Some things I've learned

The past couple of weeks are a blur. But the past two years have been a great experience. Some of the biggest things I have learned are...

1) I have transitioned from being task oriented to relationship oriented. Tasks are necessary but the focus is on being in students' lives. I thought this was articulated very well in chapel last week at HUGSR that students are asking, "Where do I fit in to the story?" and "Does God really love me?" Being relationship oriented is focusing on listening and being an anchor they can refer to and lean on as they explore life. I am still working on my listening skills but this is a good foundational concept.

2) As an expansion of #1. With mentoring and Bible studies, connect with the student, encourage them, love on them, and basically focus on them even if you don't get through the 'material' for the day. God can take care of the details and connect the dots as we grow. Let the theme resonant with them as they encounter God.

This is a paradigm shift for me. I am so engineering/task oriented that it is hard for me to rethink and focus on relationships. But it works and I love it when I do it. The challenge is to change my way of thinking and 'to-do' list to see relationships as the key.