Follow the Leader

Last week, our lecture topic was "Leadership." The speaker was Matt Mitchell, a pastor and friend of our base leaders (my outreach leaders). It was an awesome week through which many of us were able to see areas of our lives in which we were called to lead. The week began with us making a timeline of our lives with significant events, people, circumstances, etc., as well as lessons we learned from those things. We also did an activity to determine our personal core values (characteristics and behaviors that were important to us). Through these things, we were able to create a personal vision statement. All this was just within the first couple of lectures! For me, this was so important to understand where I was at in my life and how I had gotten to this place. All of the circumstances throughout my life had shaped a lot of my values and what I feel called to do with my life. To put it all in perspective and see that God had brought me through so many things with a greater purpose in mind was challenging. We moved on to discussing various aspects of leadership for the rest of the week (i.e. servant leadership, the ultimate example of leadership, what it looks like to lead, different aspects/capacities in which one can lead). By the end of the week, I felt challenged and had a lot to consider. It was definitely a very thought-provoking, insightful week.

Along those lines, I feel I've been learning so much and there's been tons of information poured into my little head every week. I know I'll be probably be processing many of the lectures for many more weeks to come and even when I get back from this crazy adventure. Every week has been so amazing and definitely touches a different aspect my life each time.

Sidenote: I just wanted to share this song with you. It's really been touching my life and helping me realize that there's so much more to my life than me (and what I want for my own life).

Here I Am by Downhere
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH1iYDWN3Ic)

Sometimes Your calling, comes in dream
Sometimes it comes in the Spirit's breeze
You reach for the deepest hope in me
And call out for the things of eternity

But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say

Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands
Are You not the closest when it's hardest to stand
I know that You will finish what You began

And these broken parts You will redeem
Become the song that I can sing

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I'll fail You in the end
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together, but You can

Here I Am, all my life an offering to You, to You
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan
Here I am