Trust Without Borders

For me, 2013 will be remembered as a year of venturing into deeper water. I have learned so much from our Good Teacher, the Holy Spirit this year. I'm sure you have heard someone somewhere say that we go through different cycles in life. I believe that now more than ever. But what I see a little differently now is that it's not just one cycle at a time. We are cycling in various areas of our lives constantly. At any given time, we are in a phase of breaking, listening, healing, learning, seeking, waiting, exaltation, breakthrough, etc. I can be going through another learning phase in my marriage, while being in the middle of a breaking stage in my finances, and simultaneously experiencing a revelation in ministry! 

In the life of a believer, these cycles are directed by God (well, they are for everyone, but believers choose to acknowledge it). We still try to control the cycles...we try to shorten the hard phases and stretch out the ones that involve blessing. But what I have come to understand more clearly is that my responsibility is simply to acknowledge what phase I'm in, and be obedient to what's in front of me. God's job is to direct the cycle - the duration, the intensity, the results. All I have power to do is respond to the Good Teacher as He speaks through whatever phase I'm in. The visual that God gave me to understand this is a surfer. I am fondly recalling the beautiful days living in Hawaii as I write this on a freezing cold day. :) 

Let your imagination follow me here... The power and magnitude of God is obviously represented by the ocean in this illustration. Its depths are unfathomable. Its behavior is mysterious and unpredictable to the human mind. It provides sustenance, beauty, and pleasure to those who experience it. At times, it even produces fear. And the way it swells, ebbs, and flows are like the cycles we go through in life. We have no control over the pattern of the waves. We have no idea when the swells will come. We cannot predict the size of the swell or where it will end up. We simply have a choice. Will I dive in? Will I furiously kick against the current because I can't see land anymore? Will I just stand on shore and watch because I can't swim and there could be sharks for goodness sake? 

I've done all of those things. When God has whispered vision into my heart, I have responded in so many different ways. I

could beat myself up about the times I was wrong or I may have missed it. But even through my mistakes over the years, the Good Teacher has been leading me to the next level. As I look back over my years learning to swim in this incredible ocean, I see how God's plan has been working under the surface, guiding the current, holding back the swell when I wasn't ready. As we head into 2014, He has clearly said "Stop paddling and treading water - it's time to ride the wave." There are cycles for everything. I'm looking right into the moment of opportunity to stand up, take my stance, and allow the power of a God-sized vision to propel us forward in reaching people for Christ in a new way. The swell seems massive - way too big for me to survive. The risks are immense. I may wipe out and look like a complete fool. And hey - I'm not alone on the board. What about those that will join me? What if I fail and disappoint them? 

But this is what it comes down to...I've wanted to surf all my life (I even drew pictures of it as a child - born and raised in the Dakotas)! The strength training and conditioning has been done. The swell is undeniable, even though the timing is mysterious to me. I am all in. I am stepping out. So what this means for me specifically is that I step out and ask our church to come together to provide a brand new facility to allow greater ministry to students in Yankton and the surrounding area. I don't know where it leads or how it really happens, but I sense the swell is coming and I want to be ready to ride the wave. Vision isn't about seeing the end...it's trusting the One who causes the swells to heave, and taking action when He says "GO!" 

Be obedient to the thing that's right in front of us. God will direct the rest. Are you all in?

My1shirt Campaign

On November 24th, 21 students and leaders from Journey SM joined with many others in South Dakota to wear one t-shirt for thirty days. It was the last day of SD Youth Convention... I had introduced the idea during a youth service, so we had a bunch of students that were already raring to go. But during that service, DYD Mark Zweifel shared the vision behind My1shirt - and when he finished... we were so PUMPED to be a part of something way bigger than ourselves.

We never would have imagined the impact it would have in Yankton. A couple days before youth convention, I saw a post on Facebook from my friend, Rob. He works for our local newspaper, and that sparked the idea to call the paper to see if they might be interested in doing a story on our students! When I called the newsroom, they were immediately interested in the idea. So when we got home from youth convention, the reporter met us at the church to take a group picture. I was so excited to see that they put the story on the front page! We started to get comments from people in the community and it immediately increased our visibility. The day after it was published, I got a call from ABC 9 News in Sioux City! They saw the article and wanted to do a news piece on it the next day! I love it when God uses His influence to maximize His glory through our lives. The students did such a great job with their interviews. And even though there were a couple of minor details that were skewed, both press opportunities turned out really well! All credit goes to God - now it's our responsibility to use the momentum to maximize this opportunity for Speed The Light.

