The Time In Between

As many of you know, for me, the past year and a half has been a season of waiting on the Lord. While that may not seem like a long time, I have to tell you that sometimes I want to throw up my white flag in defeat, and I lose hope that there will be an end to the waiting. On those days I know it is absolutely vital that I get in the word, get down on my knees and allow God to fill my empty cup. The past few weeks have been a bit of a struggle but today I heard a precious reminder, through song. A reminder that God IS faithful, He WILL complete the good work He has started, He is good ALL the time, and His promises ARE true. The "wait" is not to be wasted. It is an invitation to grow deeper in my relationship with Him and to learn the lesson(s) He is trying to teach.

Sometimes you just need a little reminder :) If any of you are in a season of waiting, maybe you can appreciate these words as much as I do!


“Don’t take much for this crazy world
To rob me of my peace
And the enemy of my soul
Says you’re holding out on me
So I stand here lifting empty hands
For you to fill me up again…


But it’s the time in between
That I fall down to my knees
Waiting on what you’ll bring
And the things that I can’t see
I know my song’s incomplete
Still I sing, in the time in between”

Time In Between
By Francesca Battistelli

My Birthday Card to you...

So as usual, it’s been a while…I’ve been holding off on writing this one, but it’s been spinning in my mind for a while, just begging to come out, so I guess I'll oblige. Last month I celebrated my 29th Birthday. As much as I was apprehensive about getting one year closer to the big 3-0h, deep down I was ready to kiss 28 goodbye and welcome 29 (and all it has in store) with open arms. Oh 28, you started off so quietly, but, oh how you left your mark :)

In my 28th year of life I… took my heart off the shelf, took chances, was “courted” and adored, had the honor of standing beside my best friend as she said I do, learned what it means to love on a new level, learned what it means to forgive on a new level, learned how to trust on a new level, felt God’s love in an overwhelming and tangible way as I never had before.

I healed a bruised heart, started the “… quarrel cake” tradition with my dearest girlfriend and mentor, saw a hint of what it means to "do all things through Christ who strengthens me", was humbled by the incredible power of prayer, experienced God while hiking in Flagstaff, was reminded that life is fragile and that each day is a gift, drove 45 minutes to stand on the beach for 5 because I couldn’t go to Cali and not see the ocean, pulled off the best surprise ever with my BFF, celebrated the 30th wedding anniversary of my parents, shared in the joy of my bestie having twins after a long road of trying, realized that chivalry is not dead, became a very proud auntie for the second time.

I lost hope and (by God's grace) found it again, witnessed first hand (many times) why His timing is perfect, became incredibly aware of how blessed I am to have so many amazing people in my life, sat with a precious friend after finding out she has cancer, asked the hard questions, went to my first “head shaving” party, sat in a big pink shoe at the Cosmopolitan while on a much needed girls weekend, said goodbye as a friend left to defend our country overseas, shared life over numerous cups of chai, was properly educated on what it really means to have faith, watched in amazement as God took pieces of broken dreams and put them back together in a new and beautiful way, began many new friendships that I know will last a lifetime, had the opportunity to become part of something bigger than myself for HIS glory...

...got misty eyed while writing this because...

I.
Am.
So.
AWESTRUCK...

by God’s unfailing grace and mercy. By His blessings, fulfilled promises and peace. Most of all by his extraordinary and unconditional love. This past year I have cried more, laughed harder, and loved deeper than I knew I was capable of. For all of you who walked with me during the ups and downs, and allowed me to walk with you during yours, I hope you know how much you have blessed me, and how much I love you.

Hebrews 11:1 (do yourself a favor and look it up)

Recently I found myself being asked to make some big decisions. You know, those decisions that you can just tell are going to alter your life in a very big way. I found myself just begging God to give me the answer and show me which way to go. And then I was reminded of a sermon I had seen in a staff meeting recently. It was a recording from a leadership conference a few years ago. Erwin McManus was speaking about knowing and trusting God’s will. He said something to the effect of “When we say we are praying for ‘God’s will’ to be revealed to us, usually we already know what God’s will is, and what we are really praying about is the outcome”.

