That’s Why I Choose Kids
Kids’ hearts are pure and genuine, and well, they just get it. They have an unwavering faith and curiosity. Kids often have a natural curiosity about the world around them, including spiritual matters. A children’s pastor gets to witness and nurture this curiosity, answering questions about God, faith, and morality in ways that are understandable and meaningful to young minds. One night, during Pulse 45 student ministry, I witnessed an amazing act of kindness with my fifth-grade boys. I have a group that is highly competitive, and they dog each other constantly. We were playing gaga ball, and everybody was having a great time and laughing and being silly. I have one little boy who is quiet, shy, and awkward, yet shows up every week and participates. Usually, he doesn’t win anything. As I watched kids get out of the game, I noticed a group of four boys who huddled real quick between rounds, and then I saw them leave the game one by one. It was down to two boys, the super-competitive one and the shy, not-so-athletic one. The super-athletic boy lost the game on purpose, making my other little guy the winner. Fifth grade boys don’t normally act that way. But because of their love for Jesus, it’s easy for them to recognize and make a decision to allow something like that to happen. I was so touched and moved by their gesture. That’s why I choose kids. I receive messages from parents, that say, “Hey, what’s that song that you guys sing in Kid Village? My child keeps requesting it because they want to listen to it in the car.” Recently, a parent sent me a message that said, “My daughter and I pray before every single one of her gymnastics meets. I ask her what she wants to pray about, and she tells me. It’s usually me who does the praying. But today she prayed out loud, and was not afraid because you told her to go out and be bold. A parent shared with me that their daughter is president of the kindness club in their neighborhood. She was currently having the first meeting of the club and planning out ways that they are going to be kind. When you walk alongside a child who’s parent passes away, and they stand up and say at the visitation, “My dad is not dead, he lives on because He is with Jesus.” My very favorite is when a parent tells you that their daughter wants to go into ministry because of the impact the church has had on them. Matthew 19:14 says: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Kids Are Filled With Joy In Simplicity The simple, unguarded moments of joy and discovery that children experience can be a powerful reminder of the beauty in the world. It reinforces the values of faith, hope, and love in their purest forms. Kid spiritual growth is a journey. One that involves helping kids understand the importance of kindness, forgiveness, and community, and seeing these values reflected in their actions and interactions. Working with kids also means facing the challenges they encounter, from family issues to personal struggles. But walking alongside kids, I help navigate these difficulties with faith and resilience. When you work with kids, there is a reward of influence. One of the most fulfilling aspects of being a children’s pastor is seeing the long-term impact of your work. Influencing children in a positive, faith-filled direction can shape their lives and the lives of those around them for years to come. Kids also teach me. I often find that I learn as much from the kids as the kids do from me. The honesty, openness, and fresh perspective of kids can inspire and challenge adults to see their faith and the world in new ways. Check out Kid Village and Pulse 45 at all 3 of our campuses.
How Do You Forgive?
What comes to your mind when you hear the word forgive? That can be a loaded question, right?!? Is forgiveness something that you hope to receive, but you struggle to give? Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, I would submit that this statement is true. “Not forgiving someone who has wronged you is like drinking poison and hoping that the other person dies.” Think about that for a moment. So often, when we hold on to the anger and bitterness, it just eats away at us. We’ve all had people who have wronged us in our lives. It may have been in the past, or it may be happening right now. Either way, we have a choice. You have a choice. Forgive that person, or let it eat you alive. Forgiveness is NOT EASY! Years ago, Staples had a fun advertising ad where they said they could easily fix all our office needs. Just hit the easy button and Staples will fix it. I so wish it was that way for us and forgiveness. There is a wild little book in the Bible called Hosea. In the book, God called Hosea to take back his wife, “Gomer” (yes, a very odd name for a lady). One problem for Hosea was that his wife had been unfaithful in their marriage. Hosea’s wife, Gomer, had cheated on him not once, but multiple times and was currently with another man. Talk about a tough marriage situation! God asked Hosea to take back his wife to symbolically show his people how He still loves us in spite of us turning our backs on him multiple times. (Hosea 3:1) Hosea boldly went out and took his wife back, and he loved her unconditionally. The people saw this and had an amazing one-sentence reply. “Come, let us return to the Lord.” (Hosea 6:1) So Simple—Return to God So often we humans like to make things so complicated, but it can be very simple. Let’s forgive others and forgive ourselves, and then return to God. Allow him to do his best work in us today. Who do you need to forgive? I encourage you to take a few minutes right now to think about that. Now I encourage you to go to God for comfort and peace. What do you need God to forgive in you? Be honest with yourself. I encourage you to go to God right now and allow him to forgive you immediately. Scripture encourages us so beautifully with this verse, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Check out this message on What the Bible Says About Forgiving.
