Saturday, both of my favorite college football teams got big wins. First, SDSU beat UNLV at home to move their record to 6-3 and become bowl eligible. And second, Notre Dame remains undefeated and overachieving at 8-0. How in the world did they end up in the National Championship discussion after a schedule like that? For both the Irish and the Aztecs we are in a season of winning and that makes it very fun.
In truth, the same is also true in my life. As I reflect on the amazing fall we’re having with The Youth Cartel there’s just no other way to label it except a season of winning.
- We have amazing and flourishing collaborative relationships with a growing number of like-minded organizations.
- More and more youth workers are seeing their ministry benefitted by the services, products, and training we are creating.
- Open Seattle was a high risk experiment and it exceeded all expectations. (Content, attendance, impact, etc.)
- Middle School Ministry Campference (last weekend) has gone from an alpha mode last year (Can we make this work?) into something which is growing, fun to be a part of, and we know is a winner. I can’t wait for 2013.
- We started the year with publishing desires but are finishing the year with 4 innovative, high quality titles in our brand new publishing line.
I could go on… there’s lots of winning going on!
And in case you weren’t aware we’ve started a new business [without external funding] in the middle of a recession.
How We Got Here
Just like on a sports team, when you get into a season of winning you can only point to a long, hard pre-season of planning/training/and hard work. You don’t get here on talent and/or good fortune alone. There’s no better way to win!
As a result, as much as I am enjoying this sweet season of winning of winning I’m completely reticent of the fact that this is only happening because of the extreme sacrifices we’ve made to make it happen. Long nights, tough decisions, lots of strategy execution.
Enjoying the Wins
Is it OK to enjoy winning? I absolutely think so. Something in me wants to act like this is no big deal. Or to blush off the compliments. Or, worse yet, just move past even considering these as wins because we have much larger aspirational goals. Sometimes I don’t know how to take winning. It feels like I shouldn’t, at least not publicly.
But I think it’s wise/important/necessary to celebrate and enjoy winning! I don’t think it’s gloating to jam the victory spear into the ground and take a picture.
How do you celebrate wins in your life, ministry, family, spiritual walk?
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