Um, okay God, I get it! The truth was I already knew what the answer was, I was just praying about the logistics, my fears, and my lack of skills. I found myself debating with God. I knew what he was asking of me, but it required stepping out of my comfort zone, and it’s so warm and cozy in there, I don’t wanna leave!! “God, you know I’m usually all for change, but I just got everything the way I like it, are you sure you want to shake things up?” And, “Okay, I’m all for a good adventure, but honestly, how is this going to work? I mean, are you sure you don’t want to ask someone else who is more qualified? Wouldn’t I be more qualified for something else?”

Talking about faith and walking it out are very different things, before me was a definite opportunity to take the leap, so why was I being so stubborn? Truth be told, I wanted my way. I had an idea of how the next few years of my life should look and these new opportunities were not part of that plan. I was having a hard time accepting His plan over mine. Then He challenged me to look at the past five years of my life and to revisit all of the amazing things He had allowed me to experience and accomplish. He showed me how He has given me purpose, changed my heart and blessed me as I have walked hand in hand with Him. Compare this to the previous five years of my life when I walked away from God aka “the dark ages”. During those years I was just floating thru life with no purpose and no goals. I could not have been more unintentional with my days if I tried. I was lost.

He has brought me this far, and He has no intention of leaving me here. On my own my life had no direction. Five years ago I took a leap of faith and gave my life to Christ. He has not left my side, and He will not leave my side. If you find yourself being asked to take a step of faith I challenge you to look back at your life and see all of the amazing blessings you have received from being faithful in following Him. Think back on times you have acted in faith and He has brought you through. Acts of faith are opportunities to increase your faith!

Faith

I have put God in a box. A box in which I have limited his capabilities. I’ve limited the amazing things he can do and lowered my expectations of Him to meet what I think I deserve or should expect for my life. And my expectations are critically unimpressive. I have decided that there is a black and white world out there. A world in which I have to work a certain type of job; a world in which creativity is only for the exceptionally talented and gifted “artists”; a world where I can’t allow myself to dream too big because logistically I can’t reconcile how everything will fit together. I can’t fit the pieces together to see how it will all go together…


It’s this thought process that shows how little trust I have in God. It’s representative of how shamefully small my faith can really be. It will never cease to amaze me how quick I am to forget the incredible things God has allowed me to do in my life. The grace and mercy he has shown me, and not to mention the completely undeserved blessings he’s lavished on me. And yet..I still have a hard time taking that first step in faith, when I have absolutely no idea where it will lead me. I’ve fooled myself into believing that if I don’t take leaps of faith I won’t have to deal with the possible hurt and disappointment that comes with failure. I’ve let pessimism cloud my view. The reality is, letting fear hinder me from taking steps in faith is cowardly, and it is definitely not what God has intended for me. I serve a loving God, and as long as I am seeking him whole heartedly, he will keep me safe and bless me, wherever I am. I am his child, his creation with whom He is well pleased.

I was recently talking to a good friend of mine about the love that God has for us. She may not realize it, but her words resonated with me in a very profound way. She said that God loves us and wants to bless us. It’s almost as though he gives us a piece of paper and a crayon and says “here, write down your dreams. Tell me everything you would like out of life. I want to make it all come true”. God LOVES us, He wants us to pursue him with all that we are, and he WANTS to make our dreams come true. The dreams and desires in our hearts come from him, and they are not there to torture or taunt us. He gave us these dreams and goals so that in His perfect timing we could be blessed by seeing them fulfilled.

When I put him in a box and limit my expectations and goals in life out of fear and doubt, I ROB him of the joy of giving me the gifts he so desperately wants me to receive. While stepping out in faith may not always be roses and sunshine, it’s okay. I would rather walk in faith with my Savior, than stand still and miss out.

I had some free time...

