The Loudest Whispers (#fmf)

    There are moments when the whispers of the Holy Spirit become the loudest things I hear. That still small voice loudly echoes over all the noise in the world in such a way that I can’t help but hear it (I Kings 19:11–12). That voice beckons a response as it ushers in wisdom, clarity and peace. It informs, redirects and leads the way (Isaiah 20:31). In those moments, the loudest thing in the room is the sound of my heart beating—beating with anticipation for things revealed and beating with fear for things unknown. A flurry of thoughts fill my head as I ponder the possibilities of what could be and revisit old dreams. These old dreams carry hints of things to come...things that haven’t died no matter the twists and turns that have happened over the years (Psalm 32:8). These dreams remind me of the still small voice that spoke so loudly years ago. But I ran from that voice because I was scared of the bigness of it all—what if I failed at carrying out what was being asked but what if I succeeded at it, too? Both seemed equally scary.

    Yet this time around, the still small voice loudly reassures me of truth and I now know how to stand firmly in that truth. The voice reminds me of the transformation that has taken place and that I no longer have to run in fear. I now understand that new paths can be forged if the process is welcomed, accepted and endured one step at a time--pacing myself for the long-haul rather than burning out after the first year or two. This transformation speaks loudly of the security that comes from hearing and trusting the Holy Spirit. 

     Once holy whispers become the loudest things we hear, we are able to move forward in new ways because those whispers shout louder than our doubts and fears.

Five Minute Friday (#FMFparty) gives writers a word prompt every Friday. We are encouraged to write whatever comes to mind about that word in just five minutes. No editing, no perfection, only writing from the heart. To find out more, visit Five Minute Friday. This week's word is "LOUD".

 

 
This mixed media response piece was created from two processing finger paintings as I processed through several big things on my mind. I tore up the finger paintings (which is cathartic in itself) to create this piece merging the two lines of thought. This mixed media piece represents the swirling between old and new, past and present, light and dark, trauma and possibilities, stuck and moving forward, and fear and faith. This piece can be turned in different directions. Whether pointing upward or pointing forward to the right, the arrow represents shalom and kairos moments...moments infused with the Holy Spirit...that break through our lives as the Spirit fulfills God’s promises in Psalm 32:8 revealing the paths He has for us.

dream // five minute friday

Five Minute Friday (#FMFparty) gives writers a word prompt. We are encouraged to write whatever comes to mind about that word in just five minutes.  No editing, no perfection, only writing from the heart.  To find out more, visit http://katemotaung.com/five-minute-friday/.  This week's word is "DREAM".

I have forgotten what it's like to dream and to have those thoughts that take you from where you are today to somewhere else that you really want to be in life. Busyness, routine, sleeplessness, merely existing, and mindlessly staring at my laptop or iPhone rob me of the ability to dream.

And honestly, when I take the time to dream, "what if's" choke out my dreams. Insecurity tells me that I'm not good enough to dream those kinds of dreams. Comparison shows me all that I lack. And fear holds me back so much so that I doubt each step forward. I give up dreaming before I even begin to dream only to find myself living this life where I'm aiming at so many different things and still completely missing the mark.

A friend recently asked me, "What would you do for God if you couldn't fail?" The answer to that question surprises me because the answers are things that I enjoy doing yet are not things that my life (education, ministry training, professional training, etc.) has been geared toward all of these years. To follow these dreams would mean a radical shift and leaving behind everything that is familiar including people and areas of ministry that I thought I really liked (and I do like these things, but they don't fuel me like living out my dreams do). Pursuing these dreams would unleash renewed creativity, vibrancy, passion, faith, and opportunities to do unique things as God paves the way.

If dreaming and pursuing my dreams would bring all of that, why then do I mock God's truths in Jeremiah 1:4-9 by lacking the courage to dream?

"Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.  Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth."

Get Out of the Churchy Bubble

Last Friday, another mass school shooting rocked our world.  As the days have passed by, media and America has increased its cry for something to be done.  Neither political party seems to have an answer and no "expert" on guns, education, and psychiatry can manage an intelligible answer except for "we need to have more conversations."

Do Americans not realize that we are wasting time by talking about the need to have conversations on the tough issues when we could simply start having these conversations?  The need was there long before last week...why weren't we talking then?  And what about those who have been trying to talk all along but their message hasn't been heard?  A knee-jerk response will create ineffective legislation which will hurt, label and probably tax more than help.  But then prolonging the conversations will make our instant-gratification society bored and quickly forget what is important and why.  

