Lessons on Leadership from My Parents

          As I reflect upon my childhood I recall my parents trying to instill several values, ideas, and principles into my life.  While they were determined to instill these items into my life I’m sure that many times they left feeling frustrated because it didn’t seem like the lessons were sinking in or sticking.  However, due to their best efforts and despite my own desire to run in the opposite direction, some of their principles stuck.   The main principle that has stuck with me through the years was the desire to be a hard worker with everything that I did.    This work ethic is something that was passed on from my father who got it passed on from his father and so on.

            As my dad grew up on a farm, he learned the need for hard work at an early age and continued to pursue this type of dedication to everything that he tried.  He pushed himself, many times past the brink of exhaustion to make sure that the job was complete and done right.  I would like to think that this strong work ethic has been passed onto me and that I am continuing to live into this principle daily.  The strong work ethic is one piece of my character that my parents sought to instill into me but their words, actions, and lifestyle also helped to begin to shape my convictions at an early age.  As you think about your own convictions or beliefs what truths did your parents seek to instill in your life?  What convictions or beliefs are you seeking to instill in the lives of your children?

            Our principles are something that impact not only the way we live our lives but also how we lead others.  In his book The Catalyst Leader author Brad Lomenick lists “principled” as one of the eight essentials for being a good leader.  Over the past few weeks I have journeyed through this book writing my thoughts about the themes that he presents in this work.  He outlines the need for leaders to know their calling, practice authenticity, live with passion towards God, strive to be capable, and the need to be courageous.

            Based on the ideas that Brad outlines in this chapter of the book there are three elements to help someone stay anchored in their convictions or be a principled leader.  The first is the need to embrace humility.  Humble leaders don’t need the spotlight or the credit and are quick to divert praise back to their team and/or God’s grace.  They are honest about their fears and failures and seek to instill the following phrases into their daily speech:

-I’m sorry                                                  -That was my fault

-Thank you                                                -I’m listening

-I trust you                                                 -Great job

If you are wondering if you are embracing humility in your leadership think about the last time you utilized some of these phrases and strive to implement them more frequently into your daily conversations so you don’t get “too big for your britches.”

Secondly, Brad discusses the need for discipline in order to be a principled leader.  I always think of the dedication and hard work of professional athletes who desire to achieve excellence at the highest level of their respective sports when I think about discipline.  Many of them push their bodies to the farthest point in order to achieve success at this level.  In other words they are striving to embrace the words of former US Secretary of State, Colin Powell who said, “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”  In the same way leaders don’t live into their dreams by coincidence but by investing a great deal of discipline and hard work towards achieving the desired outcome.

In order to be a principled leader, one not only has to strive for humility and seek to be disciplined but they also have to have a great deal of integrity.  Leaders who have integrity are honest, respect others, practice loyalty, enjoy accountability, and trust others.  Author Bob Goff says “We plant sod where God wants to plant seed.  He’s more interested in growing our character than having us look finished.”  Just as God desires for us to grow in our character we should be willing to strive to have more integrity, rather than seeking to be a finished product. 

Ultimately we must remember that the depth of our character determines the reach of our influence.  We must be willing to strive to be humble, disciplined, and have a great deal of integrity which will allow us to be better leaders to those that God has entrusted to us.

What the Cowardly Lion Taught Me About Leadership

          Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and just resonated with one of the characters.  Over the years there have been several characters that have connected with my heart and drawn me into the story they represent, however there is one that simply stands heads and shoulders above the rest.  As a child I remember watching The Wizard of Oz and connecting with one of the characters in this beloved story which was the cowardly lion.  I could never figure out why I was drawn to this particular character until several years later when I realized that I needed more courage.

            This may come as a surprise to some as I am willing to ride any roller coaster, try new food whenever I get the chance, and do things that could make others cringe.  However, my need for courage is rooted in a deep internal struggle that I have which is the “fear of failure.”  I have always wondered, “What if I try something and it doesn’t work?” or “What if this new idea flops and leaves people feeling disappointed?”  The fear of failure is something that I believe is not exclusive or unique to me but is a point of tension with every leader.