     I love airports. I love flying and traveling from place to place in such a short span of time. I am fascinated by the concept that you can physically be in multiple states, even countries, within the same 24 hour period. Seriously, I have a child-like awe about this. It’s quite silly really, as I am sure most people are not fazed at the idea that they can be with their family in their hometown, then have a long overdue layover lunch with an Uncle, get back on the plane and land in another country. Really, how is this not absolutely fascinating to anyone else
     I also love the fact that when I am a plane I cannot be disturbed by the ins and outs of my day to day life. No one can reach me via email, phone or any social media source. It’s just me, my thoughts, some good tunes, perhaps a good read and my pen and paper. I generally use this time to reflect on my life and all my to-do’s I need to start to-doing once I land. I become mysteriously inspired and the creativity starts flowing. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day I were to pen the novel that gives Moby Dick a run for its money while soaring through the clouds in this magical atmosphere.
     For a few hours I get to sit in the air and just reflect and take it all in. It is quite possibly one of my top five happy places; behind Gas Works Park in Seattle, and in front of any good Nashville coffee shop with free Wi-Fi. It’s bliss, pure, uninterrupted bliss. Right now I’m actually closing my eyes and pretending I’m sitting in my beloved aisle seat passing through the clouds over Colorado.
     I do have one confession though; I always enjoy the flight to a bit more than the return. The flight to said destination is always brimming with anticipation, excitement and possibility. I anxiously look forward to the adventures that await me once I land. I plan out all that I want to do and see and experience and I prepare myself for the great things that are in store. And almost as soon as I land I begin to hope that the return flight will stay far away and allow me as much time as possible to experience all the great things my destination city has to offer.
     It never fails that on the night before I am supposed to return home, I am dreading the next day. The following morning the dread is gone, and I am filled with a mixture of sadness for having to end my journey, and excitement to go home and revive some little piece or two of my adventure in my day to day routine. I am again filled with the anticipation and the possibilities of what will happen when I get back home. I imagine how my life will look different, and what great things I will do. I look forward to seeing how my new perspective will change the way that I experience my ordinary day to day tasks. I have grand aspirations to return and be this new person with a fresh take on life.
     Today is my return day. In a few short hours I will board a plane and put pen to paper, thought to possibility, bud to ear. I will reflect on what has happened in my five days here in Nashville and how it will change the path that I am on. I will spend time with my Savior and seek His continued guidance for my next move. In an odd way, I have been looking forward to this part of the trip all along. The time that I would get to really process everything I learned, all that I saw, and all of the relationships that began here in Music City.
     This will be a chance to contemplate my next step. I am sad that my little journey is coming to an end, but I am absolutely THRILLED by what lies ahead. I am going to trust that God will lead me down the right path. I am confident He will guide me and open doors where they need opening and close em’ where I need not enter. Regardless of the outcome I am overwhelmed by the Lord’s blessings while I’ve been here. I am so grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to see what is in store.
     The week leading up to this holiday and the entire time I have been here I have been challenged to really evaluate my faith. My eyes have been opened to the limits that I allow myself to put on God’s capabilities. I am painfully aware of how I restrict possibilities based on my own narrow and limited scope. I have been reminded that we serve an amazing, powerful, sovereign, awe-inspiring God. He can move mountains with a mustard seed of faith. He brings the dead back to life. He cares for us more than the birds of the sky and the flowers of the earth. His love and grace is beyond anything my mind can comprehend. He loves, He protects, He sustains, He blesses. He has started a good work in me and He will be faithful to complete it.

Its been a minute...

Quick update on my current status. I finished my official internship with HomeBase but am continuing to work on their Street Outreach team, I LOVE it. Graduated in December (thank you for all of your love, prayers and support). Currently looking for the worlds most perfect job (aren't we all). Enjoying my current job. Going to Nashville in March to check out some possible Grad programs. And oh, I have a papercut on each of my thumbs which is really annoying.

I think that's it for now loves, I'll update when I've got more news.

College Prep

Hello Loves,

I hope everyone is doing famously on this lovely day. So...I've got some good stuff to update you on :)

A few weeks ago the other HB intern (Kim) and I were dreaming out loud. We really want to make sure our time at TLP is as beneficial as possible for the kids. We came up with the idea that the staff dubbed as the "College Prep" program. For right now it is specifically for the youth living at TLP. The idea is that we will help the kids walk thru the process of getting in to college. I know from my own experience it can be pretty overwhelming. You have to figure out what you want to do, where you want to go, how to pay for it, where to live, how to avoid the freshman 15, seriously, the list goes on and on and on and on... ; ) Many of the kids haven't even considered college as an option because they simply don't know where to start. Hopefully CP (yep, already has its own acronym and everything, that’s how official it is) will help the kids get pointed in the right direction. Everyone is really excited about the program. It’s an area the staff wish they could put more in to, but don't have the time to give it the proper attention. The idea is that Kim and I will be the "college girls" and every Tuesday (me) and Thursday (Kim) we will be available to help the kids with College "stuff".