It's a minor inconvenience to wear the same thing for thirty days... But it has caused a significant shift in the worldview of our students. They have a new awareness for how others live across the globe, and now they're sharing that awareness with others. We are so grateful for those that have supported Speed The Light through my1shirt. Teachers, students, and even a sweet elderly lady that called from an assisted living center in town. May God multiply their investment to further the message of Christ around the world.

If you haven't heard...My1shirt started with a teenager in Minnesota. Here's Courtney's story (copied from www.sdyouth.my1shirt.com - visit the website for more info):

Courtney Olson was a junior in high school when, at the beginning of 2010, she sensed God speaking to her about setting a Speed the Light (STL) goal of $10,000. She had no idea how she was going to raise the money, so she prayerfully brainstormed about creative ways to reach her goal. The one-month t-shirt concept was born. Courtney decided to have a special STL t-shirt made and wear it for one month straight. Thirty of her friends joined her effort. They collected donations daily or asked for one donation for the entire thirty-day period. In 2010, she raised $3,000.

Though she did not reach $10,000, she decided to go for the same amount in 2011. However, she implemented some changes to her strategy. She asked her youth leaders if there was a STL project that was associated with ministry to those involved in human trafficking. The team chose to focus on Project Rescue, a ministry to women and children in sexual slavery that focuses on providing physical, emotional, and spiritual rescue, as well as, holistic restoration. STL provides vehicles used by Project Rescue.

Courtney recruited 178 friends (both high school and college, saved and unsaved) to participate in wearing a STL t-shirt for a month. Each participant was required to pay $20 for the cost of the shirt, but an anonymous donor committed to pay back the $20 if students raised $100 or more. Before the group even started asking for donations, she had already matched her previous year’s STL total!

Students were divided into smaller groups so Courtney did not have to manage the entire group on her own. They met weekly at Centennial High School and Emmanuel Christian Center in Spring Lake Park, MN, to collect money and engage participants in the heart behind the project. Each student had the opportunity to hear and learn of God’s love for people and His desire for the lost to return to Him. At one of the meetings Courtney even presented the Gospel story, knowing that not all of the participants had made decisions to follow Christ.
Through her efforts many students came to know the love of God, and $16,957 was raised for STL in just one month. Even more incredible, because of her heart and passion for missions, in two years (but technically two months) she raised almost $20,000! Courtney is impacting the world and is an encouragement to everyone she meets. When students participate in STL, they too have the opportunity to see God do the miraculous.

Summer 2013

Summer is already winding down. I definitely have some emotional attachments to summer ministry experiences that are hard to let go of. How do I even begin to explain that?...

We start off with summer camps. Always a major reference point that students go back to over the course of the year. Their lives are affected so deeply and intensely that they are literally different after experiencing it. Yes they may go back and struggle with some of the same issues. But you can't undo what God does. You can't unexperience the incredible power of God's presence. It is imprinted on their minds and hearts, and those moments will replay by the Spirit's prompting just when needed most.

The connection with students in the summer is so unique. A lot of the stresses that they carry most of the year are shrugged off in the summer. Academic pressure, compacted schedules, constant barrage of what everyone else is doing and wearing and... In the summer - relief. Beach days, late night Facebook conversations, campfires and s'mores, concerts, revisiting hilarious cabin memories. Priceless.

El Salvador missions trip. Can I even articulate it... Being displaced in a culture that is beautiful but perplexing, surrounded by a language that leaves you lost and humbled, falling in love with people that are strangers, and seeing God supercede all of that through prayer and hugs and tears. It's a privilege that no Christian should ever miss out on. Its impact is varied from person to person, but it's undeniable. And the transformation is both instantaneous and residual. Again, the Spirit will prompt recollections of certain moments weeks and months later to rekindle that desire to be a world changer. There's no way to measure that kind of impact.

So I don't know that I can say I am ready or excited for the school year to start quite yet. Even though the structure brings consistency...is that valued above bursts of amazement? Even though the commonality brings some connection...is that valued above the solitude of time on a mountain with God?

I guess it all goes back to balance. It always does. We can't live on the mountain top or in a new foreign mission field. After all, if you stayed, then it would become your new normal. So we are thankful for the incredible moments that God provided, and we pray that the ways it changed us will be evident to everyone around us. We pray that those moments will have eternal impact on us and on others we influence.

So here we go Journey Students! We are contenders for the faith! We serve the Ultimate Fighting Champion who has trained us for this very moment. We don't know what opponents we will face each day, but we know they will be there. And we have been trained for this. The fight is part of our destiny! The training, the victories, and the knock downs are all part of the Journey. I have a lot of treasures from this summer - and I know that they will serve as fuel for what is ahead of us. Are you ready, world changers?

