Our genuine lives look good on us.

Hey BooFaces!

So it's been some time since me graduating in December 💃🏾, and I haven't shared my "What Next?!" because of that whole shifting gears in life the past several months. It was a liminal transition aaannnd a very full one in so many good ways. (I've traveled more in the past 3 months than probably the previous 3 years, and was super thankful to be grounded in Nashville for the whole of March.)

So. Now that I’ve had a little time to breathe, I really want to get folks who have an interest up on what I’m doing and where I am.

On the basis of work, ministry, and a lot of prayer, I will be remaining in Nashville for the next couple of years. I had had a few interests in Ohio early last year, and none of them came to fruition. Meanwhile, in Nashville, both of my positions are components of my calling and ministry, and my bosses are incredibly supportive of me in helping me to develop professionally, as well as making space for me to create vocationally.

So What Do I Even Do???
I’m still toggling between the titles “calling and vocation coach,” and “transformational change coach.” My calling is to help individuals, communities, and organizations discern/refine their calling , and then proactively develop how that lives through their person, relationships, living, and work. Basically, who do we believe we are that we do what we do, in the ways, spirit, and demeanors that we do? Calling is about far more than what work we do—it’s really about the whole of who we believe we are that we exist here in our lifetimes in the ways that we do—personally, relationally, professionally, organizationally, societally. So, I help folks and organizations be thoughtful and visonary about those things, and then to #LiveOnPurpose. How awesome is that??? 💜

Who Is Actually Paying Me to Do These Things AND Keeping Me in Nashville???
Someone actually asked me on Friday, "You can find someone to pay your for that???" (Not in a mean way, but I think--and hope--in a thinking about re-discerning and redesigning her life kind of way.) And yes, you can, when you're good at it, and continue to work at being so. And yes--I am good at what I do because I am called to gifted at what I do, and continue to work to discern and develop my gifts. And yes--I do get paid for it.

Each of my positions are major components of my ministry—learning about our being, and then intentionally developing how it lives well for who and where it we are and what's needed. My ministry doesn't actually exist as I envision it (and really, at all) so I’m building it--because I'm called to it, and I see the deep need for it, so I can. And these are incredibly fertile and open spaces in which to begin doing so.

I’ve been an associate at CauseImpact, a strategic planning firm, since Fall 2016. I’ve primarily worked with our Innovation Catalyst, helping nonprofits vision, vet, and create business plans for highly mission-aligned social enterprises, which helps reduce their reliance on grants and donations, or just provides them more income. My 2019 ministry goal with CauseImpact is to complete the curriculum/process/overview that I began in supervised ministry (field ed) 2 years ago for ritualizing strategic planning meetings as intentionally prayer and discernment-focused gatherings towards what God is calling us to.

My second position is with American Baptist Colleges's initiative under Lilly Foundation’s Called to Lives of Meaning & Purpose grant. We are one of thirteen institutions in the US that received this grant. Under the grant, which I’ve been working with since last May, we are supporting and coaching twenty-five Southeastern congregations for the next (now) four years to help them discern and develop their callings in social justice and beloved community via processes of holy play, design thinking, and emergent strategy. My role as Design Implementation Specialist is facilitating and ensuring implementation of our overall design for the process; corralling the faculty for the year of the 3-year cohort process that is design/emergent thinking; relationships and connectivity between the participants; and the actual logistics for each of our quarterly innovation hubs.

One of my main focuses with the calling initiative is to help us become conscious of and thoughtful with our own theologies, and how they are functioning in reality versus how we just want to believe they are. If we can’t see and name our own theologies and callings, we don’t have clarity about what we’re actually doing, or the capability to check ourselves or receive and give support and accountability. Much of beloved community is not simply learning to "get along," but rather learning to balance the ways in which we are created differently as part of the work and living that we’re doing together.

What Else?
Despite my spiritual seizures over the reality Nashville doesn't give shhh about the people who live here, or people in general, my drive/hope of getting back to Ohio post-graduation is to spend time with my family now that I'm grown enough and healthy enough to help build our relationships. If you asked me my greatest wish, it would be: "To go home to my family."

When work didn't come through in Ohio and I figured out I was meant to remain in Nashville, I was quite frustrated with God. And then one day the Holy Spirit asked, "If you could build your life however you wanted, what would you do?" Barely thinking, I responded, "I would work most of my hours for the month in Nashville over 3 weeks, and then be home or visiting family for a week." The Holy Spirit: "Cool. Why can't you?" Me: 😮🤔🙃😍

So after accounting for our CauseImpact meetings (which are mostly scheduled months in advance), I pitched the idea to my ABC|CLMPI boss, and she for real just said, "Okay. Just send me a schedule when you have one."

So. Approximately one week a month, I have been and will be back in Ohio, at least over the next year. Now that I understand more of what’s most meaningful for my life and school is completed, it’s really important for me to spend time with the greatest love of my life—my family 😊"Seek and ye shall find; knock and the door shall be opened..."

That's All Folks!
There are other things happening that I'll share when there's something to share. (I have zero intention of ever again sharing whether I'm in a relationship or unto myself, so I don't mean that, lol. Thank you to everyone who knows not to ask out of your own personal interest. Ask me if I'm happy. Ask me if I'm living myself. Those are the things that matter for me.)

Thank you for caring about me. Thank you for supporting and encouraging me--for being part of my nurturing and encouragement to find my Self and my life. Thank you for inspiring and reminding me to recover myself when I'm adrift. I appreciate and love you for who you are and who you're created to be. Now. Let's do powerful life...🙏🏾💜🤗