Not your usual church service

What an amazing day!

Today, as the Lord lead, Pastor Bil followed. It wasn't 3 songs, a message, and pray 'em out. Today it was a moving of the Spirit that left me in awe. Pastor Bil made it interesting by inviting the youth to join service. The youth lined the floor on the front of the stage as well as in the isles. As Bil challenged the big "C" church to believe in the next generation, he invited Jason and Lindsey Gerdes up on stage to thank them and to pray over them. It didn't stop there......

As the students, leaders and Pastor Jason & Lindsey returned to the youth area, they circled them and the prayer continued. It didn't stop there.......

Jason shared from his heart what he wants for each student that passes through the doors of Element Student Church, he wants them to pursue God with all they've got. Not get caught up in doing and saying the right thing, but purely chasing after God. Then Lindsey, through tears, begged each student not to leave that room without knowing Jesus as their Savior. It didn't stop there.....

Nicole and Emmi sat at a table holding hands with tears in their eyes. I saw them from the back of the room and sat down next to them. I asked if they were okay, they nodded but did not speak. I then asked the question, do you know Jesus? They both said no. I asked them if they would like to pray right now to receive the gift of eternal life. They both made the choice to follow Jesus. I told them after we prayed that there were angels rejoicing in Heaven. We all three cried.

The greatest part is, it doesn't stop here.

Tribes

"Tribes" by Seth Godin is a fantastic read. Short, sweet, to the point and filled with leadership inspiration!

"If you ignore this opportunity to lead, you risk turning into a "sheepwalker" -someone who fights to protect the status quo at all costs..."

"Some tribes are stuck. They embrace the status quo and drown out any tribe member who dares to question authority and the accepted order."

"A movement is thrilling. It's the work of many people, all connected, all seeking something better. The new highly leveraged tools of the Net make it easier than ever to create a movement, to make things happen, to get things done. All that's missing is leadership."

"Once you choose to lead, you'll be under huge pressure to reconsider your choice, to compromise, to dumb it down, or to give up. Of course you will. That's the world's job to get you to be quiet and follow."

"Leaders challenge the status quo. Leaders create a culture around their goal and involve others in that culture. Leaders have an extraordinary about of curiosity about the world they're trying to change. Leaders use charisma (in a variety of forms) to attract and motivate followers. Leaders communicate their vision of the future. Leaders commit to a vision and make decisions based on that commitment. Leaders connect their followers to one another."

No status quo......I choose to lead!!

Dave Wakerley hits the nail on the head

There are times when I read someone's blog that I get really fired up, this is one of those times. It doesn't seem like the most profound comment, but to someone who wants children to be the leaders God has called them to be....well, it just hits the nail on the head. Enjoy!!

www.davidwakerley.com

Dave writes;

I just read a short article in which Mark Batterson was talking about a book by Garry Kasparov titled “How Life Imitates Chess”.

Kasparov won his first world-championship chess match in 1985 and he dominated the chess qworld for several decades. In the book he shares some of the lessons he learned. Here is one of them: “A Grandmaster makes the best moves because they are based on what he wants the board to look like ten or twenty moves in the future.”

That is exactly why I serve children.

In their hands is the future - ten or twenty, or fifty years in the future.

Amen brother Dave!

Remington 11-87 wooden barrel interchangeable choke

Moving to Texas has allowed me and my family several new opportunities. We have become a surfing family, my dogs have embraced wave riding as well. Although this past week when we were at the beach I did have to become a "dog lifeguard" really fast when the rip tide started to take one of my dogs out into the wide open water!! I went from "dog lifeguard" to "gun buyer" within a day when I purchased my first shotgun. I have only shot a gun once. I didn't mean to, but I closed my eyes and missed the clay pigeon. So, why would I buy one? It was my husbands birthday! After attending a dove hunt, one of those new opportunities, I knew it would be the perfect present. So I called good friends who understand Texas life (and guns) and I was schooled in the gun buying ways. Did I want a classic wooden barrel or a synthetic barrel? Automatic? 12 gage? How much do you want to spend?

After answering all the questions, my friend helped me find the perfect gun match for my husband. Right before we hung up, my friend said; "Stacey Windover, you are buying a GUN!!" yep, we were both laughing!!

I know, I serve children, why am I writing about guns? It just doesn't seem to match up does it?? Stay with me....

My DNA is children's ministry. These new opportunities have opened my mind to doing life a different way, which has led me to rethink how ministry can be done in different ways. I am always thinking and praying about God's will for His ministry. You can learn so much from other people and other churches, but I am a strong believer that you need to know the culture of your church and community to fully understand what God wants from your leadership. We are told to spur one another on! To share our experiences with everyone, we are all on the same team serving the same God! As leaders though, we need to filter through the information to see the leadership nuggets, not try to copy what another church has done. One of the best places to start is with your own volunteers. Go to www.surveymonkey.com and create a free 10 question questionnaire. Ask simple questions like;

What is our vision?
What do we value?
What do you think we do well?
Where do you think we need to improve?
Do you feel that children are growing closer to God in our children's ministry?
Do we communicate well with parents?

Ask questions, read the answers and dream big dreams! When you open your mind and heart to what God wants to do, you just never know what will happen! Hello....I purchased a shotgun!!! By the way, it's a sweet gun and my husband loved it!!

leopards really can't change their spots

I received two calls this week from children's pastors on opposite coasts with the same situation. Someone on their staff had decided not to be a team player and the question was the same, should they be fired??

Both of these team members exhibited a pattern of negativity over several months that was addressed. Accountability was put in place, but unfortunately as the old saying goes, a leopard can't change it's spots.

As I spoke to both of these leaders it was clear they chose to do everything they could to help the team members turn from their negative ways and choose to be team players. Both leaders made sure there was an opportunity to heal any and all hurts. I respect that so much! They wanted to do "whatever it takes" to help these sisters in Christ have the opportunity to change. Unfortunately not all leaders choose this path. I am so honored to call both of these amazing leaders friends. It's always difficult to release team members, but taking the extra steps to be Jesus with skin in the process is always the best (and most healthy) way to go.

Hurricane Response

Just the church being the church.......THANK YOU Jesus!!

Hurricane Ike Relief
Hey BAF

We have an opportunity to make a difference for the people who have been hit by Hurricane Ike. There is a need for bottled water and non-perishable food items for most of the people in the city of Houston. Now is the time for the body of Christ to be the Body! Doyles Oil Field Equipment and Wilcox Furniture have teamed up to help in this crisis. Let’s reach out and help them together by dropping off the following items at Wilcox Furniture in the Sunrise Mall Parking lot between 12-10 pm Wednesday through Friday:

-Bottled Water
-Gatorade
-Bread
-Peanut Butter
-Tuna
-Chili
-Ramen Noodles
-Soup
-Corn/Flour Tortillas
-Refried Beans
-Diapers
-Baby Wipes
-Candles
-Matches

Also needed are people to man the trucks during these loading sessions. People will only be needed in 30 minute increments. To volunteer contact.
Joe Windover

Pastor Bil Cornelius
Bay Area Fellowship

Wow! I am totally blown away by the incredible response from the BAF family. My husband and I have only been part of this amazing community for 2 months and I feel truly blessed. Thank you for being the church! Because of you, God is being made famous right here in Corpus Christi and all over the Houston area!

