Kelli+W.

Phase I: Who Am I? What's My Place?


 * What __really__ makes up your identity?

Who I am depends upon two things: what I believe about myself and what I believe about the God who created me. I believe that I am “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14) by God. I believe what The Bible says about me is true; I am a sinner (Romans 3:23), in need of a Savior (Romans 5:12). I believe Christ lived a sinless life (2 Cor. 5:21), died for my sins (1 Cor. 15:3), and that He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures (Romans 6:4). I also believe that I am loved with an everlasting love by a God who sent His son to die for me. Because of my faith, I know where I came from, why I am here and where I am going when I die J
 * What __really__ makes up your sense of place?

I love my husband and children more than anything and I would sacrifice all that I have for them, but the truth is I am loved much more than that! My purpose in life is to glorify God and to love my neighbor as myself. I can do both of these by reaching out to others and trying to help meet their needs.
 * What roles do your identity and sense of place play when you work with others in a group project?

I try to treat everyone the same; no one is better than anyone else. Different people will have different strengths and weaknesses. Even if I believe I am strong in a certain area, it’s possible there will be someone better able to lead. I am a good listener and will try to offer many creative ideas to help resolve issues.
 * What are the qualities that you bring to the GLIP conversation that will help you make a contribution to your global group?

I always try to be honest and empathetic. When I meet new people or new students, I try not to focus on our differences, but on our similarities. We all want to be heard and accepted. If I am selfish and demanding my own way; I am not loving others as I should. My faith teaches me to be humble, willing to serve and to esteem others greater than myself (Phil. 2:3-4). I need God’s help to do this because this is not natural for me. I see a problem with our teens; there seems to be a lack of compassion, patience and love for one another. My daughter will be leaving on a missions’ trip this summer to go to Brazil. I hope she will meet others and realize how blessed and fortunate she is. Understanding the struggles we all face should bring us together not divide us. I know it’s hard to be a teenager; every problem feels huge and oppressive. I try to reach out to our students and listen; I want them to know I love them and care about them.
 * What is one local problem (where you live) that you believe needs to be addressed? Suggest some steps could you take to try to solve it?
 * Finally, some problems have been around for a long time. What qualities do you think a person must have to step up and try to solve them?

I cannot solve the world’s problems neither do I believe I am supposed to. We will always have problems, it is how we handle our problems that matters. A good friend of mine was just diagnosed with vascular EDS. They discovered it when she gave birth and nearly died. Now, she must face the fact she has a disease that will shorten her life and require, perhaps, multiple surgeries. She may not see her child grow past the age of ten. I pray a lot and I don’t pretend like I have all of the answers. I have faith and I trust God. I realize that “…all things work together for good, to them that love God; to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Phase II: Sense of Place

Upload image (s) here:

I was born in Raleigh, NC, at the old Rex Hospital. This picture is of the NC State fair and going to the fair has been a yearly tradition since I was a little girl. Now, I take my children and they get to see, smell, taste and hear some of the same things I did as a child. It is definitely a Raleigh, NC cultural event. This is where people gather to share their food, art, music, dance, livestock and agriculture.

This picture is of Andy Griffith and his son Opie; characters from a show that was set near Raleigh, NC. Today, this staue is at Pullen Park, another tradition for my family. My dad would take my brother and I to the park for picnics, to feed the ducks, to ride on the carousel, and paddle boats. The Andy Griffith Show kind of made Raleigh, NC famous! My last picture is of downtown Raleigh, NC at night. Downtown Raleigh is home to our museums, government buildings and municipal buildings. These are the azalea gardens in Raleigh. The house I grew up in had bright, pink azaleas across the front. Strangers would drive by and comment on them; they were so beautiful. Azaleas remind me of home.

Use these questions to help you determine which picture shows someone else why your “place” is so special to you.
 * Does a scenic picture represent the beauty you believe that your town has?
 * Does a picture of a group of people represent and show a warmth and friendliness that your town has?
 * Does a statue or building convey the feeling of history that makes your place important and unique?
 * Is there a cultural event that represents the values of your home location?

What are your initial thoughts about how your image addresses the questions above? Later, you will be working with the members of your group to create a travel package that includes visits to each group member's home location (see Phase II)

Phase III: Identify Local Issue:

What is your local issue? I see a problem with our teens; there seems to be a lack of compassion, patience and love for one another.

What can you do to be address the issue? Taking time to listen to issues teens are facing and showing them I care. Teens, and adults, should be active in the community, local church or volunteering. It is never to early to learn how to serve others. What is the global impact of your local issue? For the most part, we live in a selfish, "me first" world. This is not the way it should be. We were created to be relational; there is and should be fulfillment in our relationships with others.

Add these thoughts to your Group's Discussion Forum on Local Issues