This past week I had the privilege to go through IDEAS Orientation for long-term Associates in order to know the organization better and on a deeper level. I was honored to know I work for such a strategic, visionary, loving organization that creates real change in places with real need. IDEAS has a unique niche in the whole scope of God's purpose.

We use "business as business" (along with agriculture, education, healthcare and wellness) to serve forgotten and overlooked people and see transformed lives in communities of contagious hope. What does that mean? It means we use the professional skills that God has gifted us with to impact the world around us, where ever that may be! IDEAS strongly holds onto holistic transformation including social, intellectual, physical and spiritual. We define forgotten and overlooked people as those who are marginalized in any two or more of these areas. Transformed lives involves healing and growth in their areas of poverty. Contagious hope multiplies this effect of transformed lives to increase expectation for healing and growth based on God's redemptive love and purpose. Hope also means to wait and to expect that God will show up and work, which vitally unites us with him. IDEAS' personnel do not want to become indispensable, so we invest in the need by offering a service that will, down the road, be offered by the locals themselves.

My prayer as an IDEAS professional is to help more and more Christian professionals become fully engaged in their workplace and embody, inform, and offer hope. You are a part of God's global work, no matter where he has placed you! Work is an intended act of God for each person. It gives dignity and brings hope. It is what we were created to do and as an ambassador of God, work brings light to the Earth. This ideology gives the whole Church, the entire body, a chance to take part in God's purpose.

One part of orientation that really encouraged me was being in community with our Associates. We all came together from different parts of the globe and shared stories and passions, sharpened and challenged one another, all while encouraging each other to continue in the good work. It was a very refreshing time to learn, grow and share. I am very grateful for this experience and so fortunate to be a part of this organization!