Daily Devotions

This is not to say that it is so important to do your devotions. Or to say to you that I myself do devotions each day. I maybe do them twice a week in a good week. (see my next edition of chronicles of the crazed children's pastor) :)

I was reading Oswald Chambers this morning, My Utmost for His Highest. If you don't realize it already, today is Leap Day, The only February 29th that we will have for another 4 years. Needless to say, given my inconsistent patterns of "daily devotions" and the likelihood of having done them on February 29, I found something that was simply profound in my reading.

I read with interest the devotion of the day in Chambers' book, "What Do You Want The Lord to Do for You?" In this segment, he reference Luke 18, where Jesus healed a blind man. The author referenced the limitations that we put on Christ based on our own presupposed ideas of what God may find as a priority or significant enough to consider.


One sentence however, really jumped out on me:

The agony we suffer is only the result of the deliberate shallowness of our
own heart.

WOW, I really hadn't considered that. In our limited finite being of self we are truly incapable to put those kinds of limits on God. We have not be cause we ask not. (James 4:2)

Just think what could happen in our lives and our minsitries if we simply let God be God and remained solely an instrument of His choosing. The results could be astounding.

The best things in life....

are never free.... they take dedication, sweat, tears. Fears of failure, and faith in God to surpass the fear.

Today I have had some of the most rewarding and hard experiences of my life in children's ministry. Both of which really didnt involve the children I work with. It involved parents.


There is a girl I sponsor in a christian program. I love her like she was a part of my own family. She isnt a child. She is a young adult. I have known her as a teenager, college student and now a young adult. Her parents have served in our church. I recently had the priviledge in supporting her as she shared with her parents some of the growth she has experienced in the program, and tonite I received such a beautiful email from her mother today thanking me. The truth was, that was one of the most nerve wracking things I have ever done in ministry service. I was scared out of my skin the whole time. But God went before us and carried us the distance that we needed to span. To Him be all the Glory.

Today I also had the opportunity to support a parent with a child who is ill. I was not sure how I could offer any support. I am not a pastor: merely a children's director but somehow God gave me the words she needed to hear and we cryed and prayed together. God is so faithful to us.


The best things in life are never free, but God is there in all of it. I surely felt that today as I served my church family. Thank you God for always being there when we need you, and also when we think we don't.

I was just thinking about how blessed I am to be able to serve in such a way that uses so many teaching styles and is so much fun. Despite so many hurdles to jump, I can't think of a better thing to do or a better place to be. Children's ministry is the thing to be do on Sunday morning.

The Message could not be adapted to your terminal

the squeeze

Today I felt the squeeze after staff meeting.

What is the squeeze?

It is a common problem for most growing churches. It is the problem of expanding ministries, and uses of the building sometimes to the point of detriment of the core ministries of the church.

For me the squeeze comes from no office space, limited storage space, growing attendance and a building that gets used literally 7 days a week.

Let me explain. I dont have an office. My work space is literally in the middle of the floor in the large group meeting area for the children's church which is more setup to be a sound booth. For me to work at my desk requires me to be in the middle whatever else is going on.

Children's ministry shares space at our church. The room that holds my "workspace" hosts the womens' Bible studies on Tuesday evenings and Thursday mornings. A homeschool group uses it all day on Wednesdays. On Wednesday evenings, the Jr High Youth group uses the room. On Saturdays, our Korean church hosts Sunday school in Korean for children from all over the area. Many people are reached for Christ and experience life change. We are blessed to be able to serve so many people.

Starting in the fall we will be opening a University Model School that will meet on MWF all day, the homeschool group will move to Tuesdays, the Youth and women's ministries will still use it as well. So will the Korean Church.

God is using our church for great things. It is amazing to watch people experience life in Christ.


But what about the Squeeze?
OK: here is the squeeze: There is not one day in the week that the room my workspace is in is not occupied. There are 4 evenings that it is not occupied. Monday (we have staff meetings that morning, so I could pull a 12 hour day) (LOL) Thursdays. But we are about to start having Sunday AM rehearsals on that night for the large group programming. Fridays and Saturdays. (An occasional wedding may trump that). Sunday nights? No the Senior High have it then too.

Our children's ministry is drama based. We have very involved sets to build, rehearsals, props and volunteers that need training. So I build sets in my garage, and have training meetings in my home. I come in at 7 AM for our 10:45 service because adult sunday school uses the space at 9:15.


Back to the actual squeeze:
Today at staff meeting, I politely tried to bring this up. I showed them on paper how when fall comes there will literally be nowhere and no time for me to work. I am really trying not to be whiney. I am trying not to sound too frustrated. All in all I have most everything I need for my ministry except an office. I point out that we have been with out a women's director for 6 months and the office is empty. A large closet was cleaned out for the new school office. I asked if there is a place I can work when September arrives.

I was told to come in on the evenings when the building is not in use. They had recently bought me a laptop so I could work from home. The laptop is a great perk. I love the thing!


BUT

Can a laptop prepare and set props or fill small group bins? I cant do the physical part of the ministry remotely through a laptop. And no one else could come in to help me because someopne else is still using the room.

I felt like I was forgotten. I felt left out. I felt as though my whole purpose and role as a staff member was devalued.

Sometimes others, even our bosses (senior or executive pastors, board members, etc) really dont get what it takes to do what a Children's Ministry Leader does.

Have you ever felt the squeeze?

PS I am part time. Just thought I would throw that in there for kicks.

the Hard Work and Heart Work of Children's Ministry

I thought to myself recently how things that happen in Children's Ministry to children's ministry leaders are SO unique to children's ministry experience, that I thought it might be good to find others to share in it with me. Sometimes the humor in it all is so funny that no one else could really even believe it unless they too were in children's ministry. Sometimes the responsiblity of reaching kids and families for Christ is so embattled by the circumstances, it feels overwhelming.

I had a friend once say that children's ministry is the hardest ministry in the church, and I would agree with that. Keeping track of wiggly kids with food allergies and special needs, and volunteers that come and go, parents who depend on us for the spiritual upbringing of their kids (whether or not that is good is another discussion) and then the simple business of running such a detail focused ministry can all become so burdensome.

On the other hand, children's ministry is so rewarding. The free smiles and hugs that come with each Sunday. Hearing the fervent prayer of a child. Seeing the fruit of a changed life. Experiencing the beauty of a child's tender heart. Seeing God change families through the children. The miracles of Children's Ministry are too many to count.

Does God take joy in Children's Ministry? Does He value what so many individuals pour their heart and soul into? I would say a certain "YES". Jesus left what he was doing to heal the daughter of Jairus. God spoke breath into the Shunammite's son. He allowed children to come to Him when the disciples turned them away. God called to Samuel in the night. Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. Yes, God does delight in the hearts of children.

Tomorrow, delight in the hearts of the children that God brings to you. He knows the plans that He has for each of them, their families, and He has ordained you for that moment to share in a part of that plan.