Everyone who knows me knows I am a grandparent who is absolutely smitten with a two-year-old who loves to run, roll, climb, jump, and eat strawberries. So, with JoAnna’s permission, I decided Gia needed a playground in our backyard. Don’t judge me yet. LOL.
The only problem was that our backyard was not ready. It was cluttered, overgrown, and unsafe for a two-year-old to wander around freely. So, what does Bampa do? He launches
Project Playground.
What I thought would take four days turned into three weeks. We rented a dumpster, removed an old fence, cleared bricks and cinder blocks, cut down bushes and trees, and hired someone to prepare the yard and spread grass seed. Then Mother Nature sent rain for several days, which slowed everything down.
Finally, the yard was cleared, the soil was prepared, and the seed was spread. Then came the next phase: watering the yard twice a day for 21 days. After 10 days, do you know what I saw? Nothing.
The soil had been prepared. The seed had been planted. I had been faithful to water it. But growth was going to take more time.
One day, when Gia is five and her sister is three, and they are running freely through that backyard, Project Playground will be well worth it. But to get there required planning, time, resources, adjustments, patience, and daily care.
As I sat on my deck looking at the backyard, I sensed the Lord reminding me that Project Playground is a picture of the work we are doing through Resurgence Leadership Foundation.
Several months ago, I invited us to reflect on Zechariah 8 and its audacious vision for community: elders sitting safely in the streets, children laughing in public spaces, generations gathered together, peace replacing fear, joy replacing chaos, and community replacing isolation.That is the vision that continues to shape our work.
At RLF, we believe battlegrounds can become playgrounds on the Eastside of metro Atlanta and beyond when people of good faith collaborate with people of goodwill to address real issues, build the capacity of local leaders, and develop initiatives that help people flourish.
Why do we exist? Because communities thrive when virtuous leaders are developed from within, build trust over time, and multiply their impact in others.
One of our core values is Adaptive Innovation, which means we stay open to learning and improving our methods while remaining faithful to the mission. Developing leaders from within communities is not a straight line. Life is complex. The forecast changes. When it does, we pause, reassess, adjust, and keep moving forward.
Like Project Playground, once the ground has been prepared and the seeds have been planted, we still have to water faithfully, wait patiently, and trust that growth is happening—even when we cannot see it yet.
Seeds of Innovation at Work
The Rooted2Rise Collective did not exist two years ago. At the time, we were investing in leaders through our Youth Mentoring Collaborative and a few other initiatives. But I sensed the Lord challenging us to become more intentional about forming leaders and building the capacity of those serving our communities. That burden gave birth to this work.
After 15 months of intentionality, we are beginning to see growth. Right now, nine leaders are participating in Called to Govern, where they are gaining greater clarity about their God-given purpose and the platforms they are called to steward in this season of life. These leaders include Barnabas Fellows, members of our Sojourners cohort, and partners who are walking with us in the work of formation, leadership, and community impact.
These are the seeds we are watering. And while the fruit may take time, we believe the harvest will be worth it.
Join the Guild of Friends
This is why we are inviting you to become part of the Guild of Friends. The Guild of Friends is a community of people who believe in the slow, faithful work of forming leaders, strengthening communities, and helping battlegrounds become playgrounds.
Your monthly gift helps us prepare the soil, plant seeds of formation, and water the work already taking root through RLF. Will you join us as a monthly Guild of Friends partner? Just click on the DONATE NOW button to begin. If you are already giving, thank you!
Together, we can keep watering what God is growing.
