Through the years, by God’s patient grace, I slowly began to change: little by little; choice by choice; learning through much failure. Scripture meditation was a major component to this ongoing process as I sought to wrap God’s truth not only around my heart but around my tongue. As God faithfully grew his relational wisdom in me, it increasingly became a part of my own ‘life message’ in the mentoring of other women.
An Old Passion, A New Pathway
6 years ago, a deep passion/conviction began to form within me that some specialized training on biblical relational wisdom needed to be developed. But by me? I didn’t know! And IF by me, how and where would I start? The psalmist felt the same unsettling feeling when he cried out in Psalms 143 “show me where to walk for I am trusting you…place my feet on firm footing…for the glory of Your name, oh Lord.”
Little did I know that God had already been at work preparing someone else’s heart with the very same burden. Ken Sande, through a new ministry entitled Relational Wisdom 360, had already begun designing a biblically structured process to instruct others in relational wisdom. That year (2012-13), I began the intensive process to become a certified RW instructor. A perfect partnership: my passion and their material!
"Telling is Not Teaching and Listening is Not Learning"
However, after doing many retreats and seminars over these past 5 years, the ‘teacher’ in me felt something was missing. I was telling, but was I teaching? They were listening, but to what extent were they actually learning? Because true learning involves lasting change. The RW material is so practical and insightful – yet, to what extent is it information overload? How can we better help folk apply these great truths in the everyday realities of their lives? Those questions have been motivating me to find pathways that would take these concepts and help folk better apply and integrate them into everyday living.
Over the past 5 years, I have, simultaneously, been doing leadership coaching through Navigator Church Ministries, working with pastors and church leaders to help them achieve personal and ministry goals. The results have been absolutely amazing! Could this be the answer - combining the Coaching Process with Relational Wisdom?
A Ministry Merger
Last month, I specifically prayed: “Lord, how can you use me in this? Make my paths straight as to where and how you will use me to be a part of this process.” Once again, that very evening, God orchestrated another merging of Ken Sande’s passion with mine. A brief call from Ken went something like this:
“Patti, I won’t take a lot of your time but wanted to run something by you. We want to develop a coaching pathway for relational wisdom and wondered if you would be open to join us in the development process?”
My jaw dropped! Again!! God so clearly at work to “place my feet on firm footing, for the glory of His name”.
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