When Tragedy Strikes
2017 has been a tough year with disaster and tragedy becoming a common occurrence. Hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, shootings, attacks, and the list goes on and on. You haven’t recovered from the last one when the next one hits. So much loss, so much devastation, so much hurt. It can be overwhelming and exhausting, and sometimes you may feel like the battle is being lost. Can you relate? Do you ask yourself, “When will it stop? Why does this happen? What am I supposed to do?” Evil is real. It’s a cold, hard fact of our world. You can’t run from it, hide from it, or escape it. We’ll never know why the bad stuff happens. It doesn’t make sense. What Can I Do? When that evil rears it’s ugly head, take time to remember. Remember that in the end God wins. Remember that God’s love is stronger. Remember that God’s grace is bigger. Remember that God’s plan is better. Take time to turn to God’s Word, the Bible, for direction and encouragement. Download the Youversion app on your phone, tablet, or computer. You can find reading plans based on different topics to help you with your specific questions. Add Bible time to your calendar, schedule it in and make it a priority. If you spend time every day in God’s Word, you will see a difference. Guaranteed. Try it and see what happens. Pray. Then pray some more. And when you’re done, pray again. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. -Romans 12:21 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart because I have overcome the world. – John 16:33 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:18 In his kindness God has called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. – 1 Peter 5:10 Sometimes we don’t know what to say to our kids in the midst of the tragedy. Here is a resource that maybe helpful to you: How To Talk To Your Kids About Tragedy
A Divine Appointment Part 2
I listened intently as she spoke about her past. So much pain, layer upon layer of it. I kept thinking about how incredible God is and how he sees each one of us, exactly where we are at any given moment. With this thought in mind I dialed into the conversation, “Lord, what do you want me to say to her? She just ran into my car, we are both stuck on the side of the road. This is an opportunity to share who You are.” I considered different ways to approach delivering the Good News. The longer I considered it, the more nervous I became. “She is going to think I am nuts,” I thought to myself. She had been through so much and as I listened, there was so much that I could relate to and remember from personal experience. I remember everything from my former life, I am just no longer a slave to it. I was set free by the Blood of Jesus and she needed to be set free too. That had to be more important than her “possibly” thinking I was crazy. I looked at her and asked her if she knew that Jesus loved her. “Do you know that Jesus loves you right where you are? Right here in the mess, but he loves you too much to leave you here. He wants you to give all this pain to Him. If you do, he will turn it into something beautiful. If you will hand over the ashes of brokenness, he will give you beauty. Tomorrow doesn’t have to look like today. You have a choice to make. Choose Jesus, He already chose you.” I handed her an invite card to our church. I told her that I wasn’t just inviting her to church but more importantly, into a relationship with her Lord and Savior. Then I exhaled……… At this point the officer walked up with our paperwork from the accident. We stepped away and he went over everything with me, then he did the same with her. Before I got into my car, I walked back over and hugged her, this woman that had become my Divine Appointment. What a blessing this encounter had been, but as I pulled away from the side of the road, I knew that I should have prayed with her before I left. I prayed this prayer instead, “Lord, forgive me for not praying with her before I got back into my car. That was a missed opportunity. If you give me another chance, I will do it right.” He did give me that chance and it happened soon after! God hears our prayers and He loves to answer them. Keep an eye out for your next Divine Appointment! Read A Divine Appointment Part 1