I wanted to share on facebook a section of a paper I wrote last week for my Pastoral Theology class. It was about decision making in the field of ministry. After writing this paper, I had realized how much God was actually physically at work within my life, and I hope this can be an example for many of my facebook friends and family, to help you notice the little things that God does. He puts us in certain places for reason whether they seem absolutely insane or maybe even just right. ...it is almost as if they [my recent life experiences over the past year] were orchestrated by God to create in me a desire to even make a decision, and also appreciate that I have one to make. God does not want us to simply head in one direction and stay there. He wants us to experience adversity so that eventually we seek His guidance and understanding. The decision I make between these two choices will be a life changing one to say the least. As of today, I feel that God brought me through the avenue of children’s ministry because he eventually wants me to be able to appreciate what I will have when I am a youth pastor. Jeremiah Johnson during one of our pastoral theology classes spoke about the importance of consecration. God is bringing me through the after school care experience because He wants me to be ready to hold the responsibilities of the not so “majestic” parts of ministry. Everybody wants to stand up on stage and tell people how to live their lives, and I for a time was on that boat too. Until God; step by step, taught me how to genuinely care for, and help people. The most difficult people to understand are children, but yet also at the same time, they can be the most open and honest. My next step forward in this process towards my goal, is that for my practicum class this semester I will be co-leading a children’s ministry of about thirty kids at Shepherd Road Presbyterian Church. I have spent one Sunday evening with the small Club 56 group they have about once a month. Every Sunday morning I will now be able to spend a great amount of time with kids and not having the responsibility of making sure they are on their best behavior or paying attention the right way. God has taught me how to be comfortable with children even more than I already was. The situation at the daycare I work at, has been nothing short of an entire learning experience that I thank God for every single day, even it was a bad one. I spend my week ministering to and taking care of children. Now I can continue forward and start preaching to them, play games and create memories that will last inside of their minds for years to come; that alone makes everything worth it. God was there all along this past year, knowing that eventually writing this paper would help me realize what He was doing with me the entire time, preparing me for what is coming next.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 01:28:32 +0000