Partnering With Parents - Part 2

What partnering means to me as a parent.

I have two teenage boys. Andrew is 16, Jake is 19.

Everything I said in my last post, Partnering with Parents - Part 1, is not just something I believe in because it is my job, or even because I love working with children and am passionate about helping kids know Jesus.

I also believe in partnering with parents because I am a parent who has been partnered with here at The Church at Argyle.

Before I was ever on staff, I was the Mom of two precious boys, and I needed help with this parent thing. Parenting is hard. I love being a Mom. It is the one thing, all of my life, that I was certain I wanted to do. But when you actually have a precious, helpless, living, breathing, human being, completely dependent on you... well, for me I realized very quickly, I needed help.

One of the ways God answered my prayer for help was when I found Argyle Christian Preschool and Kindergarten. My oldest, Jake, was four. I did what I saw as my duty and researched preschools in the area. I narrowed it down to four places based on research and word of mouth. I'll admit I was drawn to the schools that had brand new buildings and security systems with bells and whistles.

ACPK did not have either at the time, but I walked in the building and met the director. I can only describe it as a peace coming over me. I knew this was the place. I had never had that happen before.

I still looked at the rest of the schools on my list. However, I came back to Argyle. Here, I began to learn what it looked like and felt like to not just drop my child off at school but to be supported, encouraged, cared about - partnered with - as a parent.

I could do a whole blog about ACPK, but if you need a wonderful preschool for your 2, 3, 4 year old or Kindergartner, I highly recommend you call 904-778-4838 and talk to Terri or Sharon, or go to ACPK's website.

We had a church home before coming to Argyle. We loved it and loved the people, many of which I had known since I was a little girl. It was Jake asking about going to church at his school that brought us here for a visit. That, along with prayer that took me out of my comfort zone for what my children needed, turned into regular attendance and eventually membership.

The partnership has continued to grow throughout the lives of my children. First, children's ministry small group leaders in Kindergarten who made Jesus real, not just by the stories they told and activities they shared but by the way the treated my boys and the way they treated everyone. In the small group of a wonderful married couple, first Jake and two years after him, Andrew, accepted Jesus as their savior. From our conversations at the time I know that in their young minds and precious hearts, they knew exactly what they were doing.

They were not doing what they were told.

They were not following an alter call that 20 of their friends followed.

They had been taught about Jesus' love for them in a way that was so clear and real it gave them the childlike faith to say, this is what I want and I am ready.

They each prayed the prayer of salvation and were baptized here at Argyle. Each event was one of the happiest days of my life as a Mom! To this day I get emotional when I talk about these leaders and the impact they had in the lives of my children.

That impact has not stopped. Even though my boys moved out of that small group and into the next, each leader here has invested in my children. There have been student leaders along the way as well, who have given my child someone to look up to and want to be like while they are still young and still learning. This showed them that they have a purpose right now, not "someday". They went from elementary to junior high and their leaders took them out into the community to serve and encouraged them to find a way to connect right here. Jesus is as real to them and His love is as clear for them now as it was then.

With the guidance and encouragement of our High School Pastor and his wife, as well as that of our Senior Pastor, they both began serving in our church. Jake serves in our worship arts tech department and Andrew in our Youth worship band. Of course, both are serving with me in children's ministry. They are stuck with me! They honestly do a better job because I'm not the only one who holds them accountable. They serve with our Worship Arts in their areas of passion and giftedness because someone, besides me, believed in them and gave them a chance.

This summer, for the first time, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to our high school camp, BigStuf. This trip motivated me to write these blogs. Watching our leaders spend a week with our middle and high schoolers. Seeing existing relationships grow as we spent 24 hours a day together for five days straight. Watching them listen, laugh, cry, wait, eat, get tired and get grumpy together. See our kids understand that they are loved - no matter what. Watching them worship with their whole selves, get excited about how much God loves them and hear them say in their own words what they learned from the speakers, whether they were 12, 15 or 18. Watching them support and encourage each other as they shared their sins and fears with humility and courage. Watching them give and receive grace, trust and lean on each other as God's word teaches us.

My overwhelming emotion during the whole trip was gratitude.

I am grateful as a leader to know that when the children in my ministry leave UpStreet (K-5) and go to Crave (6-8) and then Impact (9-12), they are loved and led.I know their families have a group of leaders to help them know grace, forgiveness, courage and truth so they learn to trust in the One who created them.

I am grateful as a parent to have a family of leaders we trust, who will pray with us and pray for us. Leaders who have shown up faithfully and consistently in my son's lives, and earned the position of mentors and Godly leaders that my kids will talk to when they have questions. Leaders I can go to if there is an issue I need help with as a parent and who will come to me if my teenager has an issue that I need to know about. These are the people I will invite to their graduation. These are the people I will call when we need help.

Please don't miss this - we all need help. We are not meant to do any of this life alone.