            Author and speaker Brad Lomenick believes so as well as he highlights the theme of courage in his book The Catalyst Leader.  Over the past four weeks I have journeyed through this book writing my thoughts about the themes that he presents in this work.  He outlines the need for leaders to know their calling, practice authenticity, live with passion towards God, and strive to be capable in their leadership.  Despite the validity of each of these themes, the concept of courage is one that makes my stomach churn the most.

            Courage pushes us to try new things, be innovative, and stretch outside of our comfort zone.  In my current ministry I am trying to be courageous in the handling of an event that we are coordinating for our youth ministry volunteers later this month.  We will be hosting an event that encourages and allows our volunteers to be creative, answer hard questions about the youth ministry, and find new creative ways to impact our students with the love of Jesus Christ during the coming year.  While this will be an amazing event where several wonderful things are achieved, there is a feeling in the pit of my stomach saying “What if this fails?”  But as I have been dealing with this feeling I reread a quote from Brad which states, “The road to success is many times put together through multiple failures.  Allow for and even encourage your team to fail as they attempt to succeed” (p. 115).  Upon reading this quote I was reminded that many of the life lessons that I have learned, many of which were the most challenging, came because of failure.  What would our culture look like if instead of thinking about failing we began to take leaps of faith, knowing we may fail, but with the understanding that we can learn from our failures and move forward?

            So if you are reading this are you willing to be a courageous leader who is alright with handling the fear of failure?  Pastor Andy Stanley said, “A single act of courage is often the tipping point for extraordinary change.”  So how do we learn to be a courageous leader? 

Brad outlines five principles for us to help us become courageous leaders:

 

·         Set scary standards - Give your people a goal that scares them, and you’ll produce leaders who know what it means to overcome fear.

·         Allow for failure

·         Reward innovation – Innovation requires taking risks.  And bold risks create bold team members.  Rewarding innovation will challenge your team to grow in their roles.

·         Pursue the right opportunities – Aggressively pursue a few things that make sense.  Say no often.

·         Learn to delegate – Entrust others with important tasks by letting go and relinquishing control.  If you want your team to be courageous, give them the chance to lead.

As you work through implementing these ideas into your leadership style remember this quote from former South African president Nelson Mandela, “Courage is not the absence of fear-it’s inspiring others to move beyond it.”  So as you move through your day toady what would you pursue if you weren’t afraid to fail?

Are You Capable of Being a Good Leader?-The Cataylst Leader

          Over the past few weeks I have been examining the central thoughts of a book entitled The Catalyst Leader by Brad Lomenick.  Through this work he outlines eight essentials for becoming a change maker (or great leader).  Brad has worked with countless young leaders and listened to the voices of several amazing leaders Brad has developed an understanding of some key qualities in the arena of leadership.

          The principles that Brad outlines begin with calling, authenticity, and passion in leadership.  He states that is necessary to know your calling in life in order to be a good leader.  Secondly, he explores the theme of authenticity which allows leaders the freedom to be themselves but also to be “real” with other people through admitting their mistakes, listening to feedback, and adjusting their approach.  Third, he explains the need for leaders to be passionately connected to God which will enhance their leadership.

This week I will continue exploring the contents of this book by looking at theme of being capable.  Have you ever wrestled with the thoughts “I can’t do this” or “Surely there is someone else far more qualified or capable to do this task”?  I’m sure this thought has entered the minds of several of you in the workforce.  Personally, I often struggle with the fear of failure or rejection that stems from relationships that I longed to develop back in middle school.  The rejection of others and constant heartache of feeling like a failure still has lingering effects on my leaderships almost two decades later.  But as you think about yourself, do you often times question if you are capable or qualified for the task that you will be fulfilling?

