From One To The Next

This month for Heart Support I’ve spent a lot of my time finding out what it means to have a dream both personally and through the experiences of other people. I’ve read stories where people are creating and envisioning dreams almost every hour of every day. I’ve experienced moments throughout this journey where people have explained that they felt as though life was meaningless and dreams meant nothing because it wasn’t possible. In that sense, the spectrum has been cleared. As a team, I think we’ve been built, broken, and rebuilt in trying to figure out the best way to go about making some changes to Heart Support- to the things that we strive for and the resources that we provide. Just this morning I posted a final thought for the month of April on one of the social media sites where I said, “Just because April’s on the outs doesn’t mean our dreams have to be walking to the wind too.” It wasn’t until later this evening that I really began to see the message behind something like that, no matter how simply it appeared.

Most of the time I work until a deadline approaches toward a particular goal. Once that deadline arrives, I the sit back and evaluate the situation. If the goal has not yet been met, I don’t turn around and make a new benchmark for the opportunity and seek to complete it again. Instead, I mark it as a failure; take that for what it is, and move forward toward the next task that needs to be completed or potential goal to be reached. It wasn’t until I talked to my supervisor this past week and told him some of the ways I function as a student, and some of what really drive me to this internship, that I actually began to see some of what I do behaviorally, and understand some of it from a different perspective. I’ve never really been one to let myself off the hook. I’ve always been the type of person that needs to achieve whatever it is that I initially set out to do and when that doesn’t happen I have a hard time learning to take it in stride.

 I explained this to Jake and we talked about it for a little while. He explained that a lot of the stories he has been receiving and at many points throughout his own, there are moments where the deadlines aren’t met and where the challenge may be overwhelming that lead a person to feel as though they’ve failed personally in their expectations. That’s been me throughout different periods of my life. Right now, at times that can be me because I want to do the best at this job as is possible- I want to reach the community that has begun forming and continue to expand the dream that Jake and his wife saw a few years ago. It was during this conversation that Jake told me, it’s not what I accomplish during those times, but that I can learn something, teach something, and continue forward until that one goal is achieved no matter the hardship or time- frame.

This next month as part of the Heart Support program we’re trying to push the idea of community and the building of discussions and networks. I think it’s really important for us to try and continue to push our message out to the people that will listen for as far as we can. Waves are sometimes wonderful and beautiful like that, you know? So, this month deals with the idea of community and having us as team members reach out to the listeners with more of our stories and vulnerabilities. Should be challenging, but it should definitely be interesting to experience as well. I’ve already written my blog on what community means and how it is that I see community from a team and individual perspective. I’m really excited for the responses this month.

I found a quote a few weeks ago when looking for dream information and articles from the famous USA hockey coach Herb Brooks that reads, “We should be dreaming. We grew up as kids having dreams, but now we're too sophisticated as adults, as a nation. We stopped dreaming. We should always have dreams.” April might be on its way out, but that doesn’t mean that these particular dreams and goals, of doing well and making an impact have to end. Neither does it mean that I have failed. Instead, it simply continues adding fuel to the fire and passion to the work I’m already doing.

            

Challenged and Encouraged

            The pastor at my local church always opens the Sunday morning service in saying that he hopes we all feel challenged and encouraged. His hope is that the things that we hear challenge us. That we let the things that wreck us, but that we’re encouraged to make movements toward restoration. His hope is that the movements because we’re compelled by something that was offered at service, and that the steps begin a change, no matter how large or small. In thinking of the ways to approach this week’s blog update I was simply challenged by a topic. I’ve been learning so much, I’ve been overwhelmed by the creation of these sites and foundations, that I just cannot find the proper words to articulate my perspective.

            This week I’ve been working on a great deal of administrative tasks and examining on maintaining the information that gets sent publicly for people to view as they come to our page. I’ve been in correspondence with followers asking if we can post their stories to the website as a message of hope and community. In this way I feel as though I’m slowly acquiring some of the skills to be more diplomatic and professional in email format- something today’s technologically driven society definitely needs. Not only that, but I’ve had the chance to share some of what I do as an intern with some of the students and followers who have emailed into us.

