Up above is my Leadership Identity Development Timeline. To be completely honest there are many other ways where I have developed my leadership identity but these are the ones that I can definitely say impacted my life and shaped me into the leader I am today.
The only aspect about this that I do not like very much about this time line is that it does not take into account consistency for some of the leadership identity moments. Most of my moments on my timeline occur over a span of 5 years (for example I was a KidZone worker for 5 years), and others for a season of a couple of months (Soccer and Volleyball team Captain).
However, at this very moment looking at this timeline, I have been blessed with all the opportunities God has placed in my life. Most of these moments I recall learning about my strengths and weaknesses and learning how to deal with others of various backgrounds, ages, and cultures. It is mind blowing at how much of the real world I have experienced. Every encounter is with someone unique. And each unique person that one comes into contact with is impacted in a special way.
When everyone is impacted it can be assimilated with the thought of how an animal imprints on another animal. I think back to this past summer, the summer before moving to college, the summer before my whole life changed for good. This summer the beloved children’s pastors that have helped me through my growth as a Christian and our my spiritual parents announced there new season of ministry. They were to leave the church that for the last 25 years have called home and move back to Texas to begin a new season of their traveling ministry Ignite Conferences. So during the weekend of when Trinity Church International applauded and celebrated the time of Pastor Billy Burns and Vickie Burns as Children’s Pastors of KidZone I could not help experience both the feelings of sadness and hope. Sadness for them leaving and knowing they are not going to be back home when I visit and hope that there will many more people who will be touched by their love for people and for GOD.
During the video presentation, I realized it is very evident that the numerous people God places in our lives are there to help shape us into the individuals He calls us to be. These people instill in us values, characteristics and ideas on how to handle situations and take on the world from a God-like manner. These people have imprinted a little portion of their selves into my life; into who I am through the experiences we shared.
So in a nutshell, no matter how long or how little one knows someone or the duration of a moment, there is something that one can learn from it to better who they are. These people and moments develop the leader within. All things work for those who follow the voice of God. And through these events after they have occurred and reflecting back it is amazing to visual the transformation and growth that can happen.