I'll talk about some ways we can partner together in my next and final post in this series, Partnering with Parents - Part 3. If you're a parent at Argyle and have a story of encouragement for our leaders, please post it in the comments here. If you're a parent who wants to partner with us, email me at amygieger@iargyle.com and I'll get you connected with the right information and leaders.

You are not alone. We are better together.

Amy

Partnering With Parents - Part 1

Children's Ministry Director Amy Gieger discusses our approach to Children's Ministry.

Partnering with parents.

We use that phrase in our children's ministry. 

What does it mean?

I can tell you what it means as our Children's Ministry Director. 

It means having consistent small group leaders, the same hours, every Sunday for the entire school year.

We do this because this is the best way for our children and parents to feel safe, to connect, to feel welcome and accepted, with a leader who is faithful and invests their heart and their time to care about each child and family in their small group. 

It means using curriculum that meets each child where they are, at each age and developmental level.

We do this so that they don't just adopt their parents faith, then lose it along the way.

Instead, they transition from believing what they are told, to understanding, choosing and living out their own, authentic faith and relationship with Christ.

It means providing environments where kids are allowed to move, play,be loud and ask questions.

We do this because this is how they are made and this is how they learn and grow.

It means finding and training and inspiring leaders to understand that EVERY child is made in the image of God.

We do this so that for at least the one hour per week they are here, they have a place where 

• they see and are shown God's love for them
• they are welcome and accepted
• they learn to give and receive grace
• they are valued and cared about

It means being intentional and consistent as parents and leaders about letting our middle and high school students serve alongside our dedicated adult leaders now, so that they realize they can lead and make a difference today, not someday when they are "grown up".

If we show them how and let them lead in areas where they are gifted now, they transition seamlessly from student leaders to adult leaders because they already know how.

They learn that they are important and capable, that God can work through them just as they are. If we wait to utilize their gifts until they are adults, they have been on the outside waiting to get in for so long that the steps they need to take to be a leader are overwhelming. The memory of being kept out is more vivid than the momory of wanting to serve.

This all works best when small group leaders and parents make the effort to communicate,
pray for each other and their children. It works especially when they reach out to each other in a crisis or significant change in the life of the family, good or bad, so that they can comfort, pray with, encourage and celebrate together with the child.

The final end of our Children's Ministry is when small group leaders and parents recognize their children's interests and gifts, then reach out to get them connected with a leader in that area of ministry as they enter junior high so they learn what it feels like to serve. They learn to think and care about someone besides themselves, 
to stop thinking about their own needs and problems for a while, and instead care about the needs and spiritual growth of their small group, their church and their community.

As a leader I am passionate about this philosophy because as a parent I have proof that it works.
I will share those examples in my next post, Partnering With Parents - Part 2.

Until then - if you are not already bringing your kids consistently during the same hour each Sunday I encourage you to change that starting this week.

If you have not reached out to or met your child's small group leader, I encourage you to make that happen this Sunday.

If you or your middle or high school student is not serving already, call or email me and I will help you find where there are opportunities in our church and community to start now.

We are better together,

Amy

A Guest Post... Thank You...

First, a word of explanation for those who aren't familiar with the back story.

Our guest poster, Beth Reed, is a member of the Argyle family. Her 13 year old daughter, June, was in an accident on Saturday, January 22. She suffered a serious head injury, and was admitted to Wolfson Children's Hospital that day. Her injury was potentially life-threatening, with the possibility of permanent damage.

Dear Church At Argyle:

I've been trying for a few days now to compose this thank you but I'm struggling. The words just don't seem to want to flow. They are all kinda log jammed in my brain. I know sometime soon the log jam will clear and the words will rush out of me like a verbal water fall but until then I guess this will have to do. 

Yesterday marked the end of what I can say with clear conscience was the single worst week of my life. It ended when I left June with her sister and ran to the store to get her prescription. Returning home I could hear it before I got out of my car. Music. Loud music. The path my heart took from chest to stomach when I saw the police car last Saturday was now reversing. I could feel its joyful beat and it dislodged itself from my stomach and happily marched back into my chest. As I opened my front door and walked straight into a wall of music, God was there and He said “See, I told you.” I walked into the kitchen and just let it roll over me. The sight of my girl, no, not MY girl, OUR girl perched in her daddy's chair whaling away on her drum kit. I knew it was going to be alright. 

You, my beloved Church at Argyle have been there every step of the way. From Mrs. Sarah showing up in the ER before June had her first CT-Scan, to the Bass family surviving getting puked on in the ICU, (dude, by the way - June puking on the Student Pastor has now become family legend) to Mrs. Donna holding her hand while June talked her way through her PICC-line installation, to Mrs. Amy standing on her feet for HOURS holding June's hand and bringing tape! To “Awesome Emmie” bringing love and letters, to Pastor Hal defending Peter and Paul, to Mrs. Sarah laughing off June's verbal filter failure and finally, to the vastness of the prayer chain, thick and ponderous with its power. 

