The word has now most likely reached most everyone’s eyes and ears that we are saying “so long” to Joe Davis. Joe will be serving with Auburn United Methodist Church as the Outreach and Evangelism Director. Part of his position description includes coordination with partnered ministry organizations, so we’ll have continued relationships and connections with him! So, we do not totally say “goodbye”. Although he will be greatly missed and made contributions that words do not do justice, we are excited for him and Cassie! But, I must say, I am sad to see him go as much as I am excited for the next step in his journey.
Paul talks about us seeing through a glass dimly, that many times it feels like we are looking through a veil (1 Cor. 13:12). That are what transitions are like. As we look behind, we see the familiar and comfortable. Even if the ground was rocky with sharp crags, we knew it. Looking ahead is more like a fog. We only see a few feet in front of us as we stumble and creep forward. This happens even if a mental picture, a vision, is set before us.
What are we doing as we walk into this next transition? Seven steps come to mind.
Step 1. Praying for guidance and direction. Seeking the Spirit’s guidance is the number one priority. Bathing our needs in God’s vision and direction puts the transition in his hands. We align ourselves with his direction and listen intently. Simply, we ask for the necessary doors to open and close.
Step 2. Celebrate where we have been. Transition means change and change means loss. Not many of us really like change although it comes many times without us seeking it. Going forward is still better than going back. Celebration can be a powerful expression of God’s faithful presence. In our case, it is all the great ways Joe has committed to ARM and helped us grow. We had a vision about where we wanted ARM to be and Joe got us there. His tireless work and passion, his heart for people, and his steady progress in making everything he touched better, stands as a beacon of all he contributed to the kingdom through ARM.
Step 3. See the path, the vision forward. We celebrate what has been and then move forward to where God will take us. We may not know exactly what it will look like but we can create a destination point. Joe helped us understand what our ministry needs next to grow. We can see that and make the active steps to get there.
Step 4. Recognize loss. Again, transition means change and the reason change is uncomfortable is that we feel we must lose or give up something. Our team discussed all the things Joe has done and the gaps we will temporarily face with his absence and the time it will take for a new person to fill the roles and responsibilities. We will miss a dear friend. We will miss all the details he accomplished. And we’ll miss the incredible wisdom and passion he has had for each of our families, children, and our ministry team. We may have to put some extra tasks on our plate or put some fun projects on the backburner. Loss will occur and we work to not let it surprise us.
Step 5. Plan the work and work the plan. This is an old military adage I learned. We have the vision and destination point. Now we develop our plan, organize our steps and execute. We have a system we call R.A.D. which means we Reflect, Adjust, and Do as part of our process. Keep the vision in front and the pathway clear as we move forward (and continually pray)!
Step 6. Notice the small wins. In the transition process, the incremental steps will matter. We recognize the small wins, recognize the accomplishments and keep progressing forward. If we make a mistake, we recognize it and work to not repeat it.
Step 7. Give thanks. Because we know God’s spirit is leading us, then each small win is an answer to the prayer and evidence of God’s faithfulness. Taking the intentional time to thank him and our colleagues focuses our eyes on God’s work. It humbles us to realize although we are working it is God’s doing. This drives the steps and pushes us forward with a spirit of gratitude and humbleness.
Transition is a necessary part of growth individually, in our work, and in our family. How we go about the process intentionally can make a world of difference. We will miss Joe! In the meantime, God added four interns to our ministry team! Yep, it took four to try to keep up with the one! But God is faithful, and we celebrate what Joe has done and what we will do in his next stages and our next stages as well!
See you on the road!