Change of Heart

Participating in a social cause is 'in' right now. But I don't stand for things because they are popular by fad. I do it out of the conviction of my heart.

I have always wanted to obtain a Master's degree. Lately I have been leaning toward Social Work (MSW). I love the church. I love working freelance for my church. I have talent and I don't want to use my talent to line the pockets of the already $$rich$$. I want to utilize my talents to help people. Yes, Mom, Dad, I know there is no money in social work or ministry or non-profits. But I've never been able to envision myself working up a corporate ladder working for "the man."

A timeline of how my heart has slowly been changing. . .

March 2005:
I discovered the story of two missionaries named Tim and Will of Travel the Road, who literally travel to the ends of the earth preaching to tribes and people where the Gospel has never before been. Their story impacted me. Tim had a college degree. He was smart and wanted to be a stock broker on Wall Street. God called him to the mission field. He sold everything he owned and left for the cause of Christ.

Something stirred within me.

January 2007:
Then one year ago I went to Winter Jam 07, annual Christian music festival. Steven Curtis Chapman, CCM legend, was the headliner. He promoted his non-profit organization, Shaohannah's Hope, named for his beautiful adopted Chinese daughter. They showed a video of the band Newsong in China visiting orphanages much like where Shaohannah came from of rooms filled with hundreds of unwanted, abandoned babies. I watched the video footage through blurred vision from the tears welling my eyes as the band members went through and prayed over each child and held them in their arms. One of the band members noted that the rooms were silent. He couldn't understand how this could be. Hundreds of babies and none crying at all? One of the workers answered that the children had cried all the tears they had for they realized that no one was coming for them.

My heart broke. I decided I am going to adopt a foreign child.

January - Present 2008:
Right now I am working on a conference for teenage girls called Chic in October 2008. The 2008 theme we have chosen is "Becoming." It is grassroots at it's finest and grant writing. I am not getting paid a cent for all the hours I am putting into this event but it is so gratifying to know I am doing something that is going to have a huge impact upon girls from all over Southwest Florida.

I want more. This is just the beginning. This is laying the groundwork.

March 2008:

I have recently become friends with a Russian ministry/rehabilitation program called Exodus. From hearing their individual harrowing stories of how they escaped death while on drugs and how they have come to know Christ just gets me. I hear about their pasts and see how far they have come and hear how expensive it is to keep the program running. These people are amazing though! I love them all and their friendship is such a blessing!

I want to get on board! How can I help? Where do I sign?

Everyone is passionate about something. I thought for so long what I wanted was to work in the Christian music arena and maybe I can still do that but I see a need far greater and one with which I know I am equipped. You see, God granted me with talents that are exclusive to me and a unique purpose to fulfill. Unfortunately I was not blessed with a beautiful singing voice or rhythm but I have something else--passion, compassion, a big heart, and the ability to write.
I can help these people. While others are worried about the planet and going green and being eco-friendly I am focused on more humanistic things.

People are my social cause.

That's my compassion for the planet.

The thing is I am not done yet.

It's a never-ending saga.

Saved.

I graduated college on Saturday, December 15, 2007. The following day at church we had a Grammy Award-winning Christian Group sing at my church. In talking with them they offered me a job to handle marketing and booking for them. I was ecstatic! One day out and already a dream job offer! I dream of working in the music industry one day. We exchanged numbers and I have never heard from them even though they told me they were totally serious about their offer.

I hadn't thought about this in a while until tonight. My Dad was logged onto their website. What their website reveals is a huge, ugly, bitter legal battle between this music group and a former member. In addition, I saw on a news update dated December 30, 2007 they signed on with a publicity group to handle what they were considering me for--PR.

They say you can see clearly only from hindsight's view. This door was kept closed to me for a reason. I could have been dragged into this devastating mess of a lawsuit between family and friends and worse yet--among those who bear the name of Christ. But You knew what was going on and I didn't. I was just wondering why they wouldn't call me. They said they were serious. I was all set and ready to move to Nashville. Man, I can't break into this industry for nothing. So many opportunities have not panned out. So many doors being slammed shut in my face! It was enough to make me want to give up on my dreams. But in this situation--with the sudden 20/20 vision I can now see the writing on the wall. This one opportunity was not my end all, be all opportunity. From this situation I can see how God was working because, believe me, I thought He just didn't care about my dreams with all these shut doors and heartache over my pending career. I'll get there someday, I suppose.

Out of the abundance of the heart. . .

