It was 12:00 AM when I went to sleep this morning, but sleep is not what happened. Not sure if God is preparing me for the late night feedings or if I seem to be a better listener at this time of night.
Pre-pregnancy, I knew that those nights when I was woken up God had something He wanted to tell me. And I was obedient; I’d get up, open my bible, or just sit in the dark in silent prayer waiting to hear His still small voice.
Well last night I was trying to resist His call to me. He had my mind just racing. He began talking to me about Scuba Diving vs. Snorkeling. He was talking to me about going deeper in my relationship with Him, my husband, my friends, kids/leaders in the children’s ministry, their parents, the leadership team, and with myself. I begged God, “Please let me sleep. Can’t we talk about this in the morning?” Sleep has been somewhat of a challenge for me towards the later part of my pregnancy. Finding the right spot that will be comfortable for me and the baby to sleep has been a struggle. But nights like last night when I found that comfy spot and was ready to snooze, SCUBA DIVERs started rolling around in my mind.
This is the next step for IslandJAM Children’s Ministry; getting great SCUBA DIVERs. If you think about it….when you Snorkel, you’re usually just swimming on the surface of the water. Occasionally you can dive down, but not for long or you’ll get a mouth full of water. With Scuba diving, you can go much deeper. There is also more involved with Scuba diving, specialized equipment, licensing, language, and how to handle dangerous situations. This is where we’re going in IslandJAM, DEEPER. Stay tuned for more information as God reveals His plans for me and His ministry.
September 15, 2007
September 12, 2007
Sometimes you just want to give up!
Well, despite the exciting news about what's happening with the church and the new revelation that I received from the Simple Church book. Things have become very challenging for me lately.
It's interesting how the enemy works. P.C. is doing a series called "All Out War"; spiritual warfare. So far out of this entire series, I've only had the opportunity to attend one sermon. It was about relationships and how our tongue is the biggest tool of destruction of relationships; something that I took to heart. So why do I feel like I'm under attack? And why didn’t other people listen?
Rick Warren stated in a blog, "Discouragement is a choice." I don't disagree with that and know that when I'm discouraged I'm ineffective. However, over the last few weeks I've felt my sense of discouragement growing and growing. And what’s sad is that most of the discouragement seems to come from areas where it shouldn’t.
Things said like, “This book is a great resource. You can’t highlight a CD.” (In response to my question on whether the Simple Church book came on CD.) And other comments like, “A good leader is someone that reads.” Why have these stuck with me? Not sure…they just have. I guess it’s because as a leader I believe that we are called to exhort others, especially those in which we work so closely with. Some other challenges are when trying to make steps forward in areas of ministry through words or lack of interest I feel like I’m tripped and fall 5 steps back. I feel like I’m dismissed like, a child who has asked a parent to play with them when they’ve come home from a bad day at work or when there is a child in an adult service that is a little disruptive. What a vicious cycle! Right now, I laugh. But there have been many days of tears and nights when I’ve woken up and have cried out to God- “Something has got to give!” or …..I just want to give up.
Then I read things like Before You Give Up by Roger Fields. It helps me remember why I am in Children’s Ministry and what I went through as a child in a very adult world. So, right now I’m trying to stay focused, trying to stay in the game and to succeed for HIM. I’m working on a strategy to keep myself encouraged and knowing that, “I can do all things through God who strengthens me.”
I may be going through a rough time right now and feel like not finishing the big race because the situation seems unmanageable, unreasonable, or unfair. I may say at times “God, I can’t take it any more. I just can’t take it any more!” But I can. I can take it some more because God is with me. He’ll enable me. I am never a failure until I quit, because quitting means I won’t make it to the finish line. I have to try to resist discouragement and finish the race God has set before me.
It's interesting how the enemy works. P.C. is doing a series called "All Out War"; spiritual warfare. So far out of this entire series, I've only had the opportunity to attend one sermon. It was about relationships and how our tongue is the biggest tool of destruction of relationships; something that I took to heart. So why do I feel like I'm under attack? And why didn’t other people listen?
Rick Warren stated in a blog, "Discouragement is a choice." I don't disagree with that and know that when I'm discouraged I'm ineffective. However, over the last few weeks I've felt my sense of discouragement growing and growing. And what’s sad is that most of the discouragement seems to come from areas where it shouldn’t.
Things said like, “This book is a great resource. You can’t highlight a CD.” (In response to my question on whether the Simple Church book came on CD.) And other comments like, “A good leader is someone that reads.” Why have these stuck with me? Not sure…they just have. I guess it’s because as a leader I believe that we are called to exhort others, especially those in which we work so closely with. Some other challenges are when trying to make steps forward in areas of ministry through words or lack of interest I feel like I’m tripped and fall 5 steps back. I feel like I’m dismissed like, a child who has asked a parent to play with them when they’ve come home from a bad day at work or when there is a child in an adult service that is a little disruptive. What a vicious cycle! Right now, I laugh. But there have been many days of tears and nights when I’ve woken up and have cried out to God- “Something has got to give!” or …..I just want to give up.
