Initiative: Stepping Up to Step In

By Chelsea Mills


Let’s first answer the question: “What is initiative?” I looked up the definition and it said that initiative is the ability to assess and initiate things independently. Another definition was the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do. WHAT! ME? TAKE CHARGE?!? Psshhh!!! Like that will ever happen. Right? WRONG!! Let me tell you something about me: I am a very shy and quiet person. I do not like to lead or take charge because I think I am going to mess something up. I do not like to talk in large groups or talk on the phone. It stresses me out like crazy. But after joining the CBM (Children’s Bible Ministries) internship, I have stepped out of my comfort zone A LOT!! (Thanks to Jesus Christ and Jacquelyn, the Intern Coordinator.) It’s been crazy hard for me but, through God’s help and the help of my awesome and wonderful friends, I have done a pretty okay job.


The first time I had to take initiative, I was kind of forced into it. Jacquelyn (my boss) put me in charge of cleaning the kitchen…FOR A WHOLE WEEK! Man, did it stress me out. But everyone kept telling me that I did a great job and it calmed me down a little bit. It really showed me that I CAN take initiative and be the boss even, though I’m quiet and shy.


While being here at Camp Gilead in Polk City, FL, there have been a couple times that I have taken initiative. We had to deep clean the nurses station on one occasion. When we stopped for lunch, we were told to come back and clean at 1:00. When I arrived to clean, no one else was in there. I could have just left and asked for someone to come in and help. But I stayed in there and figured out what still needed to be done and did it, without asking someone else what needed to be done. Another thing that I did was answer the phones because I was the only one in the office for a little while. I do not like answering the phones. I could have let it go to voicemail but I didn’t. I stepped up and took the phone call.


Taking initiative is not an easy thing for me to do and is something I will be working on for a while. But I can slightly see that I have done a little better throughout my internship. With the help of Jesus, Jacquelyn, and my friends I have become a little more confident in doing things without asking. Being here at Camp Gilead has really moved me out of my comfort zone, since one of my jobs is to answer the phones. I can’t wait to see how God continues to grow me in showing initiative as I continue my rotation here at Camp Gilead and throughout the rest of this internship.

Chelsea is a part of the CBM Internship program, which exists to encourage young people to experience missions! To learn more about the CBM Internship program click www.childrensbibleministries.net/internships.

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