ministry Archives - Page 5 of 34 - Feathers in Our Nest

Thankful for Our Anchor

November 28, 2013 by Aliesha

Today I want to share with you a piece of our story… something which I have not blogged about yet. In the whirlwind of having a baby and trying to stay afloat in the midst of this “storm,” I haven’t found the right words to share it.

Earlier this year, Tad began to sense from God that it was time to move on from his current ministry position as a youth pastor, and into the direction of planting a church. He entered into a residency program at a nearby church where he would be trained to go out and plant a new church in the next 1-2 years. When he entered the residency program, we were still serving at our current church.

Over the summer, he began to fund-raise support for his new ministry (church planting) since the residency was unpaid. At the end of the summer (August 25… the week before Jude’s due date), Tad resigned from the youth pastor position (on good terms) with three months of pay/severance. We had faith that God would help us raise the rest of the needed funds for the residency program over those three months.

The following week, Tad was released from the residency program (not due to any sin or failing on his part) and told that he would need to wait a while longer before reentering the program. The leaders at the new church wanted us to be a part of their church for a time (to observe a healthy church plant, serve, etc.) before being in the residency.

In our eyes, the timing could not have been worse. I was one day overdue with our third child, Tad was suddenly unemployed from two churches within two weeks, and we had no idea where to go or what to do. We had so, so many questions, and so much hurt and anger.

Even now, I can’t write this without the tears flowing again.

Today we receive our last paycheck from the severance package, and our insurance runs out this month.

I wish I had a neatly tied-up ending for you. But right now, we still don’t know what God has in store for our future ministry.

Currently, Tad is doing online freelance writing, virtual assistant jobs, computer repair, and waiting tables at a restaurant. He’s working so hard to take care of our family (9+ hours/day, 6 days/week), and we are grateful for the work God has seen fit to give him. We pray that God would continue to provide for us and grow Tad’s freelance work opportunities.

These few months have been tumultuous. I’ve at times felt seasick from the ups and downs of the storm and being thrown across the deck of the ship. It has been impossibly hard and we never saw it coming.

BUT. We know that GOD is our anchor, our firm place, and our refuge.

He is working good in our hearts and in this situation, and He is leading us, ultimately, to a place of total dependence on Him. He is our trust and we know He will be faithful.

We didn’t plan on leaving vocational ministry this year, but God has allowed this to happen and is using this storm to refine us.

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful that God is the anchor of my soul.

“So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:17-20), emphasis mine.

*Positive comments allowed and appreciated; all negative comments will be deleted.

The Mess Is the Ministry

October 16, 2013 by Aliesha

I have told several people recently that right now I feel like all I do each day is go from mess to mess cleaning up after others! Can you relate?

For example, last week I was changing a poopy diaper in my room and something in my “mom radar” sensed that all was not well. Sure enough, as I walked into the girls’ bedroom, one of my offspring was generously applying Desitin to her face and hair (and of course sharing so nicely with her sister).

Earlier the same week, I found myself whisper-yelling (while on the phone) to the same child to, “Stop this fooling around RIGHT NOW and put your underwear BACK ON!” (I laughed as soon as I said it, realizing how ridiculous I sounded to the person on the other end of the line!)

I could go on about mysterious puddles of water in the bathroom (which child did this?), strange stains on the carpet (what is this?), piles of laundry (is this clean or dirty?), boxes of dry pasta emptied onto the floor in the midst of fixing dinner (a little dirt never hurt anyone, so you can bet I put it right back in the box), black ink pen on the dining room table (when did she even do this?), stickers on the walls (eh… at least she’s not writing on something!)… but I’m sure you get the point by now.

Do you ever have days/weeks/years like this? As though the entirety of your day is spent cleaning up messes that you yourself did not create? I would like to think that it will get better soon, but alas, my children are only getting taller, smarter, and stealthier!

This is a season of messes.

Sometimes there is disobedience involved (i.e. the Desitin incident), but other times it’s just foolishness, like the day recently when one of my daughters wedged a Triscuit into a slot of the printer that necessitated extraction using needle-nosed pliers. Sometimes we discipline for the messes (when it is direct disobedience), but sometimes (most of the time), I just clean up the mess and try to maintain a sense of humor, all the while placing objects up higher out of their reach.

I’m tempted to believe that this constant cleaning up of messes is keeping me from my larger purpose–ministry to my family and to others–but the Lord has reminded me recently that this is my ministry.

Cleaning up after my children (and my–hopefully–appropriate response to it) is one of my primary ministries right now! Gently responding in love to a child who has been foolish or disobedient is how I can reflect Christ to my family right now.

Do I always respond in the right way? Of course not! I know that God is using this for my personal sanctification (growing to be more like HIM) as well.

I am trying to embrace this busy season and realize that in the midst of messes lies exactly the ministry God has for me today!

First Time in the Service

September 6, 2013 by Aliesha

Last Sunday, Vera stayed in the worship service at church with us for the first time.

When I first read Parenting in the Pew, I thought that we would start trying to keep our children in the worship service around the age of three (even though the author suggests around five, I believe). As Vera approached three, I didn’t really hold out a lot of hope that my very active, kinesthetic-learner, busy girl would be capable of sitting during the whole service.

Vera told me the week before last that she wanted to stay with us during the service. I was surprised, but excited. I packed a few books (Bible-related), a small blank notebook, and two colored pencils for her to use during the sermon.

On Sunday when we arrived at church, she reiterated to me that she wanted to stay in the service with us. We dropped Cordelia off at nursery and gave Vera one last chance to change her mind.

During the singing at the beginning, Vera stood on the chair next to me and tried to sing along a little bit. During announcements, she had some questions for me, so I encouraged her to whisper in my ear instead of talking loudly.

When it was time for the sermon, I pulled out the activities I brought for Vera. Because I had my Bible open and was taking notes, she opened her little notebook and started “taking notes” too. She was a little wiggly, but she was quiet for the most part.

Vera made it through almost the whole sermon and then told me she needed to use the bathroom, so we left briefly and returned to the service. After that, she was less attentive, but we stayed in the rest of the time.

At the offering, Vera put her money in the basket as it went by, and seemed delighted to give her money to Jesus. During the closing three songs, Vera sang more, especially during the last song, which was “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.” That was the only one she knew, and she smiled with recognition as it began. Melted my heart, fully and completely!

This week I’ve been playing some songs for her that she may hear at church, just to familiarize her with them so she is more prepared to sing along.

All-in-all, it was SUCH a tremendous blessing to worship together as a family on Sunday, and we are thankful for how God is already working in our daughter’s heart, softening her towards things of Him and calling her towards Himself!