Special Assistant TO (God) the Inland NW Regional Director

With the weight of responsibility that comes with being a regional director, I spent a lot of time in prayer and met with some key mentors in my life to start this new role well.

One key mentor in my life, Marty Folsom, invited me to pray and listen to what God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is saying about HIS region, the Inland NW.  Marty is a professor, a counselor, a theologian, a president of a seminary, leads a movement in the NW to pull key organizational leaders to work together, and an author too.  When we meet, I fill at least three journal pages each visit. This time, we prayed, and I put my pen down.  In this time of prayer and seeking the Lord, three statements were clear to me of what God's heart is for the Inland NW Region.

1. "I've heard you."  He wants his 'people' here to know that He has heard their prayers.
2. "I am preparing to cut off and prune branches (areas, staff, volunteers) so that this region may be more fruitful (more changed lives of kids and adults.)"
3. "I desire more unity." Unity between people, within areas, between areas, between staff, and in communities that have lost trust and concern for one another.

I took these three 'words' from God to me (the leader God has clearly called....as evidenced in the past entries) as my direction and briefing of what to look for.  I mean...if God really did call me....and God really has specific thoughts for his people...and He really does speak...including to me...and did...I figure(d) that I can, with confidence, follow His lead.

Since starting, I have heard SO many people say "you are just perfect for what we need."  "Thank you for your input, I'd been praying for exactly THIS kind of wisdom and person to come alongside me." Another example: "I just want you to know how thankful I am for you and excited to be working under your team! I have already felt very cared for and honored by you and Tanya!!"  -A (Superstar) Inland NW female staff person-

Again, I say all this not to inflate your view of me or mine of myself, but to articulate that God is real, active and is good at His job! As Rich Sweum often said, "If God can use an ass (Balaam's donkey) in the Bible to speak....then He can use us!"

I have been a part of many conversations where people have acknowledged that they sense God is trimming them, preparing for significant change in them, and preparing them and their area for significant growth. In each of these personal conversations, I say to myself "of course!"  Our Father in Heaven, the gardener, has his loving shears out and is preparing his vine for a bountiful harvest of changed lives.

And lastly, for unity, I am amazed at the conversations I've had involving disunity amongst staff, areas and such. Immediately, conversations have sparked to unify these communities, and staff. Othello is heading towards joining Connell, who previously cut themselves off from one another.  Ellensburg leadership is desiring to pull in previously disconnected Cle Elum/Roslyn.  There are discussions of the Bi-Cities (not the actual name) becoming the Tri-Cities again, with Pasco re-joining Kennewick-Richland.  Staff who have not felt 'connected' to other staff or 'that Spokane group' are gelling like never before and loving it.

These words feel weird to type about myself and what I am personally involved in, but if you are reading along with me...I am not the main character in this story.  I am the reluctant side character.  God is the hero in this story.  It is a joy to aim to be 'best supporting actor (leader)' in His Story.
-Jeff-

The Mountaintop Experience

During the season of mulling over lists in our journals, trying our best to be good students, we were totally transparent with our small group.  We have been blessed for the last 15 years to have an intimate inner circle of friends who encourage and keep us accountable to live the lives we have committed to living.  We call this group of 5 other couples our Small Group.  They pray for us, love us when we forget the truth, think  erroneous thoughts, sav hurtful things to our spouses and yell at our kids.  When we were considering applying for the regional job, they were the first to hear about it.  They willingly joined us in prayer and patiently processed every facet of this life-changing decision.  

One friend from our small group said that when she prayed, she kept seeing a picture of Jeff and I standing on the banks of a rushing river.  In the scene that she saw, we were holding hands and stepping boldly, feet first, into a rushing river.  She told me what she saw.  With no harm done, I thanked her for sharing and parked this odd visual in the back of my mind. 

On the day of the interview with the regional board, we went out to lunch with the Ellensburg Area Director.  We listened to him talk about his region and his ministry over Italian salads.  After our meal, he suggested that we go down to the park at the end of the road as a place where we could gather our thoughts and put the finishing touches on our interview outfits.  He said it had a nice view and a shaded parking lot that would provide a cool resting spot on the hot August day.  We slowing rolled into the park.  Jumped out of the car to look over the side of the parking lot and were greeted by a rushing and powerful river.  Is this the river our friend saw in her picture of us?  I felt a little nauseous and wanted to jump in the Yakima River that was rushing before our eyes.  It was too real.

I didn’t jump. We went to the interview.  On the chatty drive home, we stopped at our favorite restaurant in Cle Elum, and kept driving, expecting a phone call lthe morning after.  Near the top of Snoqualmie pass Jeff received a text message from the Divisional Vice President requesting a call back.  I was driving, offering Jeff a break. We pulled over at the Department of Transportation restrooms at the top of the mountain pass.  We jumped out of the car and Jeff called back his supervisor.  He was offered the job and was asked if he would accept the job.  Silence.  Jeff looked at me, covered the phone with his hand and whispered, “what should I say?” “It’s your thing!”  I whispered back.  What a lie.  But I said it because he was the one who would be responsible for his decision.  He accepted.   And there, on the mountaintop, we knew things would be forever different.   

On the way home, we called our small group and requested a special meeting for the following night to discuss the interview.  One couple was away delivering their oldest son to college and joined us via skype.  We shared the play by play version of the previous day’s happenings.    Heather’s questions were peculiar.  “When you got the call, were you on the top of the mountain, or near the top, maybe on the other side?”  Her curiosity was almost troubling.  “We pulled over at the summit we took the call and said yes right there…” I assured her.  

“Hmm… not to freak you out, but when we were praying for you before this, I saw you and Jeff on the top of a mountain deciding if you would lead that region.  It was as if you were standing between the two areas, divided by the mountain, and were deciding right then and there where you would go.”  She didn’t want to tell us what she so vividly envisioned in her head.  I’m sure she thought I would think she was weird.  But she had to share the picture she saw and to me it was reassuring.  

The scene in her mind is exactly what happened.  Jeff and I at the mountain summit, deciding our own fate, choosing between the known life we have grown to love, and the unknown land of obedience. 

Mind was blown. 

A mind was meant to be blown

Many times after Jeff put his name “in the hat” I wondered what in the world we were doing.  I am always a worst case scenario person when thinking about potential situations.  I pondered the possibilities and would say, “Can I handle the worst thing that can result from this action?”    I reasoned that if we were hearing God and should continue down this path… it will turn out at minimum… just fine.  If we are acting as a result of bad pizza, this could be disastrous relationally, professionally and financially.  I contemplated to the point of insanity according to ordinary standards.  Finally, I was at the YMCA subjecting myself to pain and torture, having a usual ‘Jesus moment’ (you know when you think you are going to die), and I asked God between burpees and lunges… “so what do I make of all this stuff?  The interviews, the questions, the huge responsibility of a new position, a move, obedience, losing everything..”  And I felt like a still small voice say, ‘ Just hang in there.  I’m going to blow your mind.’ 

Well.  Fanfreakingtastic.  Blow my mind?  Just hang tight for a second while I recreate your reality thread by thread. Trust me.  It will be great.  In fact, it will exceed your expectations.  Hmm.  Am I capable of the kind of  trust I’ve only read about in books?

At that point, I didn’t think we would be in.  I only felt like I could rest into a roller-coaster seat, firmly seated beneath the seat-belt, not knowing where the roller-coaster would take me, or exactly what kind of ride I’d be on… but I was ready to have the fragments of my mind that remained prepare for take off!