This blog doesn't always have to be about my hopeful and beginning career in the world of Public Relations and hopefully soon in the Christian music arena. It's like the separation of church and state. No matter how hard people try to draw the line it usually blurs somewhere. See, when you are passionate about something it is going to come out sooner or later because the Bible says "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

So what abounds in my heart and thought life to prompt me to speak of? Do you really want to know? I think about my future a lot. I know God has it within His hands but I yearn for it to come to pass. I can't wait to get married, have children, and look back on my life and wonder in amazement the things I achieved.

Something I've been working on all day long and thinking about all day long is Chic Conference. Jenn and I are planning this thing single-handedly and, believe me, I want to rip my hair out over it sometimes. But I love teenage girls. I have a heart and passion for them. God has brought me through so much and preserved my heart from so much that He has called me to reach out to them and minister to them right on their level.

So, what is in abundance of my heart this Monday evening? Here it is for ya, girls:

Girls reveal way too much about themselves on the internet.
MySpace, anyone?
All I have to do is read a survey posted by someone in a bulletin and I know your life story and who you like, your favorite color, your favorite candy, and even the color of your undergarments.

TOO MUCH.

Not just on MySpace--the world around us. Keep some mystery and save the drama for yo' mama, my friends.
Yes, ladies, I am talking to you! You like a boy? Okay. That's cool. So do I (well, a man in my case). But don't let on. Be his friend and be smooth but don't fall all over him. Guys freak out over that kind of stuff.

TRUST ME.

Play hard to get. You're not a dog in heat. Control those urges. Cover up your attributes with some clothing and make him keep his hands where your eyes can see. Keep him guessing. Let him come back to later to find out something else about you instead of all at once. Have some mystery.

It will happen if it's meant to be and if God wills it to be but only in HIS timing (that's God's timing, not when the guy decides he wants you after all). You are not ready for marriage at age 13 so there is no reason to freak out over dating or sex. You are NOT READY FOR IT! Not everyone is doing it.

God has always said simply one word to me for many years and that was "WAIT!" So you know what I did and am still doing? Yep. I am waiting and the V-club is way cool. I recommend the book I Kissed Dating Good-bye by Joshua Harris. God and that book got me through my teens and God alone got me through college and the first few years of my twenties. Date when you're say. . . 23 (like me) and ready (or close to it) for marriage. God's got a plan. In that, I am confident.

I say it all with love, my friends. I know it comes across as attitude but take it from someone who has been there. We will go into this further as Chic Conference in October approaches. I could totally write a book about some of my experiences targeted to teenage girls.

Add Band Management to my Resume?

Well, I can now add another client to my roster. One of my close friends is forming a Christian hard rock/screamo band and he wants me to do their PR/management/booking. Will need some help. . . . big undertaking. EXCITING anyhow!

(Photo credit: Daniel Nunez)

Pictured is Michael and I after Source Sunday, October 21, 2007

17-year old Michael Monte, formerly frontman of Forever Faithful, is the lead singer. Michael is a high school senior and the youth pastor's son at my church, Gulf Coast Assembly of God. Upon graduation he is planning on attending Master's Commission this Fall in Englewood. Michael and I have been close friends for 10 years and I've always seen musical potential in him and encouraged him to pursue music and ministry. He is self-taught on guitar and drums and his singing style reminds me of a cross between Jason Wade from Lifehouse and Jeremy Camp. I am so proud of him!

If anyone is interested in the area (Sarasota, Venice, North Port, Englewood, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Arcadia, North Fort Myers) in auditioning for a spot in the new band shoot me a comment on this blog with an email address and I'll hook you up. Or you can check out his FaithFreaks profile (Christian version of MySpace) here.

Details to come on this developing story. He just asked me tonight to fulfill this position. :)

"Kim, the Doctor will See You Now"

Past history:
A few years ago our church's attendance outgrew our facilities. It was a beautiful building. We had underwent expansions and renovations to the building and customized the building to our purposes and liking. We had been there for many years. I have many memories there. We did move to this city when I was 13 after all. When the opportunity came about for our church to purchase a new building elsewhere I voted against it in the church business meeting. I hate change. I was comfortable.

Another time a few years ago my parents decided to sell our home and build a new one on the other side of town. I was deadset against it. I loved my bedroom. That bedroom had truly been my sanctuary. I had grown up most of my teen years in that home. I lived there from age 13 to age 18. Those were some torrid years. When it came time to move I was away at college and no longer living with my parents but I still greatly missed that home, that bedroom, that sanctuary. It was just so comfortable.

