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

Thank you Tevera D. Stith 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):

71%

90%

84%

65%

78%

81%

87%

59%

90%

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:
There is no work that is more important or urgent than leading others to Christ, that said the urgency cannot let us be haphazard or insensitive to our approach. I love to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and also break it down to those who are younger or who have not been “churched.” I also am happy to share this gospel with strangers and I enjoy being an altar counselor! As the kids say, I also have receipts. I have in a conversation led people to Christ or had a moving conversation with them that helped them better explore or understand their faith. I am also a transparent follower and not a bragging fan. I am willing to share with people where I fall short and how I fall short. I think this transparency makes me approachable and that is the key to sharing Christ with someone. I also think I am a good listener and that I understand the importance of putting self aside in this work.

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
I love to teach. To breakdown content so that it is understandable and digestible. I also love by the philosophy that there are no bad questions. I love having people pause on something I have said to ask more questions. I also always think of every scripture as a lesson God is trying to share with us. The Word is our greatest teacher and when I am at my best I am digging in for a means to pour out and share. The Word says to hide the word in our hearts, but that is for personal examination we are petitioned to go and “TEACH” all nations. I think under my watch our children are growing in their understanding of the Word. I so look forward to the moment when they are leading classes in G-Zone.

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
I have not or do not think of myself as someone who is called to Pastor. I love to preach, teach, support, and lead, but I don’t feel like God has called me to lead a church. Perhaps Shepard a church school, but not a church on my own. Some use the term Youth or Children’s Pastor and while it is not an incorrect description, if I am honest, I am not sure I am worthy or knowledgable enough to hold any title with Pastor in it.

[H]eart

1. I love to teach. I love to help others understand. I so enjoy picking an idea apart and having it digested by others. I so appreciate engaging or helping people get excited about a topic that they previously did not interest or passion.

2. I love to lead or develop people. I lead a large team in my 9 to 5 of 18 people and I also lead people who have to lead others. I find asking people where they see themselves and helping them work through their next steps is one of my greatest joys. I also believe in servant leadership and have even change the visual of my work org cart so that I am at the bottom, as the big boss my job is to provide the planning and experience to make sure that everyone on my team has what they need to be successful. As a big picture thinking this kind of brainstorming and visioning is my favorite thing to do. I also so love innovative thinking and problem-solving. I do need others to help me with execution and details as I often put too much on my plate.

3. I love to entertain and welcome others into my space. I wish I had the funds and resources to give and offer more to others. I would host gatherings often if I could to give people a place to talk and share their triumphs and their tragedies. I love to listen. I work at being compassion and thoughtful beyond what is expected.

I am a book ends kind of girl! I love working with our youngest children and spending time pouring into them and shaping their thinking. I also love speaking to some of our oldest members and respecting their life journies and gleaning from their wisdom and experience.

I have so many, but first, as I have mentioned before I have a heart for children specifically, but the growth of all young people. I also have the heart and compassion to work with those who are grieving. Children are very vulnerable and just like our youngest members in times of grief we also become our most vulnerable and some times indeed of support who have not wanted help with since we were children. I also suffered a great amount of loss as a young girl and I think it has given me compassion for those who are struggling with grief.
My personal experiences with anxiety and depression have also led me to helping women who are struggling in that place and space.

Educational
At-risk children
Other – depression/anxiety/grief

[A]bilities

I am managing director of college access, college completion, and career readiness program in DC. I manage a team of 18 adults who lead other adults and help guide students toward choice filled fulfilling lives. I have worked in the field of college and career guidance at the K-12 and college and university level for over 20 years.

I have helped with a variety of other things from teaching reading and writing to students with learning differences to being a class dean for a high school grade level. Most of my career has been in education. I also have done and do a fair amount of speaking and presenting on the national level about these kinds of topics.

I think I have shared most above except two … I love to cook and as a young girl helped my grandmother cater meals for the church each week. I also can “beat a face” as the ladies say! I have done make-up for shows and weddings.

I taught English and Religion to 11th and 12th graders. I also have led a variety of seminars about the college admission process to students and parents. I have also taught classes in public speaking and leadership, but mostly to young people in the K-12 space or college students.

My compassionate heart and my love of teaching and developing others.

[P]ersonality

Extrovert

50-50 High/Low Risk

Peace Maker

People Driven

Leader

Team

Variety

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

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

Lion- This personality likes to lead. The lion is good at making decisions and is very goal-oriented. They enjoy challenges, difficult assignments, and opportunity for advancement. Because lions are thinking of the goal, they can step on people to reach it. Lions can be very aggressive and competitive. Lions must learn not to be too bossy or to take charge in other’s affairs.

Strength: Goal-oriented, strong, direct
Weakness: Argumentative, too dictatorial
Limitation: Doesn’t understand that directness can hurt others, hard time expressing grace

[E]xperience

I found Christ at the age of seven. I was young, but I definitely remember that I was led by the Holy Spirit. Previously when they did the call I would fake that I was sleep or I would be afraid. On that Sunday I walked down the aisle I knew I wanted to be covered by the blood of Jesus and I wanted to give him my life. I knew that my life was not my own.

I went to an Episcopal middle and high school and I have had many experiences with people who were from other denominations. I think this has allowed me to see other people’s perspective on faith and the faith journey. It also has allowed me to love the timber and the dance along with the quiet and ritual portions of worship.

I have always been pushed to speak up and early on developed a passion and desire for public speaking and presentation giving. I taught Sunday School to little ones when I was still in high school.

I have gone to very diverse schools and been in positions where I have been in the minority and majority. This has led me to be intensely involved in and excited about work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

I suffered trauma at the hands of two people in spiritual and familial high places. The result was some of the cause for my depression and anxiety and for the years I ran from my calling and was disconnected from the church. Not God, but the church.

My father died before I was born and my only uncle died a few months after my birth. I was a child born to a mother and a family that was being highly affected by sudden loss and grief. As a result I understand the pain of death in a way that seems to be in my DNA. I have been at the bedside of friends and love ones as they have given there last breath. I understand the tender moments when people are taken home to be with the Lord. I want to help people through their grief.

I was a poor kid a rich kids school. I think much of my feelings of not having enough have come from my time at private school and knowing I was a financial aid kid. I have developed a great sense of gratitude for my gifts, but I also have a lot of struggles with unworthiness that stem from this time in my development.

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. I would be merging my work experience in College Access with ministry work to develop a book and exercises that will lead people through the process with a Godly focus

4. I would be able to share the gospel on a platform that would allow me to have a larger regional and national impact

5. I would author a series of books or games with an multicultural or Afrocentric lenses that are for children to better understand Christ!