Developing Mosaic Leaders Rule #5

Gods sends them, you mobilize them, but they are not finished products.

Gang, they come broken! That's the reality. People always were and always are. In the past, sure, there was a bit less dysfunction, but there was also the veneer that made it possible to NOT SEE the dysfunctions and cracks in the clay jar.

Today, in a holistic, transparent, relational paradigm, you'll the cracks, the inconsistencies, the messed up world view. They are also more in touch with their baggage, but not all of it.

So - get ready. God is still in the business of making awesome leaders - some great young men and women in the pipeline! BUT, they are not done being forged yet. You'll have some work to do in a whole, all of life way. You'll have to work on their budgeting, relational skills, conflict and reconciliation skills, commitment skills, work ethic and staying true, follow through and sacrifice when it hurts, they are tired and actually don't understand. You'll have to shape their world view. It'll be culturally captive at the deepest levels.

Besides working on their dysfunctions, as I alluded above, there is huge work to do in their world view and therefore God view.... Mark Sayers of Forge in Australia has recently published a FANTASTIC work, titled The Trouble with Paris. If you work with mosaics, are a mosaic, etc - you need to read this book. Mark has taken some abstract hard to hold jello of concepts and made them VERY user friendly, as our Aussie cousins are so adept in doing.

We work on the following with our young emerging leaders:
Six postures (Borrowed from our sister order, NieuCommunities and contextualized for our context: Imagining (getting a hold on who God created them to be, and their call), Listening to Culture, Submerging into our cultural contexts, Inviting others along the journey, Contending (spiritual warfare, social advocacy, creating neighborhood and mission sphere momentum) and releasing (weighing their future).

We also work on cultural captivity with several great resources, Stages of Faith (Fowler), and a a hot of personal skill development:

1. Spiritual Formation in a holistic post-Christian world
2. Personal Adulthood:
a. Relationships
b. Financial Maturity (budgets - present & long term), spiritual stewardship when we really take the Bible seriously)
c. Work ethic in the Kingdom
d. Sabbath to the Lord
e. Conflict Resolution
f. Mentoring in an empowering context

Our development from a person who arrives as an explorer and becomes a practitioner, before they become a Novitiate, is 18 - 24 months. They are in the trenches day 1, but the intentional formation is focused and takes a lot of work.

But folks - they are worth it!

Ears to Hear

Having ears to hear in an age of "me".... You should read this letter.

Developing Mosaic Leaders Rule #4

Some of our community - young leaders in the trenches with us

Developing Mosaic Leaders Rule #4 is a fundamental shift.

Most leadership development in our recent history and lifetime has been
1. Information transfer
2. Skill focused to the exclusion of life being interconnected
3. Performance and Outcome focused to the exclusion of any other sphere of life
4. Was about the utilitarian use of the subordinate to accomplish "my" objectives
5. Centered on managing subordinates to do what they are delegated to do...

This narrow view of leadership was immature, insufficient, narcissistic, and not at all what God models for us in any aspect of His great story! Maybe, this accounts for why we're in the state we're in - the church, leaders, etc? Maybe this is part of why we're so shallow?

Developing mosaic leaders requires a holistic approach. It is about all of who a person is, all of their life (see rule #3), and every sphere of being human: moral, ethical, mental, emotional, relational, spiritual, psychological, pathological, maturation, sexuality, character, vision, skills, wisdom, perspective, responsibility, teachability. Need I continue?

Don't like it? Go ahead and quit, because this is the job description. No, you disagree? Okay, enjoy burning up mosaic leaders and discarding them on the trash heap, and enjoy the train wreck of ministry you'll lead. You'll answer for a lack of Godly empowering leadership though. Know that. A holistic, empowering leadership is Biblical. Discount me if you can.

To develop mosaic leaders, the personal integration of your life (holistic entire life) to theirs (rule #3) is prerequisite to addressing every part of the young leader. You shape the entire person.