In talking, we must not forget the conversations within our churches.  Why not consider looking at what Christians have allowed our churches to become?  What are we doing to help the mentally ill aside from raising our eyebrows at their vulnerability when they admit that they are taking meds and later gossiping about them (via the "prayer request" method) as if we have never struggled with seasons of anxiety, depression or loneliness ourselves?  What are we doing to reach out to today's young adults aside from saying, "Yes, we want you in church!" but then fail to reach out to them outside of their own programming or give support beyond the Sunday or Wednesday service?  What are we doing to be voices in our community when we can't even find our own voices in our own churches to stand up against compromise, cliques and comfortable faith?

We have created this bubble that exists within our churches.  Within this bubble, we are comfortable and safe.  And, whoa!  Shame on the person who dares to speak up against that bubble!  I learned that the hard way this week as I made a FB comment about the shooter and then quickly deleted it after being reprimanded. 

We are the ones who have graded ours (and everyone else's) sins.  We are the ones who created standards and then rationalized them when we couldn't keep them ourselves.  We are the ones who have taken over God's decision on who is worthy of God's love and who is not!  We've fooled ourselves into thinking that we aren't that bad but in reality, we are all mere choices away from committing a heinous crime.  The only difference is that we are choosing Christ.  We have chosen to experience His mercy, forgiveness and grace! 

While we saw lostness in the worst way last week, I can’t help but see that God’s love still overshadows everything!  Are we supposed to ignore the fact that this shooter and every other criminal is made in God's image just like us?  That if that criminal accepted Christ, then he would be in heaven next to us?  That thought is a little nauseating, honestly.  And then I have to stop and listen to myself as I judge this man and hold him to what I think God wants while totally ignoring my own sins in the process.  Is not envy or gossip or failing to rest in the same Ten Commandments list as murder and adultery?  Did not the same God who fashioned me with His hands fashion that murderer with His hands also?  Did not the same God who sent His son to die on the cross die for that man as well?  Doesn't the Bible mention that God is not a respecter of persons so that means God offers mercy, love, forgiveness and judgment to everyone equally?  And that all of this comes down to personal choice?

What missions/ministry opportunities have been lost because we failed to see and love others as God does?  Please know that in no way am I condoning what happened last week, but I can't help but see a broken, lost young man--a man that, who knows, might have made a completely opposite choice had the Body of Christ stepped in and ministered to his family from the beginning.  This family might have made different choices had a Believer taken time to simply hear the desperate cries of this mother who was at her wits end.  Or, they might have been led to resources and/or connections to Christian professionals who believed in the power of prayer and in the power of God to transform lives. 

I look around me and see broken people everywhere...no one is exempt from brokenness.  How many times do I pretend not to see brokenness because I don't know what to say or do?  How many times have we wished that someone (even someone from our own churches) would step outside of Facebook and/or the Sunday services and be a real face, a real ear, a real hug or a real voice?  What if that was the one chance that would change the course of everything in that person’s life?  What if that was the one chance that could have prevented last week's deaths from happening?

After last week, we have got to pop that safe Christian bubble that we're in!  We have to go against the grain, have courage to leave our church cliques and man-made ideals behind and look at life through God’s eyes!  We also have to nurse the broken in our churches so we can nurse the broken outside of our churches. 

Yes, it’s uncomfortable, it's messy and it's real.  When we get beyond ourselves and see the heart of God yet fail to act, our lives become equally uncomfortable, messy and real as we make a blatant choice to ignore God and reap the consequences of it (been there, done that and it's not fun)! 

I keep sensing this urgency that we are missing the mark as the church and it's time to stop playing around, time to stop sitting in our comfy churchy bubbles and truly live out what the Bible says.  For those who already are, hope is around the corner and we have to stay the course and know Who we are looking at regardless of who is (or isn’t) walking alongside us!  It's tough and it's lonely sometimes, but keep hanging on!  

For Such a Time As This

(Time to finish the post that's been sitting in my draft box for a couple weeks...better late than never!)

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”  Esther 4:14

Over the past couple months, there have been several new "soul stirrings"...things that don't make sense but I know are part of something larger, something God wants to do but isn't yet named.

As the Presidential election came to a conclusion last night and while reading many insights from trusted Christian leaders, it brought together some of the hesitations and fears I've had about accepting a new ministry role in May with a time commitment that lasts the same length of this Presidency!  

