Thursday, January 30, 2014

Expecting Good Works

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,
 according to the power that works in us
(Ephesians 3:20)

It is hard to believe that the first month of 2014 is already considered the past. This is the coldest winter that I can recall. Despite the gray and overcast days, my outlook and disposition for what is coming can only be described as filled with expectancy. In fact, I am having an EX-theme word season. To explain, I refer back to an older blog post from 2013 where my theme was GREATER:


Four weeks into this year and my world has been filled with subtle and overt examples of EX-themed prophecies of what is coming: EXCELLENCY! EXCEPTIONALISM! EXCEEDINGLY!

EXCELLENCY: By favor, I recently took my car into the dealership for routine maintenance. While sitting there, I had an epiphany about customer expectations for premium quality and service. For our business interactions, we used this word for robust, honest debate on whether or not our clients and partners see Latrobe as a premier industrial service provider. The internal response was underwhelming, forcing us to examine our work processes and our company’s Code of Conduct to explicitly include the following: Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your actions show integrity, dignity…

EXCEPTIONALISM: By grace, we have been operating for four years. Most days are not easy and we have made many mistakes along the way. But the shouting moment is that we are still here, despite some of the challenges that we have faced. I went to a bible study were the pastor reminded us that the will to endure and never quit is the basis for exceptionalism: But He chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; He chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; He chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring from nothing things that are (1 Corinthians 1:27-28). My explanation of what we have been able to accomplish in these few years: except (the root word), because He chose us... 

EXCEEDINGLY: By faith, because He chose us, the expectation is that our self-efforts are not required to do the good works that He is perfecting in His time. The harvest will be abundantly more than anything we could have imagined, because He is able to do exceedingly (Ephesians 3:20).

Expectancy is one of EX-theme words that I am using in 2014 to describe my purposed work. Despite the cold temperatures that have momentary slowed the pace, we are preparing for a harvest that includes excellency, exceptionalism, and exceedingly more than we could have imagined for our customers and our communities.  Do you have any EX-themed or guiding principles to align with your good works in 2014? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Obedience in Good Works

Obedience is better than sacrifice…
(1 Samuel 15:22)

If you really know me, you know that I profess the Holy Spirit’s grace and mercy by speaking favor over my life. By the instruction of David Frazier, I wave my hand over my head whenever I say the word FAVOR and declare that I believe all that His Word says about me. So when things happen in my life that I do not understand, I know that in the spirit, the experience is for my good. And that faith is what keeps me sane as my family enters a new season and begins a new journey.
When I first learned that we were re-locating again for my husband’s career, my first response was what? My second response…now?  All I could think about were the efforts exhausted during the past three years to become a part of the community. As I tried to reconcile the enormity of a move, everything around me kept reminding me that obedience is better than sacrifice. And that faith, knowing that humble submission to the Father’s will, is greater than any personal sacrifice that I have to make as my family enters this new season and begins our new journey.

When I finally settled down to examine how this change aligned with His Word spoken over my life, He revealed that none of this is a surprise, exposing the rams that He had already positioned for this moment: the teams and infrastructure in place that keep us connected to clients, regardless of physical location; the location of our new home that puts me less than thirty minutes away from a major international airport; and my favorite, the loyalty points that have already been accumulated that can be used to visit the office during the transition months. And that faith, seeing small examples of favor in my life, is what allows me to walk with bolder confidence that this is working for our good as my family enters this new season and begins our new journey.

When I opened my eyes and my heart to see the possibilities in our new community, I realized that I am in a fertile land to expand the purposed work as advocates of educating young people about the 21st century realities of manufacturing and other STEM related careers. I know that I am exactly where I am supposed to be for a time such as this. And that faith, knowing that grace and mercy came before me, is the best blessing of all as my family enters this new season and begins our new journey.

Waving my hand over my head, I speak FAVOR over my life and over my family’s life in our new home. This move is not what I planned, yet, I know that it is for the good of my purposed work. Not my will, but Thy Will be done, thus I submit: obedience is better than sacrifice. If you would like to share your experiences about re-locating while building a business, or being obedient to unplanned events in your good works, let us know by commenting or sending an email to latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of the previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Serving Others in Good Works

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another,
in good works of God's varied grace
(1 Peter 4:10)