Me with Alan Hirsch, one of my mentors & mates

Why?
1. They come from broken or most often dysfuncitonal backgrounds.
2. Their parents come from increasingly more and more common messed up homes and don't know what it is to develop and raise their kids to be holistically healthy. Get over it - it's what we deal with today.
3. They want to grow up and want you to be part of the village, the paternal network that shapes them. They want to trust you, reveal themselves and they want you to invest in, shape, forge, and sculpt them. They want to be mature, even when it hurts and they "want" to not grow up.
4. The church needs them! We have to! We need holistically healthy, mature, focused, non-anxious gifted leaders!
5. They DO HAVE a ton to offer - they are called and sent. Most of the leaders in Scripture had glaring dysfunction and everyone of them had mentors who shaped them to be the man/woman God called them to be!
6. It is a heck of a lot of fun to see them grow.

Adam, Kyle & Jake: three leaders with props!

One of our younger leaders comes from a mess. His background is broken, dysfunctional parents, etc. They gave him religious ticket writing God and religion. He has addictions to unhealthy life habits we're working on, and he's in need of serious parenting as a young adult.

BUT he's growing. He's maturing. He wants to grow. He's changing before our eyes. It is hard, takes energy, focus, patience, and intentionality. We've had to confront him, allow consequences and teach him. BUT this teaching is in context and not about information.

To transform, you have to walk in the trenches with them as they face life challenges. This leader - he's become one of our most valued, trusted, indispensable leaders. One day - he'll lead a community we send out.

Some of the young leaders on the lax team I "get to" coach

Developing Mosaic Leaders Rule #3

I alluded to it in the previous rule (#2)...

Rule #3 is simple... Mentoring, developing, empowering, raising up, launching and leading mosaic leaders is more akin to Dorothy's journey to Oz than King Arthur's crusade in pursuit of the Holy Grail and recapturing Jerusalem.

Modernist paradigm: You live life separate (on purpose) from those you lead. You don't play, fail, be human, relax, show the weak spots, or share your tender underside, much less sin, struggles and fears.

Postmodern reality: They see through your act already. They've been tainted by the resounding drum beat of falling leaders their entire life. They don't by the facade. They know everyone is messed up, carries baggage, has fears, is in need of soul mates and doesn't know it all.

So rule #3 is simple - be real. No, you missed what I said - actually relate, reveal, be transparent, spend and live life with them. Wrestle your own struggles with them as they wrestle their own. You'll be ahead of them, but they'll respect you more for it.

They want to go with you, not obey you. They want to be like the 1st century disciple...imitate you in every sphere of life, not just attend lectures. They see they can do it when they see a human, not a statue on a pedastal.

No one will follow rank on your collar into combat. They will follow the man or woman they respect. The base ingredient of respect is "trust".

Implications:
1. You have to be the real deal.
2. No faking what you don't know... let them help solve it.
3. No more ego and idol worship ...of you.
4. You have some one with you on the journey.
5. You are known, really known, maybe for the first time. I know - this scares the hell out of you.
6. You will have to lead from a much more humble, place of influence because of who you are, spiritual authority, credibility - not from rank, position, age or intimidation.
7. You'll know them much more, because they'll trust you, reveal themselves more, and allow you to speak into their lives holistically (see rule #4!)
8. You become a servant with a hear to empower 7 propel them to become all God has ordained them to be, rather than a utilitarian pragmatist who uses them to advance yourself and your agenda, and even your calling.

Final Note: This does not mean you do not lead. So save that criticism. Leaders lead - they sometimes lead in dynamic ways - but that is in the dynamic times. Day to day, this effective leader facilitates others' discovery and initiation.

Developing Mosaic Leaders Rule #2

Rule #2: You best be a life long learner.

Something happened after WWII... we suddenly shifted in a few decades to think we've arrived - we're it... the sun shines on us, our s*** don't stink, we're the top, informed, brightest and God is thanking Himself for making us... and in the US, this Messiah cultural complex is even worse - and amongst Yank Christians it is at its zenith!

Some how we've believed the lie: We've got ALL theology figured out - no more shifts and damn (literally) all those who think different than us, we've got "church" figured out - and all aspects therein, such as missiology, ecclessiology, and soteriology. Big words for "we're smarter than you".

Some how - amazes me - we lost the humble teachable posture that God is the God in Isaiah 55... "My ways are not your ways and My thoughts are not your thoughts...

If you want to lead, shape, influence mosaic leaders, a prerequisite for making a lasting impact in the church in the 21st century, then you better become a life long learner!

What do I mean - be a student! Constantly have your learning eyes, ears, attitude, conversation central to everything you do. You'll be surprised how and what God teaches you, what others teach you, what those outside our faith teach us, and what our mosaic leaders teach us...

