Member Care Tips - Part 5
Transitions are constantly around us. Either you are making a transition or others around you are transitioning. It is constant.
It is one of the variables that makes being a global worker different. Most people live more stable lives than we do. I am currently in a place that even though I am not in the midst of a transition, several people around me are. These transitions impact me and my ministry.
One of the challenges of constant transitions is allowing my heart to be open to new people. I am not good at goodbyes. I can grow weary of them. Then I project that weariness on those who are joining the team or moving into my city. I do not want to draw close again because inside I am thinking, “it is just a matter of time before you leave.” I have seen this impact our TCKs.
Hardening my heart is self protection. I am trying to protect myself from the pain and discomfort of someone else transitioning out or me having to transition to a new location or ministry.
The problem is even though I am trying to protect myself, I actually hurt myself. Strong healthy relationships are key to living a healthy life and having an impact in my ministry.
Distancing myself from others does not protect me but hurts me.
I do not know how to have less transitions in this life so I have to begin to think of how I can handle the transitions in a healthy way.
Many people use the RAFT acronym in going through transition.
R stands for reconciliation.
A stands for affirmation.
F stands for farewell.
T stands for think of the future.
Once you have said your goodbyes well, you have the capacity to think of tomorrow.
There is a transition tab on the expat resources app. I encourage you to look it over. Many of the regions and the member care office offer re-entry seminars. Look into those as well.
It is one of the variables that makes being a global worker different. Most people live more stable lives than we do. I am currently in a place that even though I am not in the midst of a transition, several people around me are. These transitions impact me and my ministry.
One of the challenges of constant transitions is allowing my heart to be open to new people. I am not good at goodbyes. I can grow weary of them. Then I project that weariness on those who are joining the team or moving into my city. I do not want to draw close again because inside I am thinking, “it is just a matter of time before you leave.” I have seen this impact our TCKs.
Hardening my heart is self protection. I am trying to protect myself from the pain and discomfort of someone else transitioning out or me having to transition to a new location or ministry.
The problem is even though I am trying to protect myself, I actually hurt myself. Strong healthy relationships are key to living a healthy life and having an impact in my ministry.
Distancing myself from others does not protect me but hurts me.
I do not know how to have less transitions in this life so I have to begin to think of how I can handle the transitions in a healthy way.
Many people use the RAFT acronym in going through transition.
R stands for reconciliation.
Make sure you reconcile everything in your current place before you go to the new place. Do not take “stuff” with you. It will impact you negatively. Reconcile what needs to be reconciled.
A stands for affirmation.
Affirm those who you have ministered with and done life with. Say your goodbyes. Say your thank you’s. I found that I do this with people and places. There are certain places that were important to me or where significant things happened in my life. I need to say goodbye to the people and places that were important to me.
F stands for farewell.
There are people you need to say goodbye to but there are probably a few people that you were really close to. You need to have a meal with them. They deserve and you need more than a goodbye. You need to have a meaningful conversation with them. It helps bring closure.
T stands for think of the future.
You cannot go into the future well if you have not left well. Finding closure from the past frees your mind, spirit, and emotions to begin to accept the future. I have seen ministers not leave well and they take all the hurt, junk, and disjunction with them to the new place.
Once you have said your goodbyes well, you have the capacity to think of tomorrow.
There is a transition tab on the expat resources app. I encourage you to look it over. Many of the regions and the member care office offer re-entry seminars. Look into those as well.
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