Farewell to 2015 and welcome to new adventures and opportunities
in the coming year. 2015 was a year of
great change for Nancy and me. We worked
hard this year to strengthen our partnership, and I look forward to that
continued growth in the coming year. I
think we both saw the great gift we both have been given, and by looking inward
we can better (together) make a difference in the world.
It also was a year of change for both of us
professionally. Nancy's job at the School
Town of Munster after 16+ years was phased out.
We both should have seen it coming, but sometimes when you are in the
forest one has a hard time seeing the individual trees. I know that this was a devastating blow to
her, as she loved working in the schools and it really is where her call is.
I too made a major change in my life. I decided to take a time out from pastoral
ministry this past year.
This past year has been one of trying new things, sometimes
being very successful and sometimes not.
When I look at what my staff and I have done at TradeWinds I am
extremely proud. We invested ourselves
in the right way for the future of the organization, by taking the time to lay
the groundwork for the future.
Unfortunately, the base had been neglected for a long time. For the average person looking in, the would
not see the value, but for the person who sits in my chair in the future, they
will be able to say Thank You.
Doing marketing and fundraising has really pushed my comfort
zones, which, while uncomfortable at times, I am thankful for. It has not just expanded my comfort zone, but
it has also made it healthier.
This year has also given me new eyes on leadership
styles. When you are THE leader it is
hard to sometimes evaluate styles of leadership because everyone has to,
somewhat, conform to you. Not being the
leader of a company, but having leadership over a section of that company has
forced me to examine how the other Directors and the CEO lead and how I
interact with them. This has been
invaluable for me and will produce great benefits as I lead my team in the
future.
While 2015 was a year of change, I already see that 2016
will compete with it in terms of the amount of change in our lives. Nancy and I will move this year. Where, I don't know. But we both know that it is time.
I am filled with excitement about all the change that is
coming. I know that great things are
down the road. I am excited to be able
to say that I can see farther than I can see on this first day of 2016. Stay tuned and lets see what happens!
My resolutions
1. Be a better
husband/partner/father
2. Read through
the Bible in one year
3. Work through:
Train Your Brain
4. Blog at least
twice a week
5. Run 1000 miles
(that averages to about 20 miles per week)
1 comment:
An insightful look into your own personal life and the changing social and religious milieu of our time. I was swept into the task of ordained ministry by the what some call the third great religious awakening in this country that was symbolized by Billy Graham and Norman Vincent Peale. That movement began to die with the War in Vietnam and what it did to our country and the world. I was organizing pastor of two new congregations, one in Memphis and the second in Deerfield, and all you had to do was open your doors and the people rushed into your services. But it came to an end with the War in Vietnam and the church has been in serious decline ever since. It has become very difficult in our divided country to be a clergy person because there is no longer a religious, social or political consensus. I miss the work of a pastor but I have enjoyed the last fifteen years of my retirement. I think you will find the next few years of your life very interesting and worth while. I admire your insight and your courage.
Post a Comment