Then I read things like Before You Give Up by Roger Fields. It helps me remember why I am in Children’s Ministry and what I went through as a child in a very adult world. So, right now I’m trying to stay focused, trying to stay in the game and to succeed for HIM. I’m working on a strategy to keep myself encouraged and knowing that, “I can do all things through God who strengthens me.”
I may be going through a rough time right now and feel like not finishing the big race because the situation seems unmanageable, unreasonable, or unfair. I may say at times “God, I can’t take it any more. I just can’t take it any more!” But I can. I can take it some more because God is with me. He’ll enable me. I am never a failure until I quit, because quitting means I won’t make it to the finish line. I have to try to resist discouragement and finish the race God has set before me.
September 11, 2007
My Tuesday Thoughts...
I know that it's Wednesday, but here are my thoughts from Tuesday. I really had a lot of stuff up in my gray matter, and it needed a little editing before my post.
So we had our weekly church leadership staff meeting yesterday (Monday). It is so exciting to hear all of the good things that God is doing in and through this church. What a confirmation on where we going when we are given such favor from God. P.C. (Pastor Clay) shared some awesome news with us about the direction in which the church is going. God really laid some serious stuff on his heart and it’s so nice to see that passion for a vision.
As a leadership group we’ve begun a group study using the book Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger. As they state in the book, “It’s not about another church model.” This book is about “Returning to God’s process for making disciples.” Sounds interesting and it is. I’m not an avid book reader. I’ve never been. I’m a visual person and if the book doesn’t catch me visual, I’m usually out for the count after the first 2 or 3 paragraphs. So I’m in search of this book on CD. (I think that I found one!!)
So, despite my lack of READING desire, I dove in and God really opened my eyes to where our Children’s Ministry is in line with the rest of the church. We began discussing chapters 2 and 3 of the book: 2-The Simple (And Not So Simple) Church in Action and 3-Simple Church An Extreme Makeover. You’ll have to get the book/CD to get the full scope of what they’re talking about. But in a nut shell, if that’s even possible. The thing that grabbed my attention was that the church that was growing and moving mountains was very simple. All areas of ministry had the same Vision/Mission in mind. The process they proceeded in was universal. When each leader was asked what their Purpose was and the Process…they all stated the same thing. There are some churches out there that are struggling because each ministry has its own Purpose and Process. So they are all vying for space, attention, resources, volunteers, etc. As I began to evaluate the Children’s Ministry I started asking myself….are we functioning with the same Purpose in mind and does our Process line up with the church; something that has really had me in a wisdom seeking state for many months now. So I posed a question to clarify my understanding of what our Purpose is and the Process we take to accomplish this purpose. Well, I got an answer, that was not so clear to me. So my prayer is that as we continue this book, it will become clearer to me and anyone else that might not know.
I will say that Barefoot is definitely moving mountains and is growing in a way that I've never imagined or experienced. So we are definitely doing something right in the eyes of God. We have exceptional Pastor with an awesome vision, cutting-edge presentation, relevant format of worship, simple, laid back, and welcoming environment (come have breakfast), I can only wait to see what God has in store for us next.
So we had our weekly church leadership staff meeting yesterday (Monday). It is so exciting to hear all of the good things that God is doing in and through this church. What a confirmation on where we going when we are given such favor from God. P.C. (Pastor Clay) shared some awesome news with us about the direction in which the church is going. God really laid some serious stuff on his heart and it’s so nice to see that passion for a vision.
As a leadership group we’ve begun a group study using the book Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger. As they state in the book, “It’s not about another church model.” This book is about “Returning to God’s process for making disciples.” Sounds interesting and it is. I’m not an avid book reader. I’ve never been. I’m a visual person and if the book doesn’t catch me visual, I’m usually out for the count after the first 2 or 3 paragraphs. So I’m in search of this book on CD. (I think that I found one!!)
So, despite my lack of READING desire, I dove in and God really opened my eyes to where our Children’s Ministry is in line with the rest of the church. We began discussing chapters 2 and 3 of the book: 2-The Simple (And Not So Simple) Church in Action and 3-Simple Church An Extreme Makeover. You’ll have to get the book/CD to get the full scope of what they’re talking about. But in a nut shell, if that’s even possible. The thing that grabbed my attention was that the church that was growing and moving mountains was very simple. All areas of ministry had the same Vision/Mission in mind. The process they proceeded in was universal. When each leader was asked what their Purpose was and the Process…they all stated the same thing. There are some churches out there that are struggling because each ministry has its own Purpose and Process. So they are all vying for space, attention, resources, volunteers, etc. As I began to evaluate the Children’s Ministry I started asking myself….are we functioning with the same Purpose in mind and does our Process line up with the church; something that has really had me in a wisdom seeking state for many months now. So I posed a question to clarify my understanding of what our Purpose is and the Process we take to accomplish this purpose. Well, I got an answer, that was not so clear to me. So my prayer is that as we continue this book, it will become clearer to me and anyone else that might not know.