I Timothy 6:11-12 (NIV)  But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 

Rock-a-thon

So we are going to host our first ever Rock-a-thon in Journey Student Ministries. The money we raise will go to Speed The Light. I did a rock-a-thon in youth group like a zillion years ago and it was a blast. What a fun way to raise money to help carry the message of Jesus around the world!!

Students are excited - now I'm praying that translates to them raising pledges to rock. GO SPEED THE LIGHT!!!

Destination El Salvador!

After all the fundraising and planning and packing, we are finally on our way! Heidi, Mahri and I are joining a team of 23 from South Dakota to travel to San Salvador for 11 days. We all met in Sioux Falls for orientation last night. We got to know each other a little...through some crazy icebreakers. We weighed our bags (all three of us girls were 15+ pounds under, thank you very much), and we heard a great message from Pastor Tom Rooney. He encouraged us from the book of Luke, where Jesus sent out the teams of two, to proclaim peace over the places we go, minister to their needs whenever we can, and to remember that when we are in the center of God's will, it is the safest place to be. I think he included that for the parents who were in attendance. :) The most important thing that we can do on this trip is to demonstrate LOVE of Jesus everywhere we go! I am so excited to build relationships with students and the people of El Salvador. But I'm most excited to see what God has planned for us to be a part of. He is already working in that country. We are getting the privilege to be a part of it for a short time. I know that He will transform the lives of the students and leaders who are going. I'm the only female leader on this trip and I LOVE THAT!!! These girls are so fun to be with and I can't wait to hear their hearts as God ministers to them. I'm thankful for the outstanding leadership of David Bauchspiess - our DYD. He has a passion for Jesus and a love for missions that is contagious to our students. We covet your prayers and will update you as I am able! Gloria a Dios!!

Annette's final 60 day goal

I have definitely made some major adjustments to my usual method of setting goals because of the vision process.  It's been spiritually and mentally exhausting for me lately.  I am sensing a "slump" of sorts in the youth and we have known for a while that we needed to cast vision again because they were losing sight of that.  I am hesitating to do that until we make a move as a church because I know that we need to mirror what Pastor Jeff is doing.  So in light of that, here are some things that I can do to prepare for the vision casting...

• Work with current student leaders to recruit and mentor new student leaders.  We have a large class of seniors graduating this spring.  It is contributing to the "sluggish" feeling because there will be holes to fill. But instead of filling the same holes - we are going to focus more on identifying what these new leaders are gifted to do and line them up in the right area of ministry according to those.  So the way we do youth services may change - and that seems to mirror what's happening in the rest of the church.  I think God's timing is so cool.
• My team and I need to identify the areas that are sluggish (and why if possible), and pray for direction about how to address those issues.  We have covenanted together to fast and pray every Wednesday lunch hour until we get a sense of the new direction.  When we're ready, we will strategize how to implement the changes needed.
• Plan ahead for a parents night so that when the time comes, we can incorporate their input into what changes will take place in youth ministry.

Annette's CL Oct. Book Review

Isn't it amazing how God directs our lives???  I chose this book for Signet in October of last year!!  At that time, we had no idea that we would be in this Acts 2 process.  God is so ingenious!  Everything we're reading is right in line with the vision process.  What is so cool to me is that this book brings another facet to the process.  In vision team, we're talking about the vision, movement of people, the process of discipleship, etc.  But this book talks about what kind of leader can actually facilitate that vision!  How cool!!!

Hybels' love for the church really inspired me.  It's easy to get frustrated about what doesn't work.  But the Church really is the hope of this world!  That is a huge responsibility for us to carry.  And the leaders of the Church hold the opportunity for impact in their hands.  Wow...are we sure we want to sign up for that? :)  There is no other organization, club, or government that can have the influence that the Church can.  I am very humbled by that realization.  We have to do better.

So that leads us to chapter 2 where he talks about vision.  We have definitely come to appreciate the importance of vision through the Acts 2 process.  It sounds like they did their own Acts 2 process to clarify their vision as well!  Our most potent weapon as a leader is VISION.  I was glad to read that he emphasized the importance of not only identifying the vision - but also that you must work hard to communicate.  It's not a once a year event.  It should be threaded through everything we do.  Every opportunity has to be weighed against the vision that God has given us.  We can't afford to use time and resources on activities that aren't a part of that.

