S.H.A.P.E. Assessment Results

Thank you Caleb Solofra for taking the SHAPE Assessment. We encourage you to meet with a Church Leader that you respect, to go over your results, so that they can help you discover a place to serve in the church and/or community, and also to help you fine-tune your 5 Main Focuses/Priorities listed at the bottom of this email under the ‘Wrapping it up’ section. May God Bless You!

[S]piritual Gifts

Here is how your spiritual gifts scored (in alphabetical order):

68%

84%

96%

68%

81%

90%

90%

50%

100%

To see descriptions on the Spiritual Gifts and how you can use them to further Christ’s Kingdom on earth, visit this link.

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
I absolutely love it! I have quite a lot of experience teaching whether it be VBS, teen ministry, youth programs, or teaching ESL in Peru and also Spanish at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. It feels like it comes naturally to me, and I am always looking for ways to improve my teaching. I really enjoying helping others learn something new.

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
When I see others are down, I feel for them. I want to try helping them get better either through actually doing something for them or simply getting into God’s Word. I can’t help but smile, even when it’s hard…and I like to spread that joy to others.

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
I believe this has to do with bringing clarity to different teachings/passages in Scripture? If this is what it is, I do find joy in searching what Scripture says. It can be hard and frustrating when I do not understand something, but I enjoy digging in and talking with others. I have studied the Bible closely at MLC and at the Seminary. So, I’m guessing this is why it came up as one of my gifts.

[H]eart

1. I LOVE teaching, whether it be English, Spanish, or Biblical truths. Some of my favorite jobs have been teaching English in Peru, Spanish at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, and Catechism at Garden Homes Lutheran School.

2. Traveling. Absolutely love traveling. The reasons? To name a few I’d say getting to see more of God’s creation, getting to know and live in another culture, speaking a different language (Spanish), and making new friends.

3. Helping Others. When I see someone needs help, I can’t just stand by and not help. If there is a mission team needed to help fun an event helping the church or community, sign me up! If there is someone who feels left out, I’ll be there to try making them feel comfortable.

I love working with people who are humble and truly care about those around them. It bothers me when coworkers are selfish and lazy. I like when a team can collaborate and bring different perspectives to the table. I like to be challenged but also for my voice to be heard. Age doesn’t matter, as long as we can all work well together. If someone is being difficult, I do not mind talking with them separately and telling them what is bothering me. I like to bring harmony to a group.

I do not like when people say, “Well, that’s how we always do it.” I need a good reason for doing something, or I will not be motivated. So I tend to ask questions if I do not understand why something is done a certain way. I am absolutely excited to see what ministries are available to help youth, those who are suffering, and Spanish-speaking ministries. I’d even be willing to help lead and organize mission trips to Spanish-speaking countries.

Abortion/sanctity of Life
Spiritual laziness
Educational

[A]bilities

Nothing right now. I am seeking a job that involves teaching in some way.

1) Assistant Manager at a grocery store 2) leader at a youth center providing devotions, educational support, and relationship building with inner city youth 3) Spanish teaching at Wisconsin Lutheran High School 4) ESL teacher, training native ESL teachers in Peru and also teaching ESL to native Spanish speakers.

Teaching, Bilingual (Eng/Spanish), Public Speaking, Playing piano and guitar, Singing

Missions in Peru/Colombia, Spanish II (high school teacher), English Teacher (all ages in Peru)

Teaching

[P]ersonality

Extrovert

Low Risk

Peace Maker

50-50 People/Project Driven

50-50 Follower/Leader

Team

Variety

Your Primary was ‘The Retriever’, with your Secondary coming in as ‘The Otter’, and here are the descriptions of your Personalities, and how they can be used for God

Golden Retriever- Good at making friends. Very loyal. Retriever personalities do not like big changes. They look for security. Can be very sensitive. Very caring. Has deep relationships, but usually only a couple of close friends. Wants to be loved by everyone. Looks for appreciation. Works best in a limited situation with a steady work pattern.

Strength: Accommodating, calm, affirming
Weakness: Indecisive, indifferent, unable to express emotional, too soft on other people
Limitation: Seeing the need to be more assertive, holding others accountable

Otter- Otters are very social creature. Otter personalities love people. They enjoys being popular and influencing and motivating others. Otter can sometimes be hurt when people do not like them. Otter personalities usually have lots of friends, but not deep relationships. They love to goof-off. (They are notorious for messy rooms.) Otters like to hurry and finish jobs. (Jobs are not often done well.) The otter personality is like Tigger in Winnie The Pooh.

Strength: People person, open, positive
Weakness: Talks too much, too permissive
Limitation: Remembering past commitments, follow through with discipline

[E]xperience

I was born into a Christian family.

Moutain of the Lord (Rib Mountain, WI) – member until I was 20. I had different roles as I grew up. I helped with VBS, sang in the choir, and led youth group events

Christ Lutheran (South Milwaukee, WI) – I helped with liturgy Sunday mornings and preached twice a year. I wasn’t a member, but I attended regularly my 1st year at the Seminary.

Garden Homes (Milwaukee, WI) – I wasn’t a member but a regularly attended my 2nd year at the Seminary. I helped at the Youth Center called “Lighthouse” across the street leading devotions twice a week and daily helping students with homework. I also helped with the liturgy a couple times.

Going to the Dominican Republic on my 1st foreign mission trip. It opened my eyes to poverty and also made me passionate for Spanish-speaking ministry.

Teaching in Peru – I realized the need for proper biblical instruction, especially in a nation that claims to be Christian (Catholic). It challenged me to live and teach the biblical truths I so strongly hold on to while living in a foreign country.

Working at Lighthouse Youth Ministry – it opened my eyes to inner city conflict within the US borders. I have learned different methods of sharing gospel truths to a group that outwardly seems very different than me; yet, the same spiritual truths work in both our hearts.

Leaving the Seminary – it is probably the lowest I have ever felt, but it has also been the most I have felt like I have grown as a Christian. (with lots of growth still to come).

When we moved to Phoenix. I felt so torn, whether it be with worship style or simply with leaving a church I deeply loved. Yet, moving has helped me grow so much. Seeing Crosswalk Ministries opened up a whole new avenue of possibilities and growth that I would have never seen if we stayed in WI. It has also led me to defend my stance on different worship practices backed up with Scripture.

Seeing and being a regular attendee of dying churches in Milwaukee and New Ulm. This hurt so much when I would go and not be surrounded by thriving ministries and people passionate for ministry. It made me ask myself different things, like, “Is this a WELS problem or an every church body problem?” “How can I help?” “Can we lift up a dying minsitry?” “How much is in God’s hands vs. using our God-given abilities to heal a dying church?” “What does it mean to say a church is, ‘dying’ vs.’thriving?”

Wrapping It Up

The Challenge: Based upon your S.H.A.P.E. Assessment above (the way God wired you), If you knew you couldn’t fail … and ‘lack of money, or time’ was not an obstacle… list your Top 3 Things you would ‘Focus’ your Life on, next to #1 Loving God & #2 Loving Your Neighbor (these would be your ‘3 God-Sized Dreams’ for your life)?

1. My Relationship with GOD

2. My Relationship with Others

• Putting Your Spouse First
• Your Kids Second
• Everyone Else After those

3. Teach Spanish and Religion in a high school

4. Create a growth group around a campfire with people my age

5. To help weak, young, and dying ministries find new life and passion to seek and save the lost