I will say that Barefoot is definitely moving mountains and is growing in a way that I've never imagined or experienced. So we are definitely doing something right in the eyes of God. We have exceptional Pastor with an awesome vision, cutting-edge presentation, relevant format of worship, simple, laid back, and welcoming environment (come have breakfast), I can only wait to see what God has in store for us next.
September 10, 2007
No time like the present!
Keeping a journal has always been a challenge for me. My mind always thinks faster than my writing hand. But now technology has taken that excuse away and leaves me with no other option. I spend most of my days in front of a computer, so keeping a journal (blog-new term) should come without difficulty.
So today, I take my first step in blogging.
Who am I?
My name is Christy O'Connor (DeWitt). I am the proud wife (13 yrs in December) of Lance O'Connor. We live in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This November, for the first time, my husband and I will be blessed with a beautiful new addition to our family. After 12 long years of waiting we will finally have a little baby of our own. We have rented and practiced with many of our friends and families children. Thank you to everyone for this long time Parenting Class.
What do I do?
I am the Director of Children's Ministry and Creative Arts at Barefoot Community Church. Check us out at barefootchurch.com. What a HUGE responsibility! Being placed in a position where we are working with God to mold kids into Fully Devoted Followers of Christ. Sometimes I wonder if God really has me in the right "seat on the bus", as Pastor Clay would say. I did not come into this ministry with the knowledge that I think it takes. However, what's important is that we should focus a lot more on accurately discerning God's will and a lot less on our own assessment of what we think we can and can't do. As I have found, God sometimes calls people to do very unlikely, seemingly impossible things but he does indeed, equip the called.
Never in my wildest imagination did I think that I would be the Director of a Children's Ministry and becoming a mother at the same time. God knows what I can and can't handle. I wish that I could remember that everyday!!
So why am I starting a blog? Good question! Maybe because I know that it's time to start putting my thoughts down on cyber paper if not notebook paper, and to release these thoughts that clog up my mind. This clog prevents me from hearing what God is asking me to do in all areas of my life. This is something that I struggle with on a daily basis. So maybe, just maybe, I can free some SPACE, get rid of my viruses and unused icons, to be able to clearly hear what God wants to reveal to me. I know that God knows my limits and He will take into account my weaknesses in His plan for me in the ministry, motherhood, wifehood, and as a Fully Devoted Follower. I know that He will surround me with people who will compliment my weaknesses with their strengths to make this ministry what He wants it to be.
So today, I take my first step in blogging.
Who am I?
My name is Christy O'Connor (DeWitt). I am the proud wife (13 yrs in December) of Lance O'Connor. We live in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This November, for the first time, my husband and I will be blessed with a beautiful new addition to our family. After 12 long years of waiting we will finally have a little baby of our own. We have rented and practiced with many of our friends and families children. Thank you to everyone for this long time Parenting Class.
What do I do?
I am the Director of Children's Ministry and Creative Arts at Barefoot Community Church. Check us out at barefootchurch.com. What a HUGE responsibility! Being placed in a position where we are working with God to mold kids into Fully Devoted Followers of Christ. Sometimes I wonder if God really has me in the right "seat on the bus", as Pastor Clay would say. I did not come into this ministry with the knowledge that I think it takes. However, what's important is that we should focus a lot more on accurately discerning God's will and a lot less on our own assessment of what we think we can and can't do. As I have found, God sometimes calls people to do very unlikely, seemingly impossible things but he does indeed, equip the called.
Never in my wildest imagination did I think that I would be the Director of a Children's Ministry and becoming a mother at the same time. God knows what I can and can't handle. I wish that I could remember that everyday!!
So why am I starting a blog? Good question! Maybe because I know that it's time to start putting my thoughts down on cyber paper if not notebook paper, and to release these thoughts that clog up my mind. This clog prevents me from hearing what God is asking me to do in all areas of my life. This is something that I struggle with on a daily basis. So maybe, just maybe, I can free some SPACE, get rid of my viruses and unused icons, to be able to clearly hear what God wants to reveal to me. I know that God knows my limits and He will take into account my weaknesses in His plan for me in the ministry, motherhood, wifehood, and as a Fully Devoted Follower. I know that He will surround me with people who will compliment my weaknesses with their strengths to make this ministry what He wants it to be.
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