Burned out, disconnected and aimless described my life prior to the Devos experience. I was an administrator for a rescue ministry in Kansas City, Missouri which reached out to poor and homeless urban children and youth. I was blessed with many things like staff, a facility and a budget. However, those things did not prevent me from becoming disillusioned and demotivated for urban ministry.

I had become desensitized due to the overwhelming task of coordinating a daily after-school program for 100 children. My leadership style and strategic plan lacked consistancy and content. I was a "yes" man. I believed that I could go about my life by attending school full time, working full time, and raise a family at the same time. My wife became very frustrated with my attitude (she didn't realize that I was burned out), and attempted to leave town with the kids until I cleared the fog from my life.

God's timing was perfect in my life. I received a letter at work describing Devos Urban Leadership and brought it home and showed my wife. She and I discussed the outcomes of this experience and it appeared that my needs would be met by participating. We both prayed about this and trusted the Lord for healing and direction in my life.

I was accepted into the Initiative and soaked everything in: relationships, learning games, homework and God Himself. It was exactly what my heart needed. I learned what balance in life meant, how to say 'no' to ministry opportunities that threatened my family time, and how to plan strategically for urban ministry. I began to form new connections with other people in my city who were doing similar youth work. Slowly, God began to change the way I thought about life, family, ministry, and Him. I learned that my mental models of life and ministry were dysfunctional because they were based upon performance rather than priorities.

My priorities have changed now after graduating from Devos. My wife and I now plan vacations around our family needs not ministry. I have a master plan for accomplishing what makes me weep for urban ministry. I have learned four leadership styles which have helped me to retrain staff, develop competence and confidence in those I lead.

Currently, I am in a new position of ministry due to my training with Devos. I go home after eight hours and spend quality time with my family. I collaborate once a month with my Devos friends as we pass along this training to local urban leaders. God knew what the impact of participating in Devos Urban Leadership would have in my life. My family and ministry are extremely grateful for how God has used the Devos training in my life.