Ike took a hike...

I can't believe I am writing this in sunny weather with no hurricane damage. The early reports looked like we were going to see the eye with our very own eyes, but you never know what a hurricane will do, there's a statement huh?!? Just change hurricane to God and it's a great blog post....

God can not be boxed in, we can not guess or know what He is up to. One of my favorite things to say (I wish I knew who I heard it from first so I could give credit where credit is due), is "When God causes a wave, grab your surfboard and enjoy the ride!" Crazy thing is I used to say that when I lived in Michigan and didn't own a surfboard. Now, in S. Texas we own 6 surfboards and I understand that little ditty a bit better!! I am really embracing what it means to enjoy the ride!! God is causing a big wave and I am ready to grab the board! Where will it take me??? I have no idea, I just want to glorify God wherever I go!!

Eeeek......IKE!!

If you have a minute, could you please pray for hurricane Ike to weaken? Corpus Christi is supposed to get a direct hit at this point, but you never know with a hurricane. Only God knows!!! Please pray that God will protect us and that we will have safe travels as we evacuate.

My husband wants to surf before we leave, I guess you could say we are really new at this hurricane thing!

Thanks for your prayers!

Psalm 91

About a year ago a friend called me and asked me to pray with them for each high school football game. Pray for the players and coaches from both teams to know Jesus as their Savior, to be safe as they play (no injuries), and to enjoy each game.

I shared with my little prayer warrior a great Psalm to pray, Psalm 91. So each week for 14 weeks my friend walked the football field and prayed Psalm 91. It didn't stop there, my friend printed out Psalm 91, laminated it and put in on the visor of their truck so they would never forget to pray for the players and coaches.

Well, football season ended, but the prayers have never stopped and this year on the first football Friday I received a call from my friend. Psalm 91 right Stacey?!?!! Absolutely!!

We drove together to the first game, it was 2 1/2 hours away and my friend showed me a stack of laminated cards. Yep, you guessed it! My friend printed Psalm 91 out for each player on the team. I was handed one with all the "you's" changed to my son's name. My friend was so excited but a little nervous to hand out each one not knowing if the family they were giving it to was even a believer! What a bold Jesus thing to do! I love to see people just be obedient to God's call on their life!

What a sweet aroma to our amazing God.

the orchard blog

Orchard Valley Community Church in Aurora, IL is utilizing "Twitter" to help their church community experience prayer rhythms. Scott Hodge, lead pastor, taught on the spiritual practice of prayer rhythms and is now providing a tool to help people grow in their relationship with Christ. I am personally loving each "tweet." I stop what I am doing and just pray, refreshing, awesome, amazing, sign up for twitter and check out the blog. Here is this mornings prayer........

Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights. (Psalm 148:1)

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy Name. (Psalm 103:1)

Yet another said, ‘I will follow you, sir; but let me first say good-bye to my people at home.’ To him Jesus said, ‘No one who sets his hand to the plough and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’ (Luke 9:61-62)

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to the beginning of his day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purposes; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

comeback

I love college football, seriously I'm not kidding. Right now I am watching the SEC football rewind game from Nov 07 Tennessee v Kentucky. The announcers just said what an amazing comeback.

I can't think of a better comeback than the day Jesus returns, and I can't think of anything better to do until that day than teach children all about our amazing God.

Whew, I just said "Amen" out loud without anyone around!

Ephesians 3:20

This past weekend during service, the band played "Today is the Day" by Lincoln Brewster. It's an awesome song that has hints of "This is the day." The entire service was amazing and reminded me of how great our God is. He can and will do more than we could ever ask or imagine! God is in control, He is good! I feel so blessed and so free right now to do whatever He asks of me!

Camp KidJam

What an amazing week at Camp KidJam!

The kids had a blast! The teaching was amazing, games were right on their level, the energy during the jam sessions was off the charts and the small group activities totally hit the mark. Not only do your kids have an amazing time, all leaders have the opportunity to attend leader training where the Orange philosophy is explained and leaders are encouraged.

I would highly recommend this camp experience to anyone considering camp next year.

a snake and a hurricane

It's been a crazy week down here in Corpus Christi, Texas. First, let's unpack what happened this past Sunday morning.......

Let me start with the fact that we are currently using Empowering Kids "Fear Knot" curriculum for children birth through fifth grade and lesson one talked about how we can untie the fear knot of snakes by first calming down. The Lord said to Gideon calm down, do not be afraid. We can be calm in the face of fear because God says we can. I learned that first hand Sunday morning at 7am. I pushed the garage door button and as I watched the door rise I saw my first Texas snake! No joke! I shut the door and said to my husband; “Joey, there’s a snake outside.” The one thing my husband is not fond of more than anything else is snakes. But the fear did not paralyze him, he took a shovel and took care of the snake…………….make sure no children are reading this……………he killed it and threw it into the neighbors yard, well technically it’s going to be a neighbors yard in the future, right now it’s just an empty lot. I did think about how amazing God’s timing is though, come on, I have lived here almost a year and I have not seen one snake, and the weekend we are teaching about not being afraid of snakes one shows up at my door?? Amazing!

Then, I heard about Dolly! My first thought was; “Is lesson two fear of drowning?” So I called Craig Jutila and told him I wasn’t so sure we could finish this Fear Knot series, I just don’t know if I can make it though all eight fears if I have to try them out each weekend! We are covering fear of the dark, heights, spiders, bullies, scary movies, strangers and drowning. Anyone want to trade places?? Just kidding, I’m not afraid because I can do all things through the almighty God who gives me strength!!

Did I mention DOLLY?? Hurricane Dolly decided to say hello, (okay I couldn't resist! I know you are now singing; "Hello Dolly, well hello Dolly.") It wasn't so nice to have her around though. It was my first hurricane as well. I spoke to a good friend from "up north" and told her I wish there was a t-shirt or something I could buy that said "Baby's First Hurricane" but, no luck! It wasn't so bad here in Corpus Christi, lots of rain and wind, we were fortunate though because the eye did not pass over us.

So, how was your week??

Phil Vischer's new deal

I just took at peek at an amazing new venture from Phil Vischer. Think Nickelodeon, Disney, Empowering Kids, Webkins, PBS, and the Bible all together in one place. What does that look like? There is a 28 min promo at www.jellytelly.tv. Check it out...

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Location, location, location rolls off the tongue so nicely. People know what it means and it's repeated several times so it must be important. This isn't something new, Jesus did it, "Do you love me?...feed my sheep. Do you love me?....feed my sheep" Jesus would not have repeated it if it wasn't important!

I can honestly say in my experience the most important thing in a healthy team approach to ministry is communication. For whatever reason, the church is full of people who are just plain passive aggressive. Being direct is not as common as you would think. We are supposed to speak the truth in love, not love the truth but don't say anything.

Too often harmony comes into play. People are often paralyzed with worry about hurting someones feelings. Therein lies the problem. Speaking the truth in love may end up with hurt feelings during the initial conversation, but that is never the intention. Before any opportunity to practice my "speaking the truth in love" skills I make sure I am prayed up and all emotions are taken out of the conversation.

