Today I had to stop
and think about everything that I did :
1. Worship Pastor
2. Videographer and later will be Video Editor
3. Choral Clinician (for the local HS choir going to contest)
4. Sr. Adult Choir leader (visit a nursing home to sing)
5. Graphic Designer (for next sermon series)
6. Audio Engineer (uploading sermon from Sunday--so
rry I'm late)
7. Web Engineer (a new one--guess I'm the new web guru)
8. Keyboardist (I'm playing and leading from keys this week)
9. Choir leader ( led choir practice tonight)
10. I'm sure there's something I left out--oh yeah--COUNSELOR.
10 different hats in one day. No wonder I come home tired; feel distracted; feel like I'm always chasing something and accomplishing little.
Back in 2003 I heard Andy Stanley talk about getting to your sweet spot in Ministry. It was one of those talks that captures your heart and imagination and I was spellbound because he was speaking to my heart. I want to get to that SWEET SPOT--to spend my time and talents on the things that make my heart come alive. I was naive to believe in 2003 that this was possible--so I set out on a journey to make this so in my life. It still hasn't happened.
I asked a friend online today if you ever get to be in your SWEET SPOT. She responded--only if you are in a church that allows it and believes in your sweet spot. Her reply was "usually they buy 1 and get 8". It wasn't very encouraging.
How would you say is the best way to get to your SWEET SPOT! I'm open to suggestions.
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4 comments:
Be willing to change EVERYTHING in your life and you can hit the sweet spot.
The quest for the sweet spot has made me give up things in my life I didn't want to give up. I'm not quite there yet, but I can see it in the distance.
I'm truly sorry to have been a source of discouragement today! That's so not what I need to be doing with my 140 twitter characters. Here's what I think is true for me on this issue at present: some of the hats I wear are mine to wear, period. Like wife, mom, daughter. In my job, I do have the ability to refuse a hat or two, I just don't. I tend to value 'progress' and doing new things over keeping my boundaries healthy. In that case, the hats are my fault. I've also not been very good at developing volunteer help for the tasks surrounding my area of ministry. This is actually something I've been praying about, b/c I'm realizing that because I'm 'doing' so much rather than 'managing' I am now the 'lid' on the worship ministry... which is a very very sad state to be in.
So there's my hat confession. My plan? Get help from a couple people I trust to (a) make a specific, strategic plan to build a new kind of volunteer team and (b)establish energizing boundaries (the kinds that protect the sweet spot).
So which of the 10 things do you really love to do?
Thank you (Kim)for reminding me that there are certain hats I wear that are only mine. I too have a tendency to take on more tasks than are necessary, but yesterday I made a step in the right direction. My video coordinator informed me that for 2 years he has been wanting to take on the role of "service producer" (or something like that). This is a burden that has fallen to me and I am happy to give it over to someone else who may do the job far better than me.
Thanks you Jim for this very valuable post!
My suggestion to hit the sweet spot so to speak is to pass on like 9 of those 10 hats to other capable servants. I have done what you show here by doing everything. All of it was with good intention but I hit a wall about a year ago and am really still struggling with this burnout or whatever it is and trying to get that joy or sweet spot back.
Just my two cents!
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