Kelsey-Land
11.21.2005
I want out
Right now I really don't like my job. It's partly my own fault - I'll own it. I'm not good at saying "No." Here's what happens: A co-worker asks me if I can come up with some ideas for marketing Christmas. I say sure, I'll come up with a few ideas. I show my ideas, they are liked, I am asked to create a logo. I create the logo. The logo turns into an invite card, a booklet cover, a buliten cover and a poster. All of which I have to adapt and create accordingly. There goes a huge chunk of my time. There goes time that I'm not spending connecting with students, or connecting with my own friends. This is one example. I'm not good at saying no. I need to say no. I must say no. Here's why I say yes: I'm a people pleaser, I'm the youngest person on staff wanting to make a good impression, I don't know my limitations, I don't fully know what I'm saying yes to, I don't realize that saying YES to one thing means saying NO to the youth. I like youth ministry. I really like kids. I love the students I work with. I'm not doing youth ministry. I'm doing administration, marketing, design, follow-up, long-term planning, the children's Christmas musical, and have little time left for my real job: students! Pray for me that I can learn to say NO!
¶ 11:13 PM 3 comments 
11.10.2005
Be the Person You Want to Become
Last Sunday I made a resolution: Be the person I want to Become. You see, I have this image in my mind of the kind of person that I want to become someday. I'd meet someone cool and think, "I'll be more like them someday." More outgoing, more disciplined, healthier, more generous, more welcoming, a better cook, friendlier, deeper. Well I made a resolution to be that person NOW instead of putting if off for "someday." The first thing I decided was to get serious about discipline: with running and reading the word. Before, these two activities have been rather sporadic. I would fit then in wherever I could. I read the word a lot for work purposes, and sometimes I would cheat and count that as quality time spent in the word. Not that reading the Bible at work counts for nothing - that's very far from true! But there is much to gain from reading the word on my own, in the morning, to start my day seeking God's face. I'm happy to report that I've ran 3 times this week in the morning, only skipping yesterday due to heavy morning rain.
¶ 9:26 AM 0 comments
11.02.2005
Rethinking Youth Ministry
I just had a conversation with a Christian Scholar/Professor and a parent of a Club 56 kid. His son prefers a quieter, more structured style of learning. Club 56 is not completely quiet, although we try to be some times, and we're not completely stuctured, although we do make plans. In this conversation, the professor parent had some concerns about how we do Youth Ministry. He is feeling that it just doesn't work - and it isn't teaching students core Biblical foundation. Which is a bummer because I feel like we are trying to do that - but perhaps we need to try harder.
My questions is how? How do we create a ministry where students gain firm Biblical foundations for life? One possible solutions seems obvious: time. More time with students would create more opportunity for students to learn key Biblical Truth. Another solution: More intentional teaching with the time we do have with students. This is hard. My goal is to make the game, the (singing) worship, the talk and the small groups make sense together. I want the game to be intentional and have a point. Maybe another solutions is just being more vocal about sharing Biblical truths and finding ways for God's truth to enter "normal" conversation. ¶ 4:27 PM 1 comments
My questions is how? How do we create a ministry where students gain firm Biblical foundations for life? One possible solutions seems obvious: time. More time with students would create more opportunity for students to learn key Biblical Truth. Another solution: More intentional teaching with the time we do have with students. This is hard. My goal is to make the game, the (singing) worship, the talk and the small groups make sense together. I want the game to be intentional and have a point. Maybe another solutions is just being more vocal about sharing Biblical truths and finding ways for God's truth to enter "normal" conversation. ¶ 4:27 PM 1 comments
