Evaluation
There is much I have left out (though I’m sure those of you who have been reading must be wondering WHAT I left out, I’ve written so much). There are more teachings I want to share but I will probably save them for a later time. There was some very eye-opening teaching on “Restoring the True Masculine”, for example, but I’m getting tired of writing and I have other things demanding my attention that are becoming pressing. I have menus to plan for the 2 weeks of cooking I’m doing at camp and now I’m helping to organize the burial of my uncle’s ashes on Sunday (he died last fall in Michigan but wanted to be buried here by his parents and brother, my dad, and so his daughters are arriving tomorrow for that purpose and I’ve been conscripted to edit the obituary for the local paper and will probably help prepare food for the lunch after the burial). I don’t mind but I want to be finished writing about my trip before I begin doing these other things. The rest of the teaching was about how to facilitate a program in our community—-the history of the course, the do’s, don’ts and rational behind them.
Thursday night the session finished early and so those who had vehicles were loading up with passengers and going for ice cream. As the driver of a vehicle, I was pressed into service and so off we went, leaving the conference grounds for the first time since Sunday. It was good to get away, have a break and socialize over some ice cream.
The one man in our little group had been, the night before (during the time of forgiveness) overcome with laughter. He and the leader who had been praying for/with him were literally rolling on the floor with uncontrollable laughter. Earlier this day, he had again broken out into laughter at a very important and solemn time and was gently moved into a room where he could laugh without disturbing the rest of us. I was so happy for him. It was good to see the joy bubbling out of him. At the Dairy Queen the others must have thought we were nuts. We were still wearing our name tags (more about them later) and one of the girls at the counter had asked where were from. We told her we were at a Christian conference. Now the six of us were sitting in the corner and filling the room with shrieks of laughter. We were having so much fun.
One aspect of the Leadership Training Conference is the evaluation given by the small group leaders to each of the participants. After eight, in-depth sessions, they get a picture of where we are spiritually and in our healing journey. They also give recommendations about what capacity, if at all, we are ready to hold on a Leadership Team back home. There was a certain amount of anticipation with fear and dread.
I was approaching it very philosophically. After all, there aren’t too many times when we get people being brutally honest with us with no axe to grind. What an opportunity to get the unadulterated truth from a person who is walking with God! Even if they had nothing good to say about me, I told one woman, it will still be a blessing.
I thought that until it was my turn. I was told many good things. They liked my openness, which set a good tone for the group. I’m gentle, succinct and eloquent. The funny thing was that though I heard the good, all I could remember and focus on was the negative. I was mentally prepared for all she said but my emotions were not. I found myself bawling and unable to stop through the next two sessions.
My local coordinator, saw my face, gave me a hug and offered to talk to me as soon as we both had the time. When he did, he was so nice. When I asked him about processing all my issues, he laughed and said that that’s what happens as I do the course as part of the team and that it never stops. It’s one of the reasons he stays in ministry—-so he can keep growing and healing. He was very encouraging and reassuring. Oh! And he talked about how far I’ve come, how I’ve persevered, never given up, how changed I am from when I first contacted him 3 ½ years ago. I’m surprised he’s seen much change because I’ve had very little contact with him. But I was part of the off-site prayer team last year and the on-site prayer team leader for May and June. He said that those involved on the prayer team had told him how much they appreciated my leadership, so that was cool. He was so encouraging and loving, to the point that the things I had heard as negatives weren’t negatives at all anymore, but a normal part of each leader’s life. I’m looking forward to being involved in the fall.
Thursday night the session finished early and so those who had vehicles were loading up with passengers and going for ice cream. As the driver of a vehicle, I was pressed into service and so off we went, leaving the conference grounds for the first time since Sunday. It was good to get away, have a break and socialize over some ice cream.
The one man in our little group had been, the night before (during the time of forgiveness) overcome with laughter. He and the leader who had been praying for/with him were literally rolling on the floor with uncontrollable laughter. Earlier this day, he had again broken out into laughter at a very important and solemn time and was gently moved into a room where he could laugh without disturbing the rest of us. I was so happy for him. It was good to see the joy bubbling out of him. At the Dairy Queen the others must have thought we were nuts. We were still wearing our name tags (more about them later) and one of the girls at the counter had asked where were from. We told her we were at a Christian conference. Now the six of us were sitting in the corner and filling the room with shrieks of laughter. We were having so much fun.
One aspect of the Leadership Training Conference is the evaluation given by the small group leaders to each of the participants. After eight, in-depth sessions, they get a picture of where we are spiritually and in our healing journey. They also give recommendations about what capacity, if at all, we are ready to hold on a Leadership Team back home. There was a certain amount of anticipation with fear and dread.
I was approaching it very philosophically. After all, there aren’t too many times when we get people being brutally honest with us with no axe to grind. What an opportunity to get the unadulterated truth from a person who is walking with God! Even if they had nothing good to say about me, I told one woman, it will still be a blessing.
I thought that until it was my turn. I was told many good things. They liked my openness, which set a good tone for the group. I’m gentle, succinct and eloquent. The funny thing was that though I heard the good, all I could remember and focus on was the negative. I was mentally prepared for all she said but my emotions were not. I found myself bawling and unable to stop through the next two sessions.
My local coordinator, saw my face, gave me a hug and offered to talk to me as soon as we both had the time. When he did, he was so nice. When I asked him about processing all my issues, he laughed and said that that’s what happens as I do the course as part of the team and that it never stops. It’s one of the reasons he stays in ministry—-so he can keep growing and healing. He was very encouraging and reassuring. Oh! And he talked about how far I’ve come, how I’ve persevered, never given up, how changed I am from when I first contacted him 3 ½ years ago. I’m surprised he’s seen much change because I’ve had very little contact with him. But I was part of the off-site prayer team last year and the on-site prayer team leader for May and June. He said that those involved on the prayer team had told him how much they appreciated my leadership, so that was cool. He was so encouraging and loving, to the point that the things I had heard as negatives weren’t negatives at all anymore, but a normal part of each leader’s life. I’m looking forward to being involved in the fall.
posted by Magdaleine at 8:10 PM
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