There's a new kid in town...

Alex is new to the Wild at Heart team working with us on events.

Do you remember your first few days at a new job?  What went through your mind, filled your heart? What were those first impressions of those you were now working with; those you'll be sitting next to at office Christmas party; having lunch with? Didn't you wonder who in the sea of new faces you'd connect with/enjoy... who would be the pain-in-the-butt; who you'd confide in or avoid at all costs? Who's the Christian, the clown, sour puss, self absorbed talker, sage?

Those first impressions are so often right... and oh how they linger!

I wonder what he's thinking as he leaves our Outpost these first days?

As Alex sizes us up, so we have our first impressions as well. Here's mine of Alex:

Good choice! Thank you Christ!

Immediately likable; vulnerable... he's jumping all in; he's a strong man with a large heart... for God and others. He strikes me as thoughtful; he's present/engaged; a guy I'd enjoy driving across Kansas with. He's skilled, has lived a good bit of life; the word "integrity" seems to fit.

Alex has a sense of humor that will find freer expression once the 90 day probationary period ends. He's solid, wears funky shoes... sports a scabrous goatee. His office is looped with pictures of the wild (the Maroon Bells, streams and radical looking cliffs are prominent).

Close to his desk are the tender photos of his bride and little ones. There's a botta bag, a ceramic grizzly and a bottle of some kinda Polish elixir... a couple of arrows on the window sill. There's a stapler, a full trash can and a few premature stacks of papers (clearly an attempt to look busier than any newbie ever is).  You can tell Alex is a good man... a man with a story we'll look forward to hearing. A man we're grateful to have with us as we write the story of Wild at Heart. I hope you get to meet Alex... he's the one with the capacious goatee. - Craig McConnell