So, on Tuesday night I got to do my most favorite thing ever, public speaking (yes that was sarcasm). I introduced the idea at TLP. Some of the kids loved the idea, and others reminded me that I had gone 2 minutes over my allotted 5 minute presentation time. Regardless, I had some takers that were really excited about it. All of them really want to go to school they just have some roadblocks to work through, and didn't know where to start. Some of the roadblocks were in regard to financial aid and others are concerned their "records" could make them ineligible. All of these issues are things we can try and work through, for the most part, so I can’t wait to see what happens.

All in all the response was way better than we could have hoped, and it confirmed the need for a program like this. We're all really excited to see what comes from it :)

"Funo" (fun-uno)

So I have to share this story because I'm pretty sure it will be one of my favorites from TLP.
Last Tuesday the staff took the youth to the Mercury game. Well, they took most of them anyway. Six of the guys had to stay back because they were either a) too cool, or b) they were on probation of some sort and not allowed to go. So basically, all the troublemakers were left back at the ranch. Since they were the only ones left on campus they were in Christmas vacation mode (aka, bouncing off the walls like spider monkeys all hopped up on Mt. Dew).

To give them something to do Leslie suggested they pull out some games, and they did. She had hoped they would take the games outside and leave us to get our work done, yeah...not so much the case. They "suckered" me in to playing Uno. I thought we could put a spin on things, so I taught them how to play fun-Uno (btw, if you've never played you should probably do that right after you're done reading this. Its fab....wait for it.......ulous). The boys loved the game. It's like they were 6 year olds again, teasing each other and trying to win. It was hilarious to see these big "thug" guys trying to get each other to giggle during "silent 7". It was awesome. I could see that they were just having a great time, and so was I. We must've played it for a couple of hours because before I knew it the sun was setting and it was time for me to leave. It was soooo much fun!

Ahh, the simple joys in life.

Art & Coffee Nite

Hey all, well I thought I'd catch you up on what has been going on at HB. I'm a little behind, so again, I'm sorry about that, but I promise I'll bring you up to speed! Ok, so last Friday night HB hosted "Off the Beaten Path, Art & Coffee Nite". We basically turned the day center into a little coffee shop/art gallery. The youth were able to showcase their art. It was a great turnout, lots of the youth showed up, and other supporters from the community as well. You could tell the youth really enjoyed it and were having a great time.

One of the TLP residents was brave enough to get on the mic and share her story with us. She shared how she had ended up at TLP. So many times I have heard people say that many Americans are only a few paychecks away from being on the streets. That is exactly what happened to this young woman. She wasn't a bad child with no goals and just floating thru life. She just landed in a rough patch and didn't have any family that could help her get back on her feet. Her story was absolutely inspiring. To hear how she has come back from ending up on the streets. She is now in school and working two jobs trying to get back on her feet. Its times like this I am reminded of what a great thing TLP does. I also have to add that this young lady is one of the most outgoing, friendly and happy young women at TLP right now. She always greets you with a smile. I say this because I have had the privilege of working one on one with her for several weeks and have always been amazed at how driven she is. So you can imagine the surprise when she was sharing her story at the art & coffee nite and she told us that her twin sister had recently died. My heart just broke for her. To be dealing with being homeless and having to mourn the loss of her twin sister and still keep a smile on her face takes strength that I cannot imagine. This young woman is truly an inspiration and I am so incredibly excited to see what God has in store for her.

The rest of the night was very entertaining, filled with paintings, drawings, poetry readings, narratives, and even a stand up comedy routine. The night closed out with "Ms. Beats" (as she is well known) singing "I praise you for who you are". It was absolutely beautiful, and a brave if you ask me. Remember, HB is not a Christian organization. She unashamedly shared a brief version of her testimony before she sang her solo. I'm not gonna lie, I totally teared up. It was beautiful. Time and time again these kids are a reminder of what unwavering faith looks like.

Well, I think those are most of the highlights from art & coffee nite. If you're in Phoenix you should really do yourself a favor and come out to the next one. It will be in November, I'll let you know when we've confirmed the date :)

The ever classic Jeremiah 29:11 plug

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".
                                          - Jeremiah 29:11

With my recent realization of how amazingly perfect Gods timing is (I know, I'm a little slow sometimes!) I am feeling prompted to share these words....

