Lifework Leadership graduation.

“What’s the commitment?” I asked Christopher White when he and his wife offered me the opportunity to participate in this year’s Lifework Leadership class.

𝐼’𝑚 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓-𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑦𝑒𝑑. 𝐼 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙-𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒, 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑎 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑦, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑚 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 – 𝐼’𝑚 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑤𝑎𝑦. 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑢𝑝, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝐼 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠.

Those were some thoughts that were running through my head as I stepped outside the gym to chat with Chris.

Later that evening I talked through it with Mike and decided to go for it. I knew I would regret it if I didn’t. 8 months will fly by; experience told me that.

Well, here we are. The morning after graduation and I am in awe of who God is, what He does, and how much He loves me.

Graduation was on a Wednesday night. With work, my book, and family responsibilities, it didn’t “feel” like a special event leading up to it…until we arrived.

We were in a beautiful location, with amazing people, and wonderful friends I had made over the last 8 months. There was excitement and expectancy in the air – I could feel it.

With no idea what to expect – still, even after 8 months, I was present and savoring every moment – this time, alongside my husband. He had the opportunity to meet some friends I made that have made an impact in my journey with Lifework.

Every class with Lifework produced a transformation within me. I knew that graduation would be no different.

We watched an incredible one-man play – I’ll have to get the info to share because he will be at Mission Way Church on Saturday and it’s worth taking the time to see. I was moved to tears countless time. Yet again, it’s like I fell in love with Jesus even more.

Then, Tammie Foore McClafferty, director of Lifework First Coast, shared some news about some changes to the Lifework branding. Tears kept streaming down my face. 𝑈𝑔ℎ, 𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑢𝑝 𝑜𝑛. 𝐼’𝑚 𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑏𝑒 𝑎 𝑚𝑒𝑠𝑠. 𝐴ℎ, 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑠. 𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑦.

I’ve been feeling a state of transition lately. You know this, if you follow my writings. The graduation last night was deeper and more profound than just graduation for a leadership class I attended. In the spirit, supernaturally, I graduated from something last night.

What did I graduate from?
Ha! Don’t you know me by now? I have no idea. Well, maybe I do, a little. The picture just isn’t clear enough yet for me to explain it in words. The only thing I know is that Jesus said something to me last night. I heard it over and over again in the play last night, but it was as if Jesus was winking and whispering into the ears of my heart “well done Andrea. Well done my beloved.”

How could someone not tear at the soft and pleasing voice of the One who is Love?

This year the class had small groups. I was in the group called Table 7. In my opinion, we were the best table 😉. Melissa, our table coach, went up and shared 3 words to describe each of us. We then headed up to receive our brick. Yes, that’s not a typo. We received a brick instead of a certificate.

Why? Because we are builders.

As if the brick wasn’t symbolic enough, the scripture on the plaque hit me like a “ton of bricks.” (𝚙𝚞𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 🤣)

During a prayer meeting, when I was a teenager, a girl approached me with tears in her eyes and said “God wants me to tell you something.” She went on to read Nehemiah 2 to me (in Portuguese) and explained that I was a builder. I was going to build and re-build for God. At the time, I didn’t know much about Nehemiah, but that was a moment of impact in my life.

Prophecies, words of knowledge, and intimate moments with the Lord were always filled with the word “architect and builder.” Last fall I made decisions to embrace that calling and began to think like an architect.

Yesterday, I feel like God was saying, “you were faithful with what you had, now, let’s get building. Here’s your first brick. This one has your name on it – not because of what you’ve done, but because of your faith and love in Me and what I say about you.”

What’s next?
Nothing glamorous. I’ve been working on things that I’ll simply continue investing into. I have projects I’ve been dreaming about with Jesus that will get started soon. I just want to be where He is and where He wants me to be.

I seek His approval; His well done.

So, thank you Pastor Chris White for believing in me and giving me this incredible opportunity. Thank you Michael John for covering for me at home when I’d have to leave early. Thank you Tammie for leading so well. Thank you to my table for making this experience a positive one.

Above all, thank you to God. You are my everything. I didn’t know what was happening, but I sensed it was You. I “walked through the door,” and I’m glad I did.

My life is forever changed!

Congrats to the class of 2021.