One of my fleshly hesitations has been what happens if I'm in this role and the world literally falls apart?  Will I be able to keep it together personally in order to be a calming force, a leader that doesn't wimp out when life gets tough?  Will I be able to hang in there and encourage other women going through the same things or will I quickly retreat in fear?  Will I know my God enough and trust Him enough to continually point others to Him no matter what may unfold in this world?  Will my life be filled with this unquenchable joy that speaks only of God in the midst of chaos?  Then, I have to stop as I realize that I can't do this and who am I to even think I could do this?  Am I even ready for this kind of responsibility?

But, God instantly calms my heart with this surety that He is in control and that there's no need to worry.  He keeps showing me that the face of leadership is about to shift somewhat (crazy sounding, I know).  What was required of a leader today will be different four years from now.  Will I know what God wants or will I shove my head in the sand?   

As I look over the next four years of where God wants to place me as well as seeing the political state and leadership of America, I see where the definition of Christian/ministry leadership will go back to the most basic form in order for all of us to make it through these uncertain times together.  Programs, numbers, money will fade into the distance as leaders can't solidly rely on these things as they once could.  Priorities will change as those they lead need more hope and encouragement than ever before to make it through worldwide chaos more so than they need another ministry goal, committee meeting (where nothing is accomplished) or sugar-coated sermons.  Prayer will become forefront as people realize that prayer is about all they have left but then realize that being before God is where everything is at. 

Leadership will be about simplifying, getting rid of the clutter in our lives and in our churches and ministries and getting back to the very basics that we've lost underneath all the good that we have done.  It'll be about meeting needs right where we are at and putting legs to our faith rather than having more conversations about it and how to do it.  It'll be about the people once again without the distractions of objectives, initiatives or standards. 

Through the simplifying, we'll come to a point of true missional living where we see a picture much larger than ourselves.  What was once the focus in the beginning days of ministry will come back into clear view as we strip down to God's original two commandments in Matthew 26:36-38:  "Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"  That is where changing the world, true missions and discipleship all take place! 

 While I'm hesitant about the next four years, I'm optimistic.  I keep thinking of Mordecai's words to Esther in Esther 4:14 and have to wonder if everything God has allowed me to go through, all the lessons He has taught me and all the people and resources along the way have been in preparation for such a time as this.  I can see patterns, specificity and purpose to so many things that God has done that all lead up to this point.  I see the women all around me and I'm excited, energized and ready.  Yet I also see the news, hear the prophecy sermons and raise my eyes over the cost of groceries and start to question as I know that where God is sending me goes beyond a missions organization and church life. 

I don't know what tomorrow brings nor do I feel I fully understand the role God is preparing me for as He keeps showing me different aspects to it.  It's taken a couple months, but God has led me to this point where I have a deep-seated peace that He is with me and will equip me in specific ways to best serve and encourage the women in my path through myMISSION PIEDMONT and Piedmont WMU ~ for such a time as this! 

Getting By in Blind Churches

(Disclaimer:  This post is a culmination of events not geared toward any one particular church, ministry, group or person. And leave it to God to really echo the things I've been reflecting on through one of the speakers at our Association Annual meeting on the first night--a much-needed breath of fresh air!) 

Are we as the church buying into a false illusion that because we hosted this neat community event or special church service with exciting activities and entertaining special guests that we have done all we can to impact our community and lead someone to Christ?  What happens when the church thinks they are doing outreach when, in reality, there is nothing outward about it except for a Facebook invite or open invitation in the newspaper?  And, what gives when a guest walks into the church or a church-sponsored event and no one makes personal contact with them (I Corinthians 13:1-7)?

How do we as the church continually fail to understand that whenever someone walks into our doors (or groups) that they are searching for something?  It could be salvation, but what if it's something as "simple" as a word of encouragement or a nugget of hope or a moment of shared friendship--something to help them through a dark time in their life, something to make sense of all the confusion, something to explain the unexpected blessings or provisions?

Over the past 1 1/2 years, I've had this unique experience of visiting and/or having contact with various churches and Christian groups throughout Virginia and in other states.  Though every visit and/or contact has been God-ordained and quite an adventure, a few churches have made an impression so deep that it seriously boggles my mind.  How can we as the church continually miss the obvious?  And if I, as a young woman who grew up in church/ministry, feel soooo out of place in church, what is it like for someone who has never experienced church? 

Not too long ago, we attended a church gathering quite a few miles away from here.  What was supposed to have been this "exciting, incredible, you can't miss it" gathering ended for us about ten minutes after we arrived as only one person in the sea of faces acknowledged our presence and made us feel wanted.  Many looked our way but quickly looked away so not to make eye contact at our questioning faces (we had no clue where to go or what to do/schedule, etc.).  We felt like total outsiders.  I kept thinking, what if we weren't Christians and received that same kind of response?  What in that situation would make us want to know more about Christ and about the church?  What would draw us back there?  Honestly, nothing.

