Looking Forward
Current SWI Director Dr. Debra Taylor shares her heart for the organization, the momentous loss of Doug Rosenau, and the path ahead as we push forward into the future.
Fall Greetings to you!
As we roll out some big changes to our website and membership, I am excited - and also breathing a huge sigh of relief. Along with the day-to-day running of both ABCST and ISW these past several months, I have also been working with some amazing people on new ideas and opportunities for all of us. A lot of research, choices, and work has been involved to bring these new opportunities online. It has been nearly six months since Doug’s homegoing, and I know he would be thrilled to see the changes we are implementing to better serve this community that he (and we) love so much. Doug always had a vision – or several - and the changes to our technology integration are beyond anything I think even he could have envisioned… certainly more than I could have without a lot of help!
So – welcome to our new Membership Hub and all that it contains! We hope that you will explore the different areas and use them. These include a new Discussion Board (Forum) for our members, an Event Board where you can post professional workshops or speaking you are doing, groups you are running, or other professional activities that you want to share with colleagues and friends at Sexual Wholeness, and a Job Board for those of you with job openings in your practice or organization, or for those of you looking for an internship or practice to join. We want the Hub to be a place to check for updates on the Institute for Sexual Wholeness and for the American Board of Christian Sex Therapists; to pay Membership Dues; to share questions, concerns, prayer requests, joys, and burdens; or to donate to Sexual Wholeness.
You will be able to update your own profile on the “Find a Therapist” page so your listing stays up to date and accurate. There is also a direct link to EBSCO host coming soon so that you can go directly from our website to a literature search through EBSCO without having to have multiple logins.
Some of what happens now is completely up to you – how much you want to be involved, how much you participate. As you try the different areas, your feedback is important to show us what is and isn’t working for you. Check out our Help Desk while you are exploring the site: you can get assistance and track what is happening with your request. Most of all, we want you to know that we have heard you when you have expressed your frustrations trying to get information or assistance, and we are working hard to provide tools that answer those concerns.
This has been a difficult year for me in many ways, as well as a rewarding one. I have had the privilege of helping to keep ISW and ABCST not just running, but, due to the entire team, growing. While I do not think all of what I have been doing falls within my gifts or my strengths, I was talking to God about my doubts and frustrations recently and believe He led me to this verse:
“I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength for my work. I thank Him for considering me worthy and appointing me to serve Him…” (I Tim. 1:12).
I was so encouraged and comforted when He whispered that to my heart. If you are going through something hard right now, perhaps this will also give you reassurance. Or if your life currently is going well (AWESOME!), perhaps you will still be encouraged by the Lord in this: He is giving you strength for your work. And He appointed you to serve Him and considered you worthy to do so. For me, that makes it all so worth it.
With love,
Debra