About 15 years ago, a friend told me I call a spade a spade. I didn't quite know how to take that, was it good in "church world" to be frank or was it bad? I must say I was taken aback by that comment, but not for very long. I personally like to know where I stand without any game playing. I have seen too many leaders in the church act one way when in public and another in private. I pray I never fall into that trap. I also pray I don't go so far in my frankness that I become callus. I guess like anything else, it's a balancing act. Maybe as church leaders we should adopt the following mantra; "Communicate Communicate Communicate." It's repeated three times, Jesus style if you will, so it must be important. I think communication makes a staff stronger by eliminating assumptions, defensiveness, and hidden agendas, and by allowing the team to speak the same language. I can just see it now....mugs, t-shirts, lanyards....maybe not, but if we all start communicating better, unity isn't so far out of reach.

Day 6

It would have been nice if I decided to start with day 1, but oh well, you can check out days 1-5 at www.fromorphanstoesthers.blogspot.com.

As I sit here and reflect on what God has done over the past week I am thankful, humbled, and I feel extremely blessed. I have listened to stories of these little ones who are not adoptable because their parents haven't signed off so to say, or because they have 4 other siblings (unless of course you want to add all 5 to your family), and I feel so sad. The living conditions in the orphanages are not horrible, in fact they are pretty decent. They are clean, that's for sure, but they are just so old; lots of metal and concrete. What makes me sad though is the thought of them not being able to have a family. I am sure the children at the orphanage and their caretakers try their absolute best to provide a similar experience, I just don't think it comes close.

I have been texting my family each day (several times a day) and the bond and love I have for them can not be manufactured in an orphanage. I received a text that just said, "hi mommy, i miss you" from my 15 year old daughter, I can't imagine how much those children miss their moms and dads, or for those who have never had a mom and dad, how much they long for the day someone shows up at the orphanage to take them home. Some of these sweet children have never known that kind of love, I pray that someday they will, maybe someday my husband and I can be the ones who show up, maybe.

Kazakhstan Link

I am currently in Kazakhstan. If you would like to check out what's happening, go to the following link;
www.fromorphanstoesthers.blogspot.com

weekly update

Each week, I send via email a "weekly update" to every volunteer and any parent who would like one. This week I sent this......

Real Kids Update

June 19, 2008

In the book “My Life as a Furry Red Monster,” Kevin Clash (who is the voice and puppeteer of Elmo) talks about giving and receiving love by sharing the story below;

“Back in December of 2001, we held the first and only MuppetFest in Santa Monica……Now this wasn’t a gathering of kids; the audience was a collection of adults who grew up watching the show, a number of them dressed in full walk-around costumes of their favorite Muppet, and I noticed more than one super-size Elmo…..Most of all, the stuff they knew—from behind-the-scenes trivia to highly technical details—blew me away…It was great to have such an intelligent and passionate audience, and we tried to have fun with it all, but then something happened to put the whole thing into perspective and to remind us why we were up there in the first place.

We’d placed a microphone in each aisle, where people lined up to ask their questions. At one point, I noticed a stirring in the audience, and I saw a little African American girl walking down the aisle. I thought maybe she’d gotten up to stand beside her mommy or something like that. I kept an eye on her. She didn’t stop by anyone in line; she just kept coming. We were on a raised stage, and when she got right up to the edge of it, she rested her elbows on the stage floor and cupped her chin on her hands, staring straight in my direction. But she wasn’t looking at Kevin Clash. “Hi, Elmo!” she piped.

Steve Whitmire was fielding a question about the responsibility he felt in taking over as Kermit after Jim Henson died, so I don’t think too many people heard her. I did, but I didn’t want to interrupt Steve’s response. “Hi, Elmo,” she repeated. “I love you.”

This time her voice was louder. I couldn’t let Elmo ignore her, so I had him wave, but I knew that wouldn’t hold her. I was dying to get Elmo over to her. By this time, the folks in the front rows who’d seen and heard her started murmuring, and Steve and everyone else onstage were looking at the little girl. I went to the edge of the stage. Elmo bento over and hugged her and said, “Hello. Elmo loves you, too.” He put his arms around her and hugged and kissed her. That girl’s smile lit up the entire darkened portion of the auditorium. She hugged him back and they said their good-byes before she gleefully ran back to her mother.

The audience burst into applause. This little girl could not come to an event where her friend was and not say hello to him. She had to connect with him and tell him that she loved him. All the rest, the reminiscences and the revelations about new developments, didn’t matter to her. After that exchange with the child, that stuff seemed to matter a little less to those of us onstage and in the audience, too. That’s the power of giving and receiving love.”

I love the part where he goes “to the edge of the stage.” He went where he needed to be to impact a child. Sounds like a children’s ministry volunteer to me. Each week, you go where you are needed for God to work through you to impact His children so they can know Jesus as their personal Savior.

Thank you for serving in Real Kid’s and for going “to the edge of the stage.”

Faith, Hope & Love,

Stacey

I don't know how to explain this, but after reading that again, I was totally ENCOURAGED! Actually, I think I do know how to explain it, THANK YOU GOD! As my friend Don would say.."You Rock!"

soakin' it in...

I was in Holland Michigan this past week at Craig Jutila's Liquid conference. The Holland group was amazing! They were truly like little sponges. As I talked about lifechange for children through small groups all eyes were attentive and the questions were such a blessing!

One big surprise was the response to the "Lawnmower" song. Only those who love to serve children would even understand the value of such a crazy tool! Gary Lindsay was my favorite part of that song. I adore that amazing leader! Irving Bible Church in Dallas is very blessed to have such a passionate visionary leader as their Children's Pastor.

The next stop on the tour is Kansas, you just might want to check it out! www.liquidleadership.tv

i'm challenged....

Thank you Perry Noble for challenging me to stay focused, actually, thank you for challenging the CHURCH!

Here is what Mr. Noble had to say;

Be who God called you to be…take risks…pray “stupid” prayers…ask people for commitment…believe in those no one else dared to believe in…PREACH JESUS…listen to the Holy Spirit…give everything your best…spend time BEGGING God to change lives…understand that God wants your church to grow more than you do…stop trying to make people happy…take some time for yourself…hire the people God tells you to hire…LEARN DAILY…spend whatever amount of money you need to spend to grow…develop your strengths, delegate your weaknesses…ignore your critics…STOP trying to be someone else…HONOR GOD’S GIFTING AND CALLING ON YOUR LIFE!!!

I think I'm going to put that on my refrigerator!!

the "littlepastor" has big wisdom

I read a blog this week that really struck a cord. I love children's ministry. I am a children's minister. One thing I am unable to understand is the mentality of people who think that children's ministry is just "child care." Does not compute....

Jonathan Cliff wrote a letter on his blog that I thought was absolutely brilliant, I wish I could send it to all of the parents who have children in our children's ministry, but I'm not so sure it would be taken the right way, so I decided to post his letter here. You can also check out his blog at www.jonathancliff.com.

Dear Parents,

Hi, I'm a pastor at the church you attend. Yep, that church. But I'm not your typical pastor. I'm a pastor to your children. It's hard to define exactly what that means, but basically you could say that I work with the kids. Which in turn, means that I work with their families. Which you being in their family, means that I work with you. In fact, you could call me your pastor if you wanted to (or you could just call me Jonathan.)

I wanted to make you aware of a few things as it pertains to your kids' Church Experience. So here goes.