Unfortunately, what happened at that gathering has been somewhat representative of this past year.  For all the good that churches do, there is still something lacking as we have become blinded to what we have become as the body of Christ.  That blindness keeps us from discovering what all God has in mind for the church.   

We fail to see the people because all we see is ourselves, our groups of friends, our familiarity.  We fail to see souls because we have become so immune to our own souls, devoid of a consistent relationship with God yet knowing exactly how to turn on and off that relationship when needed (especially when in Christian circles).

We fail to see that Christ is everything because we fill ourselves up with anything that looks good and then try to cram God into whatever room is left for Him.  We watch the same TV shows and movies, drink the same drinks, wear the same skimpy clothes (well, if we can fit into them), say the same "choice words" and have become so much like our world that we blend in just enough to get by.  But is getting by what God meant for us as His children?  Is getting by what God meant for the church?  No...not at all (I Corinthians 10:23-24)!  And, sadly, we are so blinded as Christians and as the church--if not by our traditions then by our culture (I Corinthians 8:9-13).

What's the cure?  But, then again, what's the point especially when so many in our churches don't even care (or care to the point of loyalty to man over God)?  Who has the courage to take a stand, to live consistently even if it means living differently so the world can see an unmuddled God (II Corinthians 3:17-18)?  The church as it is isn't working at 100%.

So since I can't just go out and change the church, the question becomes how can I be the change I want to see?  How can I best live out the church as God has shown me so that others can see Him and His direction and desire for the church?  How can I contribute to the church (II Corinthians 2:7-8)?  And in those churches that we go to where we would much rather get a speeding ticket than endure another moment there, how does God want us to respond aside from excusing ourselves out of there as fast as we can?  What kind of example is that setting for my family as well?  It gets a little personal when we put that kind of spin on it especially when we see where we contribute to the problem by not having the courage to do something about it.

...Just food for thought--take it for what it's worth! 

I Corinthians 13:1-7

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.  If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.  If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

I Corinthians 10:23-24

Looking at it one way, you could say, “Anything goes. Because of God’s immense generosity and grace, we don’t have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster.” But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.

I Corinthians 8:9-13

But God does care when you use your freedom carelessly in a way that leads a fellow believer still vulnerable to those old associations to be thrown off track.  For instance, say you flaunt your freedom by going to a banquet thrown in honor of idols, where the main course is meat sacrificed to idols. Isn’t there great danger if someone still struggling over this issue, someone who looks up to you as knowledgeable and mature, sees you go into that banquet? The danger is that he will become terribly confused—maybe even to the point of getting mixed up himself in what his conscience tells him is wrong.  Christ gave up his life for that person. Wouldn’t you at least be willing to give up going to dinner for him—because, as you say, it doesn’t really make any difference? But it does make a difference if you hurt your friend terribly, risking his eternal ruin! When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ. A free meal here and there isn’t worth it at the cost of even one of these “weak ones.” So, never go to these idol-tainted meals if there’s any chance it will trip up one of your brothers or sisters.

II Corinthians 3:17-18

Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.

II Corinthians 2:7-8

Now is the time to forgive this man and help him back on his feet. If all you do is pour on the guilt, you could very well drown him in it. My counsel now is to pour on the love.

Standing or Stumbling?

"If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed."  Prov. 29:18 (MSG)

Many times as I read the Bible, verses jump out at me. They stick with me in the following days as God weaves portions of that verse (or theme) throughout my life.  But over time, those verses fade into the background as new ones emerge building on top of the things that God has shown me.

However, there have been a couple times in my life when a verse does more than jump out at me and it changes everything at that moment and every moment thereafter.  It's one of those things where this unusual power and striking meaning are so obvious and distinct that the only way to explain it is God.  The way the verses are read, received and understood leaves an imprint in my mind that will never be forgotten and will fuel my beliefs, ministry decisions and way of life.

My friends know the story behind Psalm 32:8 and how that has impacted my life.  And, although I've had other "verses-jumping-out-at-ya" experiences since then, none have been as powerful and life-changing until this spring when I ran across Proverbs 29:18 (see above) during a Wed. night service.