What does this look like?
1. Always be reading!
a. Read outside your camp - understand what and why others think differently
b. Read what stirs and causes those who think differently to think so. They arrived at their conclusions for a reason.

2. Have a constellation of mentors above, peers, and below you whom you mentor, but also learn from them!
a. Have those you intentionally seek out, those you know from afar, historical mentors
b. Have informal mentors - those you just seem to glean from when you are around and possibly they have no idea of your learning
c. Learn from those different than you... including those who refuse to believe in Christ.
d. Learn from those much younger than you. Some of the most impacting lessons in my life have been from people 1/2 my age.

3. Recognize that the world is changing and doing so fast!
a. It is changing so fast that if you are 35 - you are too old and the mosaics you mentor are actually those who will determine the church of this century. We get to be "Jonathan's, Barnabas', Mose's to our David's, Paul's and Joshua's".
b. Admit that what worked 5 years ago is now obsolete, much less 10 years ago. Yep - what worked in 1998, 2000, 2003 will not work anymore... culture moved - and moved a lot! The definition, the mosaic of subcultures, the ethnic, immigration, moral, cultural, social, industrial...everything has changed. AND yes, I mean it. So when I see YWAM still doing Impact World Tour, which I challenge ever had much real impact for the tens of millions of $$$ spent, I about go postal! There is one thing driving this further and continuing...ego.

Dump the ego, dump the pride, dump the empty yesterday wisdom... and GET WET MUD ON YOUR BOOTS! You get that by getting in the trenches with your mosaics, out there engaging, journeying, relating, caring with real people at the ground level. Nope - no hero medals, nope - no important flights around the country and world... you dig into your neighborhood and create real community, community where it infringes and interferes with living individual, independent, private, affluent, separate, lonely lives... Dig in and give yourself away till it hurts. You'll be amazed what you learn and how fulfilling it is.

What do we offer as the grey creeps in around the temples:
1. Scars - we've learned from the battles.
2. Perspective - this isn't our first dog fight. We know the pitfalls and opportunities.
3. Wisdom and experience to make wise choices, judge character, challenge further
4. We've walked the ground with God - we know His voice; we know the stages of adult continuing maturation and how to shape those younger than us...* see rule 3 before armoring up and riding out to the next windmill.
5. We are not so motivated as to ride off a cliff. Old wounds give us prudence.
6. We bring rule #3...

Developing Mosiac Leaders

There are some simple but steel hardened rules you need to know and NOT forget if you have any need, desire, opportunity to develop mosaic generation leaders. I'm going to begin sharing them over the next however long.... I speak not as some high falluting expert, in fact, most of it is learned by banging my head, stubbing my toe, sticking my foot in it, and hurting others along the way. No, what I share, I share because I am clearly called to shape mosaics. I'll never be David. I'll always be Jonathan. But I plan to shape some awesome David's along the journey.



Here we go:
RULE #1: Get over yourself. We tend to build ourselves up, get impressed with our achievements in the past, our pedigree (degrees, merits, laud)... They see us, the real us. They know when we're full of BS, and no amount of self posturing will change that they can quickly see when the emperor has no clothes. Their response to our public humiliating self: 1) Some will flat tell you that you are full of it. 2) Some will simply laugh at you and allow you to pretend... disrespecting you, if only to themselves, or 3) they will walk away because you are a joke.

Why we play this game: We're into self; ego, power, fame, impressing others to feel good about ourselves; we've bought into the BS. We've also been told that if we're honest, they'll not respect you. Actually, it's the opposite; when they see real authenticity (they are highly attuned to BS... they're the most marketed generation EVER!) they actually respect when a person has a real assessment of themselves and is not full of themselves. In fact, it is so rare, that they'll drop their lives to follow you. We've got fourteen adults and their kids doing just that.

I'm not full of myself - not most of the time. No - I know ALL of my faults, my failings, my weaknesses, and how far from perfect I am. When I do get some ego, I go back and eat crow and apologize. They actually love it more; they love you more; they respect you more. They'll follow you anywhere.

Houston, we understand

I stopped for lunch today, wanting to see, to know, to understand how bad it is in Houston. We here in NOLA want to know more than any other city in the country... Why? Because we understand.

