Introducing our FaithZone summer reading

This summer, we have another great parenting book to recommend: Playing For Keeps! We recommend that each of our parents read this book; it's a great way to make an even more significant spiritual impact in the life of your child! This book gives tangible and simple ways to connect faith in our everyday life.  This book is available on Amazon, Kindle, and in the St. Andrew Bookstore $17.99. 

We're also super excited to share that we have summer reading for our Elementary children! STAND UP is a daily devotional that corresponds with our small group lessons during June and July. We hope that STAND UP is one more way that we can partner with your family and help your kids get to know Jesus even better!  This book is available in the Elementary Hallway and the St. Andrew bookstore $14.99. 

-The FaithZone Ministry Team 

Winners and Losers

I have shared before my #boymom status is a new road I have never journeyed before.  I grew up in a family with a sister, a dad that really didn’t watch many sports, and a mom who didn’t care much for sports either. Most of my young adult years were full of music lessons, band, and theater.

The family that I have now loves sports.  All sports.  And I am learning.  I am learning the language, the attitude, the different plays, the different uniforms, and all the different rules.

 This year my oldest is on a newly formed baseball team and until Wednesday night they had not won a single game.  They have good players and good coaches, yet they had not formed a rhythm as a team.  It’s hard to go out every game and lose.  It’s hard to keep your spirits up.  It’s hard to keep trying.  I thought, well this has been a great lesson on losing. 

At the end of each game, the coaches would discuss the different mistakes (which I now know are called errors) and the plays that were well executed.  Then the coach would say, “I am proud of you boys.”

I am ashamed to say after a really tough game when the coach said, “I am proud of you boys,” I thought…no, stop saying that!!! Tell them they have to work harder, they have to communicate as a team, they have to… 

Then I knew I was wrong. 

The losing wasn’t the point.  The playing was the point.  After one particular game we received an email from the coach listing every player and why he was proud of their playing.  Then he told them to keep working and practicing all week long and to remember the next game will be a brand new opportunity to play. 

So, in the CRAZY month of May, when our to-do lists are full and our calendars are crazy, let us remember that it is not about what is on our to-do list, but about living our lives to the fullest. 

My perspective:  Keep your eyes on what is happening now.  Live into it…the moments pass by so fast and every day is a blessing.  Honestly, even the bad ones are part of who you are.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20, MSG After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live.

Why do we make prayer so hard?

I have been in many different meetings, conferences, etc. where when adults are asked to pray they all look down and say a silent prayer that they will become invisible. 

I have also been in a Sunday morning Small Group with our elementary age children and when I ask a child to pray five hands go up. We pray for birthday parties, football games, grandparents, new shoes, sleepovers…we pray for everything we can.

What happens between the age of 8 and 38?

I think we make prayer bigger than it is.  Prayer is simply a time to connect to God, who wants to be in a relationship with us.

Prayer does not have to be silent reverence with candles and music.  But, it can be.

Prayer does not have to be liturgy that comes from tradition. But, it can be.

Prayer does not have to be bowing of head and folding of hands.  But, it can be.

Prayer can be what you want it to be.  Simple or scripted.

 This year our family started a new tradition with prayer.  We began the year by pulling out a Christmas card that was sent to us and putting it on the fridge.  I counted our cards and we had about one for every week of the year.  Perfect! When we walked by the fridge we would pray for the family, a simple prayer of joy and thanksgiving for each family.  Sometimes we would pray together as a family, sometimes we would just walk by the card a say a simple prayer.  Then at the end of the week we would write a card to the family letting them know we prayed for them.  We really had not talked to the families asking if they received our cards or if they felt our prayers.  Sadly, as the year kept moving along at a faster pace each month we slowly forgot to pull out a Christmas card and put it on our fridge. 

Then, this past week I was stopped by one of the families that we prayed for.  A simple card that was sent to their family several months ago was sent at a time that they needed prayers.

This reminded me of two things:

1.     Prayer is simple and powerful.  It connects us to God and to each other.

2.     Our family needs to get back to our new tradition.  We will be pulling out two cards this week to make up for our lost time.

P.S. If you are looking for a simple way to add prayer into your life I recommend the prayer app Echo.  It is free and it reminds us to stop and pray in our very busy lives.

Caring about the One

I do a good job of taking care of my family.  I know that sentence sounds a bit conceited, but it is true.  My family is first on my list when it comes to giving care and concern.  They are fed, have clothing, are loved and cared for.  Sure, some days are better than others, but all and all they are my first concern.

I feel good about that and then I remember the story of The Lost Sheep. 

The Story of the Lost Sheep, Luke 15, MSG

15  By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story.Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

Would I take the time to find one of my children if they were lost and hurt?  YES!  Would I take the same time for a stranger?  It is my hope that I would but I cannot honestly answer with the same YES!

 St. Andrew has been in the process of looking at this church from a new perspective, the perspective of THE ONE.  The one person who is not connected, who is lost and searching for God’s perfect love in their life.  Do we as a church welcome THE ONE?

In this process we have learn a lot about who we are as a church.  We learned that we have amazing worship, a growing and thriving Children and Youth program, and loving servants of Christ who worship and serve here. We love this church and we love the people inside the walls. We are also in a building that has over 40 entrances, multiple parking lots, 5 service times.  These facts can be overwhelming as a guest, it can also be hard to invite people with this abundance. 

