Be Changed

required music to change the world:

We Will All Be Changed // Seryn

It's the night before I leave for camp. My mind is racing trying to remember to pack everything I need. But my heart? my heart is resting in the waiting -- waiting for tomorrow to come so I can see one of my oldest friends for the first time since she left for college -- waiting for the summer to start -- waiting for God to do extraordinary things at New Frontiers over the next few months -- waiting to be reunited with my community. When I'm not running around with "pre-camp" errands, I've been reflecting on my past week at The Leadershape Institute and what it taught me. I learned so much that it was almost too much to take in, but alas that is what a journal is for! Really, I want to tell you bout the three C's.

Community (life with team HOUSE OF PAYNE)
I was talking about this before I left. and I learned so much more about it. I was introduced to my family cluster on day 1 and from the moment we stepped into the Payne house, it was pure magic. It was as if the world outside could not penetrate the walls of that broken down shack and that everything shared in that room was to never leave. I learned that a community works best when everyone is vulnerable and open and willing to talk about the good and the bad. I saw community like I'd never seen it before. Those people know more about me than some of my closest friends at home. The biggest thing I learned while in my community is that I can be fully known AND fully loved. for some that may not be big, but for me that's monumental to have a group of 11 other people who know the deepest parts of me and still love me all the same.

(HOUSE OF PAYNE)

Conflict (Agreeing to disagree)
Now if you know me at all, you know I hate conflict. a lot. I don't like when people fight and if I can help it, I'm the first to break them up. I learned that there are some arguments you just can't avoid: discrimination, privilege, integrity, actions based on values. At leader shape, I came face to face with conversations that challenged me in ways that were hard on my spirit, but so good for my character. I was stretched to think in ways I'd never thought of and really had to sit and ponder what I truly believe which made me feel more concrete in what I DO hold close. not only that, but I learned how to have conversations with people about the difficult things and even though we may have not agreed, we could still respect each other from our different viewpoints. in the end, it was less about getting the other person on our side and more about understanding where they were coming from. Cool right? yes completely.

Compassion (Loving all kinds of kinds)
It's not like I was lacking compassion, but I definitely would say that it was difficult if I knew very little about you. At leader shape though we talked about how diversity is not an obstacle but an asset to your team. What? I've never even heard that before, but ever since those words were spoken, a switch deep within me has gone off and I see everything - everyone - in a different light now. I see people who once scared me because of their differences and now I want to embrace them and tell them how much I value their differences because that's what makes this such a cool world. we are all different. no one person is alike. and that's amazing - that God could create so many unique people.


These things probably seem really simple to you, but guys this changed my life. So I hope that one day we can sit down and agree to disagree, know each other fully, and not waiver in our friendship because it's not about agreeing - it's about understanding and loving each other despite our differences.

So here's to community, to conflict, and to compassion.
may you embrace that which scares you - and do it anyways.

Emily

[my crazy leader shape family // incredibly thankful for each one of them]