* You are invited to be a part of what is happening. I'll need a background check, and I'll get you a name badge; but after that you're home free into the world of your kid's church experience.
* You never inconvenience me when you ask what's going on in your kid's areas. I love the questions. Yes, read that again.... You are free to question me about anything that you see or hear while in and/or around the children's areas. I'd love some feedback, and I'd love to share what we're exploring in the bible with you anytime. I'll even buy you lunch and we can talk at length. I love talking about what's happening in the lives of your children. I never tire of the questions, bring them on!
* I am not in the business of childcare. True, I do provide care for your children while you attend church, but what my team and I do is so much more than that. From the people that change your newborns diapers up until they leave the 5th grade my team is pouring into their lives through teaching, prayer, and relationship. But you ask, How can you teach my 3 month old? Well, we don't exactly teach them; as much as we prepare an environment that is coated in prayer for the future of your little one. Yep, we really do pray over your babies.
* Please don't ask me if your kid is "saved." For goodness sake, ask them! We give your kids ample opportunities to receive Christ at church; but it's always better if a parent walks them through those steps. If your confused about what that means, then I'll make sure your saved; and then I'll tell you how to talk to your kid about it. It'll be great, just wait and see!
* If your kid gets in trouble at church, then they really got in trouble. We do everything in our power to make church as fun, and as NOT like school as humanely possible. We give second and third chances to just about everyone; but as some point we have to protect the integrity of our areas and eliminate the presence of those children that choose to be a distraction. I have years of experience with this, and if you will just support what we're trying to do then it won't take but a few short weeks for your kid to step in line and never (or rarely) be a problem again. Did you read that? I need you to support what we do.
* Be nice to my team. I know that getting kids ready for church on a Sunday Morning can be a challenge; and sometimes leads to bad feelings and ugly dispositions. (I do in fact have three of my very own.) But remember that those people standing at the door, checking in your kids, and giving of their time to serve your family are doing it for free. Just be nice to them. You can write me all the nasty emails you want on Monday morning, but try and be nice to these wonderful servants at your church.

Finally, I want you to know that I really do love your kids. Sometimes they can be difficult to love, but they are all lovable in their own unique way. Really! It's true.

Sincerely,

Me

would you go a quarter mile for an orphan?

This past Sunday, I had the sweetest little girl give me her quarter tube completely full. I am talking completely full!!! There is a line that shows $15.00 on the tube and when she handed me the quarter tube I said “Wow, this is $15.00 going to help the orphanage in Kazakhstan.” She said; “Mrs. Stacey, it’s actually a little more.” She was completely right! That quarter tube was filled all the way to the top! She was so excited! She truly understands that she is helping other kids all the way across the world from where she lives in Texas.


Then, I heard the rest of the story…….


Her mom shared with me that she took her quarter tube to school everyday. The first day she came home a little sad because no one wanted to give her a quarter to help the orphans in Kazakhstan. But, she didn’t give up; she really wanted to bring her quarter tube in completely full by Sunday. She asked a couple of teachers and continued to carry her quarter tube where ever she went. Each day after school her mom asked, “Do you have your quarter tube?” which she would reply; “Yep,” until Thursday when they couldn’t find it. As panic set in, her big sister found it in the car between the seats.


Her mom also shared with me that she has never seen her daughter so excited about giving back to God. This has given her the opportunity to help her daughter understand what it means to tithe. In fact, this little one had five $1 dollar bills. She chose an amount to give to God but she didn’t ask her mom to turn them into quarters for her tube; instead her mom helped her fill out her first offering envelope.


How amazing and beautiful is that? As I write this sweet story down I am fighting back tears! How amazing our God is to allow us to serve His little ones! I sometimes think I could not be more passionate about serving kids, I am wrong; I am more passionate today than I have ever been! All praise and glory be to HIM!


Quarter tubes..............................free from Hadassah's Hope
Quarters...................................$.25
Children with a biblical world view........priceless!

www.hadassahshope.org

girl don't go away mad....girl just go away

The Orange Conference was a much needed retreat for me. I just needed to go away and refuel!

Reg Joiner started it off by reminding us of our mission...to be focused on those who do not yet know the love.
Sue MIller kicked it Jesus style.
Francis Chan was inspiring. That man is under the glory spout if you know what I mean.
Donald Miller is such a gifted storyteller! I love that there is a parade that no one can watch, they must join.
Andy Stanley, WOW!
Louis Giglio wrapped it up as only he can.

That's just the main stage speakers, the breakouts were just as amazing!
I am ready to continue ministering to children for however long God would have me do so. If you are looking for an amazing conference that will challenge you, inspire you, and refuel you, I would highly recommend the 2009 Orange Conference.

water the camels too

I just had the privilege of hanging out with a growing church in Bellingham, Washington. Great volunteers committed to reaching Whatcom county for Jesus. As I got to know this team, it was apparent each area (nursery team, preschool team, elementary team, midweek team) cared about each other, but they weren't necessarily caring for each other.

We chatted a lot about a unified approach to ministry as well as going the extra mile for each other regardless if they served on the weekend or during the week. The story of Abraham's servant finding Isaac's wife really stood out.

12 Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'-let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar."
18 "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking."

What if we all took that approach in children's ministry? What if we decided to really communicate with each other? Sometimes when we try to talk to each other about what is happening it's the "just tell me what I need to know so I can go," kind of communication, we do just what we need to do, but we don’t take the time to truly understand each other.
We need to find a way to get into each others circles, really try to understand what's happening in each area and find a way to water the camels too. We are all on the same team serving the same God. It's time to find a way each and every day to go the extra mile, with our teams and with the children we serve. People have good intentions, but it's time to do the unexpected, show up, care about each other....."water the camels too!"

Sesame Street Leadership #8 Snuffleupagus Leaders

Snuffleupagus Leaders are extremely loyal,
but are afraid to take risks.

Remember snuffy? He would appear sporadically and normally to Big Bird. In fact some people didn't even believe snuffy existed, but he did! You know who these people are! They want to serve but are so afraid of making a mistake they just don't. They don't want to disappoint anyone, especially the "leader." Laura was my snuffy leader. She was willing to do whatever it took to make sure children have every opportunity to cross the line of faith, she just wanted to make sure she didn't do something wrong or disappoint her leader. I was happy to walk through the process with her.

1. Encourage them by building a relationship and helping them identify their fears.
2. Grow them by walking through a project together to build confidence.

I answered every question she had and helped her understand she does not have to worry about how I felt, she was serving Jesus, not me or any other leader. She is one of the most loyal, committed, and loving volunteers I have ever had the privilege of serving with!

Sesame Street Leadership #7 Cookie Monster Leaders

Cookie Monster Leaders are high capacity leaders, but get bored easily.

"If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance." Mark 8:3a NAS

Remember the story of the loaves and the fishes? People who wanted to know more came from all over and Jesus made sure they were fed. This makes me think of those high capacity leaders. They may not walk for days or even a mile for that matter, but they are willing to get to your ministry location and serve God. They want to take on the tasks that seem overwhelming to others, and they want one right after another!

High capacity, aka Cookie Monster leaders do not want you to watch over their shoulder either, they want to be empowered to do what you have asked them to do, just make sure the boundaries are set.

