Today marks 2 years since I ventured out with Lead Freely.
Just over 2 years ago I finished my certification to be a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) practitioner. It marked the beginning of new things…I hoped. 2016 was a rough year to say the least. I finished my days at a local church in an unsettling fashion, I was in what I learned to be a long run of bad mental health, and my wife left me. It was the worst, and yet it was also part of my salvation as a person. From losing my sense of identity, to perspective and sense of direction, to losing the person I pledged my life to, there had to be a newness going forward. And 2 years ago marks the journey into a new chapter for me.
As I have said before, Lead Freely came out of my belief that we all struggle with personal freedom. We worry about the thoughts and judgements of others, our self-perception is easily out of focus, and we do not want to get hurt. So we do not move with freedom. We struggle to allow ourselves to be true to who we are, and who we are becoming.
That is why this past week, celebrating my ‘Lead Freely’ anniversary, has been so special…and continues to be as I write this:
The work with Church of the Way continues to move forward with encouragement. I am allowed to speak into and witness their desire for new direction and growth as a family of believers.
Being welcomed into a full day with the good folks of InterVarsity Manitoba Pioneer Camps as they plan and train for the year ahead. I had the chance to walk them through the MBTI assessments and facilitate healthy discussion regarding their work as a team. Thank you!
An opportunity to speak at a youth retreat! They are always fun, even if I have to find a way to catch up on my sleep for the next week. It was great getting to share about freedom in 
Christ to the youth of Altona EMMC Church. It also gave me the chance to see a friend and protégé in action, as he leads and inspires another generation.
The MBTI played a large role in my return to health and realigning my thoughts and direction personally. So being able to spend an evening with 
Sam & Pauline Doerksen and their family — the same people who helped me with coming to grips with my unhealth — as they did the MBTI together as a group, was a real treat. I have wanted to try this method for families for some time, so this was a great place to start!
And here I am, walking through a week on ‘Personality and Leadership’, which involves 
the theories behind the MBTI, with the Mile Two Discipleship School, at Providence University College. This never gets old. Engaging conversations and dissecting personal interactions and perceptions, bringing awareness to who we are, and who we present to those around us. I am grateful for the chance to be here!
So as I celebrate 2 years, I look forward to so much more to come. With gratitude and humility, I can see a way forward, and hope you can do the same!
Eric Friesen 