Adventure awaits! A new mission connected to my gifts and passions - jim robertson's story12/16/2022
We found the assimilation at a church with over a thousand people in attendance a little intimidating so we attended a variety of events and church gatherings to get connected with people. We met Nolen Rollins, the Founder and President of the GPS Life Journey, at a dessert gathering hosted by First Baptist Church, Lenoir City, Tennessee last spring.
We learned that we both live in the same apartment complex waiting for houses to be built and that he loves pickleball, a sport recently introduced to us. He also mentioned something called the GPS Life Journey, that was designed to help individuals discover their life purposes. We tucked that away until we received a phone call a couple of months later asking us if we would be interested in participating in the initial 8-week GPS Life Journey course that would be offered by the church. We decided to participate. From personality types and strength finder assessments, to spiritual gifts and personal passions, the course provided the tools and resources for us to develop a personal mission statement. The process homed in my focus to put something into practice that has been on my mind the last four years. My mother spent the last few years of her life in an assisted living facility in Mississippi. When I visited, I saw that she was adjusting to assisted living as her mission field. I was struck by the relationships she developed with her neighbors and staff. Then, a few years ago, my mother-in-law moved into an assisted living facility. Since she lived two miles from us in California, my wife and I participated in the various challenges associated with transitioning from a home she had lived in for over 50 years to a new environment that included staff conflicts, additional health issues and the occasional fall that would include trips to emergency rooms where family would be by her side. Though the times were trying, I found a sense of purpose to connect with her and others at the assisted living facility. Now, fast forward to our participation in the GPS Life Journey class. Even though I was actively involved in various volunteer positions at churches most of my life, sometimes my service was not consistent with my gifts or passions, leading to frustration or burnout. Knowing that God still has work for us, He used the resources of GPS Life Journey to personalize my mission that would coincide with my passions. My mission is “To show the love of Christ to Assisted Living Residents through encouragement, prayer and other resources to fulfill their roles in Christ”. However, the GPS Life Journey class doesn’t end with the mission statement; it also provides the plan to put the mission into motion. So even though the course is just 8 weeks, the results usher in our next chapter with God’s Plan for Significance along this Life Journey. Click here to find out when the next GPS Life Journey events are happening, including online via zoom!
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AuthorNolen Rollins, Founder & President of GPS Life Journey Archives
October 2024
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