Houston, we understand even better than you do right now, because we know what is ahead first hand. We know what you'll think, feel, get angry about, cry over, experience PTSD over (just wait until the next hurricane threatens.... PTSD will come up out of you when you think you're over it...).

You're trying to find food, ice, gas, wanting power back, wondering if you still have a job...will there be a home come next year...
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45017000/jpg/_45017850_45015853.jpg
You know, you won't experience what we have. You have a POWERFUL congressional delegation, and the President comes from there and you are the right color in voting - red. And yes, even FEMA (don't get me started on how they have done some dumb stuff even with Hr. Gustov) has grown and is doing a better job. You'll come to regret having stayed... yep, you are there, but the supplies, the relief, the heat, the continued misery will get so old. The endless work and empty bank accounts will drain your heart...

THANK GOD the surge was half what they expected, you don't have the water still with you. Our cousins in SW LA are suffering too. Please don't mind if we can't love you back as well as you loved us after Katrina. We're still trying to get back our balance and our syncopated step. It'll still be a while, and to be honest, we're quite busy with our own suffering cousins who flooded out, and were hit hard as well.

BUT, we'll do what we can, give 'till it hurts, and try and show you the grace you showed us. We know, we're different. You can't imagine anywhere else to live but the great state of Texas. We are even more so inclined. To be honest, we know we're different. We'd NEVER want to live in Texas and honestly, being frank, we're glad you want to be there and not here. We're just plain different. We're not even sure we want to be the great state of anything; but quite fancy being the republic we once were is more appealing. :-) It's a French thing, you wouldn't understand. It's okay. We still like you - we have to.

So look, when you need a break, come over, play, relax, rest. Wear your jeans loose, you'll gain a couple of pounds with "slap yo mama" good eatin' and music that will move you from the inside. Share your stories of hurt with us. We have the energy to listen now. We get it. We know just having some one to listen makes the world of difference. And, we'll show you drive through Daiquiris stands... You won't think they're a bad idea after you've had one, especially after a hurricane. :-)

So, Houston, Galveston, SW LA - we're praying for you, we get it. We want you healthy again. It WILL get better: I promise.

Heck, now that even Texas took it on the nose, maybe our combined congressional influence, along with Florida, we can actually get some real change going; what you say we stop throwing our tax dollars to Swiss bank accounts via Iraq aid and use it here: real coastal restoration; real flood protection; real national disaster insurance?

Bless you Houston. When the TV crews are gone and you still walk out every morning to the mess - we've not forgotten. We really haven't.

Benighted and ignorant...which Jesis do you follow?!

In the three years since Katrina, I've been "enlightened" by other "Evangelicals" (those bringing 'Good News' is it?) that Hurricane Katrina was God's judgment on New Orleans.

These boorish and benighted individuals are actaully more prevelent than one might think, or at least I seem to have them seek me out and insist on sharing this "evangel" with me. They share a great insight that must be from God... Katrina means purificaiton. Really? Some good translation going on to do that, but okay.

I love how accurate God is when He has judged in the past: Sodom & Ghamorrah - smitten completely... but somehow He missed the heart of the "sin" here... Hmmm.

I always love to become the huckleberry when I meet these a_ _ wipes... I tend to ask questions if they've ever been here? Ever known anyone from here? Ever spent time with anything to do with here? I ask if they know the history? I ask if they know the contribution the city and region makes to the main artery of the nations trade, life, oil industry, sugar and rice industries? You know the answer...

IF they have spent time here it is at Mardi Gras - in the quarter with a couple of million tourists, where they carried signs telling everyone who is not a follower (in their kind - meaning just plain obnoxious and mean, not to mention the biggest dumbest most ignorant missionaries for the King ever born) that they are going to hell, straight to hell without passing go. They can't figure out why people would pour beer on them, yell at them and berate them. Let me see, they poke people in the eye and can't figure out why people are lining up to ask, "Oh yes, please tell me about your Jesus - the mean spooky speeding ticket prison warden God of yours!"

But... they usually have not EVER been here. They are always white, always wealthy or upper middle class and are closet unaware bigots... incapable of how they actually are bigots. They ALMOST always answer one question in the affirmative... Yes, they watch Fox News and yes, Fox News is objective while everyone else (all other media agencies, who happen to not always have the same conclusions as they do) is liberal and biast and ....out to pervert the nation, no, the world.


YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT... okay, you will... If you read this far, you will believe it... We've met them with Hurricane Gustov. There we were, our community, last minute evacuation because we stayed to help others, in Florida waiting to know if we'd have a home to go back to... trying to get some news to know what we needed to be ready to do to serve and be Christ to others when we get back... and some fine right winged, "nuke the Arabs (said in two syllables, Ae-Rabs´)" evangelicals out spreading the DNA, love, grace, Gospel, hope, joy, peace and the other virtues in Christ's directive to us... you know, hate, bigotry, judgment, bias, ignorance, arrogance, privilege and unaware of it, stupidity and oh yes, of course benightedness. Ever see the bumper sticker, "God, save me from your followers"? I understand that... heck, I want one too sometimes!

AND yes, we got the same message.... judgment. Okay, to these fatalists, who's theology is more Islam that Christianity, now, allow me to ask some questions of you....
1. Ever think of seeing for yourself? Come down, spend some time, listen, have a humble posture (I seem to remember that is sort of like Jesus), and learn.
2. Come pray and ask God to show you where He I-S at work here, now, and has been. Ever think the suffering is a severe mercy, or possibly even just the consequences of sin entering the world? I seem to remember Paul writing how the creation cries out, moans isn't it translated, waiting and longing for redemption?
3. Okay, let's play your game... here I am, the huckleberry again...
a. If it is, why does the TINY eight blocks keep being spared and the working people suffer so?
b. If it is, why has God not judged your city? I've seen your cities, all over the US: Sex shops adorning most of your freeway exits; strip clubs in the parking lots of your malls... We find that barbaric and sick and wonder if possibly judgment might come your way first. We have tiny eight blocks all in one place - the one place CNN can get a story - it does get you to look up from your Bible Study, oh, that was Jeopardy, and look, now doesn't it? Sinner! :-O We keep it confined, you spread it around your city like yeast!
c. If we use your criteria, the Arabs are doing great - and must be in His favor, because they don't have any of this sin so blatant. Oh, I see, you feel good about yourself, because you're able to find a scab on another that you don't have and you can pick at it and feel vindicated yourself!
d. AND if we use your theology and logic... then the fires all over California, the floods ALL OVER the mid-west, the hurricane that just demolished Galviston and knocked the wind out Houston - ALL GOD'S JUDGMENT? AND for you Yankees, just wait... SNOW is ACOMIN'! God's going to get your too! He sees your internet porn! Seattle - center of the Porn movie world, yours is coming...wait on the big one...it'll make the SE Asia earthquake and Tsunami look like a scrimmage! AND you in Arkansas, Tennessee - you just wait... there's a fault under you that shook most of the US Continent, made the MS River flow backward, in the 19th century and its under pressure. The death toll is estimated to be in the tens of thousands. It's God judging your religious self pious arrogance!

So, now just how does that theology sit with you? How do you think it works? Applying this suffering to your world seems a bit obtuse and simple doesn't it?

Then why in the hell would one ever apply it to others? Have you never read Jonah? The Ninevites were a gross horid pagan people, sacrificing their children on scalding hot cauldrins, etc. Yet God, in His infinite wisdom, boundless mercy had grace, mercy, love, humility and love for them. Have you not read, "While we were yet sinners (That means we deserve judgment if you don't know) Christ died for us." Have you not read that God would have spared Sodom if there were a mere 10 followers of Him there? We alone number 18 and have four more joining us. Our sister community here has 16 as well!


So, while you are busy drinking in your "unbiased news" (whatever), maybe just maybe, choose humility, mercy, love, grace, a posture to learn rather than judge and hate. Maybe, just maybe, you could read the Word and catch the character of Christ and imitate that...

President Lincoln is credited with having said, "It is better to keep one's mouth closed and allow others to assume you are ignorant, rather than opening it and removing all doubt."

Faith of Obama...

Gavin with my wife, his sister, Susanne

My Brother-in-law, an incessant reader, has just blogged on the faith of Barak Obama. Very interesting read... Check it out

Learning - Life Long

In our experiments called Communitas, we're learning a lot... Just got back from New York, where we spent time with our NY Communitas Community. Besides me, the Phoenix leader (Zack) and the San Diego Leader (Doug) were there.