For most, it's just another verse; but for me, it brought everything together!  Actually, the first thing I wrote down was "circle lifeshape" (from Huddle/weare3dm.com) but the more the truth of that verse sank in, the larger it got!  The circle lifeshape is just the beginning...but this is the mindset that we should operate out of as leaders.  If we have it wrong, we lead wrong.  If we see ourselves, we're not seeing God.  If we see others, we're still not seeing God.  I've read this verse in a variety of translations and commentaries, and each time, the realities found in that verse change everything! 

Personal experience shows me that the secret to everything in life, in family, in ministry and in leadership is found in Proverbs 29:18 as much as it is found in Psalm 32:8.  If we're honest with ourselves, we know the times where we have seen and responded to what God is doing vs. stumbled all over ourselves by trying to do it ourselves (or half-ourselves/half-God, if you know what I mean).  We stumble when we lose moving toward God as our driving vision.  If God and His Word fail to be the focal points in our lives and ministries, we've already missed the mark from the get go. 

We also tend to stumble when we wait for others to catch up and join us.  We stumble when we believe others can tell us where we need to be and seek their opinions before God's.  We stumble when we slowly let go of the beliefs, character qualities and morals that we know to be pure, right, true, and just and rationalize the little compromises that come our way.  We stumble when we allow others to create divisions or when we dare to create divisions ourselves.  We stumble when we learn from every great leadership book yet the Bible still sits unopened on our desk (to get to later, of course).

We stumble when we remain in the dark and fail to see that we were never created to represent dark.  We stumble when we fail to lead from the inside-out--from God and His Word at the center of our being and letting Him overflow to every area of our life.  All the prayers and prep time in the Word that we do for ministry can keep us from seeing that we're running on fumes as we are still "doing" instead of finding personal rest and enjoyment in our relationship with God.  We have to faithfully be in the Word ourselves so we know God, what He is saying, where He is working and where we need to align ourselves in order to be with Him and reflect more of Him. 

Love the last part of the verse because it points out our responsibility and choice with "when they attend to what he reveals...".  Seeing what God reveals in His Word or seeing Him at work all around us is only half of the equation...responding to it makes it complete.  We can see all day long but seeing doesn't produce inner change...we have to act on the things that we see.  We can choose to obey or we can choose to keep doing our own thing...it's really as simple as that no matter how much we want to excuse it or complicate it. 

To see and to respond bring great blessings--the kind that come across in sweet relationships and in the joy, clarity and peace that come through responding to God and in turn, finding that God-rhythm to our lives. 

Choices @ the Crossroad

Have there ever been moments in your life when you find yourself wondering how in the world you got things so wrong?  Or, you had promise and potential yet somewhere along the line, as you listened to others, you lost your ability to follow God on your own?  Or, you had an initial vision and goals yet they fell by the wayside as details and challenges clouded your view?  Or, you were on the right track and later experienced a couple failures and though long gone, they still keep you trapped in discouragement and defeat?  Or, you find yourself caving under all the stress and pressure only to realize that most of it is self-made and rooted in insecurity?  Or, you find that you've built this safe little life around the feel-good side of Christianity which keeps you from risking it all and believing it all? 

When you find yourself in those places, it's usually a wake-up call or it's where you call it quits.  It's a chance to reclaim God's promises and dare to go to the places He has set before you or it's a chance to hang on to what you know works and is safe thereby forfeiting serious Kingdom impact.  And regardless of what spot you find yourself in, you are at pure crossroads and a choice must be made.  Sure, you can work around making a choice as long as you can, but the longer you fight it, the heavier and more pressing it becomes.

You can only sweep so much under the carpet before it gets noticeably lumpy.  You can only stuff so much into the closet before the door won't shut tight any more.  And you can say you're "fine" as much as you want but the weight on your shoulders, shallow smile and pensive stares betray you. 

The only way through is to make a choice.

What will it be? 

"And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were absorbed in what they themselves were doing. They were so absorbed in their "God projects" that they didn't notice God right in front of them, like a huge rock in the middle of the road. And so they stumbled into him and went sprawling." ~Romans 9:31-32 (Message)

Creating a Leadership Team – Part II

During our first leadership team meeting, we covered the expectations of our leadership team.  The eight expectations of the leadership team were to:

• Support (myMISSION PIEDMONT/WMU, each other)
• Assist (carry out events, do whatever necessary to make mMP work)
• Promote (share with church/friends, post flyers, internet, etc.)
• Attend (meetings and events--including set-up/clean-up)
• Plan (contribute, create, prepare, etc.)
• Pray (that's self-explanatory)
• Share (opinions, feedback, prayer requests, etc.)
• Grow (as a leader, as a team and as a Christian)

Looking back, it never crossed my mind that this might be too much to expect from a team.  I saw the potential in these young women and believed so much in what God called us to do that anything less wouldn't get us where God wanted us to go.  However, this might not be the right approach for your group!  Pray about it and God will show you what is and isn't realistic to expect from your team.