            If you are like me and question you own capability The Catalyst Leader provides a couple of guidelines necessary to leading capably.  The first guideline is that of setting the right standard which is excellence.  Early on in my ministry career I worked for a church that adopted the theme of “striving for excellence” in every area of our ministry.  I recall the stress that this placed on each of us as we thought about what it would look like to strive for excellence in everything that we did.  While it was a trying year for many of us, we pushed through and were able to create new ministries, enhance the ones we had, and disconnect those ministries that were no longer valuable or worthwhile.  This year taught me to strive for excellence, not perfection because we were free to make mistakes so long as we used them as a teaching tool for the future improvement of our individual ministries and the overall health of the church.

            The second guideline for capable leadership is the right staff.  This guideline was more challenging for me to learn because I was always under the impression that I could do a task more efficiently and effectively than anyone else.  My ideas were always the “gold nuggets” that everyone should use.  Basically, I was the lone ranger roaming the wilderness and trying to build my own ministry.  In hindsight I realized how foolish this approach to leadership was because not only were less and less people coming to be a part of the ministry I was serving but I was becoming more and more burnt out.  I remember taking a few months off from ministry and talking to some wonderful people who I trust dearly.  I recall the frustration that I felt, the pain in my heart, and the overall discouragement that almost caused me to walk away from ministry entirely.  However, their words still ring true in my approach today as they stressed the need to build a team (and encourage them frequently), the need to listen to others, and also the willingness to not take things personally when someone attacks or criticizes my ideas.  These insights forever altered my approach to ministry and I believe saved me and my family.

            While these are the two primary guidelines to being a capable leader, Brad also outlines some characteristics of capable leaders which are listed here:

·       Capable leaders constantly push forward-Surround yourself with people who spend more time dreaming about tomorrow’s possibilities than dwelling on yesterday’s failures.

·       Capable leaders are team players-Support each other constantly because in order to succeed you need confidence and you can’t have confidence without trust.

·       Capable leaders own their mistakes-Look for team members who can admit missteps without growing discouraged.

·       Capable leaders are willing to take risks-Surround yourself with people who will boldly step out even when it doesn’t make sense.

·       Capable leaders are constant learners-Capable leaders never stop growing and getting better.

·       Capable leaders aren’t entitled-The best leaders develop in the midst of action-doing, not just thinking or dreaming, or talking.

·       Capable leaders are anticipators-It’s imperative for leaders to figure out what the organization needs before anyone ever realizes it.

·       Capable leaders are persistent-They see things through and don’t give up.

·       Capable leaders are trustworthy-When they make a promise you don’t have to worry about follow-up.

·       Capable leaders deliver-Capable leaders get things done.

As you work through these questions in your mind or on paper remember that striving to become a capable leader is challenging and will take time.  If you encounter resistance along the way remember the words of author and speaker Donald Miller who said, “If what you are doing is important, you will encounter resistance.  If what you are doing isn’t important, it will be easy.”

The Catalyst Leader: Eight Essentials for Becoming a Change Maker-Passionate

            Leadership is one of those themes that emerge throughout every area of life.  Early in life we begin seeing this as we follow the instruction of our teachers.  Later maybe a coach, teacher, or friend begins to speak into our lives directing the path that we will follow.  As life continues we see dating relationships, college, and the workforce enter the picture.  In every situation leaders emerge to guide and direct us or perhaps in many cases we emerge as the leader ourselves. 

Developing positive leadership attributes can be a challenging thing because often times we wonder where to even try to start.  Author Brad Lomenick outlines eight key principles that he believes to be crucial to leadership in his book The Catalyst Leader.  After working with countless young leaders and listening to the voices of several amazing leaders Brad has developed an understanding of some key qualities in the arena of leadership.

