Sunday, November 27, 2016

Stepping Up - A New Chapter

Volume 10 Issue 5
Stepping Up - A New Chapter

Transition has been the norm for us in ministry these last 10 years.  No surprise God would move in ways we never expected!  Can you relate?  (Email us as we’d love to hear how God has done so in your life!)   Mike along with another HR associate have recently stepped up to take the interim role of LDHR Director of AIA.  (overseeing the care of 600+ AIA staff)  While the search process for a new team director continues, Mike and Michael are both sharing the load in addition to their normal jobs on the team.  Mike’s days are filled with meetings helping the team to keep moving forward.  This varies from dealing with growth conversations, health crises, hiring decisions, staff trainings, and the like.

Our former executive director of LDHR pulled me (Leslie) into his office for a random meeting one of the hot Ohio summer days.  He asked  me to take the role of Ministry Partner Development (MPD) Coordinator for all of AIA, I was astounded and humbled!  My initial response/reaction was “um no…How can I do that job AND still be fully engaged with my children/mom to my children?”  After much prayer and conviction by the Holy Spirit, by faith I said yes to this new leadership role.  The Lord showed me that if I didn’t take this role I would be disobedient to Him. Surely, a desperate area to rely on the Holy Spirit and not my own strength.  This opportunity means added work (I enjoy most of the time) but also a means to grow (spiritually, leadership-wise…) while playing an integral part in laborer’s lives and impacting the plentiful harvest…(see Matt 9:27-28)

What does this mean?  I have the privilege of overseeing 5 AIA MPD coaches (Mike, myself and 3 others) and 30+new AIA staff raising their initial support.   Already I have begun coaching new staff in groups because of the few MPD coaches AIA has.  Last Friday 11:30am I hung up the phone from a 90 minute conference call with 6 new staff.   I marveled in my head, “Lord, thank you I LOVE my job!”  We had a lively but heavy-hearted discussion about this quote by Philip Yancey: “Most of my struggles in the Christian life circle around the same two themes:  Why God doesn’t act the way we want God to and why I don’t act the way God wants me to.  Prayer is the precise point where those themes converge.”  We unpacked how this has implications for them presently not to mention envisioning ways this plays out in ministry.

What a privilege we have to build up, mobilize, equip, care for and minister to AIA staff as they go out to their mission field through the platform of sport (college campus, pros, sports teams, international teams, and digital communication )  Frequently I share this verse with new staff I’m coaching “no eye has seen no ear has heard the things He has planned for them….”  (1 Cor 2:9).  Moving to Ohio and serving with AIA has been a step faith and transition.  Never did we imagine our scope of influence and touching so many lives so that the Gospel can go forth!  THANK you for joining in this incredible, daunting, humbling mission.  We are grateful for your financial support and prayers.
YES!  We LOVE OUR JOBS!  (granted they aren’t easy and can’t do it through our own strength.)
 Praise & Prayer:
  • Praise: God continues to be our sustaining power and strength.
  • Pray for Wisdom and discernment for Mike as he oversees many critical decisions in his new role.
  • Pray for the ability to create margin in our present reality.
  • Praise for the many opportunities we’ve had in our new roles and being foster parents to give testimony about Jesus ,what He’s done and how He’s changed our lives.[Baby M had to be cut out of this picture due to foster care policy.]






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