Unit 3 Discussion

[randyturpin]

This Unit’s discussion: In this Unit you are reflecting on your life journey and writing Your Story. How might the assessment process in which you are engaged be helpful toward understanding key elements of Your Story? Have you had any "Aha!" moments yet? If so, explain.

[Pastor Dean]

Well right off the bat I understand why now that I did not give up when it seemed helpless and was going to have settle for less than the desired goal. In taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment I did not so much enjoy the challege that it gave at the posting of results. Try being more open, do something without planning it. What that would be so out of context for me. Anyway it has caused some Aha's for sure. My wife just laughs because when I read her this stuff she says, "yes that is you to a T". I pray I can apply the assessment to better myself in my service to the people I serve and my family.

[gkevin]

Much of my vocational aptitude and method, which I had thought to be learned habits, is more directly related to inborn personality and spiritual gifting. Some things I thought I learned – e.g. administration, leadership, writing/teaching – are spiritual gifts that God has plugged into a personality hard-wired to use them. Some personal traits I thought were odd – e.g. quickly systematizing new concepts, making application and then moving on to the next “thing on the list” – are, in fact, perfectly suited to and ingrained in both my gifts and personality. That also means that the downside of these traits – e.g. not taking the time to develop depth, a tendency to leave details unfinished – are just as deeply rooted and will take constant vigilance to mitigate.
       
I have a clearer understanding why some parts of ministry feel very natural and some have proven disconcerting – even to the point of failure. I can see that I have made some ministry choices based more on my picture of me in ministry, which used less of my natural and spiritual wiring, than on God’s picture. There are points at which no amount of education, effort or even desire will overcome what God did not wire or rewire me (and therefore “want me”) to do.

Following the Foundations retreat, I also have a growing realization that what I qualitatively perceive to be God’s calling on my life (“what I feel could be”) should be tempered with the quantitative information from the investigative process concerning “what actually is”.  While I draw the line at using any qualitative measure such as a learning styles diagnostic test to put God’s will in a box (after all, “what is” is finally what God says it is), the qualitative results are helping me get a fresh perspective on past experiences and a better framework for future opportunities.

[gkevin]

Pastor - man, can I understand some of the discomfort with the testing results. "Need to put some heart with that head" - that's what one of the instructors told me. He's absolutely correct - but it's hard to hear. "Finish the detail work", "slow down and focus on a single objective", "develop consistency in scheduling/planning" - not me, not me, not me. Ought to be interesting.

Question: how is the testing information beginning to change your daily life, if at all? If you're married, did you tell your wife the results and what was her reaction? Mine laughed and said "yes, that's you all over".

Kevin

[Pastor Dean]

Kevin,

Thanks for replying to my post. Ya! My wife did the same, we took one the test together on the learning styles we both laughed through the entire test. She looked at me said, "have you down all the way."
She was pretty surprised how they had her down to. Is your wife opposite as we have found out for nearly 14 years? It only has served to help us both, once we stopped trying to kill each other.

Look forward to chatting with you again.

Dean