This year I was the director of Cubbies in our church's Awana program and it
was such a good year. These are just a
few of the things that I learned.
Kids act different for adults
other than their parents. I am a prime
example of this. As a child I rarely got
in trouble from my parents. I behaved
and obeyed them most of the time. I did
not act this way for everyone though. I
have one piano teacher that I remember being horrible to and I'm sure my sweet
mom never knew. It was really nice that for my first year of doing this, I knew almost all of the kids in our
class. It helped that I knew the
different things some parents were struggling with. But some of those kids who were really a
challenge for their parents were the sweetest Cubbies we had. Others, who I knew to be so sweet at home,
did not behave and obey in class. Kids
act different when their parents aren't around. Don't just assume you know how your child is acting.
God doesn't call you to something
without giving you a heart for it.
Never say never I guess, but God doesn't usually ask you do to something
that you have absolutely no interest in.
If He calls you to be a worship pastor, He'll give you a love of music. If He asks you to become a missionary, you'll have some interest in other cultures. If
He asks you to teach Sunday School, you'll probably like kids. If you feel God calling you to do something
you don't want to do, pray about it and I'm guessing He'll change your heart. Also, if you’re not involved in any
ministries, think through what your interests are. Is there a way that you could use that for
God?
When God asks you to do something
He'll equip you for it. I was a leader in Cubbies for three years.
During those years, I wasn't planning on becoming the director but I couldn't have done it
without that time of learning. Sometimes
you don’t even know God is equipping you.
My brother works at a prison for boys.
When he was young he was in 4-H and it’s something my mom really felt
like he needed to do. I wasn’t in
4-H. She didn’t have that same urging
for me. My brother recently started the
first ever 4-H Club in a youth correctional facility and he couldn’t have done
that if he didn’t have his own experiences with the program to know how it
worked. These boys are learning skills
and it’s been a good thing! And praise the Lord we had a mom who was listening to the Holy Spirit.
Ministry is a sacrifice. I had to make choices and adjust
family things this year and it wasn't easy. It meant I had to say “no” to some
things. Some good things. I couldn't have done it if I hadn't adjusted the rest of life because we just can't do it all. When we do what God asks us to do it will be
worth it though. My kids learned a lot
from watching me. They helped set up our
room each week and they were involved in the planning and the lessons. In helping me prepare for our Easter lesson
my four year old asked Jesus to come into his heart. Praise the Lord!
You will grow when working in
ministry. Ask anyone who’s gone on a
mission’s trip and they’ll tell you they were the ones who grew and learned
from their experience. This year as I
was teaching those sweet little people, I learned my Bible better. Through the planning and preparation for
lessons I studied my Bible, prayed and I memorized lots of verses. Good things!
God doesn’t do things like we
do. I had certain things in mind for the
year that didn’t work out how I had planned them. God’s ways are better though. Often I find myself praying that things will
go smoothly but that’s not how God works.
And that’s not a very mature way to pray. If everything is smooth and easy we take the credit. Any ministry where
people are getting all the credit isn’t going to be fully blessed by God. He wants the glory.
Working for the Lord invites
enemy attack. I have never gone through
as much spiritual warfare as I went through this year. It was a lonely and stressful year in many ways. The enemy doesn’t want us learning, growing,
and serving God. When we’re doing those
things, we can expect enemy activity. You
could take it as a sign that you’re on the right track. Do you know how the enemy attacks you
personally? Knowing how can help you prepare for when it happens. Does he plant seeds of doubt or anxiety? Do
you get physically sick? Do you have to deal your thought life being invaded
with lustful, bitter, or negative thoughts? Do thoughts of the sins in your past keep
harassing you? Filling your mind with
Godly things helps push the enemy back.
Read your Bible! Have Christian
music playing in your home, car, and ipod.
I especially love music that is just Bible verses to music. Our kids have several cd’s like that and I
feel like it adds a protective “covering” to our home. It replaces those lies the enemy is trying to
tell us with the truth of God’s word.
Every child is precious. Some may be stinkers but every one is precious. We had such a sweet group of kids and it was
a joy to get to spend time with them each week.
The parents of these kids were a wonderful bunch too and they worked so
hard. They brought snacks, helped prep
crafts, filled in for leaders, and they spent lots of time helping their kids
memorize verses. I wish every child was
as lucky as these little people are. Every
child deserves to have parents who take such good care of them because every
child is precious to God.
Matthew 19:14
but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
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