It’s hard to believe that 2 years ago I started writing this blog as I was starting my adventure of helping start a Snowboarders & Skiers Discipleship Training School at YWAM Vancouver, and now I’m here at the end of that particular journey and reflecting on what I’ve learned in the last season of my life…
The first thing I learned was submission to authority. It may sound trivial, and some of you may even grate hearing the term submit, but for someone who has been used to working with people with whom he has a long relationship and let him have free reign within his role in the organization the switch to having to communicate and check everything with varying overseers was a hard transition – valuable one nonetheless.
Logically, the next step was improving my communication skills… I found myself having to inform those around me what I was doing: when and why. Most important I had to learn to ask for help. Sustainability as a leader is impossible if you try to do everything on your own. As a matter of fact, chances are very good that if you’re trying to do everything yourself you’re not actually leading anyone, you’re micromanaging. No one likes to be micromanaged and you’ll eventually find yourself on your own.
Both leading and life are better in teams I’ve discovered.
In the same vein as communication, I’ve learned the value of healthy confrontation. During outreach in Japan, I quickly realized that, as a leader, if I didn’t confront things as the came up in a healthy manner the entire dynamic of the team would quickly descend into chaos. As a matter of fact, the people that I had to confront more often are the ones that I have better relationships with than before.
Slowly these lessons pointed to one underlying lesson left to learn: trust.
If I asked for help, could I trust that it would be done? If I confronted someone, would that relationship remain intact?
Did I trust those around me?
So in short, nope.
It’s hard work getting over 30-some years of trust issues but so far it’s been a lot more rewarding than I would have though. Freeing, life giving – words that also come to mind…
Now as I come to the end of my 2 years working with YWAM Vancouver has my time been worth it?
Absolutely!
I got to see a dream 17 years old come to life (being part of a team launching a snowboarding discipleship school). I finally got to go to Japan — twice! And finally, I grew significantly as a person.
I’m not 100% sure what is next is store for me but it’ll be a continuation what God’s been doing in my life the past 2 years – working in action sports ministry, in a team, and pursuing photography!
Thanks for tuning in to The Journey – fresh instalments will be coming your way as the next adventure begins.