You can read all about it here.
After that, I just have one question? Did anyone dance yesterday? Even now as I'm listening to Kari Jobe sing sweet worship songs through my speakers I have this overwhelming desire to get up and slow dance with Jesus.
Today, I'm going to be talking all about the message I heard that most impacted me as it relates to my ministry to kids.
While all of the speakers said things that can be applied to my kids ministry, only one speaker spent his entire session focusing on ministry to youth, children, and families.
Friday morning I had the opportunity to learn from Reggie Joiner who just so happens to be the founder and CEO of Orange.
To learn more about Orange and what it's all about feel free to visit here.
This was one of the most inspiring messages on the value of time that I've ever heard. Time... this little something that we all need more of and before we know it our lives are here and gone. Reggie put it this way, "When you see how much time you have left you tend to get serious about the time you have now." We are all so incredibly guilty of this! Myself included. We are always looking out towards the next best thing. What's the next event in my ministry? Where am I supposed to be in the next service? What am I teaching about on Wednesday? I am always looking ahead in my ministry and I know that this isn't a bad thing. What I'm wondering is if I look ahead so much that I forget what I'm doing right now in this very moment?
Reggie shared an illustration of something that he does in his children's ministry to remind his parents that their time with their children is valuable. When a baby is born he gives the parents a jar of 936 marbles. They get one marble in their jar for every week between when their precious bundle of joy is placed in their arms and when that precious bundle gets in the car at 18 and drives away. Every week they take a marble out of their jar as a physical reminder that time is precious and that it is passing. How much more so can this apply to our children's ministry? The time that we have with each child is precious. I get approximately 676 weeks with each child who comes into my ministry from the time they are born to the time they hit 7th grade and transition into our youth ministry. After that, my time is gone and done. How much more important is it for me to be fully present in everything that I'm doing when I'm with them.
Reggie Joiner shared it this way, "When you take love and put it over time it's believable. Love over time gives someone a sense of worth." My kids want my time right now. That might involve me taking an extra 15 minutes to sit on the floor of the nursery and read a book or roll a ball back and forth. Giving of my time might involve me taking the time to answer the questions of a curious 5th grader. I don't know what this looks like, but I am determined that my kids know that they are valued to me because they are the one's that I pour my time into.
"I am not God. I am not the Holy Spirit. I can't change anyone, but I can love a few." -Reggie Joiner
This is what it's all about. I, in my power, cannot change anyone. I can't make my kids love Jesus. Yes, I can create a loving environment that helps nurture their love for Jesus, but I cannot change anyone. All I can do is love. All I can do is reach out with my time and with my life and invest it where it matters most.
Throughout the conference many speakers spoke on leaving a legacy. What does a legacy look like? How do we make that happen? Reggie Joiner put it this way, "An inheritance is what you leave for someone. A legacy is what you leave in them." I don't want to just leave things for the kids that I spend my time with. I want to leave a love of Jesus that is so great that is in them. That is what I want my kids to think about 10 years from now when they are remembering Miss Mary. I want them to think about how I showed them how to love Jesus with all of their hearts and all of their souls, and how that won't ever leave them.
I'm excited to read more on this from Reggie Joiner's book Losing Your Marbles/Playing For Keeps which has now moved to the very top of my nightstand reading list.
I'm challenging all of my readers today to be fully present in the lives of those you love.
Make a conscious effort to not merely leave an inheritance, but to leave a legacy.
How do you leave a legacy? How do you make sure time doesn't slip away from you?
Let's talk about it!
*#KidsMin Calling is looking for guest bloggers for the month of November to write about reasons they are thankful for kids ministry. If you are interested please e-mail kidsmincalling@gmail.com
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