This week I’m attending a helpful conference on developing your interpersonal skills, particularly in a cross-cultural context. We are discussing issues which are so very relevant to all our relationships, and one of the initial propositions is, “Everything we accomplish for God is through relationships.” When understood that this includes my relationship with God, with others, and within myself, this about wraps things up. It is a workshop format instead of conference, with much interactive learning. We’ve been learning techniques on how to lovingly listen, how to draw people out effectively, how to help others solve problems, confront others well and receive confrontation, the importance of building trust in community and how to manage stress, the importance of walking in moral purity and managing stress and maintaining margin, among other areas, all in a cross-cultural context, which throws so many new elements into the mix.

As I have been praying for God’s Spirit to refine me, to mold me, to grow me in these areas, I’m realizing this is a God-sized job. I am so thankful for the faithful family and friends who continue to love me through my “growth edges.” May God build in each of us a love for each other, which covers a multitude of sins, and then give us the skills to show this love to others in relevant ways, in our own culture and for other cultures.

By God’s grace, Eric