| “Once I was home, one of the first things I noticed was a mama bird building a nest above my front door. Over some weeks, I watched her lay eggs, teach her babies to fly, and aggressively protect them from anyone arriving at the front door. This was the first time, probably ever, that I could slow down and observe in this way.”
When Kim was chosen as a 2023 Miller Fellow, she hadn’t taken a vacation since 2011. In the midst of building up Developing K.I.D.S. and raising her own children, there was no time to travel, to write or to process her own feelings and memories. Since the moment she founded her organization, as a recent widow with young children, Kim has focused seemingly all of her time and energy on serving her community and family.
Once her sabbatical started, however, she began making up for lost time. She traveled to Dubai, her first time out of the country. She met up with some of her oldest friends in New York after many years, the joy of their reunion landing them on the Sherri Shepherd Show. She enjoyed meals cooked by her husband, kept massage appointments she has always canceled before, and experienced a massive reduction in once frequent, stress-induced migraines.
At long last, Kim also began to write again. After 12 years of slowly adding but never finishing her memoir, she finally discovered the quiet headspace to allow her words to flow. Instead of rising early to answer work emails, she began her mornings at her computer, writing – and processing emotions – for hours.
“Tears were flowing. I would reflect on an experience, acknowledge its pain and struggle, and praise God for where I am right now. Every day was a full emotional experience. So many things have come out…this has been a healing process.”
At the same time, changes were also happening at Developing K.I.D.S. The organization had already begun to experience growing pains amid a transition phase, including a small number of staff departures after Kim stepped away. The core leadership team was forced to navigate rapid change, while maintaining and growing services in her absence. Kim is proud to report they grew stronger during this time, learning to work with funders and board members and beginning to define processes and systems for Developing K.I.D.S.’ overall organizational health.
As she returns to work – for a temporary period until she begins the second half of her sabbatical – Kim is determined that going forward, she will no longer suppress her need for self-care. She recognizes now that prioritizing time for rest will also make her a better leader, as her colleagues will now feel more empowered to do the same. Kim also plans to further define action systems throughout her organization to make it easier for operations to flow smoothly in her absence. And, in both her work and personal life, she intends to build, and adhere to, reasonable boundaries. Even a person with a profound and lifelong call to serve must care for her own health and happiness.
Learn more about Developing K.I.D.S. and its expansion in progress, and stay tuned for future insights from our 2023 Miller Fellows. |
