Significance Through Difference - Being Salt


This weekend, our Ministry and Discipleship pastor - Todd Tolson - gave the message on being significant through difference. He used packets of salt to make his point that making a difference in my world is what Jesus called "being salt".

What impacted me the most were Todd's comments about difference makers pour themselves into what matters most; salt does not exist for itself, what do you do if salt looses its flavor and live life a little scared.

If I existed just for myself, I would be wasting the life God created me to have. I enjoy pouring myself into my areas of passion - The Leadership Summit and The Lasting Impression Teams. Knowing the impact that a team member can make on a guest, or how the Summit can impact a life is a scary responsibility. That responsibility keeps me on my toes! However, pouring myself into something, even something that I am very passionate about can have consequences. Pouring myself into ministry without taking time to refresh and minister to my needs I could actually loose my "salt", my flavor. Todd asked "how can you refresh salt if it looses it's flavor?" I guess you can't actually re-salt, salt. However, I would say for me, when I start to feel burned out or unsalty, I find things that refresh me, or fill my bucket. Once refreshed, I can pour myself back into what matters most and make a difference - a Lasting Impression!

Posted in: on Monday, August 25, 2008 at at 6:21 AM 0 comments  

Connections

I have always been jealous of people who have connections - they are friends with someone in the travel industry so they get hotels cheap and great travel offers; or they know someone in the entertainment industry so they get movie premier passes or tickets to shows and concerts.
Yesterday, I realized I was blessed to have connections in the medical field! I have worked for a large health care organization in the San Diego area for the past 10 years. I didn't realize how many "friends" I have until I needed to navigate through the system quicker than normal.
I broke my foot a few months ago and I re aggravated it a few weeks ago at the Summit. I have been limping for about 3 weeks now and I have reached my limit. I needed to have this looked at. I would have waited about 5 weeks to see the foot specialist, but thanks to connections, I only waited a week. I would have waited another 2-3 weeks for the special bone scan I need, but thanks to connects, I have my scan this morning!
It sure pays to make a positive, lasting impression upon the people I encounter every day. I am very grateful for the help they have provided me. I will remember this and "connect" them if they need anything from my area of specialty.

Posted in: on Friday, August 22, 2008 at at 6:53 AM 0 comments  

More Summit Feedback

This is from Rachelle Kimberling, who serves on the Daily Journey Ministry.

Fire Up The Salsa: revised for LIT

In a day, I devoured “Just Courage” by Gary Haugen of IJM and listened to his CD twice; in obedience to a riskier ministry God had fired up my heart almost 2 years ago. Thank you, Laurie for your obedience to SWAT retreats……God shook me there. I didn’t know exactly what, whom, or where this adventure would be…………….so I waited, prayed, researched, sought counsel, and waited. I didn’t want to be impulsive, and jump into something ridiculously risky, unsuccessful, and look like a fool. Yes, pride speaking.

According to Gary Haugen, significance is found in transforming peoples’ lives through love. Amen, he must have been reading my mind. Worship is deed, not merely singing about it. I enjoy using my God given gifts in community and I do my imperfect best in love: creating a decorative haven for meditation retreats, or vocal worship for women’s ministry, facilitating a small group, cooking a hopefully delicious potluck meal. It is all unto the Lord………..but it’s safely dull. God wants to transform me through a steeper climb or by firing up the salsa. I’m a Puerto Rican that prefers medium salsa, thank you very much. I’m petrified of heights (God made me height challenged), but I have no choice except to look up and get involved.

Prayer welcomed,

Rachelle Kimberling

Posted in: on Thursday, August 14, 2008 at at 5:23 PM 0 comments  

Summit take aways

I enlisted the help of several LIT leaders who attended the Leadership Summit 2008 to send me their "take aways" - things that moved them and they were willing to share. This is from David Youngblood - Leader of the 10:45 Greeters.

Kingdom Matters Matter Enough To put your ALL IN in.Personal vision for the Kingdom is powerful and essential as a leader. In order to get the most out of what God is doing in us, we need to put everything we have into doing what God is doing. Good works, nice ministries, even socially necessary service is ‘good,’ but they are not always what God wants to see done in the world – right now! “What does the LORD require, but that we seek/do justice, love loving (Mercy), and walk humbly with our God.”Most of the summit called on leaders to take it not to a higher level, but the highest level. For team leadership within/under the larger Kingdom mission, I was most moved to find my pastoral gifts again, specifically in the arena of helping those with whom I serve by encourage them to be creative and contributors to the ministry we are leading.
Team Goal: invest in the lives of our greeters and challenge them to come up with more ways to make the ‘howdy’ welcoming and unique.
Personal Goal: connect with Daily Journey, the Worship Band, or the prayer team to add on what is missing in my heart’s desire to serve – I’ve used the excuse that, ‘while we were greeter leaders, there was no time.’ Now I sense that there will never be enough time to serve where my passion is, I must find the way and pray with the Lord to make it so, not neglecting the gifts or ministries to which I (we) have been called, but giving the very best of what I have.

Posted in: on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at at 10:24 AM 1 comments  

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)