He Speaks To Me

Five Minute Friday is where gather with my sweet friends
to write our hearts on a page for 5 minutes prompted
by the friend who encourages us to write bravely - Lisa-Jo.

I love this community more than words can express. 
They are my people.

Today is about SONG.

God often uses the lyrics of a song to speak to my heart.

Sometimes it is to reinforce scripture that I have been reading that day. 
Sometimes it coincides with a conversation that I had recently. 
Sometimes it is a word of encouragement for the day.
Sometimes it is about a prayer that I barely whispered to Him.

Some songs speak only in a moment and there are ones that don't let go of me. These songs that grab hold touch something to deep in me. These are usually the ones that bring me to a place of worship when I least expect it and most need it. This place where I lift hands and lower knees all to Him.
Sometimes they break apart the hard and turn me inside out. 
The tears come and I come undone.

This is one of those songs.



I will sing of your strength; 
I will sing aloud of your 
steadfast love in the morning. 
Psalm 59:16

What song is God using to speak to you?

Blessings,

Worship at Orange

There is something so incredibly powerful about joining over 5,000 people in worship.

Here are some of the artists that have been leading us in worship this year at 
The Orange Conference.

If you weren't able to make it to Orange this year, you can tune in via live stream. You will be able to see what's happening on and off stage, watch sessions and interviews with speakers, learn more about resources and enter giveaways.

I will be blogging and tweeting throughout the conference along with many others.

You can follow all the Orange Bloggers listed here.

You can also follow along via Twitter using the hashtag #OC13.

Blessings,

Everything in Me

Thank you! 
Everything in me says “Thank you!” 

Angels listen as I sing my thanks. 

I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: “Thank you!” 

Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; 

Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. 

The moment I called out, you stepped in;
you made my life large with strength.

Psalm 138:1-3

Blessings,

Wednesdays with Women in Kidmin

Wednesdays with Women in Kidmin is about bringing together some of the leading 

women in children's ministry to share their knowledge and passion. 

For us to gather and learn from each other...to sharpen each other.

As iron sharpens iron,

so a friend sharpens a friend.

Proverbs 27:17

Motherhood and Ministry

- Yancy

I grew up a preacher’s kid. Yeah, yeah, I know often times that is filled with negative connotations but for me it’s been a great thing. As look back on my life I can very gladly and openly say that I had a great life. I had two parents that loved me and did everything in their power to teach, guide and train me in the way I should go. My life as a preacher’s kid was a happy one. I found it filled with many positive opportunities I would have never gotten any other way. I accepted Christ when I was seven and knew from an early age that God had called me to do music. Because of that dream I’ve been working hard at my music for most of my life. Because of what I felt God had called me to do in my life it required me to have a relationship with Him. The church is where I found a place to belong. A place to serve and a place to use my gifts. 

I am now a mom myself. My son, Sparrow, will be two in February. I can’t believe how much time flies. It’s been an amazing and joy-filled almost two years. I am also in ministry. I travel doing family concerts at churches all over the country and throughout the world. I have many different CD’s, DVD’s and devotionals that focus on different ages like preteen and preschool. I train kidmin worship leaders through workshops and articles. I write and produce the music for Standard Publishing’s VBS and help with www.AmberSkyRecords.com. Plus, I serve in my local church on a couple different worship teams.

I can be honest and say most days I feel like I’m at least ten to fifteen “things to dos” behind. Everyday I wake up with the idea that I can accomplish so much in my day only to realize that I am not Super Woman and by the time I do some Mommy things with Sparrow and around the house my work to do list is well, not going to get accomplished like I thought.

So, at this stage in the game as I reflect on the many things my parents did right and follow their model as I parent Sparrow here’s a few things I want to share:

1. Include your kids. It wasn’t just Dad’s ministry but something we did as a family. Every Saturday I’d go to the church with Dad growing up and help prepare the classrooms and kid’s ministry for Sunday morning. Whether it was straightening chairs, filling buckets of candy, making Visitor packs or many other tasks I was right there in the middle of it and spending time with Dad in the process. When Dad traveled to conferences we’d either all go as a family or take turns going on special trips with Dad. Sparrow travels with me to all my concerts and he loves to play with cables and plug stuff in and he’s awesome at carrying a megaphone. J

 2. Make special focused time for your kids. Time with Mom was many shopping trips. Time with Dad was usually a lunch or dinner. The point is they made special, dedicated time that was about me.  They made me feel important in their world. One of my biggest challenges is stopping to acknowledge Sparrow when I’m in the middle of responding to emails. But I’ve read that if you want your kids to share important stuff with you then you need to not ignore them when they try to talk to you.

