Intentional Networking

My feet hit the ground in Georgia about 5:30PM on New Years Eve. My first Network Event began at 9:00PM, as Philip had invited me to share that evening with a group of his associates (both business and social) to ring in the New Year. WOW! What a great group of people had gathered. They were expecting me and made me feel very welcome and extremely blessed to be here. The words, "Southern Hospitality" are more than a phrase - they're a lifestyle. Uh, well, except when it comes to driving with courtesy - but that's a whole other story in itself! (And, we won't go there...)

I met the owner of the dance studio that night, the one who had indicated our location was set and available as soon as we wanted it. The host of the party is actually part of the Awaken the Warrior Study Group on Yahoo!, although he rarely posts. Since I've been part of that group for such a long time, he said he felt as though he knew me already, it's a pity I could not say the same - but he and his wife proved to be wonderful people. I'm sure to further develop the contacts from that gathering as we progress from here.

At our first business meeting (which Philip has taken to calling "War Councils") we laid our plans before our Lord and offered them up: not for blessing, but in sacrifice to crafted not as we would desire, but rather to achieve the Will of The One who sees the end from the beginning.

Incredible things began to happen after that prayer: things too mind-boggling to be understood by us, and we found ourselves in a whirlwind of (first) disbelief, and then amazement. We watched as our carefully laid plans crumbled, doors that were standing open suddenly slammed shut...and a pathway opened up that was clearly NOT of our making. We had dreamed about it; we had envisioned it; we had discussed it over and again, but had come to the conclusion that we would not be at the stage of actually launching our 'true dream' for about 2 1/2 - 3 years...yet there it lay: the direct path to our dream...minus the foundation we had thought imperative.

So much for the plans of mice and men.

Over the past three weeks, we have carefully walked the path before us - one step at a time, keeping open watch, listening ear, and gingerly testing the ground before allowing it to bear the full pressure of us hitting the ground running. Over that time frame, I have met, networked, and mingled with more people with whom to share the vision/dream than I had envisioned happening within the first six months.

Then, on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 the pieces started falling into place, again in ways we could not have anticipated. First I found a place to live that puts me right in the middle of the community we had anticipated working with (something I didn't realize when I paid my first months rent) yet it is only 4 miles from our headquarters office.

But it gets even better than that: last night I discovered that where I'll be living is just two miles from the foundation I had targeted (while still in California) as being the one I wanted most to work with.

My next step is to visit the foundation office, introduce myself, and begin building relationships there, as well as in the community where I'll be living and serving.

More on this later, as events continue to unfold.

WHAT an adventure! Or, as Philip would say, "Whoa! What a RIDE!"