For us, high commitment was foundational for those early days and it's something that my team is capable of.  Somewhere along the line, there was a transition from high-commitment simply because it was part of being on the team to high-commitment because they saw God working through them and through myMISSION.  I'm so thankful for our team and that they saw the vision.  It truly was God that put our team together because He allowed them to see what I couldn't express at that time and gave them the gumption to stick with it.  Looking back, that really was a lot to ask of them especially when I didn't even know them (what is it they say? Hindsight is 20/20?).

At the first myMISSION PIEDMONT leadership team meeting, the team filled out a “Leadership Team Profile” which asked for their basic contact info, birthday info, some fun facts about them (gift bag ideas for later use), and then asked them to answer the following questions:

• What is your spiritual gift?  (Leave blank if unsure.) 
• What special skills or talents do you bring with you to myMISSION PIEDMONT? 
• What are your ministry passions and/or favorite ways to share God’s love with others?
• What is something you are interested in learning or developing through this leadership team experience (can be something personal, leadership, church, WMU related, etc.)?
• Are you willing to make a commitment to being on the leadership team, praying for myMISSION PIEDMONT, assisting as you can and doing your best to attend all leadership team meetings and training sessions throughout the year?
• What are the best days/times for you to meet?

Every myMISSION group is going to have its own dynamic.  For some, a leadership team might not be necessary.  For others, a leadership team would be helpful so all the organization and planning doesn’t rest on your shoulders.  For us, it was about involving other young women because I won’t be in my 30s forever and saw the need to bring younger women along so they can keep WMU and myMISSION going long after my 35th birthday.  I wanted to give them a chance to experiment with new things, a chance to learn through practical experience and a chance to see where God can take us whenever we are open to Him.  Besides, it's way more fun doing myMISSION as team than alone!  These are friendships that will last a lifetime!

For more on the myMISSION PIEDMONT leadership team, read “MoreThan a Leadership Team”.

Creating a Leadership Team – Part I

Pulling together the right leadership team is one of the hardest things you will do with your myMISSION group.  As in anything, it requires a lot of prayer, time and patience. 

It also requires following God's promptings even when it might not make sense.  There were moments when I felt God put this team together more for my benefit than theirs.  The underlying dynamics have been instrumental in teaching me how to let go of control (is it preference or procedure and 99.9% of the time, it's preference...this is still a lesson in progress). 

Like any team, our team is made up of individuals who bring their own personalities, talents, skills, insights, opinions, emotions, leadership styles and leadership maturity to the table.  This make us a well-rounded team as we see things from different angles and bring our uniqueness to the table.  Through expressing their opinions and sometimes challenging my ideas, the team has kept me from jumping into things and/or slowing the down the pace in order to wait and see how things play out.  I’m very thankful that they feel comfortable enough to speak up and play an active role in myMISSION PIEDMONT. 

When we first started myMISSION in May 2011, the leadership team looked different than it did two months later in July 2011.  When I first started calling young women in our Association, I had a vision, a bare-bones structure to present to these women and this hope that they would catch the vision and be willing to partner with God and our Association on this journey.  It was important to me to leave the details "bare-bones" as this wasn't "my" group...it was for the young women in our Association and it was vital to give them the opportunity to make it theirs and give them ownership of myMISSION. 

As I called many young women, some were ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work that day, others wanted time to pray over it and others weren't interested in leading but were interested in participating once the group was formed.  There was a 4-6 week gap between these calls and our first leadership team meeting.  So, by the time we had our first leadership team meeting, God pared down the list of names even more.  Some young women didn't return calls/multiple voice mails and emails.  Others couldn't coordinate their calendars and that spoke volumes as far as their availability to be on the team as I knew high-commitment would be vital to getting myMISSION PIEDMONT off the ground. 

My philosophy has always been that if someone sees the value in something and really wants it, they will make the time for it, and myMISSION PIEDMONT was no different.  Sometimes though, it takes trial and error to put together the right team.  Yet, I’ve had to back off of my "philosophy" a little as I realized that clearly communicating your vision is a "must" for any leader.  That vision and passion for what God is doing and wants to do is what initially captures people and draws them in especially when you don't have a personal relationship with them beforehand.