Christian Latina Leadership Blog

By Jana Atkinson

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí 

Earlier this year, I found myself wandering the roads of Barcelona, a city where deep history and present day appear to dance together. I arrived with a soul full of quiet questions about what it means to lead and serve as a pastor. My only real plan was to pay attention, not just to the sights and sounds, but to the nudges of the Spirit within me. This trip seemed like an invitation to listen for what God might be whispering just below the surface.

Letting myself listen and observe began to shape my days in Spain. Again and again, I found myself in those thin places where sacred and ordinary meet. One moment came as I journeyed into the Sagrada Familia. I was caught in awe of this massive cathedral, where light poured through stained glass, painting the space with colors that appeared to breathe. 

Looking up at this sacred space, I felt small in the best possible way. It was a holy smallness that reminded me that my questions and uncertainties are part of something greater than myself. Reminding me that God’s presence reaches far beyond my own limitations. This subtle realization lifted the burden I sometimes feel as a leader, and I was reminded that the work of serving and loving others is never meant to be carried alone.

When I learned that construction on the Sagrada Familia began in 1882, it deepened my sense of wonder. How many hands, setbacks, and stubborn hopes have kept this vision alive through the years? I realized I was not only admiring architecture but standing inside a living parable, an animated reminder that God’s deepest work unfolds slowly, inviting us to trust and keep building, even when the work seems as if it will never be finished.

During my time with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel and local ministry leaders in Barcelona, I witnessed God’s hands at work in the way they serve. They are in a historic region rooted in generations of faith, yet they are always watching and waiting for the new things God is stirring. As I learned about their ministries, what truly captured me was the openness of their hearts, their readiness to be surprised by God, and to follow the Spirit’s movement. These leaders reminded me that ministry requires listening deeply enough to discern what people’s hearts are longing for.

Ministry rarely begins with grand plans; more often, it starts with simple, sacred attention. A life in leadership that reflects Christ is rooted in thoughtfulness and patience, especially when you feel out of your depth. God is molding my heart to know people by drawing near and listening to what is spoken and what is left unsaid. That kind of attentiveness may not be efficient, but it feels honest—and it feels like love.

Today, as I move through the ordinary rhythms of ministry, whispers of Barcelona linger. My time in Spain has deepened my sense of holy curiosity. I am learning to move more slowly, to listen more deeply, and to hold my plans with open hands, trusting that God is walking with me.

My time in Barcelona reminded me that leadership is hardly about holding all the answers but about holding space for the questions still taking shape in our hearts. Like the Sagrada Familia, built slowly, stone by stone, with faith that God is still at work in all our unfinished places.