I have never experienced anything quite like the last week but what amazes me most is what I've found in the midst of the chaos. The moments of love and laughter and support and learning that your prayer afforded me. God saved my child, He brought her back to me, but you? You lifted me up and you opened my eyes so I could see. 

In the face of all of this, thank you seems rather inconsequential but as Mrs. Sara admonished me “Beth, just say thank you.” (Yes Ma'am Ms. Sarah.)

To you Pastor Rick, Mrs. Donna, the leadership, staff and congregation of The Church At Argyle, I say,

Thank you!

Beth Reed

A Word From Amy...

Dear Faithful and Loving Children's Ministry Leaders–

Sunday, something happened. I was washed with a feeling of gratitude.

I was going around the church to see our small groups this past Sunday. It was at too fast a pace because I had to get to the next thing, but I noticed something important. I saw how blessed we are with leaders who love the children they are leading. I know I tell you that I appreciate you but I want to give you some specifics so you know that I do see you and recognize your effort and dedication to the Lord in your service to Him.

I talked to leaders who connect with the parents of their children on Facebook or let them know they missed them when they miss a Sunday – not in the "where have you been?" tone that makes someone ashamed they've missed church, but in that "we've missed you and are so glad to see you" tone that lets a person know they matter and that you care about them.

I saw leaders comfort an upset child nervous on their first visit, whether the child is in their small group or not.

I saw leaders who are glad to be here, and know their small groups well, who take time to make sure everyone's name is on the roll and even try to get the spelling right!

I saw leaders who see that their small groups are into an activity that they didn't get to finish, and do their best to let them finish it the next time they serve.

I saw leaders who listen, who give, who get here early, who do the extra stuff, so often without anyone else knowing.

That is service to the Lord! I know you do it for Him. Thank you for blessing me and more importantly our children and their families, with your time, energy and love!

Renewed Energy and Peace in Christ,
Amy

Whose side are you leaning on?

There's a great song we used to sing in preschool chapel called "Whose Side Are You Leaning On?" Ever heard it?

"I lean, I lean, I lean, I lean.

Leanin' on the Lord's side!"

(call me and I'll sing it for you!)

Well, that's the song that went through my head last night as I thought about this subject of bad things happening and how we interpret how to feel and who to listen to. When something that is difficult or painful happens to us and we hear that voice that says, "things will never be the same", why do we always assume that is bad?

Clearly the voice that says "you are a failure" or "how stupid can you be" is bad and does not come from the Lord. We must question any thought that tears us down and tells us we cannot be used by or to walk away from God. However, when our decisions or actions cause a major change and soul searching in our lives why is it so difficult to see this as an opportunity for God to do something new and powerful if we let Him? That verse in Romans (8:28) really is true. "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. He appointed them to be saved in keeping with his purpose." (NIRV)

Not because its always easy but because:

• He is always faithful.
• He is all knowing.
• He is not surprised or caught off guard by what has happened.
• He already has a plan and He will walk beside us the whole way.
• He will even carry us when we need Him to.

I won't pretend I am so excited to do the hard stuff He asks me to or that I jump for joy when I talk to someone I know or look in the mirror and find out a big mistake has been made. But we all get to choose the direction we lean.

Do we get angry at God? Do we give up on ourselves and Him? Or, do we find hope in all the love and blessings God has already given us and still promises? Do we choose to say
"Okay, I'm hurting but I know You are bigger than even this so please show me Your plan and give me the courage to get on board." That to me is leanin' on the Lord's side.

Our preschoolers just need to know which way to lean but as the grown ups we get to choose to lean into His plan for our lives, even when things are hard and instead of leaning on the enemy's side of defeat, misery and self doubt.

God can speak to our hearts in different ways so here are some other ways of saying the same thing. Today I read an article explaining how a Pastor I follow is living this out - (Click here to read the article).

I read a blog a few weeks ago that says it another way. The author asks "What does this make possible?" (click here to read it)

Everyday we have a choice to make about whose side we're leanin' on. Every time I lean on the Lord's side I am more convinced that He is who He says He is. Pray for me as I pray with you to choose leanin' on the Lord's side.


Hope and Courage in Christ,
Amy

Why The Church Needs To Change When Jesus Hasn't...

Here is a link to a post on Perry Noble's blog you need to read.

He is the Pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson, South Carolina. He is just as passionate about God and being real and relevant for Christ as our own Pastor Ken. Perry's style is different but his message is the same.

The message is - we are here to reach people for Christ, not to protect ourselves in a Christian bubble. The people we are trying to reach are those who do not know Jesus yet.