Zack [front left] posted some of his musings... they are worth considering... Check it out

Driscoll Speaks plainly to Sydney Anglicans

Mark Dirscoll recently spoke to the Anglican clergy in the Sydney Diocese. I knew Mark before he planted Mars Hill when we shared Seminary classes and dreams of church in a world gone different. I have on rare occasion stayed in touch. I have often cheered him, on occasion whinced at something said, but I often applaud. This is one of those occasions:

Read a summary of what he said - it is applicable to most of the US denominations as well.

Thanks to my friend Steve Addison for pointing to it!

Leadership: when it counts

I reflect upon the role of a leader... some say we should operate in an egalitarian mode (not our community, but usually those in the world of ideal and not in reality...I have NEVER seen egalitarian work. It has consistently reduced itself to the tyranny of the lowest common denominator). As I reflect upon this past couple of weeks, I reflect upon how I did, and did not do as a leader.

Rather than recount my successes and failures (there have been several in each column), I'll share the learning from my reflection:
1. Leaders set the pace, set the tone, set the mood, set the attitude, determine the courage or fear factor in the tough times: AND they control said areas becoming reality but their proactive speaking into these situations. [I learned from my Cavalry Squadron Commander in 1984 as a young platoon leader that our job in the chaos is to prevail in calm control - communicating not with words, but by the tenor of our presence and words the confidence that we are in control and that we will make it... That was the reality this week; I did well and I did poorly a couple of times]

2. Leaders must take the team/community where they need to go, focusing them on what they need to focus - not to satiate what they think, feel and want. Sure, there are times to definitely be mindful of others needs, others feelings, others angsts - but to satiate those felt needs, they often need the leader to define the objective, define what we'll do and how we'll do it to achieve said objectives. [I did okay with this, but should have focused how we spent our time during the evacuation, a.k.a. our hurrication. There are values that should have been expressed more often, more intentionally and more purposefully.]

3. Leaders must take their people (leaders and foot soldiers alike) to their next level. They don't often know where they need to head, how to get there... and without it, you slow momentum to existing and then we lose focus and purpose and then you fall apart. I have some focus on this in the coming two years. Some of it will be hard for my leaders.... they are going to feel me holding their feet to the fire... in a missional community, this is not a tenant that has been seen very often at all.

4. God's leaders have to step back and get perspective even more than saying "leaders". All leaders need to step back and get perspective, but God's leaders in that search for perspective MUST discover, hear, receive what God is doing, not what we determine He is doing; and we align ourselves to his agenda. The perspective peice is aligning in concert, in context to His agenda - defining our conitribution and our deliberate, measurable action steps to make said contribution.

Redeployment

I sit in a hotel lobby in Queens - New York City. My community? They sit in Florida still waiting to go home... FINALLY! They opened the city today - they leave in the morning. What the?

Well, I was scheduled to fly to NYC on the 2nd, but the hurrication got in the way - and I had to fly out of Pensacola...but they were booked on the 2nd - so I went on the 3rd. I know - sounds trite and cold to leave them. I agree - but they urged me to go. Why? They are in waiting mode, I need to be at these team leader meetings for US CRM leaders. So, I went.

Tomorrow, they return home, unpack and get to supporting others, serving, giving themselves away and making it happen. That's what we do. Sure - we'll check our houses, walk the roof, unpack - and then serve. It'll be a long drive - the expectation anyway... maybe 12 hours. Actually wish I was with them.

My day began at 4 freaking AM. I got to the airport and got the fortune, being an airline changer with having to fly out of Pensacola, of a full security search... as I walk across the carpet ....they had my shoes to make sure I was not walking on bombs... my feet feel wet through my socks. THEY CARPET IS WET! D*** IT! What the? How could you do this? Then they didn't have any real coffee to drink at "oh my it's early!". It got better though.

It's great to be with everyone here in NYC - good work taking place, but I sure miss being with my peeps - my wife, my cool boys. I want to go home - I miss the Big Easy, I miss uptown, I miss CC's, I miss Fair Grinds, I miss shrimp poboys. I miss my bed! I miss my routines of life.

Thank you Lord for weakening that storm as you did ...when NOT ONE prediction thought it would happen. Yes, so much damage around the state, and still so much grace. Thank you for saving my city! Thank you for your grace to us all. I pray safety for my peeps and my dear family as they drive home tomorrow. Thank you for the mercy.