 3. Allow your kids to experience, try and fail in protected environments. My parents were super strict with what we watched and listened to when I was young. In our teen years they were great about taking us to the non-Christian concerts we were interested in and allowing us to see the world in a controlled environment. They were with us when we smelled pot or saw people gorging in PDA. It was a controlled environment and we were able to see how ridiculous someone is that’s drunk or living a lifestyle that is not God honoring. In those environments it made us only want to live holy…instead of wondering what the world was like, we saw it with our parents. Even on into making some career choices. My parents helped guide me to seek God and listen to His voice to guide my steps. They let me make the decisions. Great lessons learned at young ages on how listening to God’s voice and doing what He says always pays off.  I want to help Sparrow make Godly choices as he navigates his life. I want Him to learn to hear God’s voice and obey what He says.

 4. My parents blessed us. They didn’t spoil us, but they did bless us. When I was a kid my parents didn’t have much to go around so spoiling wasn’t an option. My Dad is a giver   though is he strived very hard to be loving and giving just like our Heavenly father is. He said He doesn’t want to get to Heaven and have God asked why He didn’t do more to help his kids answer the call of God on their life. Even as I write this that is a humbling statement. I am so blessed to have such giving parents that sacrificed so we could take the dance and music lessons we took. They made sure we had great keyboards, guitars, drums, lawyers or whatever was needed for that season. I want to be giving like that to Sparrow. I want to support Him as He dreams the dreams God has for his life. I want to teach him that God provides for all of our needs!

5. Love God, Hate Sin. Both my parents repeated things over and over to us through the years. Of course, sometimes I rolled my eyes hearing the same stuff again but you know what, it stuck with me. Those things got down in my heart and are here to stay. One of those things was “Love God, Hate Sin.” It’s an old 80’s CCM song by Mylon LeFevre. My Mom signed every birthday card and letter at camp with those four words. It’s kind of funny and I’ve already started signing things to Sparrow the same way. If I can get those four words down in his heart as he makes the wise choice then I think we’ll be off to a good start.

Happy New Year! Many blessings on you, your family and your ministry in 2013.

Learn more about Yancy at www.YancynotNancy.com

With Deepest Awe

Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;

I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.

Psalm 5:7

Wednesdays with Women in Kidmin

Wednesdays with Women in Kidmin is about bringing together some of the leading 

women in children's ministry to share their knowledge and passion. 

For us to gather and learn from each other...to sharpen each other.

As iron sharpens iron,

so a friend sharpens a friend.

Proverbs 27:17

What I Wish I Knew
- Sarah Pickering

Wendy asked me to tell you something I wish I had known or someone had told me when I started out in kids ministry. There are two things that I want to share, the first is find what you were made to do and do it and the second is take time to rest!

I have worked in children’s ministry since my first year in college, many moons ago now. As soon as the church I joined started Sunday morning services and a kids ministry to go with it I was in. It was fun to start something new and be in from the ground up. I served in many capacities within the children’s ministry from helping anywhere and everywhere, to leading an age group, to leading a worship team of youth and children and running a youth drama team and I loved it all. I did this alongside university and then teaching elementary aged kids in London, England. It was busy! I worked in school all week and in kids on a Sunday, often playing bass in the band for the grown ups and then literally running from there and switching guitars so I could lead worship with the kids through the sermon time and then running back so I could be on stage for the song during ministry time at the end. Looking back at that time it was insane, I was insane, but I loved it.

During the craziest of all seasons doing this we had a new worship pastor who made me choose - kids or adults. I could be in the worship band with the adults or continue with the kids worship but he would not agree to both. It was such a bummer to have to choose, I loved playing bass in the grown ups, and if I actually ran I had time to do it all but still he made me choose and I chose the kids.

I am so glad I decided on the kids. I was made to help children connect with God. There is nothing better than seeing little people worship Jesus wholeheartedly. There are not many kids who will fake worshiping Jesus. They are either in it or punching their neighbor. They don’t behave like adults who have learnt the protocol and know when to raise their hands, close their eyes and do the worship thing. Kids don’t act, they either worship or they don’t, they give it their all or they don’t give it at all.

So that is my first piece of advice and I am glad I was forced to choose: 

Find the thing you were made to do and do it.

