Abraham Lincoln stood near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 150 years ago today and delivered a speech that is forever etched in history. While the speech was just over 2 minutes in length, the inspiration of the words inspired a country struggling through a bitter civil war.

The clarity which which he spoke left nothing to chance. He knew what he wanted to say.

 He wanted to inspire a nation to reach deep within itself and find the courage it needed to act even though times were tough.

He was intentional about the story he wanted to tell, not only for himself, but for all of America. 

The future that Abraham Lincoln envisioned was one of clarity and purpose. He laid out what the future could be, then charged a nation to live up to its potential in spite of the trails it faced. His words served as a rallying cry for an entire nation.

Today, I want to say thank you and remember the life he lived and the leadership he displayed. His life serves as an extraordinary example of what it means to live life with purpose and intentional effort.