God's Sign Posts for Me

God knew my faith needed to have clear, unmistakable sign posts when He called me to such a significant change in careers. He also knew that the process would need to be smooth and not sudden. I give Him such praise that He stooped to gently meet my level of faith so that I would not miss this opportunity. Through this experience, my faith has grown significantly and my perspective on events in life are viewed with a different perspective. Nothing occurs due to chance. God, in His sovereignty, ordains all and yet He asks us to choose to follow Him and bring glory to Him in all that we do.

My story is really broken into two stages: 1) cultivation and 2) harvesting. Cultivation started as the Lord prepared me for such a time as this when He placed me in an educator's home. My godly father is an educator teaching math for 49 years and woodworking for about 25 years. Hearing how he impacted students and families through seeing teaching as much more than just math but about life, shaped my desire to be in and around education. So within just a few short years of graduating college I was a high school basketball coach and serving as a school board member. Additionally, I was often called on to serve as a Sunday School, small group or youth group teacher. I found much joy in seeing students not only grasp the knowledge, but seeing them make practical application of anything from the logic of a math equation to the ability to lead a team to rise to a challenge.

My father also had a profound impact on my life when I was in junior high and I just finished working with a group of high school and junior high kids to organize them in a game of softball. He pulled me aside and said, "After watching you organize all those older kids into a game of softball, I think God is going to use you as a leader throughout life." Those words have been a real encouragement to me throughout all the ups and downs of leadership over the years.

Harvesting began much more recently. There are two threads of harvesting the Lord worked out in His perfect timing. One was through my almost 21 years at American Century Investments. He had them invest countless thousands of dollars in leadership training on me, gave me countless coaching opportunities to deal with multiple personalities and situations and increasing responsibilities to prove character qualities. But the real story was the ending. The first 11 years at ACI, they were growing and never had a layoff. Over the course of the next decade we had 4 layoffs that I was impacted by. The first three I helped decide how to reduce staff. In the last 2 of those, I went to my boss and recommended that my position be eliminated. But God worked through that godly man to say no. It wasn't God's timing. However, this past April, God orchestrated that godly man to leave ACI and I guessed I would soon follow.

I interrupt that story to pick up the other thread. When Kevin McCracken and Kevin Bergerhofer first suggested I consider Maranatha Board membership, I deflected. The second time Kevin M nominated me, I accepted. What has followed has been a rapid working of God grabbing my heart and mind to invest myself in His ministry at Maranatha. Although Kevin said it for years, I didn't think Board chair was in my future, but obviously God did. And I have LOVED serving in that capacity. He knew I would. By serving as chairman, I had the privilege to walk alongside Dr. Daugherty to get a taste of what he knows and the breadth of experience he has. I heard his heart as we discussed the possibilities of the future and gained some appreciation for what he does on a daily basis. So when I went to the ISM training for Board presidents, God used that time to convince me He wanted me to be open to becoming the new superintendent. Throughout all the steps of the process that followed, and at each step I asked the Lord to shut the door when I should stop going forward, He kept giving me green lights when I expected the opposite.

So now the two threads merge in August as ACI eliminated my position and gave me a wonderful severance package and the Board began considering my candidacy. Throughout all the prayers, discussions and considerations, God's hand was very evident culminating in the unanimous vote by the Board. Add Dr. Daugherty's very important support of the process and my selection, and I could not be more excited and confident. But those emotions are not based on me or these events, but on the God who has guided me to this time, place and position.

I want to thank each teacher, staff person, parent and student who have given me words of encouragement and advice. I look forward to serving God together in this ministry and anxious to see how He will grow His ministry.