A few years after I realized that kids really was the thing I was made to do I joined the staff of another church as children's pastor. I did this alongside teaching for four years. It was hard work. Bi-vocational life works better on paper than in practice. Anyone who tells you otherwise has either never done it or has forgotten how hard it was. Both teaching and pastoring are full time jobs, even when you are doing them part time, and it is not possible to provide two lots of 100%, which both jobs demand if you want to do them well. Neither teaching or pastoring are ever completed, there is always more that can be done and this was my biggest issue. I have trouble knowing when to stop. I am a lot like a horse with a nosebag when it comes to work, if you don’t take the bag away from the horse it will eat itself to death and if you don’t make me stop work I will do likewise.

I needed to learn to stop. I needed to learn when enough was enough. After three and a half years of this crazy pace I came to a standstill because I ran out of things to teach. I asked God what he wanted me to teach the children next and all I heard in reply was nothing. After seriously seeking God for a few weeks asking that he’d let me in on the plan for the next year in kids ministry I figured it must be time for me to be done and to hand it over to someone else and so I quit. It was either full out running or nothing. I knew there must be a happy medium but hadn’t discovered it yet. So I had some time of doing nothing.

God’s adventure package had me move to BC, Canada and I didn’t work for nine months after arriving and it was wonderful. I volunteered in the children’s ministry at the church I started to attend but had no responsibility, it was glorious. It was also frustrating, as I could see things that needed to be done, but it was glorious nonetheless. After nine months I joined the staff of a newly forming church, a split from the one I was attending, and work began in earnest. We had 550 people on the first Sunday and nowhere to meet for the second week and, in my department, no toys, nothing. We hit the ground running, and running really fast. This was six years ago and I ran for five solid years. I went from nothing to full out sprinting. The pace we took off at is hard to maintain. To start a church with 5 children would have been challenging but to start with 150 kids was fierce. There was a ton to be done, all the time, and it was never finished.

So here comes my second piece of advice: 

Sabbath is not a nice add on, it is essential, take it.

I wish someone had told me that at the start of this church, even way back in London and maybe they did, and if so, I wish I had listened.  Exodus 31:15 says, if you don’t observe the Sabbath you will be put to death and I think I was slowly putting myself to death by not keeping it. I was not made for that pace. I was not made to keep running. I need rest. Jesus says, ‘The Sabbath was made for people’ (Mark 2:27) The Sabbath is God’s gift to me so that I make it through next week too. So I have learned and am still learning to stop, renew, reconnect with God and with myself, create something just for fun not just for a kids lesson and pause long enough to look up, to get my head out of the nose bag and breathe. Currently my Sabbath pattern is to stop work on Thursday after dinner, turn off all my electronic communication devices, and separate myself from work and social media for a whole 24hr period. It took a little while to not itch to check Facebook on that day but it has become a very precious time in the week for me. It is a day for family, friends and fun, it is a day where I create and am recreated, it is a day of rest and I now know it is essential and when it is done I have the energy to go again.

So to sum up. 

First, find what you were made to do and do it and then second, take the time to stop doing it regularly so that you can go the distance that God has planned out for you.

So what were you made to do and how do you keep the Sabbath?

Sarah is kids pastor at the Bridge Church in Abbotsford, BC. She loves kids (that helps) and Jesus (that's essential). She has been in kids ministry for longer than she hasn't. She is Aunty Sarah to Ben, Tom, Finley and Connor which is a delight. She loves to paint, write, create, tell stories, be silly and is often seen with Ben's stuffed leopard, Lenny, out on an adventure which is then turned into a photo book that Ben (13yo) still delights to receive. Her socks never match, although they do coordinate and, truth be told, she is a bit of a geek. She would like to be known as one who was simple but effective.

What I'm Listening To - Vineyard Worship

Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,

for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

Psalm 89:15 

Worship music is woven throughout my days.

I listen during my Abba time, while I am cleaning the house, 

and many other times as well.

Right now I am listening to the new album from Vineyard Worship.

You can connect with them on their blog and on Twitter.

Here is a sneak peek of the album.

Love Has Rescued Me is my favorite song.

Love Has Rescued Me

Wrongly accused, condemned to die 

The Son of God unjustly tried

The crowd demanded, Crucify

Your love O Lord, Your Love has rescued me

The wooden instrument of death

My Savior breathes His final breath

The ransom canceling my debt

Your love O Lord, Your Love has rescued me

 Your sweet love has rescued me

I once was blind but now I see

My sin and death’s been crucified

I once was dead, now I’m alive

They laid Your body in the grave

Formed from the earth Your hands had made

They laid Your body in the grave

Your love O Lord, Your Love has rescued me

Tell me O death where is your sting?

Where is, O grave, your victory?

