I was in the hospital with COVID for 6 days, and it was atrocious.
What I learned while sitting in a hospital bed, gasping for breath.
Todd Rukes
Founder & President
Rukes Search Group
We live in wild times. One day I’m playing with my 3 kids and the next I’m gazing out of a hospital window gasping for breath, wondering if the relief of a full inhale would ever return to my lungs. COVID pneumonia is what I was battling to be exact. I’m thankful that I’m on the mend now and recovering well (I've been home for 2 weeks now), but 6 days in the hospital will make you think…a lot.
During my time in the hospital I thought a lot about these 3 things: Priorities, Problems, and Purpose. I hope these questions can help you in your own journey as they have helped me these last couple of weeks.
Priorities
When you have a scare like COVID, it’s sobering. It’s like all the noise that had previously been swirling around in your head and around your life all of a sudden gets sucked up like a shop vac, returning to the minuscule, unimportant details that most of those things actually are. What then shines through is clarity of life’s priorities. So my question to you and the question I was pondering while propped up in a very uncomfortable hospital bed for 6 days is, What is actually important in your life? What do you need to adjust in your life to align with your values? What are you neglecting that you should be nourishing and vice-versa? Since I’ve been back from the hospital, I’ve been more tuned in to my family. Like, really tuned in. Not just present, but I’m listening intently to my 2 year old when he tries to say words. I’m responding not only verbally but with facial expressions and non-verbals because my family is more important than the cares that I’ve let overshadow them in the day in and day out. I have a recommitment to keep my priorities in life in line with my values, and my family just got a promotion.
Problems
I also had time to think about my “problems”, or at least the things I label as “problems.” These are the worries that constantly nag at us; the things we worry about that consume our minds. Money problems. Relational problems. New business start up problems. Family problems. What I’ve come to realize is that most of these “issues” aren’t as big a deal as we make them out to be. Really. Humans are irrational beings and often times fear things that won’t actually ever come to pass and aren’t as bad as we make them in our minds. So what “problems” do you just need to let go of today? Change your mindset and release them. Choose to rise above them and just stop caring as much. Better yet, “cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). One question I've started asking is, will this matter in 30 days? You'll be surprised how many things actually won't matter in a month. To be clear, I’m not negating real problems that actually need to be confronted and dealt with, but chances are most of the things that are coming to your mind right now probably aren’t really significant in the grand scheme of things. Silence the irrational fears.
Purpose
If I align my priorities and right size my problems, then my purpose can really shine through. What is your purpose? Why do you get up in the morning? What has God given you a passion to do today? A buddy of mine often says “We’re not just burning daylight”. As believers, our ultimate purpose is to make disciples and spread the Good News (Matthew 28), but how does that manifest itself in your life? Maybe it's as simple as caring for a neighbor that the Lord has uniquely placed in your life. Maybe it's starting your own non-profit, or being a business leader for a Fortune 500 company.
Since coming out of the hospital, my purpose has been clearer than ever. God has uniquely positioned me to use my experience in church leadership and Human Resources to help other ministries thrive through staffing and building teams. That’s why we exist at Rukes Search Group. We’re relentless in positioning ministries to thrive. The clock is ticking. The world needs Jesus. Our cultural and political climate is more toxic than it’s been in years, and that’s why our team feels the urgency to help staff ministries so that they can be a light in this world. Churches need great leaders, fast. That’s where we come in. Ministries need guidance and coaching. Insert Rukes. We are more focused than ever to fulfill our mission to position ministries to thrive through staffing Christian organizations.
“When we position extraordinary people, you’re positioned for greater impact”.
So let me leave you with 3 words about Rukes. What really sets us a part? Why are we different? What makes us tick?
1. Collaboration
We conduct our searches in collaboration with “Rukes Alliance Partners”, ministry and non-profit leaders from around the country who have joined our mission to help match candidates with ministries. This is a new, innovative approach to staff search. We are a network of networks.
2. Culture
Secondly, we emphasize cultural fit. After being the HR leader for one of the largest churches in America and going through a complete revamp of staff culture values, I’m convinced that cultural fit transcends any job description and is the key to a long-term successful hire. At Rukes, we prioritize cultural fit every step of our process and we dig into the values, social norms, and behaviors of a culture and the candidates to ensure cultural alignment.
3. Care
The third differentiator at Rukes is our commitment to care; both for the client and the candidate. We have the ability to customize and adapt to our clients’ needs and tailor our approach to help better serve the ministry. It’s more than staff search for us. We believe there are divine appointments happening between candidates and organizations and we don’t take that lightly. We’re going to communicate with you, be proactive in our service, and help lead you through the process of finding great hires.
After a COVID scare in the hospital, I’m more fired up and focused than I’ve ever been to serve your ministry. We’re here for you, and we want to help. Will you join us in our mission to position ministries to thrive? Life is short. Let’s do this together.