The church should be a place where believers greet and welcome people, children, families, who are looking for Jesus. We are not trying to make people more like us; we are introducing them to Jesus so they can build a relationship with Him, choose to ask him to dwell in their hearts and become new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Perry doesn't pull any punches so please get past the language and hear the message, see this child through Jesus' eyes.

This is our job every week in the children's ministry. This is our job every day in a world looking for Christ but being criticized by Christians.

 Amy Gieger
Children's Ministry Director

God's Word - Weapon or Protection?

I had someone ask me this week, "Is it ever inappropriate to share God's word with a child and if so at what age?"

On the surface this is an easy question; right? Given some basic Bible knowledge, it's always appropriate to share God's word. However, with a little deeper knowledge of the Bible, there are some stories and verses that, in my opinion, are not age appropriate for children 4 and under or even some of the elementary aged crowd. Yes, I realized this was a loaded or trick question but from the person who asked it the trick was their motive. They worded the question to serve their purpose. They were also attempting to use my position in children's ministry to force my answer; i.e. "As a children's ministry director, at what age do you believe it inappropriate to share God's word with a child?"

Have you ever used God's word as a weapon? I mean, a weapon to justify your actions or to make someone else feel guilty? Have you ever used it to win an argument even if you knew you were taking His word out of context to do it? Maybe pulling out the verse about wives submitting to their husbands to "put a wife in her place" (Ephesians 5:21-33; read the whole thing) or the verse about money being the root of all evil, to blame money instead of our greed. The verse says the "...love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). I've had to read it myself.

I have so much yet to learn but in my relationship with Christ, He has never used His word to hurt me. His word builds me up, corrects me, comforts me, directs me, (directs me again and again) and gives me strength, grace, peace, joy, conviction, wisdom and love. His word is for protection against evil. it is an integral piece of the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). It is not ever to be mistaken for a weapon used in personal gain or justification.

So- let's think about how we use the Bible. Is it an every day part of life? Is is something only heard about on Sunday? What about only when there is one of those "controversial" stories in the news?

Please take the time to read it today and this week. Not just a verse or two or even a chapter- how about one whole book of the Bible? The books referenced above are some I would recommend, but really I suggest reading where you are led. Pray for God's guidance before opening the Bible. I'm genuinely interested in learning what you have to say about what you find.

And as for my answer to the question: As a children's ministry director and child of God I believe if you are sharing God's word to share His love, then there is no age limit. Pray with me that we continue to learn and grow in His word and will.

Wisdom and Joy in Christ,
Amy

But Why Can't I Please Everyone?

"Hi. My name is Amy, and I'm a people pleaser."

And the crowd says, "Hi, Amy."

Yes, I admit it, I am a people pleaser. I want everyone to be happy; in particular, happy with me. If you are a people pleaser (or maybe even if you're not) you have learned, as I have, that you can't please everyone. It can not be done. "Why not," you ask? Well, the first and most important reason is because people are different. God made them that way for a lot of important reasons. If people are different it means they don't like the same things and that includes not liking the same people.

That was a hard lesson for me to accept. The first time I remember having to accept this reality was in high school. I was not in any one clique; I knew a lot of people because (I talk a lot and) I tried to be nice to everyone. My Daddy taught me this was the way to live- so, I did. Well, there was a girl in school who was not known for being nice. As a matter of fact she was known for being tough. Not mean exactly- just tough. You didn't mess with her and she didn't mess with you. No, I didn't get in a fight with her because I tried to make her like me and she did not pick on me or anything. I just heard from someone that she didn't like me and it bothered me because we didn't know each other well, I had never done anything to her and, OK, I just couldn't accept that she didn't like me.

It bothered me so much that I finally just went up and asked her why she didn't like me. Yep, I did. I actually had the sense not to talk about her behind her back or start a rumor about her to get back at her (because that would have ended badly in addition to not being nice). I just went up to her one day in the hall and calmly asked her, "Why don't you like me?". I know it sounds pitiful but I had to know. Do you know what she said? "Because you're too nice." Well, what could I say to that? Nothing. I basically said, "Okay" and went about my business.

What did it teach me? Everyone is not going to like me and you guessed it, I just can't please everybody. Since being nice was not something I was willing to change, I had to accept that she just wasn't going to like me. Over the years that acceptance has grown into the understanding that, while I still want everyone to be happy, I don't need them to be happy with me.

I have also narrowed my focus of who I want to please and why. I have wasted a lot of time and energy through the years taking responsibility for other people's happiness. Caring for someone is never a waste of time. Believing that their happiness is based changing how you behave, look, or give to please them, is a big waste of time.

I still have a lot to learn but here are the reasons I know this to be true.

• I am not the origin of happiness; Christ is. He is the giver of all good things (James 1:17). I am just His servant and am to be most concerned with pleasing Him.
• He has a plan for me. If I am willing to change who I am or try to be good at things he has not gifted me with in order to please whoever is in front of me at the moment, it will not only  displease God, it will be tear me apart.
• The people God puts in your life to love and support you and for you to love and support back, do not need you to be somebody different to like you.

