What if I could go back in time–Marty McFly style–and talk to myself about the future? What if I could give myself advice or warnings about the road ahead? Well, today I proved that time travel is possible. Yes, I spoke to myself from 10 years back.

Stay with me. I’m not loosing my grip on reality…yet.

Here’s how it happened: A guy contacted me last week and asked to meet. I agreed and we connected at my favorite coffee shop this morning.

His story is freakishly similar to mine at twenty-three. He is young in his marriage, insecure in leadership and overcompensates by staying guarded. He has become the “accidental pastor” of a church here in Lynchburg. How he got there is bizarre, but not unlike my own story a decade before. One day recently the former pastor walks up to him matter-of-factly and says, “I’m leaving. Can you lead these people now?” So, my new friend stands there and wonders why he’s not in Kansas anymore. And does God know that some twister just threw him over the leadership rainbow?

Deja Vu distracted me a bit, but I refocused and ask myself the question: If I could go back in time what would I say to myself? These were two things I covered based on that question.

1) Figure out how God has wired you ASAP. I wasted a few years distracted by things I’ll never be great at; they’re weakness I can manage, but not sharpen. The church was held back because I was trying to be a leader that isn’t my skin (insert the Saul’s-amour-for-David clipart here). With that, it’s one thing to have heros and mentors, it’s another thing to subconsciously imitate them. One day God said clearly, “You’re not that guy. You’re Jon. So stop trying to be him.” Got it…most of time, a little T.D. Jakes still gets loosed when I’m not looking.

2) Leading is your role, not your relationship with God. I had to realize that before I’m a leader, I’m man who must seek to know and experience God. There were seasons I tried to cut and paste leadership principles overtop what required God’s revelation instead, the stuff He was saying to me, not the conference speaker or best-seller. Me. Read great books and listen to the latest speakers, learn principles and apply them, but remember they have little power without God’s unique voice and vision ringing loud from within a man’s heart. Bottom line: Success in leadership depends on me being personal with God. Sound obvious, but you’d be surprised.

There are other makeshift proverbs I shared, but I thought these needed a some light for now.

Meanwhile, try asking yourself the time travel question and see who God puts across the table. You may be surprised how He teaches you both from your former self.