Chapter 3 was a butt kicking chapter.  LOL  Talk is cheap - that's how I summarize it.  Haha.  He had to make some difficult decisions and push people pretty hard in order to fully achieve what God was calling them to.  Are we ready to do that?  I admit that it is hard for me to "push" my team when they are volunteers.  I served as a volunteer for years, and I gave a lot to ministry while balancing family and work.  So I empathize with the struggle to not take on too much.  But at the same time, is there anything in life more important than Kingdom work?  So shouldn't it be #1 priority after your personal relationship with God and family?  I've always felt bad about expecting that.  I guess if I am communicating the vision with great passion and conviction in a way that will help to inspire people - they will willingly make the necessary sacrifices!  Because they'll see that God is in it, and that I need their help to do it.  What an awesome book this is so far...I'm excited.

Omaha - Women of Faith Event

My first impression of the Women of Faith organization was great.  The stage set and production quality was fantastic.  The staff were professional, personable, and likeable.  The flow of the event was very smooth and the schedule was adhered to.  The merchandise tables offered great resources and the staff were very helpful and courteous.  The Qwest Center facility was ideal for this event and their staff were also very helpful.

I have to say that the musical guests were my favorite element of the event.  Mandisa kicked off the weekend on Friday night and she brought the house down!  She was fun, energetic, and really able to connect with the audience.  She has tremendous talent and a sweet heart.  Sandi Patty and Amy Grant were both great, but I definitely enjoyed Amy Grant more.  She brought her band with her and really shared from her heart about her personal experiences.  It was really cool to see those two women - who were contemporary Christian music pioneers.

They had a great line-up of speakers.  Patsy Clairmont and Andy Andrews were easily the best in my opinion.  They were captivating and informational.  I was inspired and challenged as I listened.  They used a great balance of personal life experiences with some very practical application of the Word of God.  They clearly love God and passionately serve Him.  Both of them kept us laughing too!  It was really interesting to hear from Lisa Welchel.  I was a big fan of "The Facts of Life" as a kid, and it was cool to see her standing right there.  She's beautiful and really spoke from her heart.  Marilyn Meberg is a very intelligent woman, and a good communicator, but I didn't had a difficult time connecting with what she had to say.  It may have been a generational gap - I'm not sure.

The one critique I had about the event was the worship.  The team was comprised of beautiful women with amazing voices.  But they sang to a track and they had choreographed movements around the stage.  To me, worship is an intimate time with God...and it's sometimes unpredictable.  With a live band, the worship team can flow with what God is doing right in that moment.  That was not an option in this case.  Everything was so rehearsed that I had a hard time feeling like it was inspired.  I'm a worship leader myself, so I'm sure my own bias plays into that.  But I did hear the same thing from other women in attendance as well.  That really was the one factor that I would love to see improved.

Overall, it was an anointed, beautiful weekend.  The WOF team are really trying to reach the hearts of women to share Christ.  I was glad I was able to go!

Annette's Ch 8 & 9 Book Review

Well we're down to the end...I really enjoyed this book!  Good insight - caused me to really consider some things about myself.

Chapter 8: I laughed to myself when I started reading about the consumers versus investors.  I've talked with a couple of fellow Signeteers recently about the "life suckers".  I felt the author's approach was very balanced. "Consumers are relationally greedy and never satisfied with the investment someone makes in them."  In ministry, you will inevitably encounter people like this. I also appreciated that he said there are exceptions.  "If God calls us to invest in someone who doesn't look or act like the person we think will maximize our invest...this is the spiritual trump card over any leadership strategy of our own."  He wasn't making an absolute statement about all people all the time.  We do have to discern when God is directing us as well.  Sometimes He's going to send us a life-sucker and we have to follow through.  But this was a great principle to think about!  And in fact, it's why I chose all of you for Signet!!  I believe that each of you have influence and I want to help you invest in others.  It also spurs me on to growth at the same time.  This chapter truly was a principle that Christ employed in his life on earth.  He taught and spoke to crowds of thousands, but he personally discipled and invested in 12 men.  The one thing I wish the author would have given more insight about was how to deal with a life-sucker when you know it's a purse with holes.  That can be tough.

Chapter 9: Jesus really did emphasize relationships throughout his ministry.  This is not a concept that we can disregard.  Relationships are the ONLY way we truly influence anyone else - and it is certainly the only way to lead others closer to Christ.  In his words..."It's the way we as leaders serve humanity and God himself, while also creating a distinct and better world."

Review of "Slave"

This doesn't relate to Signet - it's a book I've read on my own by John MacArthur.  The subtitle is "The hidden truth about your identity in Christ".  You can probably see why I was drawn to it.  Interesting title.