One of the most high capacity leaders I have ever met loves a good challenge but she always makes sure she's not a maverick. She wants to know the boundaries, be set free, finish the task and arrive back for more! As leaders we need to be prepared for the next task for these leaders!

Cookie monster need food! Mmmmm Mmmm more cookies!!!

1. Encourage them by providing challenging tasks.
2. Grow them by giving feedback and empowering them to complete the task.

Sesame Street Leadership #6 Global Grover Leaders

Global Grover leaders are incredibly friendly, but lack organization.

Can you say check in? How about greeter? Nothing like the most friendly volunteers in the whole wide world!! I love Becky, she is the sweetest person I have ever met. Becky started out behind the scenes setting up rooms and she just wilted. This was not her sweet spot, Becky loves people! In fact, her love for people can be seen for miles! It was time for Becky to serve in a social setting. She started greeting and checking in families as they arrived for ministry. She made sure everyone who arrived knew where they were going and that we are so excited to have the opportunity to serve their family. Sometimes though, she gets caught up in the conversation part of her service and priorities go out the window.

1. Encourage them by providing a social setting in which to serve.
2. Grow them by listing priorities and setting goals.

It was so rewarding to help Becky organize her check in routine. She is such an awesome example of a servant finding pure joy as she serves her maker!!

Sesame Street Leadership #5 Bert & Ernie Leaders

Bert & Ernie Leaders have great chemistry, but forget they are part of a team.

Tony and Tina, (yes it's their real names....jk lol!) make a great team. They have not only come up with an amazing way to bring the Bible story to life, they are willing to get the costumes and props together and teach it on Wednesday night to the first graders. Tina is quick with Tony's one liners and bringing him back on track when his ADD kicks in during a lesson. Tony is willing to play the goof ball roll because Tina makes sure the kids know how it relates to their relationship with Jesus. When Tina struggles with the last point, Tony is there with just the right reminder to get her back on track.

Oh yeah, you know Tony and Tina, they are just so excited about serving together they could just pop! They have created scripts together or have co-lead the three year old room with absolute excellence, where ever they are, they are having a blast because their chemistry is just right!! The upside is.....they are a great example of how we can be joyful as we serve together, the downside is.....they are oblivious there are other team members around.

It's tough to help Bert & Ernie Leaders understand how they fit into the big picture. They are serving AND they play well with others, so what's the deal? When I first tried to explain what I was seeing, both of these volunteers were offended, which was the last thing I wanted to do! I made sure I shared with them my confidence in their giftedness, and then shared the vision of a team approach. They light came on for both of them, they could actually help other team members find more joy by including them as they served!! It may sound basic, but sometimes leaders are so focused on their serving spot they don't see the others around them.

1. Encourage them by expressing your confidence in their abilities.
2. Grow them by showing them the vision and telling them the role they play.

Sesame Street Leadership #4 Oscar the Grouch Leaders

Oscar the Grouch leaders are constantly negative, but crave respect.

There are two different kinds of negative leaders, the leaders who are just negative to be negative and the leaders who are negative because they haven't had a strong leader speak into their lives.

"Molly" (no, it's not her real name) is a very passionate servant of God's littlest creations. She is a very good leader of the birth through age 3 age group, she is administrative, loves those babies, and truly loves her maker, but I had to release her for a couple of months. Why?!? Life was overwhelming and during the building process she became bitter, negative and felt no one knew how hard she worked. She was so negative, she was actually called the "nursery natzi." After talking to her, it was a mutual decision that she would take a 3 month break to sit at the feet of Jesus and refuel. When 3 months had passed, she actually saw the change in herself. She didn't even notice how negative she had become.

What are the two ways to help an "Oscar the Grouch" leader?

1. Encourage them by providing an avenue in which to speak.
2. Grow them by giving personal attention and confronting them about their critical spirit.

Sesame Street Leadership #3 Elmo Leaders

Elmo leaders bring excitement, but forget about follow through.

I love what I would call an "Elmo" leader! They have more energy than you could every imagine! One of these leaders, who I will call Tom, because that's his name, is ready and willing to serve God by sharing the 9 million ideas on how to do __________, you fill in the blank! He cracks me up! He get's so excited about each idea, that it is easy for him to forget about the follow through. He's just ready to dream big about the next big thing.

1. Encourage them by listening to their ideas and dreams.
2. Grow them by creating a step by step game plan that takes them to the finish line and keeps them focused.

I love seeing the look on Tom's face when he follows an idea through to completion, it's almost as exciting as the idea itself!

Kazakhstan Mission Trip 2008

Hadassah's Hope is sponsoring a mission trip to Kazakshtan June 20-July 1, 2008. We will be working in the orphanages in Taraz and helping rebuild some of their bathrooms. The cost for the trip is $4200 which includes all your expenses. I can't wait to go on this life changing journey, prayerfully consider joining us!

If you want to be a part of the team, email elizabeth@hadassahshope.org.

Sesame Street Leadership #2 Count Von Count Leaders

Okay, start thinking about those you lead who focus on numbers.......got a name?........... I like to call these the "Count Von Count" leaders.

Count Von Count leaders are passionate, but must be reminded of the value of serving.

I almost lost one of these leaders. Mr. John is an amazing small group leader. He had been following the same group of boys for two years when a couple of kids decided they were not going to continue with the small group the next year. Mr. John wanted all 8 boys to return and felt totally deflated that his group would shrink, not grow the following year. What to do, what to do, he was so focused on the numbers he wasn't thinking about the value in serving even one child!

1. Encourage them by fanning the flame.
2. Grow them by showing them the fruit of their service.

I asked the parents of the remaining group members to send a note of what Mr. John has meant to their son. Those notes encouraged him as well as revealed to him the fruit of his service.

Sesame Street Leadership #1 Big Bird Leaders

Big Bird Leaders have the ability to see the
vision, but need to be corralled.

I am sure you already have this person in mind. They are ready to do whatever it takes to see the vision to fruition. Almost to a fault, they need a leader who is willing to keep them corralled long enough to keep the vision on track. How do you do that?

1. Encourage them by constantly painting the picture.
2. Grow them by giving boundaries and emphasizing the importance of teamwork.

By doing these two things, you will have a leader who is ready, willing, and able to partner with you in order for God's will to be accomplished.

soak it up

Wow!! The first Liquid regional gathering is now done. What an awesome weekend, short but awesome! I am always amazed at all the ideas that are shared when leaders realize they are better together. As I listened during the small group sessions, I was blown away at the honesty, the willingness to share and the abilty for everyone in the room to accept there is no "expert" on children's ministry! What a beautiful thing!!

all 50 states

This should have never taken 7 minutes!

In 7m 24s

Click here to Play

Sidney & Norman

I have 3 teenagers who need picked up after school at 3 different times. After picking up my youngest I parked the "bus" by the track and as we waited for my oldest to finish track practice I read "Sidney and Norman" outloud. It's an awesome little story about 2 pigs that God decided to have a little chat with. After I read the book, my daughter smiled from ear to ear. I think she identified with the pig who just needed to hear God say "I love you, I love you, I love you."

