Leading in the Wilderness

Leading in the Wilderness—that is our theme for Rise in Strength 2026. We wake each morning to news that bewilders and astounds us,  we move through our days facing uncertainty and confusion, and we lay our heads to rest at night with unanswered questions—Our world is a wilderness that we cannot tame but must learn to navigate. And in this wilderness, we are bearing the great responsibility of leading others. How do we do it well? Who is helping us? And what might  we learn in the process?

A theme that is already emerging for me is the theme of being a “non-anxious presence.” This term was coined by sociologist and therapist Edwin Friedman, in his book A Failure of Nerve, which was written in the 1990s but published posthumously in 2007. He describes a “non-anxious presence” as someone who is able to remain calm in the midst of a storm of anxiety. Australian pastor and author Mark Sayers, building on Friedman’s work, recently published the book A Non-Anxious Presence: How a Changing and Complex World will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders. In this book Sayers explains that we are living in a volatile time in history, one of chaos—but also opportunity, particularly for those on the margins. Such times reveal the flaws in existing systems and strategies and provide motivation to seek lasting change. As we lean into our faithful saviour—the Good Shepherd—he can help us become leaders who bring a non-anxious presence into a very anxious world so that we can faithfully move our communities towards justice and shalom. This is our hope for Rise 2026.

I, along with the entire Rise Team, am eagerly anticipating our Consultation in 2026, where we can come together to:

• Seek the Lord and hear His voice calling us in the desert

• Be renewed in the springs of refreshment that He has prepared for us

• Learn from global women leaders about this present wilderness

• Share resources to equip women and girls to thrive in hard places

• Speak prophetically about God’s presence and movement in the world

The Rise 2026 Consultation will take place the week of November 9, 2026 in Cairo, Egypt (exact dates to be determined by Dec. 1 2025). Will you pray about joining us?  

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
⁶As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;
    the autumn rains also cover it with pools  
⁷They go from strength to strength,
    till each appears before God in Zion.

Psalm 84:5-7

Looking forward to exploring this theme with you!

Jenn Williamson, for the Rise Team

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