Practice 2: Pursuing Wellness

As we care for others it is important to care for ourselves part of being a healthy leader is recognizing opportunities to take care and continue to grow for ourselves.

I’ve been blessed by every KINDLE experience I’ve had. KINDLE Recent Graduates walked my peers and me through materials on financial, physical, social, and spiritual health, and gave the opportunity to both reflect on prior habits and practice healthier habits moving forward, better equipping me to serve well.

At the repeated urging of a Director of Christian Education (DCE) friend and mentor, I later registered for Classic KINDLE. I had no idea that one of the most tumultuous times of my life would begin just a few weeks after our first learning event. Having the support of my KINDLE Circle was what I needed to keep going when I was tempted to step away.

Our beginning emphasis was on Cultivating Health, giving me both permission and a kick-in-the-pants to go back to the basics and reestablish healthier habits to build on. Through KINDLE’s focus on worship, time in the Word, and mutual support and encouragement, I was able to rebuild the foundation that I needed to continue serving God’s people in my congregation and community.

Thanks to the individual support I received, as well as useful information and materials that KINDLE provided, I was once again able to pour into the people that I served, equipping them for ministry in their own circles of influence.

I’m not sure that I would still be in ministry if not for the support and guidance that I received during my KINDLE experiences.

Now, amid the church worker shortage, I am even more grateful for KINDLE’s continued service to commissioned workers, giving support and resources to continue in this difficult yet rewarding vocation.

Tara Darling

Christian Life Director

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Mt. Vernon, Iowa