Spence Smith

I’m not really sure how to write this post.

It’s taken me three days to get to this version…

I wrote a version that was very detailed and emotional, but honestly… it was a little too much for me. So I’m just going to throw it out there and go into greater detail about some future plans in other posts.

Here it goes…

I’m moving to Colorado by June 1. It’s coming up pretty soon. For those of you who read my blog, follow me on twitter and are my friends on facebook, this will not be much of a change for you and our online interaction.

For those of you who live in Nashville and Franklin… this is a big change. In fact, I’m still rolling out the news to some friends but those I live in community with on a daily basis know this has been coming.

This has been the hardest decision I’ve had to make in a very long time and it all comes down to one word… Leaving.

Leaving Franklin… my friends… my community… my way of life… 15 years… it is nothing short of a big deal.

However, I’m moving for the best decision I’ve made in a long time…

I’m getting married to an amazing woman.

My fiancée lives in Colorado Springs with her two wonderful kids. So in order to take advantage of the kids summer break, transitioning to a new city, getting married and the simple fact that we want to live in the same town… I’m packing up the dreams God planted… (Sorry, couldn’t even resist that last line.)

I’m going to miss my Franklin campus the most and the triathlon community that swims, rides and runs all over Nashville. I’m going to miss my little cottage of a place on Main Street and walking down the street to eat and hang out with friends. I will miss my Nashville coworkers, who are some of my dearest friends, but I get to work with them daily and travel the world with them, so that’s good.

I’m really going to miss running Tuesdays, Thursday and Sunday’s with Randy and the great conversations we have. I’m going to miss Tuesday Night Mexican dinners and I’m really going to miss the Tuesday morning mentoring group. I will miss all of this more than you can imagine… I cherish every moment I can.

As for my job with Compassion International… it isn’t changing.

I’m still Artist Relations guy and have committed to be back in Nashville once month for meetings.

Our Compassion Artist Relations team in Nashville is very strong and growing in presence. Thankfully, I work for a boss (and an organization) who believes in our team’s ability to get the job done no matter where we live. I love that I work on a team that is strong, flexible and can be mobile at the drop of a hat.

I work with the best.

Moving to Colorado Springs is also going to give me the chance to dive into some other areas of focus Compassion is working on. Some projects which are very close to my heart and passion for influencing others to help children and their families who are living in poverty in the developing world.

So… There it is. If I could throw out a request it would be this… Please keep us in your prayers. Transition, planning a wedding, meeting new friends, blending a family, travel and work. It might make us a little crazy, but a little extra prayers wouldn’t hurt.

As is the fashion here on this blog, I generally ask a question…

What was the biggest transition you have been through?

Yes...That is a really yellow jacket.

Recently I was in Colorado with Ken Davis getting ready for his conference called DCW. We were at a place called the Glen Erie. The property sits in a box canyon and has a trail you can hike that takes you back to these incredible waterfalls.

As we hiked back through this trail I was taken back to hiking up canyons as a kid at summer camp in New Mexico. (I have a deep love for the mountains and New Mexico because of my camp experience.) As we hiked, Ken and I talked the whole way up.

Finally we came to a waterfall. It was beautiful and the setting around it was amazing. It’s hard to believe that we were standing 15 minutes from the nearest Starbucks. After we took it all in from, Ken lead me to the top of the waterfall by going up a very steep, rocky slope with a lot of loose gravel. Going up is pretty easy with the gravel and all.

Going down hill is another story.

We hung out up top for a bit then decided to come back down. As we started down I couldn’t help but think about a couple of things.

1.We generally think walking or running down hill is easier to do because gravity is on your side in a big way. But going down hill is where many runners and walkers can get hurt. The pressure on your knees and the impact is sometimes greater therefore making your knees potentially more unstable.

2.Because going down hill “seems” to be easier, we are less likely to pay attention to what is ahead of us. Sometimes the unexpected can happen when things seem easy and if we aren’t careful-we will slip up. In the case of running or walking, it could mean slipping literally and falling.

As Ken and I made our way back down, I noticed how much loose gravel there was and how very little places there were for sure footing. Every step had to be well placed and thought out. One bad step and the gravel could send us tumbling down about 100 feet which would be a very bad thing.

I guess, this made me think about how many times we find ourselves in what seems to be an easy place only to get caught of guard by something we would normally see coming.

I’m not one who is waiting for the other shoe to drop when times are easy and nice, but I am reminded that it pays to be on my game a bit more and take notice of where I’m headed and what I’m doing.

So as the down-hill-easy-times come, think about where you are, what you are doing, and where you are headed. Make each step count and enjoy the journey along the way.