We can always find good words from our past Recreation Minister, Steve Ellisor, and the following passage from the From the Rec Min Volume 4 was done in May 2010. This is as fresh today as it was in the past. Enjoy!
Marcia K. Gibney,
Director of Recreation Ministry
One of the challenges of coaching, or any other position of leadership for that matter, is that you can’t see inside the person you’re working with. You see what they let you see. The important thing for a servant leader, be it a coach, team parent, Prayer Partner, or rec desk volunteer, is to maintain a prayer life that keeps one open to the leading of the Holy Spirit wherever they may be. Sometimes we are put into a position or relationship in which we can’t fix all of the problems for someone, but we can nurture the person as they deal with them. Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
One of my favorite Old Testament scriptures comes from 1 Samuel 16:7 where Samuel is looking at Jesse’s big strong sons to determine which of them the Lord had called to become the next king of Israel. God, of course, wanted the young boy, David, who was in the fields attending to the sheep. The scripture says, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Yes, this was the same “little harp playing kid” who would later kill the giant and save his people. God sees what we miss. And yet (or should I say “thus”), He calls us to follow His lead, to hear His voice, and to be His hands, eyes, and ears among His people. To some, that’s not a hard thing to do. Many of you have been coaching with us for years and are so full of the Spirit that you can barely wait for the next season! Others are learning what it is to be a servant leader. Each of our “faith journeys” is different and can be a blessing or teaching moment for others. Share your experiences with loved ones, co-workers, and fellow volunteers. Let the Holy Spirit bless them through you as you are blessed through them.”
Steve Ellisor—May 2010