It is a given that life does not always go the way we had hoped. There will be times we may even find ourselves questioning God about a season we are going through. As humans we want to be in control. When we cannot control a situation or circumstance we usually don't handle it very well.

There will be a moment when you choose to accept your circumstance. Whether you chose to love it or hate it, you will learn to embrace it and run with it. The Father has a plan for you and a purpose for bringing you through this particular trial. You can own it and fall in love with it and make the absolute best of it. Smiling all the while and learning all that God has planned to teach you through the experience. You can have hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel and when you look back you will see God's beautiful fingerprints all over it.

OR you can be miserable, rejecting the less than ideal reality you've found yourself in. You can kick and scream and pout because your life isn't where you thought it would be according to your plan. You can throw your fist in the air and have an adult tantrum directed towards God, in some sad attempt to get Him to see why your way is a better plan. All the while, completely missing the point. You could potentially miss the purpose for this time of your life, and the blessing He has planned for you during this season.

Either way this is your reality and you are going to go thru it. This season of your life will play out. It is up to you how you will wade through it. Will you trust God and cling to him? Will you rejoice in the blessings he has in store for you knowing that he is preparing you for something great? Will you embrace the uncomfortable and allow yourself to be stretched?

OR will you stick your lower lip out, sit in the corner and pout, and let the opportunity to grow pass you by?

Comments

***By the way...I changed the settings so anyone should be able to comment now! Sorry about that!

Week 3

My apologies for not getting this out last week! Please forgive me, I was at the mercy of my dentist (2 root canals, how's that for a good time, ick!).

Anyway, I was only at the Day Center for a few hours last week, (because of my dental dilemma) but I took part in a conversation that I will probably remember for the rest of my life. I was sitting in my office and one of the youth was in line to use the shower. He looked through my window and asked me how I was doing and I did the standard "I'm doing great, how about you?" His answer is what caught me, "I'm doing alright, but I'm really tired, it's hard to get a good night sleep when you're sleeping on rocks". I told him I was sorry and asked if he was able to catch some sleep in the meditation room (this is the "spirituality room" at the Day Center; they let youth catch some extra sleep in there for reasons just like this). He said he wasn't able to, but was hoping he could find a blanket for the night. Not a blanket to cover up with, but to lie on top of the rocks so he could at least get a good nights sleep.

The conversation continued on for a minute and I put him in touch with the right person so he could get a blanket to sleep on. He was over the top grateful for this saying it wasn't a big deal and we didn't need to go out of our way. I was blown away at how polite and how sweet natured this boy was, especially in light of his circumstances! I was also forced to think about his reality, he sleeps outside. Not only does he sleep outside, but he sleeps on top of rocks. Wherever it is that he has found to lay his head down at night is on top of rocks!! No wonder he isn't getting a lot of sleep.

Lets play a little game....imagine a night when you have gotten next to no sleep because you've been super stressed or worried and you wake up every few minutes. This is his (and countless others) reality, every day. Now imagine that you aren't waking up in a safe snuggly bed under your safe snuggly roof. You are outside, and not only are you exhausted, but you're hungry. So you, in your half awake/sleep state have to go find food. You also have some other things on your agenda, like finding a place to take a shower, hopefully a shelter to sleep in, and if it is a really good day you may have time to look for a job....

All too often I have heard negative comments about our homeless neighbors like; "Why don't they just get a job", or "They're just lazy". I think sometimes we forget that essentials (food, taking a shower and getting a good nights sleep) are not easily accessible for someone who has no home. A large part of their day could be spent just trying to find these things, and all after a night of sleeping on rocks.

Week 2

Alright, now I think I'm all up to speed, finally! Okay, today was pretty sweet. I got the keys to my office (well, I share it with the other intern) at DC. I did some work on facebook, and got our twitter account up and running. And yes, I am shamelessly a tweeter now. It's fun, I like it, and that's that :) Rest assured though, I did not spend my entire day online social networking. I did start my day in a meeting going over an upcoming special event, which I'm pretty excited about (details to come). After that I shadowed Rachel on a volunteer orientation. I think I'm pretty comfortable with this process, one more shadow and I'll be ready to lead the way.