Jesus our conquering risen King

Your love O Lord, Your Love has rescued me

I once was dead, now I’m alive

My sin and death’s been crucified

I once was lost and sinking down

You set my feet on solid ground 

I once was blind but now I see

O Lord, Your love has rescued me

Your love O Lord, Your Love has rescued me

(And the church says…) 

Amen

O death, tell me where’s your sting

O grave, where’s your victory

Jesus, our risen King

He’s alive and I’m forgiven

What are you listening to right now?


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I Can Almost See Jesus

I watch my son floating on his back.

He isn't thinking about anything else.

He is just free.

It is like watching him worship.

Arms stretched out.

Pure joy.

I have to take the picture.
What a gift this moment is.

He swims over to me coming in close.

He reaches out to connect.

Touching my shoulder.

Wiping my hair away from my eyes so he can look at me.

In that space where it is only us circling in the cool water.

He says,

"Momma, I can almost see Jesus when I lay on my back like that."

I respond with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes,

"Me too, baby. Me too."

My Sunday in Pictures

Blessed.

Lift and Let Go

In order to lift my hands

high in praise to Him,

I have to let go of

anything other than Him

I am holding close.

  



Tuesday Tunes

Have you ever had a song grab hold of your heart,
bring you to your knees, and make you weep?

This is that song for me today.



Walk in the Promise

by Bethel Music

Our souls wait in silence

In rest and in quiet for You

Spirit

In trust and dependence

We walk in the promise of You

Coming

With hope and healing in Your wings

With fire and with wind

You fall on us again

Here we are waiting

for this house to be shaken

For the boldness to carry

Your name to the nations

Your signs and Your wonders

to go now before us

For the weight of Your glory

to rest as we lift You up

We lift You up

Be magnified in us

What song is grabbing hold of your heart today?

What I'm Listening To

Loving Izzi Ray!

Her debut album is available on iTunes here:
Izzi Ray - iTunes.


Here are a few songs from the album:





Tuesday Tunes

Singing songs is a fantastic way for kids to learn and remember scripture.

Here are a few songs that will help do that during worship in children's ministry and at home.



Tuesday Tunes




I don't wanna waste a second,

I don't wanna waste a moment.
I don't wanna live my life in chains.
I'm here to make You famous,


And tell the world You came to save us.
I am here to make a change today


For the sake of this generation,
I live for You.
For the hope of the world’s salvation,
I live for You


Today, I'm living for You,
Today, my heart beats for You.
Today, I'm following You Lord,
Today!
Today, I'm standing for You,
Today, I'm looking to You.
Today, I'm following You Lord,
Today!


I live, all for the glory of Your name,
I live, to see this generation saved.
I live, to see Your love abound in all the earth.
I live for You!




Me, Mr. Clean, & God

There is one day every week when I deep clean our home. Dusting, scrubbing...the whole nine yards.

This is also the time when I have my deepest conversations with God.

This time is when I pray the biggest prayers for my guys. Making their beds I ask that God covers them with love and grace. Dusting their rooms I ask that God gives them a clean heart. Picking up all the clutter in their rooms I ask that God will remove all distractions from what He has for them.

Now I will admit that when I am cleaning the bathroom I am having a different kind of prayer involving aim with three boys. Moms of sons, you totally get that prayer and may have even prayed it as well.

This is the time that I just talk with Him. It becomes more than prayer. It is a conversation. I tell Him about everything during this time. I empty my mind and heart into this space and know that He hears me.

This is also the time that I praise with complete abandon. I put on some worship music and proceed to dance and sing to my God. I want to be able to do all of these chores with joy and this really helps to make that happen.

So one day a week I have a standing date with Mr. Clean and my God.

It is one of my favorite days of the week.

Tuesday Tunes



One Thirst

by

Jeremy Riddle

You say to us seek Your face 

Our hearts reply, Your face we seek

And come teach us Lord, reveal Your ways

Anoint us for the greater things

We have gathered with one thirst and hunger

We’re here to drink of glory and wonder,

Here to cry out

Come and fill this place

Come and fill this place

And our single wish, our sole desire

To gaze upon Your beauty God

We will not rest, nor will we cease

Till with our eyes, Your face we see

We have gathered with one thirst and hunger

We’re here to drink of glory and wonder,

Here to cry out

Come and fill this place, this place

Come and fill this place, this place

We wait for You to come and show Your glory here today.

We wait for You to come and show Your glory here today.

We wait for You to come and show Your glory here today.

We wait for You to come and show Your glory here today.

We wait for You, God we wait for You!

We wait for You, God we wait for You!

Alleluia come, Alleluia come, Alleluia come, Alleluia come!

We wait for You to come and show Your glory here today!