My Office Life!

PART TWO
“Lauren... what do you do when you're NOT on trips?'
A few weeks, maybe month ago now, I told you about part of what I do here at the LeaderTreks office. Now I'll tell you about the other side of my job... the Director of Trips. It may be easier to tell you what is not included in this role. =)

After someone buys a trip and all the details regarding money, etc., are worked out and the contract is signed... the trip gets turned over to me. From September to February, I am the youth pastor's contact for their next summers trip. During that time it's like I am working on a puzzle, that seems to have no right or wrong answer. Where do I place all of our staff for the summer trips? I put this puzzle together in different ways, many times, and in the end have to rely on the Lord's leading to make it all work well. After the trip leaders are assigned, the trip details are then handed off to the individual trip leaders. From this point on I become the accountablility person. Good communication makes each youth pastor we work with feel less like 'just' a customer and more like a partner. It's my job to make sure our trip leaders are creating partners. After I assign the trip leaders I set up the trip sites, make arrangements for VBS on each site, housing for the teams, rides to and from the airport. I plan the work projects each group will be doing on their trip. Once the summer trips begin, my job changes to a quality control supervisor. I go and visit sites and make sure our trip leaders are running trips correctly. I make sure that youth pastors are happy with the trips. I pretty much make sure that the quality of LeaderTreks trips are everything we promised they would be.

After the summer trips are over, I take all the evaluations from the youth pastors and consider how we can improve trips for next summer. That is my job! =) I almost feel stressed seeing it all typed out. But at the same time excited about the responsibility and level of influence the Lord has entrusted me with. And now I gotta get back to that job I just told you about.

Back to Reality

Vacation is over now and it is time to get back to work. Sorry... this update is a later than I wanted it to be but I was gone then my 'blog manager' (my dad) was gone and time just slipped away. So what did you miss in the last few weeks? Well, at LeaderTreks we had a youth pastor breakfast and invited youth pastors from all over. Bo Boshers from Willow Creek gave a great talk on 'living at 212 degress'.... which in simpler words means living a transformed life, up to your full potential. His favorite quote was 'we live below our privledge'. There's something to chew on for a little while. We aslo had a few youth pastors from all over the country here as part of a new advisory pannel we started. They are gave us great insight into our curriclum, trips and training events and how we can improve them. It's been a busy few weeks!

TAKE THE PICTURE ALREADY... THIS BOX IS HEAVY!

On a personal note, about a week ago I moved back into my mom and dad's house. So you will be able to find Auburn and I there for the next few months. Please keep me in your prayers as I make decisions about where I will live in the fall, and for arrangements for Auburn throughout this summer.

Vacation Daze...

EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD... SMELLS GOOD... IT'S ALL GOOD!

Buenos Dias!!! Still in beautiful southern California for another day... enjoying every minute of my vacation. We've been all over and seen a lot of things... thanks to some very friendly 'locals' (thank you Komos family!)... our trusty rental car and good directions! We've hung out at two spectacular beaches... Oceanside and Laguna. Ahhhhh! =) Close your eyes and imagine... can you hear the surf? Can you smell the water... and the sunscreen? Absolutely beautiful!

And then I stand and look out over the Pacific with waves crashing all around me on the big rocks and I think... our God is BIG! And while it's too bad He didn't exactly decide to make the ocean water warm – hey... no biggie! The rest of what He created is just SO awesome.

YEAH... THESE ARE THOSE FAMOUS PALM TREES

Like typical tourists... we spent some time in Hollywood, and even went to a taping of the Carson Daly late night show, and... well... I can't tell you everything now or there would be no stories left to tell when I get home. =)

CAN YOU SAY... THREE ACROSS... FRONT ROW CENTER? =)

Yesterday we checked out the gas lamp district down in San Diego. Very cool! Then had dinner with the Komos'. They have been SO wonderful opening their home to us and we're so grateful! Thank you Chet and Gail (and Christa... and Chet – LA guide extraordinaire!) More to come on my time here after I get back (coming back late Sunday night). Hope you're having a great week!

Greetings from Cali!

YUP... BEEN HERE... DONE THIS... LOVING IT!

This week... I am on the beach! And where are you?? =) Three of us girls that work together at LeaderTreks are enjoying a week of vacation out here... somewhere between LA and San Diego! In a couple of days or so... I'll post an update to let you share in a little of our down time out here. And by the way... I hear there were snowflakes in the air today back in Chicago! =) Let me check... ahhh... nope... not here! Stay tuned... more to come soon!