When You Feel Alone...

Grandma James and I

Two years ago today started what was to this point in my life, the hardest thing I ever had to go through.  It was two years ago today, that my Grandma James, (whom I lived with and helped care for) was admitted to the hospital in a series of events that would end with her passing 12 days later.  At first, it didn't seem too serious.  Grandma was quite ill, but she was admitted to the hospital and seemed to be improving.

Then Everything Changed.

It was so sudden.  She went from doing ok, to literally she could die at any moment and I didn't know what to do.  Though it wasn't normally the case, at that point in time, much of my family was out of town.  My Aunt (who had Grandma's power of attorney and medical proxy), Uncle, and Cousins were out of state on vacation, my brother was at his home in Ohio, my parents were at their home in West Virginia.  All the Doctors and Nurses were looking to me for answers to questions that I simply couldn't answer and I really thought I was going to fall apart.  So much had been happening up to that point that I had literally told a friend the day before that I didn't think I could handle one more thing.  I was as far down as I had ever been and didn't know what to do.  I felt utterly alone.

But I wasn't alone.  The day before I had contacted one of my Aunts on the other side of the family and asked if she would come sit with me, which she gladly did.  So when Grandma took a turn for the worse, she was there.  Right there...holding me up so I wouldn't fall.  Other family and friends started helping however possible.  People from my church showed up via text, in person, on the phone, on facebook, and let me know that they were praying for me.  And then within 12 hours all the family who had been out of State was also with me.

Psalm 94:17-19 (NIV) says:
¹⁷ Unless the Lord had given me help,
    I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
¹⁸ When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
¹⁹ When anxiety was great within me,
    your consolation brought me joy.

Those words speak to me in a very special way because that is exactly how I felt two years ago.  I felt like "my foot was slipping", but true to his Word, just when I thought I would fall apart, God made sure that the support I needed would be there.  

Those next few days are a bit of a blur.  As we sat and waited for the end that we knew was drawing near for Grandma, we looked to the Lord for strength and to those around us for encouragement.  So many people...from literally all over the world, stood with us during that time.  Some were in the room with us, some were holding us in prayer from all parts of the globe, but all were with us and we felt their prayers.  

So, why write about this?  Because we all go through times where we feel alone.  Ministry is tough and while Pastors go visit their parishioners when someone is in difficult circumstances, when we Pastors are in difficult circumstances sometimes we don't know how to reach out for help. We sometimes feel like we are "just supposed to handle it" because we are the Pastor.  But I want to encourage you to remember that no matter what is happening in your life, you are not alone...and you are don't have to "just handle it" when times are hard.  Not only will God walk those difficult paths with us, if we will allow it, He will send others to walk with us as well.  But we have to be vulnerable enough to accept that help.  

Having been in the depths of confusion, frustration, sadness, and helplessness, I can attest that it's not a place I want to go to go back to, but if life takes me there again, I will continue to lean on the One who made me, but I won't be afraid to reach out for help from those He sends to walk with me.  

Have a blessed week everyone! 

Build One Another Up...

I Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (NIV)  This week, I was able to attend the CM Conference sponsored by CM Connect and this Conference is the epitome of that verse.  I always walk away encouraged and am blessed to be able to encourage others as well.   This was my fourth time at the conference and I love it more and more with each passing year.  I have been to several national conferences, but this one is special and for those of you who haven't yet attended, let me share a bit about what makes it so amazing.


It's Small.

Corinne Noble and I

Though there are several hundred people that attend the CM Conference, it still has the feel of a family reunion.  People quickly get to know each other and you make friends with lots of folks before you know it.  There are wonderful resource tables where you can pick up new curriculum, learn about music options, meet awesome Children's Evangelists and so much more.  And because it's a smaller conference, you can actually stop and chat with the people at the booth or share a meal with them at one of the After Parties so you really get to know the people behind the products.  It's a unique blessing that simply isn't easy to do at a conference attended by thousands of people.  Plus you get to meet so many amazing people in ministry.   I have friends across the country and in many denominations that I met at the CM Conference and while I keep connected with them online, I look forward to getting to see them in person every year at the CM Conference.

