The workshops are a work in progress. From the previous workshops, we our finding that the best results come when both parents attend the workshop with their youth in order to give their unique insights into the passions/interests and skills/talents of their child. The heart of the assessment is taking an extensive look back at what God has already revealed about his plan vocationally for a youth from the activities they have enjoyed "naturally" while growing up. The activities that have God's fingerprints all over the unique way he has made each child and every man and woman he as created. We look at activities from childhood that the youth found (1) enjoyable (2) was an active participant (3) showed personal initiative. Activities vary as you can imagine for each youth. Some from a young age loved building with Legos, others liked painting, some play musical instruments, others like sports, others are absorbed by reading books about insects, some like to cook, the list goes on and on. We look at each of the activities which are motivation "interests" and in some cases "passion- driven" dependent on the extent of involvement and enthusiasm. We unpack how the youth does what he likes to do the best...which begin to reveal the unique skills and talents they have ALREADY begun to cultivate...which become the "transferable" skills to develop for post high school training an vocational pursuits.
Typically the parents each have their invaluable perspective from the child's upbringing that ends up being used to validate the God-given gifts in a fuller way than if the youth does the exercises on their own or just one parent participates. If only one parent can attend, it is best if it is the parent who knows the child the best.....and has been involved with the youth and his or her activities the most. This tends to be the parent with the most insight as the parents are very involved with their youth in doing the workshop assessments to help identity the transferable skills. The youth are still very young and still at a age where they need significant help in "seeing" what makes them tick and more importantly how they go about doing what they like to do the best.
The main thrust of the workshop is before trying to figure out if your son or daughter should be a school teacher , engineering, etc it is best to focus on uncovering their God-given transferable skills that become the building blocks for future training and development of the gifts,,,,uncovering the talents and passions they are already using in even just small ways that can be developed for the call on their life vocationally from a desire to be good stewards motivated by a love for God expressed in the service of others... as acts of obedience done with joy in worship of the Father first done at home, at church, and in their neighborhoods...but eventually in the work place as ambassadors for Christ:
Matt 22: 37 - 40 37 And he said to him, g“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And ha second is like it: iYou shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 jOn these two commandments depend kall the Law and the Prophets.”
I am so looking forward to being with your youth and ideally both parents...when we embark on the adventure of discovering..and giving thanks to God for the unique and varied gifts He has given your youth for his glory and their best good!
See you at an upcoming workshop.
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