So often in childrens ministry children arrive with the same need. They need to hear that God loves them just the way He made them. Not if they sit quietly and listen to the story, or if they color within the lines, just the way they are. It's not only the children that arrive empty, volunteers need to know they are loved too! By God and by you, their leader. Something to look for this weekend.

the sandbox

I love the movie Aladdin. It's been a long time since I have watched it, but the message is timeless. The beginning of the movie starts with a monologging peddler who first shows us the lamp...

I can see that you're only interested in the exceptionally rare. I think then, you would be most rewarded to consider...this. (PEDDLER pulls the MAGIC LAMP out from his sleeve.) Do not be fooled by its commonplace appearance. Like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts.

The world is full of people who spend more time working on their outside appearance and forget to focus on what's inside. Better yet, who is inside.
This isn't new, I Samuel 16:7 in the Old Testament says;

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Preschoolers are really good at this. The haven't yet received their worldly training on what is "in" and what isn't. They are quick to accept anyone into their sandbox to play, they just tell them what they are playing and what the rules are. Sounds a lot like orientation to children's ministry to me!

Welcome to Children's Ministry!! You are Jesus with skin. Here is our philosophy and strategy.

Even in the sandbox, preschoolers are willing to tell their friends they can't play if they are going to throw sand or not follow the rules, they can go play on the swings instead. I think that's a great reminder that not everyone is wired to play in the "children's ministry sandbox" if you will, and that's okay, we just need to direct them to another area of service in the church. It's all good, really, it is!!

truth, respect, loyalty and excellence

Wow!! After I read this post from Perry Noble, I felt goosebumps rise on my arms. I love what Mr. Noble says about awesome team members, and for the record, I agree with every one!!

Four Qualities Of An Awesome Team Member

#1 - An Awesome Team Member ALWAYS Tells The Truth.

I have a rule with the leadership team that I serve with. (Who are they–another post, another time…but for now they are Jason, Jason, Tony, Paul, Shane, Trish and LB.) Here’s the rule…

When we sit in our staff meetings I want nothing but the raw, honest, painful truth about ANYTHING that we happen to be discussing/working through.

I am not one of those guys who allows only certain things to be said to me on certain days…I want honesty from those closest to me.

Let me say this…as a leader YOU must make sure to do all that you can to create this type of environment. You MUST invite conflict. For example, I’ve seen people give looks of disapproval when people make a comment but not speak up…and so I will say, “Hey Jason, it seems you didn’t agree with what Tony just said–what are you thinking?”

YES…it does create tension…but this is how the best decisions are made.

The same is true in our creative team…if I share an idea and it is not good–I want to know! AND…if I perceive that someone isn’t being truthful with me…I want them off of the team! Life is too short to surround myself with people who blow smoke up my rear end…I want the truth!

(By the way…this was not my idea…it comes from every successful leader I’ve ever seen.)

#2 - An Awesome Team Member ALWAYS Respects Everyone Else On The Team.

I am HUGE when it comes to respect. I am convinced that THE only reason that I am where I am in life is because of the favor and blessing of God, NEITHER of which I deserve…and so when it comes to our environment I do not want it to be a “respect Perry only” place…but EVERYONE respects EVERYONE.

Let me be VERY clear here…I respect EVERYONE on the team I serve with…and if I didn’t respect them then they would not be in the room leading with me. I LOVE these people…and when they speak…I LISTEN. God has used them to fire me up, inspire me, teach me AND humble me…and ANYONE of them can come to me at any time and share with me what is on their hearts because I respect them.

BUT…they also share that same respect with one another–which is ESSENTIAL for a successful team. If there is disrespect among the team members then you team will always drift towards dysfunction.

#3 - An Awesome Staff Member Is Always Loyal.

One of the things our team knows and understands is this–we all have each other’s backs!

Now let me be VERY clear…we would NEVER conceal any type of sin and disguise it as “being loyal.” That, to me, is overriding a Biblical mandate with a desire for comfort.

BUT…when someone else comes up to one of us and tries to talk smack about someone else on the team–we don’t put up with that–EVER.

Trust is ESSENTIAL for a team to achieve its maximum potential. You can’t sit around a table with people who you believe are going to go out of the room and bash you to their friends and co-workers. If I didn’t perceive that someone on the team was loyal to the entire team…they would be gone.

Behind closed doors anyone is free to say anything to anyone…but when we walk out of that room we do so with one vision…and we won’t allow people to take our eyes off of it.

#4 -An Awesome Team Member Never Seeks To Do The Minimum.

If you have someone on the team who is constantly trying to get out of work (OR who wants a divine marching band to play for him/her every time they seemingly go above and beyond)–WATCH OUT!

One of the incredible things about the team I serve with is that I KNOW that NO ONE that sits around the table has EVERY thought, “How can I do as little as possible and still seem to be getting my job done?’

I serve with people who have a pit bull type of intensity. When we come up with a project and assign it to whoever…they don’t halfway do it and then throw out excuses…they MAKE things happen…and are committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure that God’s work is done with EXCELLENCE.

Jesus Christ did not change the world with half-hearted, lazy, self seeking people whose biggest desire was to be solitaire on their computer! He turned the world upside down with men and women who were willing to go wherever and do whatever He asked of them…and He’s still seeking the same type of people today.

Hope that helps…

new facility and some fish

We will be moving into a new facility in 6 months.

Some of you might think that because of the move, I wouldn't worry about what the current facility looks like, nope, not the case. Over the past two weeks, I have brainstormed with an incredibly creative friend, painted rooms with amazing volunteers, drove 4 hours to Ikea in Houston where we rented a trailer just to bring all the goodies home, and started setting up a couple of the environments. We aren't done yet, but we will be before Easter.

What a buzz this is causing! Some are excited, some wonder why.....................me, I just get goosebumps as I see the jaws of 5th graders drop to the floor with their eyes as big as quarters. I actually overheard one 5th grade student say, "I'm never going to miss a class now."

It never ceases to amaze me what happens when you remember, as Craig Jutila says; "It's the little things that make a little difference that make a big difference." Keeping the details on your radar is a must. One of my favorite finds is a fish tank frame, it's a real fish tank with a totally cool frame!! How fun is that?!??? I can't wait for it to arrive, the only question I have is what kind of fish should I buy? Got any ideas?

today's top ten

How can we draw people to the church? I'm not sure there is a one word answer, but www.churchredone.com came up with a list that does cause me to think about any barriers that might be in place that cause others to have a difficult time finding our church. Here are the 10 ways they found to keep people from discovering your church;

1. Don’t have a website : This is the information age, even 107 year old women have blogs, but not your church. No church website, no blog, no flickr account, and don’t podcast your sermons. Knowledge is power and providing me easy access to information about your church might empower me to learn more or even visit. So even if you must have a website, make sure it is poorly designed, lacking in information, hard to navigate, out of date and doesn’t have an rss feed to make things even remotely easy for me.

2. Be completely inactive in the community : If you’re not doing anything in the community then no one will talk about your church. That makes it a lot harder for me to accidentally find out anything useful. So don’t serve the community or partner with other churches or non-profits. In fact it’s really just best if you stay completely inward-focused and don’t do anything missional in your city.

3. Don’t answer your phone : Regardless of what time I call (weekday, weekend, morning, afternoon, evening) don’t answer the phone and don’t have an answering machine or voice mail for me to leave a message or prayer request. If you do have voice mail, don’t include your website address, service times or directions to your church on your message, and don’t ever answer the phone on Sunday mornings. That way when I’m lost en route to service, I’ll have no choice but to drive around aimlessly until I give up and go home.

