When Pause Builds Momentum for Catalytic Change

We were forced to pause.

My first time at the Summit was in 2017. I had no clue how God was going to use this event to rock my world! He used that Summit to open my eyes to my lack of balance and my dependence on Him, starting with Juliet Funt’s talk on WhiteSpace.

The Summit began to have real traction for me when our oldest daughter became sick in November of 2017. For 23 days in November and December, my husband and I lived in hospitals, swimming in the unknown. The rest of the time was spent in and out of numerous doctors’ and specialists’ offices all while caring for our other three girls. We were forced to pause, existing outside our comforts and the control we thought we held.

It was so freeing to know that staying in tune with God’s desire and plan for my gifts and talents was all I really needed.

The words I heard at the Summit started to replay in my mind. I began to see that the whispers God had been planting all throughout the year, then emphasized at the Summit, led me to begin evaluating my relationship with my control issues and with His plan.

God gave me new perspective.

Thankfully, our daughter is doing well. Her story of healing is one that could only be done through Him. I give Him all the glory, not just for her healing, but for the refining that happened in me. God gave me new eyes to see His goals and stop focusing on what the world deemed as valuable. God’s leadership is full of grace, mercy and more precious than any job title, corporate ranking or job scope on earth. It was so freeing to know that staying in tune with God’s desire and plan for my gifts and talents was all I really needed.

The changes happening in our community through the catalytic momentum of The Global Leadership Summit are exciting!

I am so thankful for the Summit! Each year, I get powerful reminders of the simplicity of His plan, no matter our industry, title or career path—it’s all about loving God and loving people. My passion is reignited to build leaders who want to bring transformation not only in our county, but in the Kingdom of God.

The Summit is a catalyst for our hope.

The goal of Intercession Group is to not just educate and empower leaders, but to provide hope in the already established cultures of businesses and organizations—hope in the form of strengthening one’s faith and highlighting tangible ways leaders can use their influence to produce hope within the 80,000 residents of Kosciusko County. It is the best feeling to see the light bulb go on for the first time for individuals as they realize, “I am working in ministry every day!”

The changes happening in our community through the catalytic momentum of The Global Leadership Summit are exciting! We are in our third year of hosting the Summit and we have grown each year—our growth from 2018 to 2019 is over 200%! People ask, “How did you do that?” The answer is God—He is at work in our community, specifically the marketplace, and we are humbled to be a small part of the story that God is writing. The Summit is a gift—it inspires, equips and trains as we raise awareness and address the needs in our community and public schools.

The Summit is a catalyst for unity.

We are a county of 80,000 with 249 churches. Of our 80,000 residents only 35,000 say they are church attendees, leaving nearly 50,000 unchurched! With the number of churches in our small community, our residents have been longing to see unity. In discussions with the Global Leadership Network staff about Kosciusko County, Dave Bushnell, field director with the GLN, said, “I’d love to help!” I love this about the GLN staff. They don’t just offer suggestions, they offer service. This opened the door for me to ask him to facilitate the half-day Pastor’s Collaborative in June 2019.

We had 17 churches represented, key business leaders and nonprofit leaders for a total of 50 attendees in the room—this is the first time this has ever happened in our community. The response has been electric! 12 of the pastors signed up for GLS, and two churches committed to bringing their Elder teams. To put this in perspective, in 2017, 4% of our 535 attendees represented the Church.

This is what else happened:

• Two local elementary schools have been adopted by churches.
• Our largest church asked for all our GLS branding materials and worked that same night to begin scheduling a social media blitz.
• Grace College and Seminary donated $2,000 toward conducting the GLS in the Warsaw Jail.

My executive board has renewed excitement and we feel that God is just getting started.

I have a vision of transformation for my community.

I have a heart for the 1 in 5 children in our community who live in poverty and need safe adults in their lives. What would it look like if our community became a beacon of light for those in hopeless situations such as poverty? What would it look like if our community was broken-hearted for the hungry right next door to them? What would happen if our teachers, who are the lowest paid in the state, said, “My community supports me and knows my mission field is important.”

You have no clue how God is going to use those two days to clarify your calling or shore up your confidence in where He has placed you.

By the world’s standards, these are not easy fixes, but we serve a big God who likes to show His glory in difficult messes. The Summit is a catalyst for these changes. It rallies leaders together to serve a mission and a purpose far bigger than themselves, their organization or even their skill sets. It sets the priority on God’s plan for our community and leaves a legacy far bigger and greater than a corporate headquarters or market share. What is exciting is that we already see God at work on this grander vision. We see him opening doors, softening hearts and beginning the work we never thought possible.

Just go.

If you are on the fence about attending the Summit, my advice is: Just Go. Go with an open heart and an open mind. You have no clue how God is going to use those two days to clarify your calling or shore up your confidence in where He has placed you.

Your team will see you leading by example. By giving yourself the freedom to step into a role as a learner, you show relatability and place value on continued collaboration. The Summit is not just to fill you up, but can be used to model the qualities you see lacking in your team, organization or family.  Lead by example and attend!