If you know me, you know I haven't stopped wanting everybody to be happy. I still work to remember I am not the one who is responsible for their happiness. I pray to do my best to share my joy and help everybody know where it comes from and then trust God to take care of the rest.

Peace and Joy in Christ,
Amy Gieger

It Is Well

We live in America where there is plenty of everything. Plenty of the good stuff and plenty of the bad stuff. Plenty of what we need and plenty of what we “want”. How could anyone be unhappy in America? How can anyone not have enough? Why is it possible to live in the richest country in the world and be poor?

There are lots of complicated answers but one simple answer is because we don’t know how to be content. We don’t know how to be thankful for what we have. We have not learned how to say, “It is well”. An old hymn that I can hear in my heart and want heard at my funeral someday, says “It is well with my soul”. (If I get to see Jesus before my Uncle Lloyd, he would be my choice of singers too. Just sayin’.) I was reminded of it yesterday when a friend shared a beautiful, acapella version of it on Facebook. (click here to see it), or look up Chris Tomlin’s version on YouTube. Both are glorious.

This song to me is a precious reminder of what Paul says in Philippians 4:12-13 NIV. “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”The key of course is the last verse. “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

Paul is not saying I love being hungry as much as being full, or I am just as thrilled to be in jail or without a home as I am to be in my home surrounded by the people that love me. What I believe he is saying is that we can find peace and comfort no matter what is happening in our lives by looking to and living for Christ. Paul is telling us what it means to say, “It is well”.

When we find our peace in Christ instead of money, it means that we don’t confuse storing up treasure with wanting to be a millionaire. When we find our strength in Christ instead of worldly power, it means that “looking out for number One” has a whole new definition. When we find our joy in Christ instead of in fame or worldly success, it means that we have joy to share for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health. When we let Christ’s provision fill our hearts and meet our needs, it means we understand success is not about how much we can have but how much we can give.

We’re coming quickly upon the “holiday” season. Yes, I just had to go there. Thanksgiving and Christmas are such important opportunities as Christians to give instead of get as we are called to show others who Jesus is by how we live. The most important ones we can show being our children. Pray with me to be able to walk so closely with the Lord that we can truly know and share that “It is well.”

Can I skip this season and say I didn’t?

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV).

I was reading my devotion this morning and this was the verse that inspired it. The devotion was about a mom who is homeschooling her children and on that day felt like she would never get past the lesson they were learning that week. We all know how that feels. It may be the assignment we have in school, the particular job/account/mission we’re assigned to at work, the age of our children and the specific difficulties that come with it, (you know potty training or junior high or dating, etc.), the stage our marriage is in right now, our health or the health of a loved one, or the state of our finances. Some days it feels like we will be there forever and we so desperately wish to be through it, over it, even just away from it for a while. We want to escape- right?

I was feeling like that myself this past week and then I went to an early childhood education conference on Saturday. The keynote speaker was a woman who has been in early childhood education for more than 30 years. She shared specific instances God has used in her life where there have been parents who seemed as though they were so far from God and from being good parents that no matter how she tried to help and care about their child and family nothing seemed to change or reach them. Time after time they would show up late or walk in high on something, send their children to school in the same diaper they had left in the evening before, etc.  She would get so frustrated and discouraged that she would finally decide to tell them they could not be in her school anymore. She would get to the point where she was telling God, “I’ve helped all I can.” “I’ve tried hard enough. I’m done!"

Of course, that was the point where that family, that Mom or Dad would finally ask for help, or open up and want to know more about Jesus. She was honest enough to say how hard it was to put her anger aside at that point. To not look at them and say, “Oh, now you want help?”. But, praise God, she would stop, let go of how she was feeling and let God work through her to say "Yes, He really does love you. It really is as simple as He says it is. He loves us, He sent His son to die for us and all we have to do is admit what we already know about ourselves and choose Him."

There were some amazing stories of life change and Godly restoration and healing! Each story was a clear reminder that He can do anything but is so often patiently waiting, while preparing the way for me or you as believers to share Him. He is waiting for us, as the ones who have lived in His love and forgiveness, to be the salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV). Preparing us through these seasons of testing to be the person that is trusted with the question, “Is it true? Is it true what you are teaching my child? Is it true what I see by how you live your life? Is it true what the Pastor says?"

Rest in His love today and remember with me that no matter what season we are in we can trust God’s timing and purpose. We can trust Him to show us grace so that we can show it to others. We can trust His forgiveness so we must forgive. We can trust Him to speak when we are out of words. We can trust Him to use even us, in our weakness, to show others how to reach Him and find what we’ve found- peace, restoration and hope.