4. Allow misinformation : Sometimes you just can’t prevent denominations or directories from listing information about your church. When contact information changes, don’t tell them about the update. You can save time by providing them incorrect information initially and for added confusion make sure each directory lists different information about your church, all of it wrong.

5. Lack clear signage : Even if I’m determined to visit your church, you have several on site options to discourage me. The first is to play hide and seek. Is your church in a nondescript building or on a street with several other churches? Have absolutely no signage; none, whatsoever. Except maybe on the mailbox, where you abbreviate things beyond comprehension. If you run a Christian school, put up a 10′ x 14′ sign just for it, so I’ll be led to believe the building is only a school.

6. Have insufficient parking/seating : Other discouraging on-site options are lack of adequate parking and seating. Does your church seat 200? Only have 30 parking spaces. Been running at capacity for weeks or months? Don’t start another service, so that there will be standing room only. Have visitors’ parking? Put it in the corner of the lot away from the entrance. Have adequate parking? Don’t stripe the lot or have parking attendants; chaos is best. Have adequate seating? Make it as uncomfortable as possible.

7. Ignore Visitors : Despite your best efforts I have found and attended your church. In fact, I even filled out a visitor’s card requesting more information. Don’t acknowledge my visit in any way. Don’t call me, don’t send me a thank you card, don’t answer any of my questions or give me any information about how to become involved or learn more about Jesus. Also don’t have any literature available to provide visitors and don’t train your volunteers to be courteous or helpful in anyway.

8. Respond half-heartedly to inquiries : If responding to information requests at all, do so extremely slowly and only partially. Wait 1 week or more to return emails or phone calls and if I ask several questions, don’t answer them all. Instead just tell me I should come to a service to find out more. That saves you a couple minutes of response time and makes you look very busy and important. Whatever you do, do not start a dialogue with me.

9. Be evasive about your beliefs : When I ask a direct question about the church’s beliefs, ignore the question or act like you don’t understand and then start telling me about your denomination or church programs. For “What We Believe”, only include the Nicene Creed on your website or literature. If I’m adamant about wanting positional clarity, instead tell me about the love of Jesus and how Christianity isn’t about division. For those times you do answer my questions, act offended that I would even ask, then try and make me feel stupid or sinful for questioning you.

10. Lie to me : When all else fails, simply lie to me about your church. You might just get a few weeks of attendance out of me before I learn the truth. Are you denominationally affiliated? Don’t mention it ever and talk about how independent you are when I find out. Being on mission is important to me, so make it sound like all 500 of your members are actively involved in serving the city, even though you don’t give a single cent to local missions and never talk about it from the pulpit, because you actually hate the city and it’s sinful people. Lastly, spend a lot of time telling me how you are distinctive from other churches, even though you’re not.

Interesting to think about. It challenges me to really think about how others could view the church.

music to my ears

My oldest daughter just shared with me that during school yesterday she started singing one of the songs we played during large group when she was in third grade. She said; "Man mom, I couldn't get that song out of my head all day! So I just started singing it at lunch to all my friends."

How cool that my 15 year old remembered the songs she learned 6 years ago in children's ministry, let alone that she is singing them to her high school friends. What can we learn from this one example? Music is a powerful tool to use to minister to children. Enough said.

Reggie Joiner and his team at ReThink put out absolutely incredible music for kids! One of my favorites is called "The Big Story Soundtrack." ReThink describes it this way;

This is NOT just a collection of amazing music that you can listen to in your car, home or office.

This IS a way for parents and kids to connect, talk and think about what twelve exciting Bible Stories have to do with their lives.

Makes you want to listen to some sweet jams, I know right?!?!

friday funday

I love to laugh, seriously, it's true! I actually had a friend (i think, jk) tell me that whenever he needed to find me at church he would just listen for my laugh. Some say it's a "cackle," (thank you Nana) I say "whatever." Even my husbands former boss told me that people who laugh a lot live longer, then he said, "that means you (me) will never die." Was that a compliment? I think so.

Today, I totally laughed out loud over two amazingly silly things;

First, did you know that in south Texas "Groundhog's Day" is no big deal? Hey, I am from Michigan and it was a really big deal there. We all knew that if punxsutawney phil saw his shadow it was 6 more weeks of winter. Here, who cares? Winter is 60 degrees and sunny. Yep, it made me laugh out loud with no one around to share my joy with. On to number two.....

Second, I saw this picture on Joshua Griffin's blog. I tried it, it made me laugh again. I think I am going to frame it and give it to some of the staff I work with, we all need to laugh.

love your enemies, damage your reputation

I recently read an amazing post on www.stevenorman.org. I loved what Steve had to say, but what hit me the hardest is the comment left by "S." I have no idea who "S" is, but I will say he or she hit the nail on the head. Too many times in life I think people forget why we do what we do. It's to make God and only God famous, it's to love unconditionally knowing your Father in heaven loves you the same. Even if that means to love those who seem unlovable. I know that I am the type of person who wears their heart on their sleeve. A friend of mine once described me as a person who calls a spade a spade, which can translate as both a strength and an opportunity for improvement.

When I am struggling with someone who I think is unlovable, I do two things;

1. ask for forgiveness
2. ask God to give me the love he has for that person

It may seem simplistic, but I will tell you I truly love all people because of the love God has given me for them.

Below is Steve's post, don't forget to check out the comment from "S" at the bottom. My only advice is this, go ahead and damage your reputation by loving others.....

John Wooden, legendary basketball coach from UCLA says “Your character is who you are. Your reputation is what other people think you are.”

The catch is only you and God know how close those two really are. Some people think more highly of us than they ought. From the outside, we appear to have all our stuff together. As a result, our reputation exceeds our character. For others, there’s a litany of bad choices with their name on them. But they’re making progress in their own journey, even if their critics can’t see it yet. In their case, their character is actually outrunning their reputation as a shady individual.
When we focus on rep. over character, we embark on a slippery slope. The temptation is to say “Everybody thinks I’ve got this issue nailed down. As long as I continue to portray that as the case, I can do whatever I want.” How many public figures have we seen maintain a public persona that’s at complete odds with their private behaviors? The problem is, unless you have an entire PR firm or publicist at your disposal, there’s very little you can do to manage your reputation. Your character, both it’s defects and its development, rest entirely on your lap.

s

Well said. Chaacter is what we do when others aren't looking. Character allows us to love our enemies, even if it damages our reputation to do so.

isn't she lovely

My family and I love watching American Idol. Who doesn't?? This week during the auditions a gentleman had to postpone his audition because his wife was going to give birth to their first child. Long story short, they had a sweet little girl, he tried out the next day, received three "no's" from the judges and still had a smile on his face. Next, this man asked the judges if they wanted to meet his wife and new daughter. I glanced over at my daughter and through tears she said,

I feel so sorry for that guy mom. He just had a baby and they didn't let him through.

What a perfect opportunity to talk about what is most important in life. We had a great conversation about family and faith. How that father put his child first, how in all things Jesus has first place. It was awesome!

