Day 8 – Ready or Not
Day 8 – Ready or Not
April 8, 2026 — Wednesday
Some days feel like learning.
Other days feel like… stepping closer to something you didn’t expect.
Yesterday felt like both.
Learning the Weight of Leadership
The day started with structure.
Understanding teams.
Learning names.
Connecting the dots.
And the scale of it hit me:
Close to 700 people across nearly 20 teams.
Greeters.
Parking.
Ushers.
Volunteers.
Leads.
Each one with a role.
Each one with a purpose.
And what stood out to me wasn’t just the size,
It was the clarity.
Every team had a defined “why” behind the “what.”
Not just:
“Here’s what we do”
But:
“Here’s why it matters.”
That’s leadership.
That’s alignment.
And I could see right away—
This is something I understand.
Something I’ve built before.
But now… it’s being applied in a different context.
Seen Without Saying Much
Most of the day, I stayed quiet.
Observing.
Listening.
Taking everything in.
That’s how I learn.
And at one point, one of the staff members said:
“I’ve noticed something about you…
you’re a really good observer and listener.”
It caught me off guard.
But it also made me reflect on why.
Because when someone is walking through something—
You can’t help them if you’re not fully present.
You have to hear them.
Understand them.
And then guide them—not with opinion…
But with truth.
What’s Starting to Open Up
Later in the day, I sat with Pastor Dylan.
We talked about what’s ahead.
More exposure.
More responsibility.
This weekend, I’ll be visiting another campus.
Learning. Observing. Expanding perspective.
Then next week,
I’ll be part of the member meal.
Meeting new people who just joined the church.
Hearing their stories.
Welcoming them in.
And eventually…
It’ll just be me and him leading those moments.
The Moment That Stopped Me
Then something came up I didn’t expect.
Baptisms.
He mentioned I’d be assisting.
And then said:
“You’ll be baptizing too.”
I paused.
Because my first thought was:
“I’m not a pastor.”
I’ve never done that before.
Not even close.
And yet,
It wasn’t presented as a question.
It was presented as something I would step into.
When Others See Something You Don’t Yet
Later that night, I shared all of this with my parents.
And my mom said something that stuck with me:
“I think they’re preparing you to be a campus pastor.”
I didn’t know how to respond.
Because if I’m being honest,
I don’t see that.
Not right now.
I see myself learning.
Growing.
Figuring this out step by step.
Open Hands
But here’s what I do know:
I’m not trying to control where this goes.
I’m not trying to map it out.
I’m not trying to force clarity.
I’m walking into this with open hands.
No fear.
No resistance.
Just…
Willingness.
Because whatever this becomes…
I trust it won’t happen by accident.
The Tension
What do you do when responsibility shows up…
Before you feel ready?
When people start to see something in you…
That you haven’t fully seen in yourself?
I don’t have that answer yet.
But I feel like I’m getting closer to it.
The Anchor
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…” Luke 16:10
Maybe this season isn’t about becoming something.
Maybe it’s about being faithful where I am.
Closing Thought
I don’t know what I’m being prepared for.
But I do know this:
You don’t have to feel ready…
to be willing.
