On A Diving Board

Life moves quickly.  Thinking back on last week at LQ* I recognize what a gift it was to be supported in my deep and God-given desire to reflect on my life.  Our LQ leaders* helped us spend time in "Life Assessment."

On the first day our leaders encouraged us to imagine a person on a diving board... a person on a diving board surrounded by a cheering crowd.  The idea is that there, on a diving board, a person is assessing the situation, making a decision on what sort of dive (or jump!) to make.**

The challenge is to take the time to honestly assess what's going on in the various dimensions of our lives, to ask "What am I thankful for?" and "What are the 'PFCs' in each life dimension?" ("PFCs" are the "Problems, Frustrations and Concerns or Challenges" in each):

• Walk with Christ
• Finances
• Health
• Family
• Hobbies
• Career
• Ministry
• Community
• Personal Development/Education

Our LQ leaders helped us do this.  Not only did they keep us on a schedule that included time for praying and thinking and writing, they set an example of getting up in front of the 30 other participants and sharing our personal "Life Stories."  We ALL did this--the adults including the kitchen help and camp facility manager and the high school age campers too.  (We knew when we would be sharing so we could be prepared.) 

Secondly, we each completed a section a section of a three ring binder called "As Is": An objective assessment of where I am in life in each of the areas listed above.  I'll consider posting a sample of the "Life Dimensions Analysis wheel" later.  (As an encouraging part of this we listed dreams that have come true, past ideas that have become a reality.)

Life assessment takes time and encouragement.  Standing on the edge of a diving board, looking ahead to this day and the way I will spend it, it makes me realize how much of our lives are often lived without considering how my decisions or habits make things better or worse in the long run.

Let's take time to assess... and let's encourage one another!  Let's share our stories and examine our lives with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God as our guide.**
-----------------------
* Our leaders for last week's LQ (Tentmakers Leadership Quest) were Laura Zimmerman Praske and Anne Forbes Sopiarz.

** We'll want to do this with a FUTURE FOCUS... Christian believers don't get stuck in self-examination.  We move ahead, forgiven and confident.  A next post will be entitled "Binoculars."  The image that our LQ leaders put in our minds was a person on a diving board with binoculars focused on a blueprint (a life plan).  Stay tuned.

www.equalsharing.com