The ideas presented in this book are definitely different from what I've heard throughout my life.  Slavery has a very negative connotation in our nation - and it should.  Our past was shameful.  Praise God that people stood up for righteousness and abolished the human slave trade.  But what is interesting in what I learned through this book is that slavery in the Biblical culture was very different from that.  It was more along the lines of people having servants.  There were paid servants and there were slaves that were owned.  People were either born into slavery or they became a slave to repay debt.  Slaves had the opportunity to work their way out of that position!  Slave owners were supposed to be just and treat them well.  There were of course people who didn't. But that word meant something very different in that day.

The disciples referred to themselves regularly as "slaves of Christ", and that Jesus was their "master". But if you read the English versions of the Bible, you rarely see that reference in the New Testament.  The Greek word for slave has been covered up by being mistranslated in almost every English version.  It appears 124 times in the original text, but was only correctly translated once in the King James!  "Most of our modern translations do only slightly better." (pg. 16)  They usually use the word "servant" instead.  But think about the differences between slave and servant.  They are very different positions.

The facts were intriguing, but what it means for us as followers of Christ now is far more powerful to me.  The disciples understood the magnitude of grace they received as a result of serving Jesus.  We are often casual in our thinking about Him.  We would rather hear about being a friend of God than being a slave to the Master.  He also addresses the imagery that we can glean from in the picture of slavery.  We are already slaves to sin and selfish desire.  And then he walks us through the redemption of going from slaves to son...what an incredible picture.

This book really challenged me to examine my approach to a Holy God.  I definitely recommend it as a read to make you think.

Annette's June Reading Post

I've heard there was a little contraversy about this chapter - so I was super excited to read it!! :-D  He defines likeability as "a person's ability to evoke favorable feelings in their 'audience' (that is, the person they're in a relationship with), in order to produce a positive outcome that serves others well".  Simply put, people who are likeable are easy to be around.  My definition is someone who has a magnetic personality (draws people to them) and people become better by being around them. 

He clearly says that likeability does NOT trump the mission.  BUT if it is in proper priority, you highly strengthen the likelihood of reaching your mission.  I do not entirely agree, however, that the mission can always be warm and appealing.  If your mission is, for example, to reach out to the basest of humanity who are unloveable and not always nice...your mission is not necessarily "attractive".  It is challenging!!  But a likeable leader is more likely to keep his/her team motivated and passionate about the mission - no matter how ugly the work may be. 

I thought the five signs of likeability were very interesting, and right on - and I can definitely think of people in my life who are like that.  I also appreciated when he talked about being in the "middle of the office" to carry out tasks.  A godly leader is not someone who calls out orders from a posh office.  He/she is right there with the team working toward the mission God has called them to.  I remind myself of that occasionally by grabbing a plunger when a toilet is plugged instead of finding someone else to do it.  :o)

I'm not exactly sure what was contraversial in this chapter (although I feel certain that I will find out (-;), but I do feel that he was a lot more business-like in his approach for this one.  The concepts are common to other books I've read that are business focused.  I still think there is some very valuable information in it - but we always need to balance who we are in Christ with everything we read here.  If you are not likeable to other believers and claim to be a Christian, I think you would need to take some time to do some self examination.  We all have rough edges that God helps to rub off during the course of our walk with Him, but we can't make excuses for ourselves not being approachable or trustworthy.  Those things should be fruits of the Spirit that are evident in our lives as we're leading others.  Our natural personality quirks need to be overwritten by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in our lives!!

Being honest about where we are in these characteristics will free us up to pursue being the best in what Christ has called us to.  I instantly recognized the areas that I want to grow in.  I really enjoyed this chapter even though it serves as a pretty clear mirror of what I lack.  But if you want to grow, you look in the mirror of God's Word and His wisdom OFTEN.

Father, help us to take an honest look in the reflection of your Word to see ourselves as we truly are.  And then give us the courage, strength, and endurance to pursue who you've called us to become!

Annette's 90 Day Goal (July-Sept)

I apologize for not posting this last week! The whole week was consumed with several families and individuals in crisis, and I was committed to walking through with them - everything else had to shift in priority.  I SHOULD have texted all of you and asked you to wait on your 90 day goal until you saw the structure of mine.  Forgive me - but you may need to revamp yours if you've already done it.  This is different from the 30 day goals we've set, and I'd like everyone to follow a similar structure - just for learning purposes.  So please adapt your 90 day goal to this format.  (The colors are optional. LOL)

GOAL:  To re-organize and re-structure my team building process so that it can be adapted to every team I lead.

