As we close the Real Life. Real Faith series, I want to thank everyone who has walked through these past weeks with me. That series was about building the foundation of faith, learning who we are, whose we are, and how to live with purpose in a world that constantly tests it.
Now, we begin a new chapter called Selfless Ambition Between Sundays. This next series is about what happens after the sermon ends, when faith meets the real world, in leadership, in work, in relationships, and in the quiet moments where character is tested. It is about learning to lead with humility, to serve with courage, and to live with purpose not just on Sundays, but in every ordinary, holy moment in between.
We live in a world obsessed with crowns. Titles, platforms, applause, and influence all whisper that our worth is measured by how many people are watching. We chase stages before we have learned to stand in the shadows. We want the crown, but not the cross.
But real purpose never skips the process. Even the greatest story ever told began in humility. Before glory came surrender. Before the crown came the cross.
That has always been the order. The path to lasting impact does not run through applause but through obedience. It is the quiet yes when no one is watching. It is faithfulness in the small things when recognition feels far away.
If we are honest, this is where many of us struggle. The pull of attention is powerful. The comfort of being seen, the affirmation of being praised, the validation of being admired all feel good. But a crown without a cross will always cost more than it gives. Success without surrender will eventually crush you.
I remember when I ran for Wisconsin lieutenant governor and lost. Everything in me wanted to chase the next platform. But God was more interested in shaping my heart than restoring my image. That season broke my pride and built my purpose.
The cross is not just a symbol of pain. It is the place where pride is broken and love becomes real. Carrying your cross means choosing obedience over opportunity, service over spotlight, and faithfulness over fame. It is waking up each day and saying, “Even when it costs me, I will still follow.”
Even Jesus, knowing all power was His, chose the cross before the crown, reminding us that humility is not weakness; it is divine strength.
This is not a call to avoid influence or leadership. It is a call to build it on the right foundation. True leadership flows from humility. Real power comes when you are willing to serve. The most influential people are often the ones who choose to lift others higher while carrying their own weight quietly.
The crown will come, but not before the cross. The order never changes. Surrender first. Glory later.
So maybe the question for each of us is this:
What cross are you being asked to carry right now? What part of your journey feels heavy but holy? Where are you being invited to choose character over comfort, calling over clout, obedience over outcome?
Because in the end, the world might celebrate crowns, but heaven honors crosses. And those who are willing to carry theirs discover something extraordinary. The cross does not take life away; it gives it back.
When you carry your cross, you are not walking alone. Every step you take toward surrender is a step closer to the One who carried it first.
The path to purpose still runs through Calvary.
Keep The Faith (K.T.F)
