[This post originally appeared on my NTM blog.]
At the beginning of last week, all the folks in this picture were strangers to me. But by the end of our time together, we were truly friends.
We were attending a week-long workshop designed to help us more effectively minister to others. The faciliators were refreshingly real and God-focused. And fun!
Colossians 3:12-14 was our theme for the week, Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Here is a sampling of the topics we covered: listening well, drawing people out, building trust, receiving confrontation well, managing stress, and being an encourager. The days were long, but they were generously sprinkled with skits, videos, and discussions as tables or pairs. We thought silently. We thought out loud. We laughed (a lot). And yes, we cried too. It was a valuable week, and I’m thankful for the chance to learn from (and with) so many others!
But that workshop was only a jump-start, a launching point. Please pray for me to actively listen to the Lord and put into practice what I learned in each area.
The other part of the trip:
I spent several days in Maryland before I flew down to Florida. I’d never been there before, but my mom’s aunt and uncle (whom I stayed with) gave me a fine introduction to the area: driving through green rolling hills, tasting Maryland’s famous crabs, and showing me two of the houses my uncle grew up in. It was also great to meet some relatives I’d never met before, including my 94-year-old great grandma!
The whole trip was a blessing. A good reminder of God’s care and love.