Amy Gieger
Children's Ministry Director

Listening To My Own Advice (as said to my kids)

I make my sons do workbooks over the summer. Actually, I am the enforcer but it is my husband who is so passionate about them maintaining brain function. Most days in the summer, they come to work with me so I get to be the one to tell them why, and hear them complain and try to negotiate. Yes, there are days I don't make them or when my husband holds me accountable that I want to say a few not so nice words about his big ideas. But most days, I suffer through and actually survive being the mean mom.

The reason I agreed to be the enforcer is because my husband is right (I'm not afraid to admit it). He is the better educated, more motivated and disciplined one of the two of us, with four degrees (seriously, four!) and his own business to show for it. While he never uses that against me, I have a lot of respect for him and that reality. I want my kids to have every chance to learn and be better at studying and getting the whole concept of pushing past the "I don't want to", to the "wow, that was worth it." That actually does happen with them occasionally. Praise God!!

The listening to my own advice is the hard part. The part where God steps in and speaks to me and says, "Did you hear what you just said to your son? Do you practice what you preach?"

For example, this morning other staff members/teachers had their children with them and my kids were doing their workbooks, knowing that their friends were waiting on them or playing without them. They were whining and negotiating and manipulating their socks off to get out of having to do any or all of the pages, and I wouldn't budge.

My oldest is the worst about it, going as far as to try to say he had done more pages than he could have in the time they had been working and his brother was calling him on it. I stepped in with "focus on your own work, you are not the parent" to the youngest and "do the right thing" to my oldest. I added, "this is not for me, it is for you. This is to grow your brain and ability to learn so you can be all God wants you to be. This is your job. I have to do things all the time that I don't want to do to keep growing and learning." What a great mom lecture!

Right after all that came out of my mouth, looking at my son eye to eye, that voice in my head said, "Did you hear what you just said to your son? Do you always do what I ask you to do to keep growing and learning?"

If you read my last blog, you know I do- sometimes. But I know I don't do it all of the time. Okay, nobody gets it right all the time- I know that. But I've learned to listen to that voice and stop and evaluate and ask, "what difficult or important thing am I putting You off about, Lord? Is there something more I could and should be doing to learn in my relationship with You and who You are growing me to be?"

Some answers come to mind, like "Where is your consistent quiet time with Me? I reminded you three times this morning and you put it off" and "Are you really trusting Me to provide for your ministry and setting your church and community on fire about Me?"

"We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us." (Philippians 4:13) You don't have to walk very far down the path with Him to not just hear that verse but to know it's really true. Why do we still put Him off? I'm going to stop typing now and get into His word like I should have this morning so I can get closer to starting that fire!

What is He speaking to your heart about so that you're going to stop reading and start doing?

Grace and Strength in Christ,
Amy

What Am I Waiting For?

Pastor Ken just finished his series on community and asked me to speak at the Wednesday Night Connecting Point to tell my story about being in community. I made notes, prayed for God to guide and use my words and then shared from my heart what God has shown me........

I knew I needed community and still didn't jump in. I prayed about it and God surrounded me with powerful examples of community.

First the staff- a community of people I had on a pedestal (and still do to be honest), that I put so far ahead of me in wisdom and faith and their relationship with Christ. They speak to each other and listen to each other and are humble and kind and honest and welcomed me into this community with the same respect they gave each other. Remarkable and overwhelming to me still.

Then I took on my first big project as Children's Ministry Director- to build a new UpStreet environment for our kids. I was surrounded by community. The team that created it (that I did not give them credit as a community until just now) and the Karpf's wonderful community group, all of whom showed up for weeks on end to paint and organize and clean and sweat (cause I would forget to turn on the air in time to cool the big old place) and create and build and cut and nail and paint and sweat some more. We laughed and worked and prayed, made a mess and got the job done! A family in Christ, working and serving Him and growing together.

By the time we were done, I could not wait to get into a community group. I missed them and knew that community was where I needed to be. I stepped out on faith and became a facilitator for a ladies community group. God rewarded my faith by placing me with an amazing group of women and opened a way to use me to connect and grow and lead and follow with them in a real and wonderful community!

That was pretty much what I was led to share this past Wednesday. I was thankful to be allowed to share and pray that it encouraged any and everyone there that was not already in community to run out and get in it!

What didn't get said that night was that I just left my wonderful community group. It was a beautiful, supportive, caring, loving group and I walked away. We have been in community going on 2 years, have prayed and supported each other through financial trouble, family stress, cancer, surgery, recovery, birthdays, medical and emotional crisis, shared joy over answered prayers, eaten very well, loved,laughed and cried together. Staying in community with each other would be the easiest and safest place in the world. BUT, over the last 6-8 months the Lord had been talking to me consistently about why being uncomfortable was the better choice.

