Back to the Future

Jena and I leave tomorrow morning for a vacation we planned months ago. The timing is fantastic since work has been so crazy but I have paid a hefty price leading up to today. Shelterwood post-summer break will be wrapping up throughout the weekend and by the time I return to work we may be near 55 residents. So what has this week looked like? My role has changed from Case Manager to Resident Director. I am responsible for the 30-35 boys we will have in the lodge as well as responsible for the house staff. We will have 3 house directors who will function like they have in the past. Sort of like house parents. The boys will be equally divided between the 3 house directors for a "case load" or house-within-a-house. The HD's will report directly to me. I will be in regular contact with the parents and will provide leadership and vision for the direction of the boys house. All of the functionality of the case manager will fall on the house directors but I am still responsible for it all getting done. Sort of strange how that works? Each lodge will have one resident director.

It's all still a little nuts around Doulos and probably will be for a while. But for now, I'm off. Got a new book to read and an appointment with some relaxation. It will all be waiting for me when I return.

Divine Disruption

Post-summer break begins today for our Shelterwood residents but that is small potatoes to the Divine disruption of this week. As the economy struggled a year ago, so did Doulos. In August we shut down The Sky's The Limit, eliminated the corporate staff still lingering in Colorado and, much closer to home, Jena lost her job as office manager. All moves of desperation. More change has arrived.

Doulos Ministries is consolidating all operations to Independence, MO. That means the Branson campus is no more. Effective immediately the residents from Branson will be transferred to Independence. This will take place during the post-summer break. The big brothers and big sisters of the Doulos Discipleship program will all report to Independence as well. As I sit here and type this blog, we have 33 residents and by the end of August we will be near or over 50. Of course, some of the Branson families are still deciding. My role will be changing too but I will save that for another blog and allow this one to sink in. The Doulos Discipleship program (aka Leadtime) is also changing. More to come on that.

Please pray for the families of Branson. They are a close knit community and it has all ended abruptly for them. Just last Friday the news broke to them and today all the residents leave for break. I am encouraged and excited about the good things God has in store for our campus here in Independence. Understanding God's disruption is never a promise or guarantee. However, learning, growing and moving forward through the disruption develops persevearance, character, and deeper faith.

Leadtime Graduation

Yesterday we celebrated the graduating class of Leadtime 30. The Leadtime program AKA Big brothers and Big sisters, is a parallel ministry on the Doulos campus of mentoring and training young adults for future leadership. Our big brothers and big sisters provide front line ministry with the Shelterwood residents. The Leadtime program has been transitioning a name change and will now be called Doulos Disciplieship. Leadtime 31 will be starting soon in mid-August and back when I started working at Doulos, Leadtime 25 was graduating. Congratulations to the young men and women of the 30 class.

We actually have a wedding taking place on campus tomorrow at Shelterwood. No, it's not two Shelterwood residents, it's a couple in the Leadtime class that meet during their year of ministry. This will be a first as I have not seen a wedding on campus before. I am sure it will be picture perfect (as long as one of the fire or door alarms do not sound off during the ceremony). With Shelterwood, anything is possible.

It's been hot here. Triple digits with the humidity pushing the heat index much higher. I have been in survival mode since you really can't do much outside for any length of time. It's brutal but it still beats the rough winter we had several months back.

Hold on loosely

No matter how hard you try, some things you just cannot hold onto. Seasons change and people come and go. The two pictures I posted above where taken on the steps of my front porch. One on Christmas day and the other on the 4th of July. August is here, July is gone and the summer tide is rolling into "Back-to-School mode." Try and fight it if you will, it's still coming.

Change has been felt closer to home as well. Justin is returning to Boulder on Monday to get ready for the fall college semester. My daughters returned to Colorado last Saturday. Corey is currently in Georgia but returns home in mid-August. Jena, Kaiden and I are still trucking along. Enjoying the warm weather and adjusting to a much quieter home.

Shelterwood summer is still in autopilot. Pre-summer break and the new Leadtime class will be here before you know it. Of course, change is always a staple around here. Since the last week of May and Memorial Day we have brought in 12 new kids and seen 9 exit. It is one of those things that keep me motivated. Like I always say, you never know how much time you have with a kid so make the most of everyday you are given.