It’s an amazing thing to see how people are coming to one developing website, sharing their stories, and then allowing some of that to be poured back into their lives. Even in just logging onto Facebook and seeing if there’s something worthy for me to post, like a quote or motivational thought, it’s amazing some of the conversations and support that I have begun to see as someone who’s still feeling the newness of her experience. Perhaps for the week that’s my sense of encouragement; that no matter how much I need to complete at this stage in the game, there’s always going to be time to sit down have that discussion with someone. There’s always time to stop what we’re doing, to readjust the view, and just to extend a hand and the ability to be an available resource. Perhaps my encouragement is the fact that I have been given this internship in the first place. Perhaps it comes from the simplicity of not thinking that a blog can reach far, but then realizing that it can. Ultimately you realize that words, works, and comfort can extend to so many nations because people are only looking for a listener. Perhaps the encouragement comes from letting myself be that listener and seeing how that transpires to the community.

Some might look at this blog and say, “It seems like everything is going great for you. What’s the challenge then?” For me the challenge isn’t about sitting to find time to answer people back, it’s not about the jobs that Jake asks me to pursue in order to make the site as good as possible, nope. The challenge comes when I log on for my daily shift only to realize that there are so many people writing in, that there’s so much pain and frustration for the world over. The challenge comes in hearing some of those stories and wondering whether my words will be effective in offering support and understanding. The challenge comes in recognizing that I can’t exactly fix the struggles and seasons that people are going through, but instead, that I am simply one piece of a bigger mission. The challenge sometimes comes in having the qualifications and feeling okay doing what I’m doing. The challenge comes in letting myself off the hook and realizing that this is merely my first shot at these new experiences. The list could go on and on for right now, and when I feel like it might, I have to stop myself.

I’m here. I’m here because I was qualified. I’m here because I had something to offer this team and because of the ultimate goals I have for helping people and providing resources. I’ve really begun to realize that these opportunities and these stories aren’t meant to be a scoring contest or a detail of how well I can answer a question. Instead, it’s merely the process of listening and hearing individuals and their challenges. Of promoting community and hope just through the tiny things that we do using technology. This whole process is still really amazing to me and I’m thrilled to be a part of such a new and becoming organization.

Chasing Dreams

            It’s funny how a week of adjusting to a new set of responsibilities and understanding new techniques can actually teach us about ourselves. Even funnier are the ways in which technology and the construction of the Internet has allowed for so many connections to be formed. This week has been one in which I’m still leaning the ways of the Heart Support community while just easing into the responses of those people who log in with us.

            Being an administrator, I’ve learned, is a bit of a stressful job. In the past week I’ve been working directly with the accounts of both Facebook and Twitter. This means that I am one of two team members who check to update the statuses and reach out to those specific communities. Furthermore, I’ve been able to look at and analyze the reports of how many people our updates are reaching and how many people are gaining access to the information we are posting. It’s been amazing to see how one posting can have such a ripple effect in allowing people to respond and have those conversations, not only with our team, but with each other over such common interest and hard- hitting topics. While I’m working with both of these social networking sites and attempting to see how they work from the backside of things, making connections with the people show an interest and visit the site, I’ve also begun to work with another program as well.

            While I’ve been going directly to the Heart Support website and responding to the people that post prayer requests and other informational details, I’ve also been working with another program, a backend, called The Kitchen Sink. The Kitchen Sink is kind of the “behind the scenes” details of what it takes to look at other people’s stories, add, and edit them. Similarly, I use this same process to add my own blogs to the site for the topic of the month.

            We have begun the new topic of goals and dreams for the month of April. So, while we post to the social media sites about having people share their stories, I must also go onto the backend of the site and check the stories that are sent in, asking for Jake’s approval, and writing to the authors of the stories asking for the use of their stories on the website. The three that I have looked at so far have been absolutely wonderful because people feel comfortable enough to share these moments with us. They feel safe and even after working here for only about two weeks, I’ve begun to recognize that I myself am opening up with the responses I have been giving to people and the way I handle my conversation with Jake. That is to say, no longer am I trying to simply impress the others, but I’m trying to take a risk, to do the best I can, and offer as much discussion as possible. Often times the listener can be the best tool.

            I’ve recently written my own blog as per Jake’s assignment, a blog on dreams, goals, and what it means to accomplish them. In doing that I definitely had to take some time, sit down and free write in order to plan and produce an effective work- something that would both engage and teach. It ended up that I talked about my goals for this project. My goals to help people, to connect to a community where there is a near, to challenge and encourage those I come in contact with while really pushing to learn something new about myself. Like I said, it’s been two weeks, but just that blog exercise alone and my email correspondence with Jake has been phenomenal. When I think about, writing in my own story to him and asking about an internship was my own dream. It became my own brave moment that has led me to this point in my life. Now, I guess the new list of dreams and identifiers begins. Yet before becoming selfish and chasing after my own needs I must continue to push forward sharing the story and mission of Heart Support, reading the stories of others as they walk toward their dreams, letting them know that we understand and are leaving the light on for them.