You will start seeing better signage around the parking lots and hallways to help guide guest’s around this building. Starting April 12^th we will have new service times across the campus: 9:30 and 10:50 for both the contemporary (The Well) and traditional services.  The streamline of service times will give the Children’s Ministry the opportunity to have children seamlessly integrated in the same programming at the 9:30 and 10:50 hours. 

I am personally very excited about the amazing opportunities that we have as a church.  The impact that we can still make in the surrounding communities and the lives of families can be life giving.  Thank you for being a church that can change perspective and see our mission from the eyes of THE ONE.

Control...and letting go.

So, people who know me in most anyway know I like control.   I like to feel like I am in control of the different facets of my life.  It can be a negative aspect of who I am, and it can be a positive aspect of who I am.

I am in a season of change in my life.  All of the changes are positive.  But at times I can feel out of control.

Family:  My kids are back at school.  I love our school and have faith in the administration and teachers.  But, I don't have control of their day.  I have to rely on my faith in the people who are with my boys all day.  Also, this is the last year of elementary for Slick, a reminder that all of the moments are important.

Weight:  I have let my weight get the better of me....lost control.  I am in the process of gaining control back.

Grad School:  I am in my final year of school.  This means this season of my life is coming to an end.  I love this.  I am ready to be out of school.  Yet, I mourn this change and the end of weekly community.

Ordination:  I have an interview this week to begin the ordination process.  I only have control of my calling, my words, and myself.  I don't have control of all of the people sitting in the room.

Work:  It is a season of what is next- of moving forward in what has been good and what can we do better.  A positive change that is still change.

The hardest part of my life is letting go of control.  This is hardest in my life of faith.  It is the hardest and the most freeing thing for me to give control to God.  I know that I am here to live out the best live I can in honor of God.  This peace that I get in letting go of my need for control to a God that gives me grace and peace in times of change is strangely peaceful.  The passage in Matthew 8:36, "He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm."  I have peace in the moment of release.  Then I breathe and try again to regain my own control.  It is a constant process for me.  This is like a teenager who is learning how to apply the break in a smooth way.  I remember the first time in the car when you need to slow down and you slam on the break.  Then you learn that that hurts!  You learn to apply slowly the pressure is a better way to apply the breaks.  This is my faith life.  When I let it build up and I have to slam in the breaks…it hurts.  I must remember to slowly though out the day I must let go and give my life to God.  This is a peaceful way to live into my faith.

Perspective:  I know who I am and that I feel the need of control.  The people who are a part of my life in so many different ways remind me that I am a better person when I; let go, breathe, pray, cry, take a moment and put it all in perspective.  I am thankful for the many different people that can put me back into a good perspective.

Looking for Amazing Things

I just completed an AMAZING week at St. Andrew.  We had so much fun at our VBS!  We had about 500 people in the building (children, youth, and volunteers).

It was a week that was full of many things.  As the children's pastor, it is easy to view things in "how can we do this better next year" attitude.   Every day we looked on what happened each day and how we can make it better next year.  The problem with this perspective is that you don't focus on the amazing things that are happening.  You focus on what needs to be changed.

When I changed my perspective I saw:

- Children experiencing faith in a new and exciting way
- Volunteers putting their whole heart into make this week wonderful
- New families to the area getting connected to a church home
- All different generations working together (our volunteers ranges from teenagers to grandmothers)
- Over a thousand toiletry items donated to the Plus One Mission for our church.
- Our children's teams working together like clockwork
- (Personal note) A husband that came home from work early to cook dinner so I could just sit.

The week of VBS is an amazing week. What will you see this week when you change your perspective and look for Amazing things happening all around you?!?

May Madness…..June bliss?

I don't know who I was kidding when I said….when May is so crazy- I can't wait until June.  May might be crazy but this June is really no different; we are moving out of our first home, VBS is the end of the month, the boys have baseball tournaments, birthdays, etc. etc.

Why do we always want what is next?  My goal: I want to stop saying, I can't wait until…..

It is such an easy thing to say…..

"I can't wait until the kids are out of diapers."-----This might translate in your head that you clean less poop, but when you do…. it is everywhere from the toes to the nose!  You must also have 2 changes of clothing with you at all times for about 2 years.  This also means that pretty soon they will not fit in your lap after you pick them up from school......

"I can't wait until finals are over (you really can insert anything into "finals").  Yes, I might have a few weeks off school, but it is not long before I get  my book list for the next class and that list always takes my breath away!

"I can't wait until summer!"  This sentence last for about 2 weeks and then it changes to…."I can't wait for school to start."  Ok....that might be a stretch........but you get my point.

Ok, you get the picture…we can always wait for, wish for, the next big thing.   OR we can enjoy the moment that we are in.

I am not saying that every phase of our lives is always awesome…in fact at times it really stinks!  The picture above was a horrible Christmas when Dan was in the hospital.  But, thankfully I can now look back and find the good that was buried in the bad.  When you live into that moment it will turn into: a memory that you are happy to leave in your past, or a memory that you will treasure.

My perspective:  Keep your eyes on what is happening now.  Live into it…. the moments are so fast and every day is a blessing.  Honestly, even the bad ones they are a part of who you are.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20, MSG After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live.