            He begins by outlining the principles of calling and authenticity in leadership.  He states that is necessary to know your calling in life in order to be a good leader.  Last week I explored his thoughts on authenticity which allows leaders the freedom to be themselves but also to be “real” with other people through admitting their mistakes, listening to feedback, and adjusting their approach.

This week I will continue exploring the contents of this book by looking at theme of passion.  I must admit that when I first began reading this chapter of the book I started thinking about areas or things that I was passionate about, however Brad chose to take a completely different approach by focusing on living in pursuit of God.  As I worked through this chapter I began to see how God had intentionally crafted several experiences in my life to make me into the leader I am today, simply because I was passionate about reaching others for His Glory.  Some of these experiences include:

·         A public speaking contest that my parents entered me into in middle school.  This taught me to speak in front of large groups of people and learn the importance of practicing what I would be talking about.

·         A few bad dating relationships in high school, which taught me not only about heartache but also compassion towards others who may be going through a challenging situation.

·         A youth pastor and a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Director who believed that God was calling me into full-time ministry and pushed me to pursue this calling even when I thought I couldn’t.

·         Going to a Bible-based college to learn more about God’s Word and how to connect it to other people.

As I reflected upon these items I began to see not only the connection between these life events and the calling that I am now fulfilling in youth ministry but also God’s passion for me.  God desires to see me succeed in life, and the same is true for you.  I am sure that I am not the only person who has seen the seasons of life heading in a positive direction when you are pursuing God and then take a detour when your focus shifts off of Him. 

If you are struggling with being passionate towards God, Brad outlines three things that can help us refocus and help us push the accelerator in our relationship with God.

·         Follow Christ wherever you are-“Being a change maker means realizing that commitment to God and passion cannot be compartmentalized” (p. 52).  Seek to follow God with every area of your life, as there shouldn’t be anything that you do, say, or think that shouldn’t belong to Him.

·         Glorify God-“We can’t live for God if we don’t connect with God” (p. 61).  Everything that we say, do, and think should glorify and honor God.  If you are struggling in this area don’t worry there are several others who wrestle with this daily.  But in order to reach your full potential you must develop a contagious love for the One who has called you.

·         Seeking God’s Face-“As Christians, spiritual passion has to begin with the Scriptures.  God has spoken to His people through the Bible, and we must cling to His Word” (p. 63).  We must be willing to look for God not only in our circumstances but also through the study of His Word.  By learning from the men and women of the Bible we can better develop an understanding of God and how to follow Him.

Author and speaker Priscilla Shirer sums up the theme of passion by saying, “The pinnacle of your Christian experience should be when you take everything that you’ve learned on the pew of your church, and it’s mattered on the pavement of your life’s circumstances.”  Our passion for God should ooze from every area of our life as it did through the men and women of the Bible.  By having this passion for God, we will become better leaders who help shape not only others in our immediate circle but also the world.

The Catalyst Leader: Eight Essentials for Becoming a Change Maker-Authentic

          Last week I began exploring the central thoughts of a book entitled The Catalyst Leader by Brad Lomenick.  Through this work he outlines eight essentials for becoming a change maker (or great leader).  Brad is the president and key visionary of Catalyst-a movement purposed to equip and inspire young Christian leaders through events, resources, consulting, and community.  If you would like to learn more about this amazing organization you can visit their website at http://catalystconference.com/.  Needless to say after working with countless young leaders and listening to the voices of several amazing leaders Brad has developed an understanding of some key qualities in the arena of leadership.

            The first principle that Brad discusses in his book in the need to know your calling in life in order to be a great leader.  If you missed my thoughts you can read them here http://refuge-faithumc.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-catalyst-leader-eight-essentials.html or purchase a copy of the book for yourself. 

