This day was all about people, praise, planning — and a good dose of humor.
Dave Owen has been educating us on the island-style concept of time. We learned that it is quite normal for weddings and funerals to start two hours later. “So what starts on time?” Rachelle asked. “Business meetings,” he said. The next morning we were having a friendly conversation with one of our jovial new friends (who shall remain nameless) when he looked at his watch and said, “I better go. I have a meeting that started…13 minutes ago.” We all looked at each other and had a hearty laugh.
Later in the morning, Rachelle and I visited various PIU classrooms to introduce ourselves to the students. We wanted them to know that we are here to help with their tutoring needs.
Planning the Story Crafting Conference with Samantha Owen and Lisa Collins was great fun, specially when Eli, Lisa’s son, showed up and demonstrated the use of Story Cubes.
Today’s Challenge
“Paul was devoted to a Person, not to a cause. He was absolutely Jesus Christ’s. He saw nothing else and he lived for nothing else. ‘For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified’ (1 Corinthians 2:2).” Oswald Chambers
Chambers’s reminder — to be “devoted to a Person, not the cause” — hits home today. I needed this reminder, especially when plans, goals, and decisions get derailed by island-style schedules, jet-lag… or getting lost on the way back from the store and spending the next hour circling the jungles of Guam.
Ultimately, we are doing what we are here to do… We are getting to know the people and their heart for their ministry… And I’m learning that serving them is not about being “the sage on the stage.” It’s about walking up to students, teachers, and staff and being a friend… a peer… “a guide on the side.”
That our focus is on the people before the cause is our prayer today.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for the reminder to stay committed to the Lord and not necessarily the cause. I think too often I set my eyes on the cause and that is when things begin to unravel.
Yes, we all need the reminder from time to time