Today, women all over the world are commemorating the 106th Founders’ Day of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. When I became an undergraduate member, almost twenty-five years ago, I became a part of that legacy of sisterhood and service. The tradition continues - Global Leadership Through Timeless Service – with program activities centered on significant issues affecting communities and families.
Although my undergraduate participation at the University of Arkansas occurred a lifetime ago, service to all mankind remains a major facet of giving back to the communities in which I live and work. Last week, we had our first 2014 session for Leadership Beaumont, whose mission is “to identify, cultivate and develop leaders who will serve and positively impact their community.” Current members and alumni participated in a group activity to bring awareness to poverty in our community. Entergy hosted the Poverty Simulation that included role playing on day-to-day realities in the life of low-to-moderate income families.  (To learn more about using this simulation, contact your local Entergy Community Relations Representative, or visit the following Missouri Association for Community Action site:
 
 
Years ago, I adopted the use of on-line banking, automatic bill pay, and other things that I consider as personal time-savers. My big take away from the simulation was the plight of people who operate with cash. In balancing the allotted time, it was difficult for me to remember to go to the bank to cash my paycheck (I played the role of twenty-five year old working full-time in a cafeteria) to have cash available to take public transportation, to pay for utilities, to buy groceries, etc. This was a challenge for a twenty-five year old. Imagine the number of elderly people in our communities, or even other individuals who are trying to be self-sufficient, but who do not have access to other technology conveniences that many of us take for granted. My other takeaway was the reality of generational poverty and the difficulty in breaking this cycle. For all of us who have been graced to rise above and to overcome obstacles to do better than our family legacy, we have to remember that we are the exception.

After the simulation, each of us was challenged to take the learning from the day back to our respective businesses and organizations and to develop action plans for how we would increase awareness about the realities faced by people who live in low-to-moderate income communities. My first step is the blog post. Going forward, we shall add an element on this subject in our community outreach in advancing awareness about job and career opportunities in manufacturing.
Each of us has a gift that should be used to serve the needs of others in our communities and families. What are you doing to show concern for others by acts of service to all mankind? Let us know by commenting or sending me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Million Women Mentors

Partnership Seeks to Engage
More Than One Million Girls and Young Women
in STEM Education and Careers

I am so thankful to be graced to continue to share this journey of Purposed Work. My 2014 travel schedule has started. In lieu of a blog post this week, I’m sharing information about an exciting program for “advancing women and girls in STEM careers through mentoring.”
The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) announced its partnership with the "Million Women Mentors" (MWM) initiative, launched January 8, 2014, in Washington, D.C., at the National Press Club, as part of National Mentoring Month. A collective effort of more than 40 nonprofit, media, education, government, and industry partners and 9 corporate sponsors, MWM will support the engagement of 1 million science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) mentors--male and female--to increase the interest and confidence of girls and young women to pursue and succeed in STEM degrees and careers.

In the past 10 years, growth in STEM jobs has been three times greater than that of non-STEM jobs. Today 80% of the fastest growing occupations in the United States depend on mastery of mathematics and knowledge and skills in hard sciences. Although women comprise 48% of the U.S. workforce, just 24% are in STEM fields, a statistic that has held constant for nearly the past decade. Although 75% of all college students are women and students of color, they represent only 45% of STEM degrees earned each year. Too many of these young women begin in STEM degree paths but leave despite their good academic standing, often citing uncomfortable classroom experiences and disconcerting climate. Even when women earn a STEM degree, they are less likely than their male counterparts to work in a STEM field--even though STEM jobs pay more and have a lower wage gap: 92 cents on a dollar versus 75 cents in other fields.

NAPE, through its Education Foundation, has developed a suite of professional development programs for administrators, educators, and counselors/advisors to improve opportunities for underrepresented populations in STEM courses of study and careers, including STEM-related Career and Technical Education. NAPE's  STEM Equity Pipeline™ offerings include the  Program Improvement Process for Equity™,  Micromessaging to Reach and Teach Every Student™, and the  Focus on Counselors Initiative. To date, NAPE has provided professional development in these programs to almost 1,700 administrators, educators, and counselors/advisors in 372 schools. 

As part of National Mentoring Month, on January 16, 2014, at 1 pm EST, NAPE will actively engage those who mentor girls in STEM in a webinar titled Building Trust.  NAPE COO Claudia Morrell will discuss the importance of paying attention to the use of subtle but powerful micromessages in building trust in mentor/mentee relationships. As explained by Ms. Morrell, "Without honesty there is no credibility in the mentor/mentee relationship, and the mentor becomes just one more person in a long line of people repeating things the mentee doesn't believe. NAPE is excited to contribute to this initiative by providing guidance to mentors about the best ways to communicate with their mentees."

Register for this free webinar today!
 To become involved with NAPE or Million Women Mentors, please visit www.napequity.org  or www.MillionWomenMentors.org . Contact: Claudia Morrell, Chief Operating Officer, (610) 593-8038.

If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.