Back in May, a group of people started praying for their YMCA. It might have been their hometown Y, the Y they are now affiliated with, or another Y. It was set up to be a 30-day challenge.
I asked Autumn Finney, a young YMCA staff member from the Jeep Rogers YMCA in Columbia SC to share some thoughts about the challenge and what she experienced during the 30 days. Autumn is a wellness coach, a swim team coach and a summer day camp counselor. So she is very engaged in the life of her local Y.
Thank you, Autumn, for sharing! We all wish you the very best. I believe you have a very bright future.
"His faithful love endures forever."
Until next time...
Chaplain Gray
Beyond 30 Days by Autumn Finney
Have you ever committed to praying for something bigger than yourself?
To be honest, I am one of the worst people at strictly following thirty-day plans. I’ve never made it every single day, ever. But, the concept of a prayer plan for my workplace has pushed me to take myself out of the equation and focus on praying for something bigger, something more substantial. The very idea that we can change our work culture with prayer is incredibly humbling and motivating.
Through focused prayer for my Y, I have noticed two constants: First being that prayer in the workplace is not a societal norm, even in the YMCA. It is primarily reserved for meetings, sports, or other special events. Secondly, to be the one making that change can be terrifying.
I am a textbook introvert. My comfort zones are my home, in the company of lifelong friends, and camp. At camp, in particular, it would be considered socially awkward to be quiet and reserved, as opposed to being silly and carefree. Children are, for the most part, more gracious and accepting than us crazy adults that think we’ve got life down. As such, camp is the perfect platform for me to break the stereotypical workplace norms regarding prayer.
At the beginning of the year, even thinking about praying at camp made me incredibly uncomfortable, especially considering the first time I had ever prayed in front of a group was just last summer. I have come to realize that when I am anxious and not wholly invested in the words I am teaching, I easily lose the attention of my audience. But, when I let God guide me, the audience stays engaged and big things happen. Those little moments, five minutes at a time with God as our focus, that’s where change happens.
Prayer is something we have to sincerely dedicate our time to. It must become a fundamental part of our daily lives to make an impact. It can be nerve-racking and intimidating to be the one standing out for faith, but it is entirely worth it. This challenge goes far beyond thirty days, it is a challenge we must take on each and every day if we truly desire to make a difference in our communities. Fortunately, as Y employees, our entire environment is conducive to change in the biggest of ways. It all starts by committing to take a moment each day, getting down on our knees, and giving it all to Him.
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