I have been personally challenged as I have been blessed to be able to devote my Fridays to this great idea. The invitation to join RI HOPE has reignited my calling as a father, teacher, and encourager. Being a tender in the greenhouse of RI HOPE is such a blessing.
Rooted in Jesus and focused on the family we gather together around a desire to encourage one another and build each other up.
Would you have offered to share a story early on a Saturday morning with a group of older men and women as a teenager? I know I would not necessarily have. My son has.
The portfolios that our children individually work through give insight into the biblical understanding of identity, purpose, and vision for communicating The Greatest Story Ever Told.
As this gift is realized, they are internally challenged to share it. One must open a gift for it to be utilized and see the full value of it. Each of our lives is a gift of God, the possibilities and potential beyond our imagination. God reveals to us our gifts and calls on us to be good stewards of them.
Rhode Island Hope has caused me to see in a greater sense the gifts and the callings that he's called not only me but my children to walk out in.
The community has created an atmosphere to open these gifts together and utilize them in a safe space. Here is a list of just a few of the very practical ways we spend our time together on Friday afternoons:
Parental coaching
Peer encouragement
Critique opportunities
Modeling a variety of foundational techniques and practices
Mimicking and silly fun that gets us out of our comfort zones
Role-playing
Acting that opens up the doors to our imaginations
And WHY do we do all these things? They prepare the students to take the skills and speeches as well as their ever-shaping character out into the communities that the Lord has entrusted us to be salt and light.
If you are like me, a picture of a good idea or an article about it isn't enough. So, come on out and meet this group of students that makes my heart smile. Be blessed by the gifts that they are and the gifts they are opening to share with others.
Are you curious about the life-giving community?
Come visit an RI HOPE Chapter meeting.
We meet from 2:00 - 4:00 at Frenchtown Church in East Greenwich
every Friday during the school year.
Contact Samantha.Short@ICCinc.org