Building Bridges & Burning Ships: Part 1
“Do not despise the day of small beginnings…”
I have a confession to make. I was never super excited about “Tirzah at Work”.
It was the one section that I just couldn’t gear up the passion to write for.
In my years of writing, I’ve never contributed to this section until now. Now - because I realize the need. We are a group of pioneers - forging a new path in both calling and family.
Our journeys consist of working, maintaining families, and relationships.
There was a previous generation (that was equally wonderful) that had less of a focus on work. However, there are times God allows you to serve a cause so much greater than yourself or your family - that He calls you to take a step of faith and believe He will give you the grace for your calling.
Previously, you may have read my series of “How God Led Me to Start a Home for Teen Moms”. I now want to take you on the journey of leadership - from learning about building non - profits, being a part of church ministry as a female, becoming executive director of a non-profit, and becoming chairwoman of another. Throughout these leadership experiences, I have learned what it means to be a wife, a mother, a leader, a friend, and a colleague. I have learned what it means to stand up when no one else will and fight for a cause when it appears no one else believes.
This series aims to share with you that there are different seasons of life and work tends to be a part of this. I hope you learn how to balance the past, the present, the future, and your calling.
This article is just an introduction to my experience, what you can anticipate, and what it means to “build bridges” and “burn ships”. Throughout the last year of my life, God challenged me with For King & Country’s album “Burn the Ships”. They described the story of how when an explorer arrived in America - everyone on the ships wanted to turn around. This explorer literally burned their ships, so there was no choice but to pioneer into uncharted territory.
God challenges us in our lives to “burn ships” - old patterns, habits, places, people, and things - so He can purify us and prepare us for His will for our lives.
When you have a dream, pray that God will burn the ships in your life preventing you from your dreams.
After you have learned to burn ships, you have to learn to build bridges. Why? We are in the 21st century - where everyone can find a reason to be offended. I am in the middle of all of the crosshairs - I work in a predominantly black community with white skin, I’m the second generation to leave the Appalachian mountains, yet raised in the inner-city, and go to a predominantly middle/upper-class white church.
If I walk into any of these places with the wrong attitude, I can make them feel guilty for my “offenses”. However, I’ve discovered rather than celebrating our differences all of the time - let’s build bridges. Where can I find common ground? Rather than saying “I’m the only Appalachian person” (which is usually 99% of the time - except when I’m with my family) or about how poor I am, where can I find an intersection of commonality?
How can I say we can work together because we both love steak (literally that simple) or because we both love what we are doing? In a world of tearing bridges, how can we build them instead?
I’m taking you inside of a different world this time - people and places I’ve never talked about and who are also very dear to me.
Stay tuned for the next article, where we are discussing how I met my best friend - and learned from the front row about her life and how she balanced being a mom, wife of a pastor, in school for her master’s, and a counselor. This woman has taught me what it means to be a Titus 2 woman in the workplace and at home. I’m so excited for you to stay tuned and learn more over the next few months.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alycia Marie is a free-spirited wanderer learning to find roots. She currently resides in Milwaukee and serves the community of southeastern Wisconsin. You can typically find her outdoors, as long as it’s warm, hanging out with family/close friends, and meeting soon-to-not-be strangers. In her spare time, she writes, drinks chai tea, and builds non-profits, homes, families, and people. Some people like to call it missions. She prefers well-digging.