Day 13 – The Little Things That Break Everything

April 13, 2026 — Monday

Yesterday felt different from the start.

Not because of the schedule…
but because of the realization.

It would have been my father’s birthday,
He passed away years ago.

And somehow, without planning it, the entire day centered around something deeper:

The small things that shape everything.

A Different Kind of Staff Meeting

We had our first all-staff gathering.

Everyone.
All campuses.
All together.

And instead of starting with updates or strategy...

We started with worship.

That alone felt different.

Then came the message.

The “Little Foxes”

The teaching came from the Song of Solomon

The idea of the “little foxes” that spoil the vine.

And the message was simple… but sharp:

It’s not always the big things that take you out.

It’s the small ones.

The subtle compromises.
The overlooked habits.
The things that don’t feel dangerous… until they are.

How Things Actually Fall Apart

We tend to watch for big failures.

Big mistakes.
Big breakdowns.

But most of the time…

That’s not how it happens.

It starts small.

A small compromise.
A small delay.
A small lack of discipline.

And over time…

Those small things compound into something bigger than you ever expected.

The Second Layer – Communication

After breakfast, we went into training.

The focus:

Communication.

And this is where it connected for me.

Because if you think about it,

One of the fastest ways to create chaos… is to break communication.

In business.
In leadership.
In relationships.

When communication breaks down:

• clarity disappears

• alignment fades

• people become isolated

And once isolation sets in…

Everything becomes easier to attack.

The Strategy Most People Miss

If you were trying to take down a team…

You wouldn’t start with force.

You’d start with confusion.

You’d disrupt communication.

Because once people stop talking clearly…

They stop moving together.

Why This Matters Personally

This isn’t new to me.

In business, I’ve seen this firsthand.

Miscommunication leads to:

• missed expectations

• broken trust

• internal friction

And over time…

It fractures everything.

But seeing it through this lens,

As something that can quietly creep in…

It hit differently.

Full Circle Moment

The rest of the day was simple.

Connecting with people I hadn’t seen in years.
Rebuilding relationships.
Hearing the same question over and over:

“How does it feel to be on staff?”

And the honest answer is:

It still feels surreal.

I’m still stepping into it.

Still processing it.

The Tension

How do you stay aware of the small things…

Before they become big problems?

How do you protect communication…

Before it starts to break down?

Because once it’s visible—

It’s usually already too late.

The Anchor

“Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards…”
Song of Solomon 2:15

Not the big threats.

The small ones.

Closing Thought

Most people are looking for the big thing that could take them out.

But the truth is…

It’s usually not the big thing.
It’s the thing you didn’t think mattered.