

The look of a leader worth following!!

Robin: That’s awesome. I read a great book, The Dream Giver, about living and serving in the passions and interests that God places in us. Our life’s work becomes an act of worship. When you write or speak, how do you sense God’s pleasure?

Vonda: The best way I can describe it is that it feels like climbing up into a big ol’ cushy recliner, snuggling up to my Father, and hearing His heartbeat. I remember so vividly doing that with my daddy…and all would be right with the world. I love sharing His love, His grace and mercy, His forgiveness. I love that He can take my messes and use them for His glory. I love that no hurts are wasted in God’s economy.

Robin: That’s a comfy feeling, but doesn’t these same acts of worship become a chore at times? A drudgery? How does that happen?

Vonda: Oh, I know the answer to that one! It’s when I get too busy doing all the “stuff” of the ministry. You know, the bookkeeping, the letters, the contracts, the paperwork. It’s when I get away from my calling and have to work outside my area of passion and gifting. But it has to be done. I keep reminding myself that I’m sure Jesus didn’t enjoy everything He had to do to bring His message to the people.

Robin: Ouch. I guess you’re right. Jesus probably didn’t enjoy the cross. Since some things about your mission are enjoyable and others aren’t, how do you decide what you should do?

Vonda: That’s just it—there are too many things that I love to do, that I feel called to do. I love teaching God’s Word, love sharing stories of God’s grace and forgiveness, love sharing my mistakes in hopes that someone else can avoid them, love watching kids’ eyes light up when they realize they can write, love giving women the opportunity to laugh at my mess-ups of life, love letting women know that none of us has it all together but that we’re all struggling to live up to His calling and be who He created us to be.

Some say, “Just make a mission statement and don’t do anything that doesn’t fit that statement.” Great concept but doesn’t work in reality for me. Whether I’m speaking to a group of women or a group of writers or a group of kids, for me, it’s all ministry and it’s all good.

Robin: Sounds like your mission statement would have to include lots of inspiration and encouragement for others. What helps you determine you’re headed in the right direction and making progress? How do you evaluate your success?

Vonda: I don’t know that success is the word I would use because that has such a negative connotation in today’s society. Today’s success is measured by the paycheck, the notoriety, the name recognition. By those standards, few of us ever qualify. But when I look at what I know God has called ME to do—minister to women, writers, and children, I feel His nod of approval through the confirmation of those I speak to. I mean, how can I feel that I’m not on the right track when a precious sister comes to me and says, “Your message changed my life”?

Listen—it’s not me, it’s not my good works or anything I’ve done to reach any definition of success, it’s only through the story of His power, the demonstration of His love, that anyone can be changed. I feel like the woman at the well who went back to her town and said, “Let me tell you about a man who told me everything I ever did!” The Bible tells us many in her town were saved. Was it because of her? No. Was it because she was a great orator who knew the techniques of persuasion? No. Was it because she was successful by their standards? No. It was because of the message. His message. His grace. His love.

Robin: That’s a powerful picture. A struggling woman used to share God’s message. I’m curious. When setbacks come, and they always do, how do you deal with them? How do you get back on track?

Vonda: I just stay busy. I find if I have lots of different projects going on, I’m not so focused on the “success” of one particular one. So when I have a project that I just know is going to be the next Christy Award winning book, or the next Oscar winning movie, and instead it ends up in the rejection pile, I can whine to my close friends (who love me in spite of the whining) and then move on to the next project. But then there are those times…you know what I mean…those times when you get up and fall down and get up and fall down…and nothing seems to be working…and people won’t leave you alone so you can do what you know you’re supposed to be doing…when you feel pulled in a hundred directions and you think you can’t take another…uh…um…what was the question?

Robin: Hmm, I guess you might get a little frustrated when things don’t go your way, but you always return to your mission of inspiring and encouraging others. A mark of a good leader is not giving up when the road gets rough. Besides being remembered for faithfulness to your mission, is there anything else you would like to say?

Vonda: Oh, how I want to pen words that will make a difference for eternity! I want heaven to be different because of my obedience to His calling. The money truly isn’t the focus. (Although I wouldn’t be OPPOSED to making gobs of money if God decided to send it my way! I mean, just imagine all the good I could do with a gazillion dollars! Wouldn’t that be AWESOME?!?!?) But I sincerely want to be remembered as someone who wrote the truth, shared the truth, believed the truth, and lived the truth. If I made a lot of money and achieved the world’s standard of success, but didn’t portray the Truth on the pages of my life, my life would have been nothing but a lie. And that, dear friends, would be true failure.

Robin: And we don’t want to be failures. Do we? Thanks Vonda. Can’t wait to be with you in September at Capture ME!, the iGETitLIFE Event.

Check out Vonda’s book, Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe, to find out how to live in the Truth.

Make a comment. What is your individual calling or sweet spot? How do you handle obstacles? What standard evaluates your success?

Related leadership posts: Stepping into Success, Successful Life and Leadership, 5 Tips to Lead a Successful Life

*picture from www.getentrepreneurial.com