YHC composes this with two days and a wake up before heading west to a new job in Wyoming.  As many of you know, after a decade of living and working in Greenville, my employment was terminated due to budget cuts and re-organization at my previous organization in July.  This was unexpected, and honestly, set in motion one of the most difficult and challenging periods of my life as it forced significant disruption into my family and introduced a high level of uncertainty about the future that YHC frankly was not prepared to experience at this stage of my life.  There have been many lessons learned during this period, not the least of which was to beware the crutch of comfort and security and the complacency that often accompanies the same.  By no means do I suggest that YHC has been destitute or that there aren’t MANY people in far worse situations even within our F3 community, but it has been a period of “sifting” for YHC, and wrestling with the questions of purpose, direction, and priorities that crises bring to the forefront.  Faith untested, isn’t.

After several months of doors opening, then closing, a direction appeared.  It wasn’t an opportunity or location meeting any of the criteria hoped for, but through a series of prayerful steps, it was the only solid offer and open door left standing.  In a state far far away, and in an unfamiliar institution working with people YHC only briefly met via a short video conference call and a few brief in-person appointments on a cold and snowy day in October, an offer and destination emerged.  The University of Wyoming Chief Risk Officer position.  YHC departs Wednesday, Dec 4th and reports for work there on Monday, Dec 9th.  Challenges still remain.  Our house needs to sell in Greenville, so a full move can be accomplished.  M and YHC are still working through the sadness of leaving a community and friend network that have been so important to us over the past decade, but we are putting our faith and trust in the hands of the Master.

Even with multiple packing tasks screaming for attention, YHC wanted to type out these brief paragraphs for closure of this chapter.  Brothers, F3 has been an energizing, vital association for me at a critical time of my life.  Honestly, YHC can’t begin to imagine what the past few years would have been like without the 3 F’s and association with the PAX of ENC.  From the first visit to a workout, the quirky lexicon, getting named, and much more from Bible study sessions to driving a van through the mountains of VA and NC round the clock for the Blue Ridge Relay and a host of other activities and interactions in between – it has been a lifeline for me.  The decade of my 50’s has not been easy for YHC.  There was no manual for navigating the period of life transition sometimes called “mid-life crisis”.  Prostate cancer, dealing with the “Jester”, neck fusion surgery, kids departing the house and moving into adulthood, and confronting the reality of the back half or so of life and a re-defined relationship with my M in this era as we move forward together as an aging couple… These things would have been extremely difficult to work through in isolation.  Connections with the PAX and with our church helped to stabilize and lock shields during the storms.

So, it is fitting coming on the heels of Thanksgiving, for YHC to express thanks for each and every one of you that have crossed paths with me in the Gloom, at a Tuesday lunch, or other F3 activity over the years.  Thank you for welcoming me into F3ENC.  If I can leave you with one thing, it is to say that it is okay to be vulnerable within a close circle of trust.  Actually, more than “okay”.  Necessary.  We all have periods of life when we are equipped to help/serve and other periods when we are the ones needing help.  The sooner you recognize the second and take the courageous step of reaching out in those instances, the better.  Every bit as important as physical fitness is mental, emotional, relationship and spiritual fitness.  Assess them all men.  It is a strange thing, but when you are broken or accurately identify your areas of weakness, admit them, and commit to addressing or mitigating those areas, you will become truly strong.

My prayers go out to all of you and those with whom you’ve been given charge to serve, lead and protect.  May you each continue to be a positive impact on your communities.  I love you all.  I think the closing paragraph in the Q-Source session today that Gazelle mentioned as we huddled at Krispy Kreme sums it up nicely:

“And the role [of the Virtuous Leader] is this:  to Live Third – to place himself behind his Creator and the best interests of the people in his Concentrica and the Groups who depend upon his Virtuous Leadership to continue Accelerating.

And above all to love.  The role of the Virtuous Leader is to love.  If he does that, the great multitude of his shortcomings will be subsumed in his efforts to stay 43 feet ahead.  But if he fails to love, then nothing else he does will matter at all.  At the end, just as it was at the beginning, Virtuous Leadership is about love.”

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV)

Hot Pursuit Out.  Freed to Lead.

TimWiseman88@outlook.com

(252) 702-0046