Monday, August 27, 2012
Refocus.
I have let it out. I may share it more. I have a little peace. We will see what will come back again. There is change coming. More than before. I can see it but I can not realize it into view. That is not my part. For now at least. That is God's. He will use whom he chooses. For now I have let it out, what was in my heart. Here and beyond. That step felt good. As messy as it was, finally coming out. There were no other ones. Now I sit and wait. Prayerfully and until I feel the need to move again. The stirring. The end.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
A struggle of what to do about it?
There's a need. A need for someone or a few with a special heart, to step out and lead the children. It needs to not be because there is a need to fill. It needs to be not just because you're a mom. It does needs to be someone with a heart for children. The moms have a calling to train up their kids but not all have a gifting for children in general. The kids need someone who they respond to. They are not tainted like us yet and they are very aware of someone who has their attention, someone who listens to their little words, and someone who gives them firm boundaries with love. And when they are being led by fillers, they don't respond well. They are taking in everything like sponges at these young ages and God uses children. He speaks to them at their level of understanding. They need to be taught about prayer... about worship.... about the word of God. It needs not to be just stories but it needs to be truths. We need to teach them like we mean it.
In Kindergarten last year, my son learned about every detail of an owl. He learned about colors and palettes. Through this he realized that he had the same skin color as his teacher and then asked me if he was first nations, and we talked about generation lines. He learned to read well. He even took a "health" class, already at five, and talked about body parts and good and bad touch. I long for my children to have those deep and meaningful kinds of lessons at church. We need to teach our children with a passion that matches what they are coming against in school. In October he was required to recite a poem daily... In October I'll be host to witches, goblins, and a ghost. He stood in the hall for this part of class everyday because of mom's intervention. At home, although I pray with them and worship with them, they often say that God only listens to moms and I should pray. They love the praise songs and sing them loudly until they get to church. I hate this disconnect. I am not sure why this is- it may have a little to do with the fact that Mom is the only one with a faith but things are changing.
When I was six, my mother took us from our Grandma's church and decided to try out her cousin's church, and we went there from then on. It was in this church where they believed that God spoke. He was speaking regularly. And they believed God spoke to children, and it showed in the kids ministry. We had kid sized praise and worship, memorized bible verses as competition and enjoyed it, prayed with meaning, and from the time I was six I desired to be baptised but I was too shy to tell the pastor's wife why, so I had to wait until I was eight and answered the call to come at a church park service.
These are the times that made me who I am as a christian. I remember one class distinctly as a young girl, where we learned about the fruits of the spirit and then encouraged each other in what fruits shined in our personalities. I was "joy" at that point in life.
And when I was eleven, I attended a pre-teen evening bible study in which they required each one of us to memorize a whole chapter of the bible. If you were not serious, you were not allowed to come. It was because of this that we grew. We also learned about make-up and girl things for fun, but the basis was God's word. I don't remember the girls in this group but I remember the two women who led this, not one a mother of us girls but mothering hearts for us.
Just after this we moved here. When I was a young teen, maybe thirteen or so, one of the mom's took all of us girls for an evening bible study and I remember having prayer sisters. This mom would always ask us "Did you pray about it?" To this day I pray always.
And then there was Pastor Jim. He was a youth pastor at heart. He took us to every function imaginable. He talked to us like his friends. He took us to christian concerts, drama groups, other youth groups. He taught about how Jesus was there to bridge the gap between us and God.
I can tell you that at these times in my life, I grew in my faith because these people had a heart for their ministry.
Now, this sounds a little rebuking but it is not meant to be. It is a call of encouragement. Our kids have been small but now most of them are stepping into school and our Kids Church has grown with them. I wish this role was for me because I have a want for certain things in my children's lives, and I know the impact of these kinds of ministries. But it is all wrong when I step up. I am a filler in this area when it comes to the Sunday School leader part. But there are people out there that have a heart for kids. You can see it when you catch them around kids. The kid's eyes grow wide with wonder and excitement. The kids sneak up behind these few and smirk, waiting to be noticed. The kids run up calling their names. Some of them are already teaching the kids and when you walk into the class, the kids are quiet and listening, taking it all in. So, if you are one of these people, please ask the LORD what you should do about it? Where you can help? I know there are a few. You don't have to be young, and you don't have to be a women. The boys need men of faith to example Christ for them as well.
