A couple months ago two of the girls in my small group accomplished a bucket list-kind of goal. After months of rigorous training, Megan and Kelly ran and completed the Milwaukee Marathon.
Knowing how much the race meant to them both, our small group and church community decided to cheer them on from afar. Since it took place on a Sunday, a group of friends connected at church and took a group picture holding signs of encouragement and texted them to both girls. An especially intentional friend even stopped by their homes the night after the race to drop off a sweet note and a gift card for each of them for a little foot-pampering pedicure.
Kelly mentioned that after crossing the finish line she picked up her phone and was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support she’d received through texts and calls from friends. While she had Megan along for the adventure, Kelly’s family hadn’t been able to make the trip to Milwaukee to cheer her on and it had put a damper on the whole experience, until she was reminded of how many people really were in her corner.
A little intentionality made a lasting impact.
I don’t know if you’ve ever had an experience like that, where someone takes note of something you’re dealing with and makes an effort to intentionally encourage or reassure you.
Not only do we enjoy those moments where we feel seen and cared for, but we all want to be the creators of those kinds of moments—especially for the kids we lead.
We want to be the kind of leader who is intentional and thoughtful, who notices when something seems off and speaks a word of encouragement, who remembers the highs and lows of daily rhythms in the lives of our students, who regularly communicates “I see you and I’m here for you.”
While that’s the kind of leader we all long to be, it’s no short order to keep track of the details, dates and events that make that kind of leadership and care a reality.
The gap between the kinds of leaders we want to become and the reality of constraints and limitations in our lives, schedules, and memories, creates a need for tools that can help bridge the gap. Tools that can take the limited time and energy we have and leverage them for maximum impact.
That’s the heart behind the technology tools we are building for Awana leaders. Understanding that every leader has a limited amount of time and energy, we want to equip you with better tools to help you make a greater difference in the lives of kids.
With digital attendance tracking, you can be prompted if a child has missed one or more weeks, which creates an opportunity for a quick text, phone call or email to check in with their parent.
Using a central messaging feature, you’ll be able to easily reach out to other leaders with a word or encouragement throughout the week, plus share ideas and plans for your next ministry session.
By having record-keeping at your fingertips in a clean and easy-to-use app or web interface, you’ll be able to celebrate achievements with your kids and intentionally come alongside those who may be getting behind.
Technology will never replace the essential components of discipleship—the Word of God and leaders like you who know and love the kids in your ministry. But technology can help you steward and optimize those resources and your efforts.
These tools are being built to do what technology does best, so that you can do what you do best—make a difference in the lives of kids.