This week I will be looking at the second piece that he outlines which is authenticity.  After working in youth ministry for the past almost decade I have come to discover that students are genuinely looking for someone who is authentic rather than perfect.  Authenticity is most easily defined as striving to be genuine or real, which is something that not only teenagers but many people are looking for in others.  When I first began in youth ministry I felt the pressure to be the best possible youth pastor as I strived to reach students for Christ.  However, this only left me feeling exhausted and defeated as I could never measure up to perfection.  (The truth is there are many times that I struggled to even get going, let alone get it all right and have everything together.)  I struggled with this battle for the first few years of ministry until an associate pastor that I was blessed to serve with began to mentor me.  She told me that I didn’t have to have everything together or have all the answers but simply be myself and be willing to look for the answers to the challenging questions of life.  She walked beside our family through the loss of our daughter, the battle of almost losing our son in the NICU, not to mention the professional struggles that come with ministering to teenagers.  Through it all she demonstrated the need to be real with my struggles, deal with my doubts about my faith, and wrestle through the challenging issues that life throws our way.  I can honestly say that because of her influence I now understand and feel more comfortable being authentic than perfect.  Christine Caine, the co-founder of the A21 Campaign states, “There’s beauty in imperfection.  When something becomes too polished, it loses its soul.  Authenticity trumps professionalism!”  This associate pastor truly embodied these words as her desire to be authentic with others never seemed overly polished but that is exactly what drew people to her.

            This theme is a rather challenging one for people to embrace in the realm of leadership because it means that we have to become comfortable with not having all of the answers, but more importantly because we have to become comfortable with who God created us to be.  Author Daniel Pink says, “Perhaps the ultimate freedom is the freedom to be one’s self.”  For me I readily embrace this freedom because I truly feel the most loved by God when I am being the person that He created me to be. 

Please understand that by no means am I saying that have authenticity completely figured out but rather that I am on the journey just like everyone reading this blog.  So as you think about the issue of authenticity where would you rate yourself on an authenticity scale?  To start exploring this process work through these seven themes that will help you discover how to be more authentic.              

·       Practice self-awareness- Too many people refuse to accept and even name their weaknesses, struggles, and pitfalls.  As a result, they accept a version of themselves they believe others will like better.  Understand who you really are.

·       Question yourself-Ask yourself these challenging questions:  “Whose attention do you crave?  Are you chasing the approval of friends, colleagues, and customers?  What is it you don’t like about yourself, and how can that shortcoming also be a strength?  Self-diagnosis can lead to self-discovery, which is the only path to authenticity. 

·       Move from self-promotion to storytelling-If you want to be a change maker, begin to see public outlets as places for sharing your personal story.

·       Resist the urge to create a digital alter ego-Seek to embrace the mindset of Claire Diaz Ortiz (the social innovation director for Twitter) who comments “Social media is not just about being connected.  It’s about being transparent, intimate, and honest.”

·       Learn to laugh at yourself-When you are able to accept and even chuckle at your blunders and mess-ups, others will too.  And this common experience will help you bond with them.

·       Build a support network-Keep honest people in your life that can help you stay grounded and keep from thinking you’ve arrived.

·       Be interested over interesting-Be more concerned with listening instead of talking.  Focus on others, not yourself.

After you have worked through themes think about the words of author and pastor Judah Smith who states, “Be strong in grace.  Your grace, your gift, your ability, who God’s called you to be, just be yourself … Don’t be anybody else, don’t compare yourself, just be you.  If “you” is not everybody’s cup of tea, then don’t worry about it.”

The Catalyst Leader: Eight Essentials for Becoming a Change Maker-Calling

          The concept of leadership is one of those themes in life that has always intrigued me.  I have loved exploring this theme through conversations with friends, classes, and debating the question, Are leaders born or made?  While I would not dare to venture to say that I am an expert on the topic of leadership, it is still something that I have been curious about throughout my life.  The most noticeable step that I took to pursue a deeper knowledge about leadership happened in 2008 when I began to pursue a graduate degree in ministerial leadership.  This program allows me to gain a deeper appreciation for what makes a leader and how to live into those items in my own life.