Do you have a dream in mind? Do you have a dream in your heart? Good. Now, don’t be afraid to go ahead and chase after it.

The Beginning

      It's amazing how just when we least expect it the world seems to come together, to give each of a variety of perspectives we would have never dreamt of having. These past few weeks have been stressful; they've consisted of me trying to keep in contact with key organizations and find out whether or not I would have the chance to work with them. I'm proud to say that as of this past week I have been offered the chance to work with an online non- profit organization known as Heart Support.

       Heart Support is an organization that began a few short years ago. It began as one man's dream to create a community online where people can share their stories of struggles (addiction, pornography, stress, anxiety, eating disorders, depression, suicide, self injury). The community also tells of victories, offers blogs from the vital team members and their experiences through some of these same issues. Heart Support is a Christian organization that strives to provide the idea of God's safe harbor; how it is that our stories can be strengthened and understood through Him. 

       Still in the beginning stages of its construction, Heart Support is run by lead singer of August Burns Red, Jake Luhrs, and his wife Kris Luhrs. Beyond these two wonderful people and their passion for sharing the great truths, for providing hope and restoration through prayer and counsel, there are another of other team members vital to the creation of this organization. Luckily, and as of recently, I am now able to be a part of this creation and to experience some of the overwhelming love and help that has been enabled in a forum like Heart Support. 

       For more information and details about what I'll be doing and working through this semester, please visit www.heartsupport.com and check it out. I've been emailing with Jake back and forth since I first heard about the organization 6 months ago. I told him it was my overwhelming desire to help people, to spread a great message while sharing my own struggles and pieces of my story. We had been emailing back and forth for awhile now as he has been trying to think about whether or not to accept an intern position, but he has now created a specific position for me as a member of the team. For the duration of this internship I will be responsible for the following duties:

Social Media Administrator/Team member

Kayleen, Oliver

1. Twitter and Facebook administrator : is the overseer of all media

done on Twitter and Facebook. Postings on both sites under Heart

Support username; minimum 4 times a week.

Posting of News updates, scriptures and postings/retweets of any

inspiring content that deals with spiritual issues and addictions.

2. Female Counselor: will answer all questions from Heart Support’s

female audience.

3. Promotion and Fundraising: Team members are required to

promote Heart Support on social sites such as Twitter, Facebook,

band sites etc. They are also required to raise funds by means of

donation, as well as awareness, to aid in growth and support for the

ministry.

4. Prayer and Communication on site: Team members are required

to view the prayer wall once a week to pray for kids, as well as

comment on discussion board and/or prayers.

5. Blogging: Team members are required to write and post one blog

per month. The blogs may vary in length and subject matter as the

team member sees fit.

           In acquiring this position I've been able to start posting on the corresponding social networking sites while also interacting with the community on the prayer wall. The best part of it? I've gotten the stats for the Facebook and Twitter accounts. It's absolutely outstanding how many people we have been able to reach with just a status post or an advertisement to a new blog on the website. Furthermore, the prayer wall has been a great experience as I've begun to see what the people of Heart Support do, and how it is that they can begin to respond to people. I've only been working for a few days and have already had two people reach out to me thanking me for my prayers. It's amazing what the realm of communication can do. I'm excited to see where it will take me in the next few weeks. 

         I know that Jake has asked me to begin writing a blog post and so I've been trying to kick around some ideas for that first post. I want to make a good first impression and provide some worthy resources for the people that will be visiting the page. I've been considering the idea of "Going, Not Knowing" which means that we, as people, and as believers, can begin to trust and find comfort in the plans and pieces that God has already intricately created for each of us. I'll be sending that piece off to him soon and will anxiously await feedback for that first post. 

       Right now the hardest part is believing that this has all happened. The hardest part is believing that I'm working for the members of a band that I greatly appreciated. The hardest part right now is believing that technology has this great ability to connect our people and communities across the world. 

        I'm thrilled to see where the next week takes me. 

           This is a piece of Jake's story. I'll keep you all posted with what he has to offer and communicate to me and the campus community. This is just the beginning of a greater story.