Sharing

A couple of weeks ago I talked about being passionate about the work we do, whatever that work is.  Emotion turns on certain pathways in our brain that share space with pathways for creativity and problem solving.  Emotion makes us better at what we are doing.

In our office we have a weekly staff meeting.  It's never very long or conflicted, and the time together is an important tool of communication for our team.  It keeps us all on the same page.  We begin each meeting with a short devotional, and sometimes that involves sharing a story about an encounter we've had with a donor or a church.  The stories are inspiring to us when they happen to us, but a few weeks ago I realized another important reason for them.  For those of us who were not involved in the encounter, the story can increase our connection to what we are doing.  It inspires our passion for the work we do, and it makes us better at what we do.  All of us.

Last year sometime we visited the General Board of Pensions of the United Methodist Church.  Coincidentally, we were there on the day when a person who is served by the Board is invited to share with the employees who he is and how he has been served by the work that they do (or she - the day we were there is was a he).  It was great, and I'm sure it connects those who work there to the people they serve.

Are there ways in your life that you can share the stories of your encounters with God or your blessed moments with other people?  Can you share them with the people you work with? I think there is value in that beyond what we think for strengthening each other in the work that we do.