Kids' are bombarded every day with the worldly view of fame and fortune. Lucky us, each weekend we have the opportunity to share with children what is most important. Gimme a J........gimme an E............gimme an S............gimme a U...........gimme an S.......

giddy up

You know how giddy you get when you buy someone a present and they are just about to open it? I'm not sure, but I bet I am more excited to give the gift than the person is to receive it. Usually I find some crazy thing, like a giant fortune cookie that I can personalize and send, and then I think of the perfect person and I send it! I can't wait to find out if they liked the gift. And even when they call to tell me they received it, you would think the giddiness goes away, nope it doesn't!

My husband and I were just discussing how crazy the last 7 months of our lives have been. And yep, the light bulb went on. God had this all planned! It was a gift He gave our family. He was probably so excited about giving us our new calling location, He was giddy. You know, I have never thought about God like that, but it just makes sense. Every good and perfect gift is from Him, He knows the plan for our life, a hope and a future, we can do all things through Him who gives us strength. Duh!!!! I feel like I can just picture Him watching us follow His lead with total excitement.

How giddy He must feel when we encourage volunteers who give and give of their time, talents, and resources to further His kingdom. How about when we equip others to serve Him with excellence? What about each hug, high five or handshake given in His name? Makes me smile just thinking about it. If you haven't stopped and thought about your calling like a gift that God chose just for you that He couldn't wait to give you and to see you use, you might want to think about that right now..................

You're smiling aren't you? I know your giddy, I just know it.

what are you waiting for

Volunteers ROCK! Seriously! If you haven't said thank you this week to each volunteer you lead, you need to! Volunteers are the backbone of your organization! They could choose to do anything, they have chosen to serve God by serving in your ministry.

yep, it's broken

As long as I have been in ministry, it happens. I don't know who to give credit to but I have heard a saying that fits perfectly; "Where God is at work, the evil one will lurk." Whenever there is a large gathering of leaders for training and/or encouragement God will be glorified and people will grow stronger in their faith. That is not what the evil one desires and he will try to do what ever he can to throw a monkey wrench into your plans. Case in point. Yesterday our church put on TRANSFORMER night. An evening of encouraging and equipping for those who serve or who want to begin serving in all ministries of the church. Children's ministry had 27 brand new volunteers for the preschool area alone! That totally rocks! I planned on spending my day preparing for these new leaders, but then.....the monkey wrench! The night before, my daughter went to volleyball practice just like she always does. Right before I picked her up, she fell backward and landed on her wrist. We went home and did the ice on for 20 ice off for 20 and decided we would wait until the next day to get it checked out if needed. Well, I spent all day Friday at the doctors office and hospital getting x-rays. After 8 hours, it was confirmed, her wrist was broken. After getting a splint and taking her home, I had 25 minutes to prepare for the amazing volunteers.

I could tell story after story how the evil one has tried to stop the plans of those who want to make the one true God famous. One thing I have learned is to be prayed up. Pray not only for the event and the people who will be attending, but pray for your staff, their family, key leaders, their family, and don't forget your family!! I know that because of the prayers that went up for all those mentioned above I was able to pass the "monkey wrench" test with flying colors! My team rallied behind me and stepped up where needed. I saw Jesus in each one of them! I am honored to serve with a team of leaders who want to make sure God is glorified at every turn, or in my case at every break!!

it's kinda like toothpaste

If you squeeze all the toothpaste out of the tube, you can never put it all back in. Kind of like the words you use, Proverbs 12:18 says; "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." What a powerful verse! I'm guessing it would be very hard to find someone who hasn't said something they regret.

During this past weekend, I heard a parent tell their almost 2 year old to stop what he was doing and that he was a "bad boy." They continued by saying, "you are always bad, do you hear me, bad." I wonder if that parent realizes how powerful those words are. I wonder if that little guy will live up to the prediction.

We are all human, but as children's leaders we must always be mindful of our words. We need to seize each opportunity to be positive in a negative world. Children are bombarded with negativity on a daily basis. Especially if their parents choose to watch the news. I heard this example this past weekend. "Have you every noticed during the weather forecast you never hear the weather person say '80% chance of sun today," no they say '20% chance of rain'." This world is a negative place, but as christians we are called to be the light in the darkness. As children's leaders we can impact children in a positive way each and every week. We might be the only positive they get! But, what about the parents?

Are we doing everything we can, or can we do more to help parents be everything God wants them to be? What about a shared family experience? Reggie Joiner is an amazing servant. He has allowed God to work through him to bring the "Orange" concept to life. What is Orange you say? Reggie and his team put it this way on www.orangeleaders.com;

Orange is our color because it represents the idea that "two combined influences will make a greater impact together than just two influences alone." Red and yellow are fine on their own, but combine them and you get a third, more vibrant option: orange! It's why we want to put children's leaders and student leaders in the same room discussing their strategy for graduating Godly students. It's why we want church leaders to combine their influence with parents. And it's why we want ministries to be both relevant and strategic, to teach truth while offering hands-on experiences, to be more together than we could ever be alone.

Sounds like a pretty positive way to give parents the tools they desire to raise great kids who know Jesus as their Savior! I'm just saying.....

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

tuna tees

If you are looking for a fun place to order t-shirts, I've found one for you!

www.youthgrouptshirts.com

If you click on design shop you will be spending the next hour designing your own way cool t-shirt. You can upload your logo and they have several design elements available for you to choose from as well. I had an absolute blast creating a new children's ministry t-shirt and the shirts arrived 12 days after I ordered them! It would be wrong of me not to tell you that I ordered the shirts 5 days before Christmas! That is awesome customer service!

Crap Hole Weekend

Have you ever had an idea that just made you laugh your head off? Recently during a team meeting that included our youth pastor, small groups pastor, executive pastor and myself an idea just flew out of our youth pastors mouth that made me laugh so hard my stomach hurt. As we were trying to think of new ways to highlight weekend ministries and recruit for those ministries, the idea of "crap hole weekend" was born.

There would be a buzz created that everyone should be ready to be "inconvenienced" for one weekend. During that weekend, there would be no children's ministry, youth ministry or first impressions ministry (greet, distribute worship folder, provide coffee, etc). Babies might cry during the message, okay let's just be real, they WILL cry during the message. No coffee will be available. Preschoolers will forget to use their "inside voices." First and second grade students will wiggle the entire time. Adults might see the youth texting each other. There would be NO COFFEE!

At first we could not stop laughing, and then it just made sense. That would be a really crazy way to get everyone's attention, but isn't that what we want to do? Get the people's attention and inspire them to see the blessings they receive on a weekly basis and to encourage them to be a blessing. We decided right away we needed to be a little more creative on the name of the weekend, but we all thought this would be awesome! We brainstormed for 2 hours and decided to send the idea to the decision makers.

Were we just plain crazy or was this idea innovative? I read on Kem Meyer's blog 2 questions about innovation;

Q: How do you know when an idea is innovative?
A: When it scares the hell out of everybody.
Q: Then where will innovation come from?
A: Most likely from the outside, or from people inside who think outside.

Well, I am guessing you want to know how it went, well, it didn't happen. I think we really scared the heck out of the leadership. Some ideas just don't happen, and that's okay, but it sure was fun brainstorming together. I appreciate the freedom to dream big and share ideas. I guess on this day we were just crazy!! Check out Kem Meyer's blog, it's good stuff.