July Action Steps:

1. Complete the student leadership section of the AYM manual (work with intern if available). Still in draft form - my intern isn't starting until fall so I'm on my own.
2. Meet with Pastor Jeff to discuss ideas about ways to improve and reorganize the team building process I've been using.**  Done
3. Draft a letter to team members to inform them about upcoming changes. Done
4. Ask Pastor Jeff to review the draft, and then send it.  Have to wait until he returns from Boston.

August Action Steps:

1. Create schedule for individual appointments with leaders and team members. In progress - there are a lot of them. :)
2. Identify a curriculum for student leader Sunday class in the fall and set start date (6-8 sessions). Done.
3. Identify a book to read with the worship team in 2012. I think I found one. This is tough.
4. Identify a book/series to go through with the youth ministry team. I'm going to hold off on this. Too ambitious for one year since I'll be in school.
5. Select 1 leader or team member to meet with and seek honest feedback about my leadership style, strengths, and weaknesses.** Done. Also took the 'Flag Page Assessment' - interesting!
6. Brainstorm ways to recruit potential student leaders. In progress.

September Action Steps:

1. Begin one-on-one meetings with team members.  In progress.
2. Begin student leadership class.  Done (doing).
3. Summarize the team building process in written form and submit to Pastor Jeff for review. I opted not to go down this road yet, due to the vision team process.  As we are working through the material, I see there are things that will need to change, but I don't want to move prematurely.  I am going to wait until we have completed the process as a church and then follow the same ideas with youth.
4. Meet with Pastor Jeff to discuss progress, suggestions, etc.**  Done.

**This indicates a step that is REQUIRED for you to include in your action steps.  One per month.  You don't have to meet with the same person that I named...but it should be someone who has influence in your life, authority to correct you, and someone you respect and will listen to.

Annette's 30 Day Goal for May 2011

GOAL: To effectively and efficiently plan for summer camps.

ACTION STEPS:

1. Go above and beyond with promoting camp.  Mention on Wednesday nights, but also send emails to parents, show videos on Sunday mornings, have students share testimonies, etc.
2. Plan and execute fundraisers for camp scholarships.
3. Find a way to recruit individuals to sponsor a camper financially for those who are in greater need.
4. Recruit camp guides to go along to each camp and share the training resources with them.
5. Accurately track all registration information.
6. Plan for transportation.

Annette's April RI Review

I have these "airhead" moments a couple times a year where I have checked something off my mental TO DO list, but in the REAL WORLD, it hasn't been done.  I did that with this post.  I titled my March post as April, and I really enjoyed these chapters, so I was thinking I was done with it.  Good grief...I need some gingko biloba or something.  LOL  So I finally got around to posting my new 30 day goal and realized I had missed this post.  SORRY!!

Chapter 5: The Compelling Relator
This chapter was right on for me - part of my ministry life is with teenagers - and the author is so right about boredom.  He calls it a "rampant epidemic in our culture".  It is so true!  People will give you about 5 minutes to determine whether you're worth listening to or not (and that might be on the generous side with teens).  I have to admit that I find myself easily bored - I like to stay occupied with a task.  I rarely just sit and watch a movie.  I'm usually folding laundry at the same time.  :o)  So I'm hoping I can use that for my benefit in leadership.  I liked the practical tips for becoming compelling, and it made me hopeful that everyone can become more interesting if they're thoughtful about it!  So leaders with laid back personalities don't have any excuse.  I decided to rate myself on these things he suggested.  Take a look:

• Dare to be contraversial when the moment calls for it - I give myself a solid B in this.  I'm not ever afraid to say something that might be contraversial, BUT sometimes I work hard to cloke it in diplomacy so it's less offensive. 
• Refuse to be irrelevant - I give myself an A- in this area.  Working with youth demands relevance.  I'd be useless if I weren't relevant.  I don't agree with most things that are going on in the world, but I am aware of what's happening in our culture and take the time to figure out why people care.
• Change the way you communicate - I give myself a C in this.  I'm becoming more aware of it (because of this book), but I feel I'm definitely average and have some work to do.  I think I'm a pretty good communicator in general, but he talks about beginning with the other person in mind.  That was an AHA moment for me.
• Activate your passion - I give myself an A.  I don't know where it comes from, aside from the Holy Spirit, but I've always been a passionate person.  I'm passionate in talking about things I love, I'm passionate about not having mediocre relationships, and I'm passionate when I disagree with someone.  :o)  I personally think it's much easier to follow a passionate leader.

