Category: Trust the process

Dear Roxanne Shante (aka tribe member),

Pray your week is going well. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about our tribe. Yes, I wrote our because I do believe you are a missing tribe member. It is a diverse group. Admittedly, it’s primarily women. However, it is multi-generational, multi-racial, varied socio-economic levels. This week I want to share about one of my Pastors, Pastor Jami McCain

Pastor Jami McCain

Most people refer to her as Ms. Jami. To me she is Pastor Jami. “Ms.” just doesn’t capture who she is and all she does. I joined Church on the Hill in 2015. This is only the second time I’ve sat under a woman Pastor. In my culture and community, women are referred to as “First Lady”. And that title pretty much defines the role and expectations.

Like our other tribe members (Tina and Shawnda), Pastor Jami uses all of her gifts and talents to fulfill her mission. She is currently the owner and founder of Majestic Maine Coons, a cattery in Cedar Hill, TX, as well as the Executive Pastor at Church on the Hill. She has enjoyed a host of other adventures including being a City Council Member, horse trainer, concrete artist, etc. Hopefully, it’s doesn’t surprise you that she has varied interests and pursues all of them.

At the beginning of 2020, we went out for coffee. At that time, I was considering becoming a political data analyst for a national Democratic campaign. She had just completed her campaign as a Republican candidate for the Mayor of Cedar Hill. Although she did not win, she was still busy serving the city she loved and supporting the candidates who won if she could. Over coffee, she shared her tactics, her expertise, and her network.

Pastor Jami along with her husband Pastor Adam is growing a multi-generational, multi-racial, multi-??? church that is completely outside of the box. We build disciples. Church on the Hill will equip you for your ministry. We will connect you to organizations and people. However, we do not build the ministry for you. Basically, if you are looking for a Ministry to the Homeless, Ministry to the Prisons, Ministry to the Hungry, then we will help you build your ministry. That is our call and purpose.

How I support

According to the VOPS Assessment, I am a Visionary and a Processor. Visionaries are out of the box creatives. They have an abundance of ideas and solutions. Processors create the systems and policies to implement the vision. I’ve been told it is a rare combination. I believe it is why our tribe is comprised of individuals with varied passions, talents, and purposes.

This time I’ll share a recent example. When the COVID-19 quarantine was instituted in March 2020, we were planning for our 5th annual Miracle Weekend which included a city-wide Easter Egg hunt. We expected over 5000 families. In our new reality, we had to figure out how to we could help households to be able to do Easter Egg hunts at their homes.

• Monday – Pastors approved format to 1) Create 3000 Easter Egg Hunt kits from 60,000 candy-filled plastic eggs and 2) COTH Members distribute kits to 300 families
• Tuesday – I set up 6 stations that adhered to COVID-19 ordinances. Two volunteers helped me test the process. 350 Easter Egg Hunt kits completed
• Wednesday – 11 volunteers refined the process. At the end of the day, 1100 Easter Egg Hunt kits completed.
• Thursday – 5 volunteers refined, recruited, and setup. By the end of the day 1475 kits completed
• Friday – 12 volunteers. By the end of the day, 3000 Easter Egg Hunt kits created.

The following week COTH members picked up the kits via contact less pickup and distributed to their neighbors and family members.

My promise to you

First, just like with Pastor Jami I am here to put hands and feet to your ideas. You are a tribe member. And second, if you know that you need some additional support, call me. Okay? Or text me 682-237-9891

~dr.yolanda

Dear Roxanne Shante (aka tribe member),

Pray your week is going well. I checked out your Instagram and Facebook posts. Seems like those teenagers and their online courses are turning your hair gray. Let me know if I can help. In a former life, I taught developmental courses at a community college and tutored as well.

Dr. Shawnda Floyd

It wasn’t my desire to teach developmental classes but it worked out. At the time, I was supporting one of my tribe members Dr. Shawnda Floyd Today she is the Provost of Dallas College. Then she was the Executive Dean of Liberal Arts at North Lake College. I was her Associate Dean from 2014 -2017.