            Recently I purchased a book about leadership that assisted my understanding of leadership greatly.  The book is The Catalyst Leader by Brad Lomenick and through it he outlines eight essentials for becoming a change maker (or great leader).  Brad is the president and key visionary of Catalyst-a movement purposed to equip and inspire young Christian leaders through events, resources, consulting, and community.  If you would like to learn more about this amazing organization you can visit their website at http://catalystconference.com/.  Needless to say after working with countless young leaders and listening to the voices of several amazing leaders Brad has developed an understanding of some key qualities in the arena of leadership.

            Over the next eight weeks I will outline the essentials that Brad outlines in his book staring this week with the area of calling.  Have you ever taken a step back to think about why you do what you do?  Why are you in the job you have?  Why are you pursuing a certain degree (or if you haven’t graduated yet, the one you want to pursue)?  More than likely it is because you feel drawn or “called” to that area of work.  For me, I discovered my calling at sixteen to enter the field of youth ministry and impact the next generation.  While the techniques, curriculum, presentation, and a number of other things may have changed throughout the years, the fact remains that I still feel called to youth ministry.  There have been numerous situations that I have encountered through my years in ministry however, that feeling in the pit of my stomach to see teenagers encounter Jesus and equipping them for the transforming of the world hasn’t changed.

            As I write this our family is recovering from a week of Vacation Bible School where both my wife and I assisted this ministry.  Although we are exhausted, and more is to come with our Middle School Mission Week next week and reflecting back upon our High School trip earlier this month, it is one of the most amazing things to serve and see others encountering Jesus through our efforts.  While exhaustion can be cured with rest, my calling to ministry is something that hasn’t (and hopefully never will be quenched).  Author Seth Godin says it this way, “Instead of wondering what your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.”  Working with students excites me, encourages me, and makes me want to get out of bed each morning.  Their passion for life, their hunger for a deeper relationship with God, and their servant’s hearts let me know that I am doing exactly what God called me to do.

            So what about you?  Do you know what you are called to and more importantly are you striving to live into that calling?  To start exploring this process you need to develop a calling statement, which can be accomplished by asking the right questions which are crucial for discerning your calling.      

·       What are you passions and gifts?  At the intersection of these two elements, you’ll find your purpose in life.

·       What would you work on or want to do for free?  That is usually a good sign of what God has designed you to do.

·       What energized you when you were a child?  Does it still animate you?  Knowing your calling is often directly connected to childhood passion and gifts.

·       If you could do anything and take a pay cut, what would that be?  You may have to blow up your financial goals in order to pursue your true calling.

·       What barriers are preventing you from pursuing your true calling?  Can you begin removing those?

·       If you aren’t engaging your gifts and talents where you find yourself now, could you make changes in your current role to better engage those?  Don’t rule out the possibility that where you are is where you need to be.

After you have worked through these questions consider Brad’s words, “I suggest drafting a calling statement for your life.  Remember to write in pencil, not ink, as it may change over time.” (p. 21).  So as you go through this next week I challenge you to wrestle with what it is that God may be calling you too.  Perhaps you are already serving with your passion and gifts but if not I will be in prayer that you will have the courage to trust God and pursue this calling completely.

Reflections From Rockford

          Last week I was able to travel with a group of our students to share God’s love with the people of Rockford, Illinois through our annual summer mission’s trip.  During my high school years I was never able to take a mission trip however, my freshman year of college that changed as I traveled with a team of my friends to the island of Jamaica.  After spending two weeks there my heart was forever changed.  Since that initial experience I cannot count the number of hours that I have loved spending serving others through mission work. 

            This past week was a continuation of being able to serve others in my life, as our high school mission team traveled to Rockford, Illinois to help people in need there.  Before I share about our experiences it needs to be noted that this year’s trip had a different feel to it because the individual who had coordinated and led these trips for the past 25 years stepped down.   His shoes were filled by a team of people who desired to see this amazing ministry continue but the trip felt a little different without the “man in the orange shirt.”