Alright, on to part 2 of my day, TLP. I pulled up around 4:24 and by 4:28 was told I would be teaching a life skills class @ 4:30. Did I mention that curriculum for that class was handed to me as they were telling me I was teaching a class? I don't know if you've met me, but teaching is not my thing. Luckily, I didn't even have time worry about that :) By the way, I fully support the idea that there should be a sarcastic font! Anyway, I actually did get lucky and the life skill was "finding an apartment". This subject is definitely something I know very well, so I'd say all in all the class went pretty well.

Alright, so that recaps the highlights of my day. I guess I'd like to close this one out with some thoughts/ideas/revelations/what nots. I think the kids at TLP are slowly starting to warm up to me. There has been a big turnover in the past week. Usually TLP houses 25 people, right now they are down to 18 or so. They've lost 5 people since last week, and will be losing another soon, as he is joining the national guard. I'm told this is normal and that the turnover changes with the seasons. So come next week there will be some new faces at TLP. I'm excited for the newbies and for those who have completed the program and moved on to independent living. If you remember, can you please pray for all of these kids? They become a family since they live, eat, and hang out together. When that family dynamic changes it can be hard on them, as well as the newbies coming in.

I also have to take this time to say that I had a revelation on my way home tonight. I have to preface this by saying that I am someone who tends to feel unsettled more often than not. I'm always working towards this ideal picture of how I think/hope my life will be. I think a lot of us feel that way. Well, today I realized that God has blessed me far beyond anything I could imagine or ever deserve. I was thinking about my life and came to the realization that I am finally right where I have always wanted to be. My life looks exactly like I have always dreamt it would (give or take a few details, haha). Its pretty surreal. I'm not saying this to boast, actually, its the exact opposite. I am humbled by the realization that after years of pursuing something on my own, I still could not attain it. Yet God, in his ever astounding grace, love and mercy, gave it to me when I least expected in, and when I finally stopped pursuing it and started pursuing him.

I'm not sure if this makes any sense. And I'm not sure if I'm even doing justice to this revelation. What I am sure of is that this revelation will change my life. I can promise you that :)

Week 1

Sooo...my first day went pretty well. I showed up at the Day Center (DC from here on out) and Rachel (my boss) introduced me to everyone. On Tuesdays the Phoenix Children's Hospital runs a free clinic upstairs, so I met a LOT of PCH staff as well. I got a chance to sit down with Rachel and we went over what types of responsibilities I'll have, and I'm not gonna lie, I was pleasantly surprised. I thought for sure the title of intern would automatically grant me the luxury of starbucks runs, making copies, filing, answering phones, and all that super exciting stuff. The reality is that I'll be helping out with a ton of stuff, that I'll actually like! woo hoo!! I'll get to help with special events, volunteer recruitment, and lots of other stuff that I'm actually interested in. My personal favorite though...updating/maintaining facebook and twitter for HB. Um, you want me to play on facebook and tweet as part of my job? Um...yes please :). Obviously, that's not what I'll spend my entire day doing....I'm just saying :)

Alright, so part two of my day, we headed on over to TLP (DC & TLP are about 3 miles from each other). I get there and the staff wasn't expecting me. Apparently their boss went on vacation and forgot to let them know about the two interns that would be starting this week...oopsies! Needless to say they didn't really have a lot for me to do....but don't you worry, they provided me with entertainment..... One of the girls came in and had found a bag of pills that belonged to one of her roommates (the rooms are dorm style, 4 bedroom areas and a common area). Well, obviously this is cause for concern since drugs/alcohol aren't exactly on the list of "approved" items you can have in your room. So this sparked a full on room inspection, causing all the residents to freak out. All in all, it was quite entertaining, and I must report that the search did no disappoint. "Contraband" was found in one of the rooms. None of it worth expelling someone from TLP, but enough to embarrass the resident, and teach them to follow the rules :)

After all the excitement it was time for me to go home, and I was good and ready! The day went fabulously, but I hadn't been this tired in a looong time.

The Details

So, I failed to start this last week (did I mention I'm working on my procrastinating?) so I'll catch you up to speed. I am interning with an organization that serves homeless youth, ages 18-21. The organization "HB" has a day center and a shelter (named the transitional living program, which will call TLP from here on out). During my internship I'll be spending half my time at the Day Center, helping the volunteer/development coordinator. The other half of my time will be spent at TLP where I'll have more interaction with the youth. I'm not gonna lie, I was very nervous about it all, but excited at the same time!

