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Continuing Forward! As we head into the last quarter of our twenty-fifth year, it is a bitter-sweet experience-looking back at all God has done and looking forward to what the future might hold for CLASS. Each year in recent history, Marita has prayerfully selected a scriptural theme for the year which she includes in an annual letter to the staff. In 2006, our twenty-fifth anniversary year, she chose "continue forward"-knowing that God had more in store for CLASS, that we would continue forward. This is the verbiage she put in the CLASSeminar Staff letter back in January: "As Paul's message to the people in Thessalonica prodded them to continue to live forward in joyful expectancy for what God will do next in Jesus, so we are continuing forward. 'And the Lord gives us confidence in you, and we are sure that you are doing and will continue to do what we tell you. May the Lord lead you into a greater understanding of God's love and the endurance that is given by Christ.' 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5 (TEV)" Little did Marita know, at the time that letter was sent, how prophetic the "continue forward" theme would be. Marita says, "Throughout my multi-decade walk with the Lord, I have learned that when you are in the center of His will, nothing happens by chance. I did not pick 'continue forward,' He did. I am confident that God has great things in store at CLASS and that the ministry I helped birth and shape, and have enhanced and added to over the years is heading into a new era-continuing forward." While 2006 has been a milestone year for CLASS, it has been a contemplative year for Marita-taking the time to give many things a different look. One of the things upon which she has focused is how many cards, letters and e-mails she receives. What a joy it is to be working in a position where people constantly affirm what one is doing-many of these comments are posted each week in the Weekly Update from CLASS with the hope of sharing the bigger vision with the CLASS family. However, as Marita allowed God to speak to her heart, she reports, "I began to see that the comments people sent me were never about my professional speaking abilities. They were never about my skill has an office manager. These comments always came about the leadership and coaching I offered aspiring speakers and writers. With this revelation, God began to give me a new viewpoint." Looking at her life and CLASS with a refined focus, it is clear that Marita's skills are in the creating area. When Marita took over the ownership/leadership of CLASS back when it was moved to New Mexico, she brought fresh vision, developed many new programs including the Publishing Connections Conference (formerly the CLASS Reunion), Advanced CLASS (formerly the CLASS Career Coaching Conference), and facilitated CLASS taking over the directorship of the Glorieta Christian Writers Conference. All of these creations ultimately required management-leaving Marita operating in her weaknesses rather than her strengths. Marita reminisces, "I did many good things through my efforts, but-like we teach-when you are operating in your weaknesses, not your strengths, you end up exhausted. Last year I traveled for my own speaking and with my mother, not to mention the usual CLASS events. I was on the road way too much. Even I knew that I could not continue like that. In that time I wrote five books-yes, some were redos, but that does not mean that they did not take time and effort. Squeezed in there I tried to provide management and leadership to the office and be a good wife. I did nothing well. Much of the burden for the leadership in the office fell to Linda-who cheerfully did her best and kept things moving forward. But that forced her to operate in her weaknesses as well and she is exhausted. I have felt such grief over doing this to Linda, but I felt trapped. I've been not only exhausted and trapped, but mentally and emotionally weary as well." Marita has spent a great deal of time this year praying, thinking and reflecting. God has been amazingly gracious. Clearly He wants CLASS to continue forward. We are confident of this. With a renewed confidence Marita engaged her prayer team in specific prayers for God to guide CLASS and direct CLASS along the best pathway for the future of CLASS (Ps. 32: 7-8 [lb]). "Where two or three are gathered together…" While we were not always gathered together in one location, our hearts were gathered together in prayer and God answered in a mighty way. This is too long already to go into the full details, but trust us, God's hand is evident in His plan for CLASS to continue forward. He has provided us with specific people whose giftings are totally different from Marita's, people who can bring CLASS into its next phase-as she did for the last phase. First John O'Rourke offered his services and visited the CLASS offices for the first time in July. With his MBA education, his head for numbers, his management experience and his QuickBooks expertise, he was able to accomplish what Marita could never have done. As Marita often quips, "I do words. I do not do numbers." John returned again toward the end of August and has been a huge blessing toward shaping the future. Then Gerry Wakeland arrived-in time for a few days of overlap with John. They looked at numbers. Marita cooked. They planned. Marita cheered. The conclusion: to continue forward, CLASS needs someone who can truly manage, not just pop in and cheer once in a while. With all this background-and more-in mind, CLASS is excited to announce what is happening so that it can continue forward! Gerry Wakeland has agreed to join the team as Managing Director. While New Mexico has not quite grown on her yet, she is clearly convinced that God has brought her to CLASS-using her giftings to move CLASS forward. Marita, too, is undergoing some major reordering of her life. She has been to looking at her skills and giftings, and her personal needs. (If you have read her book You've Got What It Takes, you know that she is a big proponent of what she calls a "Portfolio" style career/life. In short [in case you have not read that book], that means not putting all your eggs in one basket. Marita used this mindset in the leadership of CLASS. While CLASS has an area of focus: speaking and writing, it is made up of many different "baskets" in which those eggs are placed. If one basket is dropped and the eggs break-the ministry can continue forward.) For Marita, this means that from this point forward, her skills will be sold to various different "customers" rather than receiving a salary from one source. God has opened up some doors for her that are specific answers to prayer-on many sides. Marita is rewiring. While CLASS is excited to announce Gerry's addition to the team, we also rejoice in Marita's rewirement! She will no longer be sitting her desk at CLASS. That desk is Gerry's now. Everyone else at the CLASS office will continue to off you the same cheerful service to which you have become accustomed. As Marita often say's in her speeches, "One of the great things about having a long history with God is that you have confidence that when He closes one door-even though you do not know what is on the other side of the hallway-you know, from experience, that when you go through the new door what is on the other side is bigger and better than what you could have imagined." When Florence passed CLASS on to Marita back in 1997, Florence remained involved. Likewise, Marita will retain the title of President and will continue to have a presence in the public ministry of CLASS. She will be available to answer questions and offer insights as needed-more like a consultant. However, Marita will no longer be a part of the day-to-day management of the ministry. In her "rewirement," Marita will not be buying a condo on the beach in Florida-though she says, "A week in Grand Cayman might be nice." Marita wants to focus on writing and on training the next generation of speakers and writers. One of the first writing tasks is finishing "Pantylines." Next, Marita has some magazine articles lined up and some Bible project management jobs in the pipeline. Marita is also considering doing some private, one-day speaker/author coaching from her home. To fill the gaps, Marita has accepted a position that allows her to work in her giftings and provide the needed income-but with a totally flexible schedule (check it out at www.responsiblenergy.org). She will now have the opportunity to work at home-at least some of the time-in the beautiful house that God gave her. A portfolio style career. We hope you can see God's hand and can sense the excitement for the future. Please join us as we continue forward in joyful expectancy for what God will do next! |
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