Chapter 6:  The Conversational Futurist
At the beginning of this chapter, I was wondering "what kind of obscure crud is this?".  It took me about three pages before I really understood what he was getting at.  I love the show "House" so I got the reference, but what made me really understand the principle is when he talked about Jesus!!  I wish he had given that story first.  :o)  Jesus had this incredible knack of leading people through conversation right where He wanted them to go.  Even if they were out to get Him, they still followed right along!  It's genius!  After I read that, I could identify a couple of people that I know that do that.  I have to say that there aren't many I know that have this ability, and I think it's definitely something that you have to work on.  I don't know that it's a natural gift like some of these other qualities can be.  Think before you speak is a common principle, but he's going much deeper here. 

I think being a conversational futurist is a combination of being in tune with the Holy Spirit, AND being thoughtful and intentional when you're talking with someone.  How often do we just fall into conversation, and hope it's enjoyable - when we could make each conversation have purpose.  I LOVE this idea and I'm really excited to work on it!!

Annette's March RI Review

Chapter 3 & 4 of Relational Intelligence

I am really liking the practical application of this book! It's one thing to tell us that we need to increase our RI, but it's another entirely to SHOW us ways we can do it.  It's awesome.  When it comes to being a Story Collector - I think I do that to a degree.  But I don't think that I've been very good at pulling the interesting things out of people.  After we get closer, I do...but I want to be at the RI Genius level!!  :o)  So I have already starting "practicing" on teens when I'm talking to them.  And it's amazing how well it works!  I can see in their faces that they feel valued already!  It's really amazing. 

I do enjoy asking questions.  Our life group has given me great opportunity to practice this (as some of you know).  I'm going to really focus on that in the next month or so - with life group and students.  I really see the wisdom in how you can learn a lot about a person by asking questions about people's dreams and life history.  I know I've felt valued when people do that to me.  In some ways, I think "DUH" when I'm reading this stuff.  Yet I don't know very many people that do all these things well!

Allison told me she thought I was an energy carrier.  :o)  When I started to read that chapter, that made me feel great.  I can see what she means I guess, because I've been in a leadership role for so many years.  I do like to have an energized meeting.  When I've gone to a meeting that's led by someone who has no energy at all - it is difficult for me to keep my place.  HAHA  I just wanna jump up and help.

Where I felt punched between the eyes is when he talked about energy killers - specifically the appearance of alertness.  There are most definitely people that I do this with!!  It's actually most middle school students I know.  I am listening to all the minutia of their story...but I'm desperately waiting for something significant to pop up so I can have a real conversation with them!!  They probably sense that!  I can't let my mind wander, no matter how valuable I think the content is or not. 

I have lots of personal experience with fighting distraction.  Before services, people come at me from 50 directions with questions, assistance requests, changes for service, cancellations, technology problems...  I have become pretty proficient at taking the moments I need to shut all that off and clear my mind.  But there are definitely days where it seems to be more of a struggle.  I've been in the middle of a worship song thinking about Easter costumes!!

I LOVE the wisdom of "being all there".  Isn't that soooo what many of us need?  We have too much going on so we're not great at anything!!!  Now we're reading this - so what are you going to do to change it??  I've been evaluating this very thing in my life over the last 6 months.  This book is right on for me.

Annette's 60 Day Goal (Mar-Apr)

GOAL: To successfully administer the Easter production.  I was trying to think of a different goal, but in the next 60 days, this production will be my #1 focus!  So it only makes sense that I lay out what needs to be done in my goal.  There's a lot of detail that I'm not listing here. :o)  You'll see I've set mini-deadlines within the main goal.  That's just something I have to do to ensure things are ready when they're needed and I reduce the amount of stress on myself being done ahead of time.

ACTION STEPS:

1. Finish final revisions of scenes by March 13th.  DONE (was late)
2. Distribute scripts to cast members by March 14th.  DONE (was late)
3. Schedule scene rehearsals for March as soon as cast members receive script.  DONE
4. Talk to Heidi about dance choreography and rehearsals by March 14th.  DONE
5. Delegate costuming to a responsible individual (obtain costumes from MaryBeth; find seamstress for additional needed costumes; keep track of costumes; dress cast).  DONE
6. Meet with Tech team to review what's needed for production by April 3rd.
7. Confirm lights set-up with Alison Spak by March 27th.  DONE
8. Delegate set construction to a responsible individual (verify materials from last year; adjustments to stage changes; recruit volunteers).  DONE
9. Make final decisions on musical changes by March 20th.  DONE
10. Delegate promotion to a responsible individual (update programs, flyers; posters; distribute information to local press).  DONE
11. Update and finalize tech notes in script and review with stage manager.  DONE
12. Work with church staff to print tickets, promote in bulletin, and sell tickets.  DONE

Obviously everything had to get done.  Overall everything went well but I would give myself about a B- on my preparation.  I was behind this year, even though Easter was late.  I think I allowed other things to crowd these priorities.  I didn't get all stressed out, but some things could have run better if I had been more on top of it. 

