As we celebrate Leah Norton's 20 years of time spent at Fishhook, co-owner Shayla Kenworthy writes a letter to Leah to honor her and her impact for the Kingdom.
Leah,
Twenty years ago, you pulled a chair up to your laundry room desk and joined Evan on the journey that is Fishhook. He had a spark and a bold vision for helping churches communicate better. And you said yes to stepping in with him to build something meaningful together.
From the very beginning, the two of you brought a beautiful tension that shaped the heart of Fishhook: Evan, always dreaming forward and asking "What can we do that’s new?" And you, always anchoring us with the question "What can we do well?"
You brought wisdom, discernment and people-centered care that helped turn vision into reality time and again. And what has been built through your leadership, creativity, trust and incredible heart has grown beyond what any of us could have imagined. Not just a company. But a culture of trust, joy and deep purpose.
Over the years, I’ve had the great joy of walking this road with you as a teammate, co-owner and dear friend. I’ve seen firsthand the kind of leader you are ... the kind of leader who doesn’t just ask how someone is doing, but actually sees them. The kind of leader who loves deeply and relies on God daily. The kind of leader who makes space for laughter, prayer, big ideas and Diet Coke all in the same meeting.
You’ve believed in people before they believed in themselves. You’ve covered us in prayer, carried burdens that others never even saw, and kept choosing to show up with consistency, humility and strength even on the hard days ... especially on the hard days.
Leah, you are Fishhook in so many ways. Your faith, your steadiness, your laughter and the way you see the good in people and draw it out of them. You’ve made space for each of us to grow, to lead and to fully be ourselves all while encouraging us to abide with Jesus more and more. You model all of this for our team so well.
As we celebrate your 20 years (wow, that's a long time) of time spent working at Fishhook, I just want you to know that your impact can’t be measured in deliverables or deadlines. Your impact is in relationships, in changed lives, in leaders who are stronger because of you. Your 20 years at Fishhook has brought impact to the Kingdom more than you will ever know.
Fishhook wouldn’t be here without you and your steadfastness, Leah. And we’re all better — as people, as a team — because of you!
With so much love and gratitude,
Shayla