Community is meant to grow new leaders and hosts. Community is meant to grow faith and courage and love so that we step out and share those beautiful gifts with others. I spoke about those things but couldn't make myself get uncomfortable. I had lots of good reasons for not leaving my group. What if I didn't stay in touch with my beautiful sisters and we lost that connection? What if they were mad at me? What if I never found another community group like them? What if they wouldn't join another community group? We kept welcoming new members, wasn't that enough to share this gift with others? Bottom line, I just didn't want to leave. I love my community group! They are good for me and to me and I would miss them too much! We are good for each other! I was following God enough by being facilitator and even host home too sometimes.

Why would God want me to leave something so great? Why would He expect me to do more?

Well, I know the answer to this but, like a kid with my fingers in my ears, singing lalalalalalalalala, I don't want to listen.

The answer is, it is not about me.

So what if I'm scared of being uncomfortable, making people I love uncomfortable, or even mad at me? It is not about me. God is so much bigger than that and has always taken care of me. He brought me into this community group and blessed me beyond measure.

How can I not trust Him to take care of this next step if He is leading me?

So, trust Him. Be a leader, be a host home, step out on faith and I promise you He will be faithful to be there with you and hold your hand, speak through you, love and live through and with you. God is faithful in all things. Look to Him for guidance and provision, not to yourself.

In our weakness He is strong. Be sure to remind me of that the next time I'm struggling to step out in faith.

Courage and Peace in Christ,
Amy Gieger
Children's Ministry Director

Inspired yet?

Okay, so all that talk about reading and inspiration- I'll go first. Here's a note about something I read that inspired me.

I read a book by John Steinbeck recently called "The Pearl". I can't claim to be a fan of his or to have read many of his books that I wasn't required to read in school. I just happened upon this book at the library and decided to give it a try. The Pearl is the retelling of an old Mexican folk tale and plays out the battle between greed and contentment through the desire to rise above your "station" in life and provide a better future/better opportunities for your family than you had growing up. A relevant topic; I could relate. It was sad yet triumphant; a good read.

What actually inspired me more than the story though was something shared at the back of the book about John Steinbeck. It says that "...throughout his life he signed his letters with his personal 'Pigasus logo', symbolizing himself 'a lumbering soul but trying to fly'". There is a picture of a pig with wings and above it there are Latin words that read "Ad Astra Per Alla Porci". The translation is "To the stars on the wings of a pig".

Of course pigs don't fly, so how is this inspiring you ask? It is inspiring to me for someone who was as outwardly successful as any famous person could be, during his life, that he knows the reality that we are never "all that". I'm inspired when people who achieve earthly fame respect the fact that this is all temporary (Matthew 6:19-20), and don't get caught up in all the compliments- empty or genuine- and the attention/money and remember who they really and forever will be. Just a human being.

Staying humble is a gift. As I mentioned in an earlier post, in our weakness He is strong and that works two wonderful ways. One - He can use us in spite of our flaws and mistakes and work through us even in our weakness. Two - we must stay humble and give Him the glory and honor for all the blessings and success to truly be followers of Christ and lead people to know Him. When we start taking the credit for achievements and forgetting to praise and honor the Lord we are not leading people to Him- we are leading them to us, and no matter how "fabulous" we are, we will let them down. We are not perfect. Period. (Need to hear it again, like music? Just listen to the Mary, Mary lyrics in "It's the God in me".)

It is so good to hear our names called as the inventor, the artist, the author, the champion, the award winner, the hero but when we start believing that we achieved it alone then we are being fooled. We are listening to that prideful voice in our heads that says, "Hmmm, I did do that, look at me, Go Me, Go Me!" I can only imagine how hard it is not to buy into the lies people tell you when you are famous. We want to be told and to believe we are special, accepted and liked. We want to believe we are "smarter than the average bear" and in control of our future. In my own life I have learned many times, many ways, I simply and truly do not have the better plan. When I depend on myself and start chasing my ideas and my plans, I end up going in circles or giving up. When I take the time to pray and seek the Lord's will, His paths are straight and have purpose and bear fruit. His plan is always better than mine!

Take the time to ask Him today, what His plan is for the problem you're solving or the future that you dream of. Stay humble, pray without ceasing and stay focused on Christ. Being a "people pleaser" myself, it has taken me all 40 of my years to understand and submit to why following God is more valuable than chasing my own dreams, chasing someone else's or as nice as I desire to be, chasing the approval of others. Even knowing I will never be able to please everyone rarely stops me from trying. With all the praise and criticism readily available here on earth I can honestly tell you the most precious praise I will forever seek is my Father in Heaven's gentle words when I meet Him. "Well done my good and faithful servant".

Because He loved us first,
Amy

Reading is "Fun"damental...

Do you read? For fun, for education, only when you have to, never?

I am a fun and/or learning reader. Of course, for fun is the easiest and to read for learning at this stage in my life usually fueled by something God is leading me to, something I need to know about for my children or a subject or title that I've been encouraged to read by someone I respect.