We need to think on this awhile and pray for the ones who are feeling a nudging in their spirit. It seems right now that there is no one, but God has someone in mind. We need to treat this ministry as just that, a ministry- where we pray for these kids, and mentor these kids, and send them off with truths that will affect every area of their lives, as well as others around them. And we need to communicate so that us moms and dads can further what they are learning and grow it at home.
Anyways, this is my heart for my kids. I feel like I have no place to say because I can't take it on, but didn't David have a heart for something because it was good and the LORD said wait I am bringing up someone to fullfill this. I will continue to wait and do what I can in my kids lives. God is faithful.
In Kindergarten last year, my son learned about every detail of an owl. He learned about colors and palettes. Through this he realized that he had the same skin color as his teacher and then asked me if he was first nations, and we talked about generation lines. He learned to read well. He even took a "health" class, already at five, and talked about body parts and good and bad touch. I long for my children to have those deep and meaningful kinds of lessons at church. We need to teach our children with a passion that matches what they are coming against in school. In October he was required to recite a poem daily... In October I'll be host to witches, goblins, and a ghost. He stood in the hall for this part of class everyday because of mom's intervention. At home, although I pray with them and worship with them, they often say that God only listens to moms and I should pray. They love the praise songs and sing them loudly until they get to church. I hate this disconnect. I am not sure why this is- it may have a little to do with the fact that Mom is the only one with a faith but things are changing.
When I was six, my mother took us from our Grandma's church and decided to try out her cousin's church, and we went there from then on. It was in this church where they believed that God spoke. He was speaking regularly. And they believed God spoke to children, and it showed in the kids ministry. We had kid sized praise and worship, memorized bible verses as competition and enjoyed it, prayed with meaning, and from the time I was six I desired to be baptised but I was too shy to tell the pastor's wife why, so I had to wait until I was eight and answered the call to come at a church park service.
These are the times that made me who I am as a christian. I remember one class distinctly as a young girl, where we learned about the fruits of the spirit and then encouraged each other in what fruits shined in our personalities. I was "joy" at that point in life.
And when I was eleven, I attended a pre-teen evening bible study in which they required each one of us to memorize a whole chapter of the bible. If you were not serious, you were not allowed to come. It was because of this that we grew. We also learned about make-up and girl things for fun, but the basis was God's word. I don't remember the girls in this group but I remember the two women who led this, not one a mother of us girls but mothering hearts for us.
Just after this we moved here. When I was a young teen, maybe thirteen or so, one of the mom's took all of us girls for an evening bible study and I remember having prayer sisters. This mom would always ask us "Did you pray about it?" To this day I pray always.
And then there was Pastor Jim. He was a youth pastor at heart. He took us to every function imaginable. He talked to us like his friends. He took us to christian concerts, drama groups, other youth groups. He taught about how Jesus was there to bridge the gap between us and God.
I can tell you that at these times in my life, I grew in my faith because these people had a heart for their ministry.
Now, this sounds a little rebuking but it is not meant to be. It is a call of encouragement. Our kids have been small but now most of them are stepping into school and our Kids Church has grown with them. I wish this role was for me because I have a want for certain things in my children's lives, and I know the impact of these kinds of ministries. But it is all wrong when I step up. I am a filler in this area when it comes to the Sunday School leader part. But there are people out there that have a heart for kids. You can see it when you catch them around kids. The kid's eyes grow wide with wonder and excitement. The kids sneak up behind these few and smirk, waiting to be noticed. The kids run up calling their names. Some of them are already teaching the kids and when you walk into the class, the kids are quiet and listening, taking it all in. So, if you are one of these people, please ask the LORD what you should do about it? Where you can help? I know there are a few. You don't have to be young, and you don't have to be a women. The boys need men of faith to example Christ for them as well.
We need to think on this awhile and pray for the ones who are feeling a nudging in their spirit. It seems right now that there is no one, but God has someone in mind. We need to treat this ministry as just that, a ministry- where we pray for these kids, and mentor these kids, and send them off with truths that will affect every area of their lives, as well as others around them. And we need to communicate so that us moms and dads can further what they are learning and grow it at home.
Anyways, this is my heart for my kids. I feel like I have no place to say because I can't take it on, but didn't David have a heart for something because it was good and the LORD said wait I am bringing up someone to fullfill this. I will continue to wait and do what I can in my kids lives. God is faithful.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)