“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

— 1 Thessalonians 5:18, New International Version

On Fri., March 21, the Advancing Women In Leadership (AWiL) Committee held their 6th annual luncheon, which celebrates and promotes the success of Concordia Irvine’s women in faculty, staff and administrative roles. The Committee is a dedicated task force of women in leadership across all departments of the university and is co-chaired by Ashlie Andrew of the Townsend Institute and Lori Doyle of the School Of Education.

Rachel Klitzing, Executive Director of School Ministries for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Pacific Southwest District (PSD), was the keynote speaker for the AWiL Luncheon. Klitzing has served 40 years in educational ministry and has held an integral role in advancing the mission of the PSD since 1998.

​The Pacific Southwest District is one of the 35 districts of the LCMS and serves 300 congregations and 168 Lutheran Schools in Southern California, Arizona, and Southern Nevada. The district’s mission is to effectively resource congregations and schools to fulfill the Great Commission.

Klitzing presented “Leading with Gratitude: Growing Together, Rising Stronger,” in which she defined gratitude, identified benefits, and offered actions for practicing gratitude. Klitzing referred to the Latin root of the word, which frames gratitude to be a positive feeling, action or idea. Gratitude is not a forced action, it is a reaction. Klitzing explained that this aligns to biblical gratitude, an approach to life of finding substance and strength through a positive response to experiencing God’s goodness.

Klitzing summarized, “Once you realize that God is working in your life, you’ll show gratefulness in how you live.” Klitzing presented that practicing biblical gratitude directs a person toward understanding God as the author of all good in one’s life, and in the world. 

Klitzing identified five benefits to practicing gratitude: improved mental health, greater happiness, healthier relationships, prosocial behavior and better physical health. Klitzing suggests that regular identification of God’s goodness forms a positive reaction to life out of sheer gratitude for God’s grace and kindness.

To practice gratitude, Klitzing promotes writing a gratitude list or card. A gratitude list includes

“microgratitudes,” such as everyday items and nature, as well as “macrograditudes,” such as people and important events. A gratitude card is a letter to a friend or coworker expressing gratitude for them in life. By identifying God as the true source of good, there is strength and substance in every moment and interaction.

To form a reaction of strength in gratitude, be intentional about writing a list of gratitude to God. As people are identified in the list of God’s blessings, share the gratitude with them by expressing it in a card.

For more information about Advancing Women in Leadership, contact co-chair Ashlie Andrew

at ashlie.andrew@cui.edu.

 

Tags: leadership, community, Women

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