One of our responsibilities was to schedule courses each semester. When there were unexpected enrollment spikes, we would hire from our adjunct pool. During a couple of semesters, the adjunct pool was dry. Hence, I ended up teaching 2-3 classes. Don’t get me wrong the pay was nice. Because of the pay we quickly eliminated a good portion of debt. However, it was not the plan.

Similar to Tina Brown, Shawnda used all of her gifts to serve and accomplish her goals. Half the time I didn’t know if she was coming or going. She took action and prisoners. She was the first external hire to an executive leadership position at NLC in about 20 years. Within 2 years, she was promoted to Vice-President of Academic Affairs at NLC.

The four other Executive Deans had decades of experience and relationships at NLC. Yet, Shawnda was promoted to Vice-President of Academic Affairs. Shawnda was straight out of Jersey. Not even born in Texas. Yet, there she was. Thanks in no small part to my support.

How I support

I applied for the Executive Dean position but didn’t get it. Truthfully, didn’t even make it to the second round. Initially, I couldn’t understand why. After reflecting, I realized the interview committee couldn’t tell where my skills ended and Shawnda’s began.

During the interview, I shared who I was and my why. I did not highlight my knowledge and skills. I couldn’t figure out how to tout my skills and shine a light on her skills too. Truth is we complemented each other. There were some aspects of her job that she leaned on me heavily. Others not so much.

In the end, its a good thing I didn’t get the position. Because standing on my own as Executive Dean would have required a shift in our relationship. Although a shift was necessary, that one would have been less than ideal.

My promise to you

Two things before I end the letter. First, just like with Shawnda I am here to protect and look out for you. You are a tribe member. And second, if you know that you need some additional support, call me. Okay? Or text me 682-237-9891

~dr.yolanda

Dear Roxanne Shante,

Pray you are having an awesome week.  I promised to introduce you to tribe members each week. And I will. I promise.  But this week I want to digress.  Hope you enjoyed last week’s letter about Ms. Tina Brown. For the past seven days, I’ve experienced an excitement that frankly hasn’t happened for a while.

For about two months, as I have counseled, consoled, and advised tribe members I’ve been preaching to myself as well.  I’ve challenged them to pivot, to evaluate their efforts.  The point was to make sure they were intentionally pursuing a life that invigorated and excited them every morning.  I want all of us to be Lifeonaires, you know like a millionaire. A life where the mere thought of getting to do it propelled them out of bed.  

I wasn’t being disingenuous when I counselled them.  The problem was that I had lost my joy and I couldn’t seem to hold on to it.  It was fleeting.  One day the same burdens would seem light. The next day the same burdens would make me want to hide under my covers.  Each day I learned, grew, and make mistakes.  Then this past week for five consecutive days I was excited to get started.  Now, I don’t know how long this sweet spot will last.  But while it is here I will revel in it a little.

What is sweet about this season are the people and relationships.  Each week I get to spend multiple days face-to-face pouring in to my nieces.  Each week on multiple days I get to meet and draft innovative solutions for small business owners. I am experiencing the presence of GOD in new ways.  There are connections and opportunities that are clearly GOD orchestrated.  I mean out of the blue phone calls from people hundreds and thousands of miles away. I’m meeting and supporting more tribe members.

I’d love to tell you that I have the secret that will get you to this sweet spot quickly.  The truth is I don’t know how quickly you’ll find your sweet spot.  I don’t know how long you will stay in your sweet spot.  What I can tell you is that I am passionate about and committed to making sure each and every one of our tribe members experience that sweet spot regularly and consistently.

Well, I don’t want to take up too much of your time.  If you want to know the details, feel free to shoot me a text.  By the way, did you check out my latest podcast episode. I think you would find a conversation with Ms. Raquel Masco to be refreshing and inspiring. Let me know if you want me to connect you.