As they say in the theatre world...

Well, my season as a small group Hometeam leader has come and gone…last Sunday, after 2 years (exactly!) of being a hometeam leader, I stepped down from my position. It’s kinda weird. I keep thinking things like “oh, I have to be sure to write this in the weekly email” or “I better get with Ross to see when our next planning meeting is” or “we should use that example for the next lesson”…except I don’t have to do those things anymore. And that’s how my brain has always worked…hometeam has always been so close to my heart that it’s never very far from my mind. I could be driving down the road and suddenly think of something I need to do for the hometeam, or be in the middle of work and suddenly have some great idea for the next lesson. Ross knows all about this, because when those random thoughts hit me, guess who gets the first phone call!

I know there are like 3 people who read this blog, but I want to give a shout out to the ever-evolving hometeam that has held such a huge part of my heart for the last 2 years. First of all to Erick…had he not been a hometeam leader himself, and such a selfless servant-hearted one at that, I never would have gotten plugged in to hometeam, to Fellowship Church, and to Christ. He taught me everything I needed to know about becoming a Christ-follower to being a baby Christian to growing up to a woman of God. And to Matt, who taught me what it meant to encourage spiritual leadership, rather than trying to do it all myself! To Amanda, who reminds me everyday what it means to have a childlike faith, and to Brad, who can’t help but instill his contagious hunger and passion for the Lord in everyone he meets. To Jami, who inspires other with her perseverance and persistence thru all obstacles, and to David who always reminded me to laugh. And finally to Ross, my most recent co-leader, and to whom I leave all of hometeam in his ever-capable hands. Of all the leaders I have teamed up with, Ross probably saw me at my worst (well, with the exception of Erick, who saw the pre-Christ Crys!). Ross saw me through those last few months of hometeam…when I was so tired that the last thing I wanted to do was meet up with him to plan the next lesson, and he energized me. When I felt defeated because only a few people showed up to that week’s meeting, and he pointed out all the awesome things I had done. When I just couldn’t figure out God’s will for my role in hometeam, and he was the prayer warrior above all warriors. And when I said I was leaving, he was supportive even though he didn’t like it.

And to everyone else who I didn’t lead with, but rather attempted to lead, either successfully or not, you as well have touched my life. Last Sunday people like Ross and Matt told me how much they learned from me or were influenced by me, but I have to say that anything I may have done to inspire people, the hometeam has given back to me ten-fold. My life has been changed and is improved because of the people I met there. If you go to Fellowship Church and you are reading this blog and not in a hometeam, get in one NOW! (which is unlikely because the 3 people that read this blog are all in my hometeam) My life would never have the abundant blessings of God that it has now without the influence of hometeam, and I am so sad that I am no longer going to be leading anymore, but I know it is of God and because of that his peace surrounds me.

So as my hometeam leader season comes to a close, there’s only one thing left to say…

Aaaaand…scene.