What do you envision for your life a year from now? Not always the easiest question to tackle, but it forces us to look up from the daily grind, and put our eyes to the horizon.
I started 2022 with an ending. I have submitted my resignation to the church I have been working with since 2018 and look forward to exciting beginnings to come. Gulp, that sounds a little scary!
Scary and exciting are often side-by-side in the mystery of the journey through life, both get all our systems moving, both can be part of the same outcome, and both are usually associated with the same life events. A birth, a new job, a big road trip, a resignation…like driver and passenger in the same vehicle, scary and exciting.
I did not leave a bad situation, and I did not do anything which required my immediate absence, in fact, I believe we are both blessed…
“It has been a time of many blessings and learning experiences, I believe for both of us. I am thankful for your welcoming me into your circle, allowing me to speak into life as a church, and hopefully helping you see God at work in your future steps. You provided a place for me to test my skills and calling, but also helped in my own personal healing and growth. I am grateful for all these things!“
The points I focus on are different. Here is my thought process for making a big decision like resigning from a place where people like you, and can be quite comfortable:
- Am I still purposeful?
- Do I feel fulfilled or joyful in the work I am presently doing?
- Are my skills and abilities better suited elsewhere?
- Am I leaving anything undone that is in my control?
Could this list be longer? Absolutely! But this is just my thought process for the immediate feelings of discontent or desire to move on. Sometimes just thinking about moving on helps us go through the motions and realize we are right where we need to be. Sometimes, as I realized now for myself, it validates the need to bring a chapter to a close.
How do I test my thoughts and feelings out before making a decision?
- Reflect and consider whether I am fleeing or escaping something. It may mean I need to work through some issues in myself and in my relationships.
- Talk with trusted and wise friends. Not just people who agree with me, but people who love and know me.
- Pray. Regardless of your faith practice, taking the time to be still and find peace.
- Finally, I adjust for timing. Not everything has to be done immediately, even though my personality can lean that way!
I look forward to a new page in my history! I am excited about providing assessments and short-term conversations to groups and organizations discerning their future. Facilitating new health and a brighter future is in my future!
I feel like I advertise a lot to you, my friends, but that is my own self-consciousness! As I have mentioned many times before, I am available for referrals and new conversations. While much of my work leans heavily to helping churches problem-solve and find renewed vision, much of my training and passion lends itself to team development, organisational health, and personal understanding. As I mentioned at the end of 2021, one of my most exciting ventures is engaging organisations in short-term vision and development conversations (roughly 6-weeks to 3-months) and subscriptions for groups who would like to engage in regular meetings and health checks.
Lead Freely 