Big Change, Part One

About a month ago, I felt God moving me. He was gradually getting me ready for a change in my life. I had the distinct message that I was to finish up my work in children’s ministry at our church and step out of that position. But why? I love my team and I love making things happen so that children learn about God, his plan for their life and for the world.

Two years ago, God told me to step into children’s ministry for a time. The director’s mother was diagnosed with lung cancer and her assistant was moving to another state. God showed me clearly the need and gave me the desire to be a part of the leadership. I applied and have enjoyed working with the team that God put together. We all have different strengths and it has been stretching to see how that is the best plan to get the job done. In just the last year, our attendance is up 15% and we have many new classes and 109 volunteers (including all the youth helpers and the substitutes). God has melded us together as a team and I have loved working with both Karola and Holly.

God nudged me, but I didn’t really want to step out of the position. Some of it was truly selfishness. I like being on staff at a church. In some ways, I felt like I had arrived. Finally, I was working with children in a way that would impact their eternity. But I knew I was supposed to resign. God did give me peace when I made my decision. Then he confirmed it in a Bible Study the next day.

Sometimes what is good for a season, is just that, good for a season. When God moves us on to the next purpose he has for us, we need to let go of what was great for us last year. It is a part of pruning and if I hang on to what God is pruning off of me, it is as though the I have a hold of the thorns on the branch being snipped off. Do I really want to hold that branch and have those thorns rip my hands as God is snipping this off? Of course not!

And so I wondered: “What does God have next for me?”