Ah, networking. When I found out part of today’s session was devoted to this, I inwardly shriveled just a bit and my heart may 
have fluttered nervously.. brought me back to the days of business school and the talks of the importance of networking, the social events we’d attend to practice this, and the schmoozing, brown nosing and selling out that lots of students did to win the first impression awards from corporate partners… yeeuck. it was never my kinda game, but it was also essential to getting feet in the door. i preferred to lean on the door frame and just observe the show. of course, it wouldn’t be fair for me to accuse everyone of networking for the wrong reasons, but coming from that business background (which i probably never belonged in as it wasn’t me), i saw it as black and white: you either sell yourself well and jump start your career, or you fail to sell (out) and maybe manage to slide in due to luck despite your lackluster persona, or fail to get yourself in the door altogether..
have fluttered nervously.. brought me back to the days of business school and the talks of the importance of networking, the social events we’d attend to practice this, and the schmoozing, brown nosing and selling out that lots of students did to win the first impression awards from corporate partners… yeeuck. it was never my kinda game, but it was also essential to getting feet in the door. i preferred to lean on the door frame and just observe the show. of course, it wouldn’t be fair for me to accuse everyone of networking for the wrong reasons, but coming from that business background (which i probably never belonged in as it wasn’t me), i saw it as black and white: you either sell yourself well and jump start your career, or you fail to sell (out) and maybe manage to slide in due to luck despite your lackluster persona, or fail to get yourself in the door altogether.. Anyway, so today Seth and Scott Pitts helped teach the session on networking.. the cool thing is seeing how God connects His people, and knowing that He already has the big picture, so for Him, it’s all about setting up divine appointments. hearing stories of how “random” ppl collide at the most opportune times is pretty neat. there’s definitely a value in expanding your “nodes” and branches… i think for me, as a self-proclaimed cynicist (working on it) and introvert (myers briggs confirms this, not to mention the obvious nature of my personality – a lamppost could probably confirm it), it’s always hard to initiate and to present myself fully and/or appealingly in a larger group or to someone unfamiliar.. to be honest, i don’t always invest in ppl or see a value in it because i don’t always like them. as the years go by, i’ve become kinda jaded about ppl, after encountering and experiencing the fakers, the attention beggars, the ones out with an ulterior motive (aka users), the kiss ups tryin to know the big fish cuz of his “pull” in the world, etc.. i do enjoy ppl and can even pass off as friendly, engaging and interested – and that’s usually cuz i truly am when i appear to be. i’m completely interested when i find someone interesting, and trust me, i’ve met sooo many amazing, humble, entertaining, funny and just plain awesome ppl. i try to be genuine. i don’t enjoy “games” in the sense of manipulating or provoking reactions, etc. and part of me fears that in networking, i’ll come across as either fake, socially awkward, or trying to hook up with someone for what they can give me. i’m kinda like a laser beam – i concentrate my “beam”, my light/warmth, on a small group of ppl, until they burn (in the good sense)… rather than being like a sun’s ray that showers warmth on a larger mass. i’m a love me, not a like me.. i don’t care about being liked by a lot of ppl, but i care to be loved by the few i love extravagantly..
i feel myself getting off-topic on the subject of networking.. i need to step down from the soap box. guess what i’m tryin to say is that it’s a concept that makes me cringe inherently and initially, because for me, the connotations have included being someone i’m not and quantity over quality. HOWEVER, i realize more and more that it doesn’t have to mean that, it could mean an 
exchange of blessings. plus, as confirmed in today’s session, without networks, God’s Kingdom dreams can’t be implemented and brought forth… we need each other.. we weren’t made to do it alone, and no one is significant enough to have and know everything and everyone. plus, networking doesn’t have to be seen as being someone i’m not, but as being who i am and being connected to others who may be able to invest in me and vice versa. investing in ppl may sometimes not be worth it.. like Seth said, there are some dead nodes – some that don’t result in anything. but there’s also the possibility of a whole bunch of multiplication that could happen (maybe this concept is also foreign to me cuz i don’t know math!) – you meet someone who knows someone who knows someone… and who knows how that person or those ppl may come across your path again one day? His world can be seriously small. an exchange of knowledge, skills, gifts, passion, resources is GOOD.. the ppl i’ve invested in, my friends and family, have brought an abundance to my life.. how much more could i bring to others and them to me?