Internship!!

So, I've had some requests for a blog that tracks my internship experience.....ask and you shall receive ;) This blog was originally a requirement for a class....but that's not very exciting...so, on to the next!

Committment Statemen

If I were to become a volunteer manager I will make sure I have a strong recruitment process including a background check for those that will be volunteering on a consistent basis. I will make sure that I have a great training program as well as ongoing training available. I will make sure that I have a recognition program in place that will motivate every type of volunteer that works for me. I will also do follow up with all of my volunteers to make sure that I am always on top of any areas that are not working as well as areas that are working. I will always remember the value of a volunteer and treat them as the asset they are.

Interview with Kisha Bumpers @ the Arkansas Food Bank

Every summer since 2001 the youth group at CrossRoads Nazarene Church in Chandler, AZ has gone to Little Rock and stayed at Friendly Chapel Church. While the students are there they help run a vacation bible school and a basketball camp for the children in the neighborhood. These children are categorized as “at risk”. During the week students and leaders are also a part of many different work projects around the neighborhood as well as helping out with the local food bank. Last year I had the privilege of going for the first time, as a leader. This experience changed my life and it is when I realized how much I enjoy helping others. So much so, that I had to go back, and did June 6th-June 10th.

While I was there I was able to return to the Arkansas Food Bank. The Arkansas Food Bank’s mission is “Working to eliminate hunger in Arkansas”. Working at the food bank is what solidified my decision to major in nonprofit administration. So it was a privilege for me to interview their Volunteer Coordinator, Kisha Bumpers. Kisha has worked for the Arkansas Food Bank for 3 years. Kisha is not only the Volunteer Coordinator.

Our group of teens is the common demographic of volunteers they get. Kisha says it tends to be high school and college aged volunteers that they get a lot of. She also says they get a high volume of volunteers during the summer and around the holidays. On average there are about 600 volunteers that help out a year. Of these 600, 60-75 volunteer on a regular basis (monthly). They also have 12 volunteers that give of their time on a weekly basis. The hours they put in are equivalent to one full time employee.

I asked Kisha what her biggest frustration is with being a volunteer coordinator; her answer was kind of funny to me. She said that her biggest pet peeve is when groups bring more volunteers then they originally agreed to. She likes to be prepared and have jobs for her volunteers. When groups come with too many people it catches her off guard. She says there is plenty of work to be done, but she likes to be prepared, rather than just put people on a task because she needs to occupy their time.

It was very beneficial to hear the real struggles and triumphs of the volunteer world first hand. I felt especially grateful to be able to interview someone who, without realizing it, had a profound impact on my life. I think that is something very important to remember when it comes to volunteer management. As a volunteer manager you have the ability make a volunteers experience either great or so-so. It is important to take that responsibility seriously and make sure that everyone that walks through the doors has the best experience possible!

Ideal Volunteer Position

Position Title: Assistant to the Special Events Coordinator

Purpose: To assist the Special Events Coordinator with planning, preparation and implementation of all special events..

Suggested Activities: Assisting with planning all details to the event, generating donor interest, recruiting volunteers and marketing the event.

Dates Available: Year round, as needed

Application/Interview: Yes/Yes

Time Commitment: 4 hours of orientation + 5-10 hours per week (surrounding an event). Due to the nature of special events these hours can be very flexible.

Location: Organization headquarters (75%), potential/confirmed donor meetings (10%), event preparation/venue (15%)

Training/Experience Required: Must have event planning experience. Ideal candidate is detail oriented and very self motivated. This organization would prefer applicants with volunteer recruitment and event marketing experience.

Benefits: Hours are flexible each week. Will reimburse for mileage.

Welcome

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. This is my first experience blogging, so bear with me. I guess I can give you a little background on myself to start off. I am in my final semesters here @ ASU. I will graduate in December with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Nonprofit Administration and Sociology.....if all goes well! As well as being a student I work full time for a faith based nonprofit. Part of my current position requires me to coordinate volunteer for several different ongoing areas and some special events. I am so excited to learn more about volunteer management and to be able to apply that knowledge to my current work environment. Well, that's it for now. I look forward to getting to know all of you. Thanks!