It offers Workshops led by Folks Just Like You

Sheree Lee, Sabrina Williams, and I

The people who are leading the workshops are sharing their expertise from the "trenches".  Most of the presenters are on staff at churches from all denominations and all sizes.  Everyone is very approachable and the information very practical.  And there are so many to choose from...seriously.  This year the workshops included topics like, Interactive Family Worship (I was honored to lead that one),  Emotional Concussions, Seasons of Ministry, Discipline, VBS, Urban Ministry, Special Needs Ministry and so much more.  If you had a ministry question, I bet there was a workshop on it. Michael Chanley and his phenomenal team do an amazing job of lining up helpful and varied workshops for this Conference each and every year.


It's EXTREMELY Budget Friendly 

Lunch with Amber Blake and Brittney Wellman

I dare you to try and find another four day conference offering more than 100 workshops that is less expensive than this conference.  Though prices haven't been published yet for next year's event, generally if you register early, the cost for this conference is less than $150.  That is unheard of.  Even if  you wait until the very last minute to register, it is still less than $250.  Plus there are  scholarships available if the cost is too much for your church.  You really can not find another Conference offering as many opportunities for learning and networking for less money anywhere.   

If you work with children, I can not encourage you enough to check out this conference next year.  It is amazingly well done, allows you to make connections with people all over the country who understand what it means to be in Children's Ministry,  provides a wealth of practical workshops, and is budget friendly.  It really has everything.  Hope to see you there next year!  

Until next time...

 

Sometimes Ministry is Just Hard...But Don't Give Up!

I love being a Pastor.  I love my Church Plant and the way I am allowed to do services differently, enabling all age groups to be engaged and involved in the services.  I love when we have visitors and when their kids are excited because they will be sitting at a table together and there are things on the table for them to play/learn with.  And I love when I see someone understand a Biblical truth in a way they never had before.

But Ministry is not easy.  In fact, sometimes it is just hard.  Sometimes the people don't come.  Sometimes the weather causes you to not have service (which can make funds tight).  Sometimes there simply isn't the money you hoped would be there.  Sometimes our events are well planned, but poorly attended, and our plans to build the church fail.  Sometimes we can get discouraged.

I love the book of Philippians.  It has been my "go to" Book of the Bible whenever I needed encouragement for many years.  Philippians 1:6 says, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will be faithful to carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  In this passage Paul is talking about our personal spiritual walks, about how we should continue to grow in our walk to be like Jesus, but it applies in times of discouragement as well because on our journey with Christ, things will not always go smoothly.  There will be times of trouble and pain.  But this verse reminds us that God is still faithful during those times as well and that HIS work goes on in our lives if we keep following Him.

As I think about it, Paul was sitting in jail as he wrote those words.  To those outside the church, he probably looked like a failure because he was sitting in a jail cell instead of being out doing "church work", but God used Him in mighty ways while he was in jail and gave him opportunities to reach others for the Lord that he would not have gotten any other way.  Paul continued to grow in his walk with the Lord and went wherever the Lord led him on that journey and in doing so, God used him to reach countless others for the Kingdom, but probably not through the avenues Paul might have envisioned for himself...but it was never about what Paul might have envisioned.

It is important for us to remember that just because things are not going according to OUR plans, doesn't mean that God's plan has changed.  If God calls you to do something and you know that God has put it on your heart, then do it.  You must go where He sends you and do what He leads you to do.  Don't be discouraged because the results don't look like what you thought they would look like.  What looks like failure to you could be the exact steps God needed you to take so that HIS plan could flourish.  Keep going.  Keep believing.  Keep praying.  Keep working.  If HE gave you to plan, then HE will make the results come on HIS timetable...not yours.  For us, this can be very frustrating because we want to see God working.  We want results!  But God is very often working behind the scenes in ways that we could never dream and when HE is ready, then we will see results.  Our job, is simply to follow HIS leading.  Whatever He asks, wherever He leads, through whatever difficulties might come our way...we keep going.  We keep trusting. We keep following the path that He sets out for us.  And we can rest in the knowledge that HE will walk with us and when we get to the end of the road, we will be able to look back and say, "Wow...Look at what God did.  I'm so glad He let me be a part of it."

Until next time...