Current symptoms:
After recently finishing college and returning home after living in dorms and even renting a condo and living by myself for some time I am now temporarily back home until I get on my feet again. The current church building is undergoing yet another building project and my family is well settled in our new home. My family except for me that is. That bedroom is not mine. Sure, it houses my belongings but it is not mine. I am sure some of the reason is because I haven't been here too often over the past few years because of college but whatever the whole reason is it is not my home. I have never been comfortable in that room nor that new queen size bed (my parents recently bought for it when it was a guest bedroom while I was away). The other day I woke up so sore. I felt as if I had ran a marathon. I had not done anything strenuous recently so I couldn't understand why my whole body ached and my muscles were so sore. God, you trying to tell me something? I am not comfortable. I find no solace in that room.

Prognosis:
I said all that to say that God does not want us to ever get comfortable. We are to always be ready to move when He says "MOVE!" and right now I feel restless. I have a feeling something big is brewing in the Gulf. This is the same feeling I had when I knew God was not going to allow me to return to Southeastern University to finish my education. At the end of that first year I was comfortable and then God gave me that Holy Spirit stirring that I was to move on and go another route.
Bryan, our church's youth pastor, keeps on making comments everytime we speak lately like, "Who is going to continue this project when you move away?" I then reassure him in an unassuring tone that I am not going anywhere. I know I am going somewhere though. I might have turned down that job in Ohio but it doesn't mean God does not want me there. Is all this why I cannot find rest in the room they call mine and the queen size bed?

I could use some guidance right about now. . .

A Work in Progress

It is just so pretty I had to show it off.

Source Student Ministries

I do the weekly bulletin now for Source Student Ministries. See here for last night's:

Research is vital!

Probably my most favorite part of PR, besides event planning of course, is research.

What some people outside of my industry do not understand is that research is the most important and crucial part to any PR campaign. The PR process is ROPE.
ROPE is an acronym that stands for:

Research

Objective

Planning

Evaluation

Today we are just focusing on the R of ROPE.

Research includes client research--you must know the organization/client you are representing inside and out. You are going to be writing about this company and working them in every angle possible. You need to have a good understanding of what they do, who the are, past PR efforts, and what they hope to accomplish in the future. In this bracket the PR person will come up with a backgrounder (information about the client/organization) and a media content analysis. You need to know what kind of press is out there about the organization, how many hits, and when and over a period of how long. This will show you which mediums have been receptive in the past whether solicited or seeking information on their own.

Research includes market research--you need to know who your target audience is, who they are, how old they are, where they live, how much money they make, the kinds of things they like, what motivates them, and how they would benefit from your client/organization. Or in other words, for your target audience you need to come up with their demographics and psychographics.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs comes into play, VALS comes into play. What kind of audience are they? Are they aware, latent, apathetic, active, unaware? Are they a primary audience or a secondary audience with influence?

Also in this segment, after you choose your target audience is focus groups, surveys, and polls. (Oh, and remember, for survey results to be valid you have to have at least 364 complete surveys and them be from people only in your demographic.)

Research includes a comparative market analysis. What other clients/organizations are out there doing the same thing as you? What kinds of PR efforts have they conducted? Did it work for them? Why? Why not? What can we learn from this?

Research includes planning research. What is the best plan of attack? An MBO (management by objective) is a long, highly detailed plan with one specific goal and every step to take to reach that goal. You need all the above research to be able to know what will be the most effective plan. You have to know first of all about your company, then you need to know about your audience, then you need to figure out how to reach that audience.

It all takes research. Research is important.

Research for a Benchmark Study is what shows progress.

Research is needed for Newsletters, White Papers, etc, etc, etc. . .

Don't tell me research is not important and something that is not necessary!!! No matter how seasoned in a profession one is they must still conduct research. Every single client/organization is going to be different with different needs and circumstances. It's not about experience. It's about customizing a PR plan for your client/organization. There is no cookie cutter/one size fits all formula when it comes to a PR plan. This is so you don't waste your time and energy doing something that according to such research is not going to be effective.

Oh, and things are not going to automatically happen overnight. This process takes time. When the research is conducted you may very well find your initial thoughts and ideals were not the best way to go about things. Aren't you glad you researched it first instead of hitting and missing? When you aim specifically you will more often than not hit the target.

Remember, do not despise humble beginnings.

*All of this was written by Kimberly Jones based upon experience and things I gleaned from my college education. Huge thanks to my fav professor, Kris McCoun, who taught my PR Research class and taught me everything I know about PR. I am ready.