exchange of blessings. plus, as confirmed in today’s session, without networks, God’s Kingdom dreams can’t be implemented and brought forth… we need each other.. we weren’t made to do it alone, and no one is significant enough to have and know everything and everyone. plus, networking doesn’t have to be seen as being someone i’m not, but as being who i am and being connected to others who may be able to invest in me and vice versa. investing in ppl may sometimes not be worth it.. like Seth said, there are some dead nodes – some that don’t result in anything. but there’s also the possibility of a whole bunch of multiplication that could happen (maybe this concept is also foreign to me cuz i don’t know math!) – you meet someone who knows someone who knows someone… and who knows how that person or those ppl may come across your path again one day? His world can be seriously small. an exchange of knowledge, skills, gifts, passion, resources is GOOD.. the ppl i’ve invested in, my friends and family, have brought an abundance to my life.. how much more could i bring to others and them to me?
so yea, altho my heart beat faster when Seth was finding volunteers to make phone calls (i was praying he wouldn’t pick me – i 
have a slight aversion to phones), it was still pretty cool to see how fast things can get rolling if you get over that fear or pride or whatever’s holding you back, and take the leap, make the call.. it’s encouraging to hear or witness the willingness of the other person to tap into his personal network to help with something you need.. when Seth was talking to an important youth ministry guy, one of the top in the nation and one of his thousands of personal contacts, i did feel slightly small… as in, my network is somewhat limited. it’s growing, but it may just never have that reach. however, instead of comparing, what i need to do is give praise that some ppl like Seth (who probably knows the President!) or my dear friend Liz from the Race, have that 
anointing, that true gift of networking. nothing makes Liz come more alive than connecting ppl, and while i joke that she has 2,000 facebook friends, she manages to be intentional with each one. so now that I know Liz, my own network has increased, quite possibly exponentially. haha. now i can’t let her outta my life, cuz 1. i need her peeps 2. i am one of them, how crazy 3. her peeps would probably hunt me down. Love you, Liz!
have a slight aversion to phones), it was still pretty cool to see how fast things can get rolling if you get over that fear or pride or whatever’s holding you back, and take the leap, make the call.. it’s encouraging to hear or witness the willingness of the other person to tap into his personal network to help with something you need.. when Seth was talking to an important youth ministry guy, one of the top in the nation and one of his thousands of personal contacts, i did feel slightly small… as in, my network is somewhat limited. it’s growing, but it may just never have that reach. however, instead of comparing, what i need to do is give praise that some ppl like Seth (who probably knows the President!) or my dear friend Liz from the Race, have that anointing, that true gift of networking. nothing makes Liz come more alive than connecting ppl, and while i joke that she has 2,000 facebook friends, she manages to be intentional with each one. so now that I know Liz, my own network has increased, quite possibly exponentially. haha. now i can’t let her outta my life, cuz 1. i need her peeps 2. i am one of them, how crazy 3. her peeps would probably hunt me down. Love you, Liz!
i’ve accepted the fact that i’ll never be a natural at charismatic first impressions, talking eloquently, and name dropping without the nerves, etc… but God’s given us fellow believers and non-believers to link up with one another, and seeing the links click together shows how much we play a part in His trillion piece puzzle. i’m working on my intentionality and taking initiative in this area.. it won’t be easy but it’ll probably be worth it. it could mean more of those amazing ppl that i hold close to my heart once i know them… or it could mean just a short correspondence to get me to the next step.. whatever the case, i appreciate Scott’s reminder at the end that we are ALL nothing – even the biggest name on the block – but yet we are still sons and daughters of the King!