Most of the time reading is my "escape", my quiet time, something I do for myself kinda thing. I'm trying to pass on this love and value of reading to my children. My two boys and I frequent the library. We even know how to work the self check out. Seriously!! This summer we've been reading poetry and listening to more audio books but the most valuable book I'm reading with them right now (though it is taking us a few months to get through because I read it at bedtime on the nights that I am not so exhausted I can't see to read) is a book by James Dobson on adolescence. It brings up a lot of topics and issues I am uncomfortable with but God has impressed on me how important this time in their lives is and that if my husband and I (he's is talking to them too) are not talking to them about this stuff then they will form their opinions and morals from people who are not uncomfortable talking about it. Do I even have to go there to tell you why I need to be pro-active against that???!!!!

I have always been a reader, even when I was little. I know it has a lot to do with my parents reading to me every night at bed time. That was a time I looked forward to every day (though going to sleep was a completely different story back then). I enjoyed the stories, the time with my Mom and/or Dad, the comfort, the questions, the just one more story pleeeaaaase! It was a great help as I learned how to read, expanded my vocabulary and realized that a good book could make any day better (especially a bad one). I am a HUGE fan of reading with my kids and I highly recommend it for every parent and child.

So reading came easily, made sense, and helped me perform better in every other aspect of my life (except maybe for calculating math in my head). You might say, well Amy, "miss reader pants" reading is not fun for everyone. No- really? Why in the world not?

Okay, okay, I do know that a big part of my life has been spent with children. I know that we all learn differently and not everyone is made with the "YAY reading" gene. What I have learned though is that everyone loves a good story. Their definition of what a good story is may be different and some would rather watch or hear than read but everyone loves a good story. We love to be drawn into another world, shown how someone is getting through something we can relate to, live vicariously through someone else's experiences and most of all be INSPIRED by someone else's life, career, battle, perseverance, compassion and love.

SO... I challenge you to find something to read or listen to or watch that inspires you today! The Bible is the first book that comes to mind to recommend, but there are many books out there that God can use to love and grow and inspire us if we let Him. He is in all things you know. :-)

Better yet, share the most inspiring story of love and sacrifice ever told, the story of the cross, with someone who has never heard it. How about someone you know who has heard it. Could be the start of a conversation that includes someone's inspiring story you wouldn't have heard otherwise...

I'd love to hear what you're reading or listening to and how God is inspiring you!

Peace and Love in Christ,

Amy Gieger
Children's Ministry Director

Who me? Afraid??

I was just reading a recent Perry Noble blog ("dead snakes and screaming like a girl") and though I present myself as a strong and faithful Christ follower and truly have witnessed His power and love so much more than I deserve, I was hit upside the head with how much time I spend being afraid! Not, hide in the storm cellar afraid but the kind of afraid that keeps me from asking questions, keeps me from overcoming simple, stupid habits of not speaking up because I want to avoid conflict, not asking for help because I don't want to appear as weak as I really am, not making better choices about how I save my money or how I spend my time because I am lazy. The kind of afraid that makes a project or decision that should only take a few weeks, take 3 or 4 months or a year or even never happen.

I use the excuse that I am the only person I can say no to but really, by being less than I know I should be, whether it's less organized or managing my time poorly or saying yes to my kids when I should have said no, I am not being all God would have me to be. He can not use me to all of His glory if I am wasting my time and energy being afraid or too lazy to speak up, ask questions, be organized, manage my time.

Now, I know I am a work in progress and I can look back through my life and see all the ways He has grown me for His glory. I'm not saying I will ever be perfect at these things or saying that you have to be either to be used greatly by God. I am so thankful to know the true statement "in my weakness He is strong." However, what I am saying is we have to stop confusing fear with discernment. Discernment is gathering facts and information about a new project or ministry God has laid on your heart before you start it without knowing what it should look like - discernment is praying before you go welcome the new neighbor or speak to the one who has lived next door to you for 5 years and you've never even said hello, much less invited them to church - discernment is talking to Godly friends who have kids (or Godly friends you trust) before you decide where to send them to school or whether to let them have a Facebook account or go to camp.

Fear is never doing any of the above because as soon as the thought comes to mind, you think, I don't know enough, I don't have enough experience, someone else would be better at that - they don't like me anyway so they wouldn't listen or they should have spoken to me first - they will think I am such a bad parent if I don't already know the answer to this, I'm supposed to have all the answers for my kids.

Praise Him for knowing my faults and weaknesses and loving and working through me anyway. But what greater things does He have planned that He is having to do in other ways until I wake up and stop being afraid of what I can't do when I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that with HIM, with GOD, our loving and all powerful savior, ALL things are possible.

I know that He can use these rantings of mine to speak to your heart because while I am not all that, HE IS!!!

Love and Peace in Christ,

Amy Gieger
Children's Ministry Director