Annette's Feb Post

Chapter 2: The Michael Scott Syndrome

I am a huge Office fan so I totally enjoyed this reference - it makes so much sense. :o)  Self awareness - and the lack of it - definitely defines Michael Scott accurately.  And I immediately knew what was coming...  Since I've done so much reading the last few years, I also knew what was coming as soon as Mr. Saccone started talking about how much God loves us in spite of our flaws (which I am so grateful for).  It seems like when an author starts being very affirmative and reminding us that God's love is unconditional, I brace myself for the sock-it-to-you revelation that is coming.  And I was right!

If you're married, you have someone who is usually very willing to point out your weaknesses.  LOL  But that's not enough if you really want to have an accurate picture of who you are.  He talked about relationships of honesty.  I think that I have built a few of those into my life (thanks Mom & Dad who always taught me this principle), BUT the other side of that is making sure that you're open to seeking that feedback from time to time.  Even if people see things in you and are willing to be honest about it, they generally don't call you up and offer to give you some healthy critique once a month.  So we still have to be responsible to seek that.  That is not a pleasant thing to do...but even in this last year, I've learned a lot from those kinds of conversations.  I also really liked that he talked about activating the reflective mind in you!  I was relieved actually because I regularly do this.  I know you can definitely take it too far - never good enough, beat yourself up etc.  But I do agree it's a healthy practice.  After every meeting I go to (even weekly staff meetings), I think about how I participated or how I led.  Did I include everyone's input?  Did I respond appropriately to any disagreements or differing views?  Did I make sure people I work with feel valued?  Thank goodness it's a good habit!!  :o)

I'm really enjoying this book and I hope that in all of your reviews, you don't just regurgitate what the author wrote.  Your reviews are also an outlet to GET PERSONAL and show what you are learning and applying from this book.

Annette's 30 Day Goal for Feb 2011

GOAL:  Complete all the preliminary prep work for the Easter production: Eyewitness to HIStory.

ACTION STEPS:

1. Make a short video to use to promote the audition process.  DONE
2. Personally invite individuals to audition or join stage crew.  90% complete
3. Finish additional John scene. IN PROGRESS - I've struggled to get my ideas on paper but I just found a song that has given me additional inspiration.
4. Contact individuals/organizations that will provide equipment, costumes, and set for production. 50% complete; I have to confirm the lights, rental mics, and casket
5. Find some new music to use for band and small ensemble.  DONE

I think I "overshot" this goal a bit to be done in 30 days.  :)  But setting such a concrete goal helped me get a lot done even though I was kind of swamped with the Fine Arts event!

Annette's January Post

I am definitely glad we are reading this book - so far it looks like it's going to be GREAT!  Relational intelligence is a really creative way of expressing this idea.  I thought it was poignant that the issue of "conflict" was used right away to define the idea of relational intelligence.  He said a person with a high level of RI knows "how to resolve conflict in a healthy manner that fosters the strength of a relationship rather than breaking it down".  Managing conflict is definitely a HUGE part of having healthy relationships.

"Relationships have a direct correlation to the quality of our lives."  That is such a true statement, yet I think we would all admit we don't always invest as much as we need to in order to have great relationships.  We want relationships to be great and we get frustrated when they're not, yet we seldom are doing 100% of what we can to make them great.  The concept of human economy is interesting.  It definitely can change your thinking about why relationships matter.  It's not only about making life better.  It also relates to productivity, outreach, effectiveness, and physical/emotional health.

"Leaders have the potential to infect people in a way that moves them forward or backward."  What do you think about having that kind of influence?  For some, that's scary!  But you're all already leaders - so you're already doing this!  I hope this process helps us to examine what direction we're moving people. 

I thought it was pretty striking to say that relationships are the proof of God.  But I agree!  I'd never thought of it like that, but it's true.  I hope to learn how to let the love of God love THROUGH me more effectively - and increase my RQ.  By the way, my RQ was 86.  Pretty cool assessment tool!  I'd be curious to have you guys do the 360 assessment about me too. 

Annette's Personal Growth Choice

I am going to focus on PREACHING for my personal growth topic.  I love to teach and it comes pretty easy for me.  But there is more of an "art" to preaching - relaying a spiritual message through words.  I am definitely weak in that area.  So I'm going to start with "Made To Stick".  It talks about the art of storytelling when you communicate.  Some of my favorite preachers are my favorite because of their ability to use a story to make an idea stick with me.  I'm also going to look for another book that is specifically about preaching.  I'll post that when I find it.