            As for our experience, and I feel like I say with each youth trip/event I do, but it truly was the best ever as Faith UMC is blessed with great students and adult volunteers.  As I reflected back upon the week there are several moments that stand out to me where God was present.  I will attempt to capture a few of them here but if you would like to hear more about our experience feel free to join us at one of our three worship services this Sunday, July 14^th as our students and adults will be sharing about how God worked in their lives during the week.

            The first experience that I would like to share is about the amazing students that I am blessed to work with.  Each day our students are responsible for sharing about the theme from the day which centered on a piece of our verse for the week.  This year we chose Deuteronomy 10:12 which says, “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you except to fear the LORD your God by walking in all of His ways, to love Him, and to worship the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul.”  Our students amazed me as they shared about how God was working in their lives and it was evident that they desired to share God’s love to those they were serving and others through their lives.  Two evenings in particular stood out to me as our students shared about their understanding the theme of the day. 

The first was a young lady who was limited in what she could do by a recent surgery.  We were unsure if she would be able to attend the trip but not only did she attend the trip but she blessed several of us with her words as she shared.  This young lady had spent a great deal of time encouraging others, planning their devotion, and thinking about what she would say.  After she finished sharing her heart the table I was sitting simply looked around at each other (with our jaws on the floor and tears in our eyes) and said WOW!  Her heart shined through every word she said and everyone was changed because of what she shared.  The second experience happened on Friday night as I listened to our seniors (now graduates) share about their experiences as they led us in communion and worship.  It is astounding to listen to these individuals share through the tears about what our mission trip has meant to them and thank those that have impacted their lives.  It is an incredible blessing to see these young men and women share their hearts and know that they will go out and change the world!

            The work projects were another place where it was evident that God was working as we were blessed with great home owners to help.  On the final day of the trip I was traveling to all the work sites to see the finished projects that our students and adults had devoted their week to.  It always amazes me at the work that our teams complete and this year was no different.  However, there were a few sights that I saw after the teams left that need to be shared.  The first was young boy lying on the new deck that two teams built around his house.  His father was a diabetic who had lost both legs and was in a wheelchair and although he tried to keep his children “out of the way” our teams welcomed them in to work with them during the week.  Seeing this young boy lying on the porch and enjoying something new was reaffirmation of the amazing work that our teams do.  Second, there was a family with seven children who couldn’t stop thanking the director of the Workcamp for sending two of our teams to them to help by constructing a new picket fence, plant flowers, paint, and do some additional work on their house.  Their kind words about our teams made me so proud to be a part of this ministry.  Third, was a man in his 70’s with MS who two teams constructed a wheelchair ramp for.  He told me one day that he had went out on the ramp and jumped up and down on it to show how thankful he was.  (Although we both knew he couldn’t jump, we laughed as we celebrated the hard work of our teams with this blessing he received).  Finally, there was the interaction with a Puerto Rican native custodian who worked at a church where a team worked on several bathrooms.  As he left a special dinner on Friday evening, his smile told the story of his gratitude as our team alleviated what could have been months of work for him.  One of the most unique pieces of this project was that some of our students painted a verse of Scripture in three different languages on the walls of one of the bathrooms to minister to the diverse congregation that they have at this location.  The work projects were yet another way that we saw God working during this week.

            The final example of God working during this week was through the relationships that were built between the students, adults, and me.  After having to leave last year’s trip due to my father being in the hospital I was anxious to see how some of the students would interact with me this year.  After hours of laughter, sharing stories, and having deep/meaningful conversations I am so thankful for these students and the impact that they have had in my life.

            Needless to say, God was at work and we were blessed to be a part of it throughout our serving in Rockford.  We are excited to share more about our experiences with our church family this Sunday in worship and thank you for entrusting your students to us.  We look forward to partnering with the families of our community as we seek to impact the next generation with the combined influence of parents and the church!