Carol began 2012 feeling fresh and alive, motivated to go back to her office at church for another year.  As Sunday approached, Carol began to wonder if people would respond to the programs she organized or would it be a repeat of last year’s lack luster responses?

After the holidays, Eric picked up where he left off, excited and anticipating what God would do in 2012.  This week, at staff meeting, their pastor reported his concern about low attendance and offerings over the last month, unlike the last few years.  Eric wondered, what does this mean for his ministry and family?

Kevin enjoys the Christmas season and time with his growing family.  In fact, reflecting back over the last few weeks, he could not think of a more memorable time with his family.  Today, Kevin’s wife Julie called inquiring when he would be home since she is feeling overwhelmed with the kids.  Julie wonders how her and Kevin will manage their schedule at home and church?

When anticipating a new year and it’s challenges, what do you wonder about?  We learn quickly in ministry and family life, we can never take anything for granted, especially in our ever changing world.

God told Joshua, when considering the future of their new kingdom in the promise land, “Be strong and very courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

What do you hear God telling Joshua?  What is God telling you through His Word regarding your new year challenges?  How will God’s presence affect your thoughts about today’s needs and tomorrow’s concerns?

Creeping along the freeway in drizzling rain, I felt frustrated and wondered what was causing the jam? An accident? Construction? The sky brightened a bit and drew my attention upward to a double rainbow. Was that what everyone was slowing down to see?

What is hope if it goes unnoticed? If a great hope waits in the forest and no one is there to seize it, is it still hope? Tragedy blinds us to hope. Day-to-day stress and life’s obstacles smother the light of hope. A smack in the face from reality squelches the call of hope. So we need to see hope, and then seize it with everything we’ve got.

Hope transforms us day-by-day. While grief and pain and skepticism rage around us, hope thrives in those who hold to it. Sometimes we need a reminder to see it, to hear it. We need a jarring that lifts our gaze from the mud to the rainbow. Because hope works in us now, to change us now, to give us life now.

Hope is not wishing for the rain to pass. It’s dancing in the rain until the rainbow shows up.

Contributing Author,

Mark Reed

Author of Rehearsing for Heaven

Our world moves so fast it’s impossible to keep up. But who says we have to? We live by God’s pace, not the world’s.  God has a timing all his own that sometimes hurtles us forward and other times forces us into slo-mo. What does God want you to get done today?  What’s on his calendar for you this week?

To figure that out we often take a wait-and-see approach—waiting for a sign or a circumstance. But consider his commands and invitations–we already know what he wants from us.  He’s left the details to us and simply prompts us with opportunities, so it’s not hard to plan our calendar with his tasks. It’s not hard to make our own opportunities.

What’s important to heaven today?  How much time should I spend on this task in light of eternity? If I attend a meeting or party, if I stop and talk to find out if someone is hurting, if I write those emails, will heaven be served?

Living by God’s pace is no excuse for shirking responsibilities, but it keeps us focused on heaven’s priorities and heaven’s timing.

Mark Reed

Author of Rehearsing for Heaven

Paul admonished his student Titus, to lead others in doing good works, “that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.” (Titus 3:14)  Who’s necessities?  Scholars believe Paul was referring to the workers’ “necessities”, that enabled the worker to “maintain fruitful lives”. Paying attention to our own necessities is critical inthe midst of ministering to others.

Let’s identify some important necessities in your life by answering the following questions.

Physical Necessities Questions

1.  Are my eating choices decided upon by convenience or for health reasons?

2.  How much water do I drink on a daily basis, compared to soda, coffee and/or tea?

3.  What type of physical activities do I participate on a weekly basis?

4.  Have I had a physical by my doctor within the last 12 months?  If “yes”, did I follow through on his/her recommendations?

5.  Do I get a full nights’ sleep at least 5 nights a week?

Emotional Health Necessities Questions

1.  What activities do I do on a weekly basis that help me relax or unwind?

2.  Who understands me the best?  How often do I talk to him/her on an emotional level?

2.  At  home, when do I find “peace and quiet”.  What do I do to to refuel during this time?

3.  How often do I take a break from my work (besides meal time)?

4.  What friends give me energy?  How often do I chat with them?

5.  Describe a verse that burns inside me, that ignites passion to serve?

Spiritual Necessities Questions

1.  When and where do I find rich, meaningful worship outside of church services?

2.  How do I find strength and confidence from God?

3.  What gives me peace in my heart when I face a new day?

4.  How do I know when I am lacking or growing spiritually?

5.  How does God, the Holy Spirit help me handle life when I am frustrated?

Relational Necessities Questions

1.  At home, how often do I allow my phone to interrupt time and conversation with family members?

2. Do I find support from my spouse or other significant relationships 2-3 times a day?

3.  How do I arrange my schedule at church, that allows me to have quality time with my family?

4.  Do I seek emotional understanding (hearing what I need) from significant relationships in my life?

5.  Am I able to let go of pressure and work expectations while driving home?

Bouncing Back rather than Just Surviving

As Christmas programs come to an end, we can breath a sigh of relief.  Now it’s time to enjoy the Christmas holiday.

Oh wait, how can I enjoy my time with family and friends when I am drained from the Christmas programs?

In 2010, 81% of human resource managers (Workplace Management poll) agreed that employee fatigue is a growing problem, more than in years past.  Ministry leaders and staff members are no exception, especially around the end of the year; when many public employees are taking time off and ministry employees are working over time on Christmas programs.

What do we do? Dr Al Siebert, author of The Resiliency Advantage notes rebounding from fatigue is a matter of experience.    Ask yourself, “What body clues (such as signals my body tells me) scream out at me?  What inside of me says,  ”I need attention”.

Then ask yourself, “What have I done in the past to regain strength/energy?”  Or the opposite, veg on the couch and eat junk food.

Today, consider what your body is telling you and what your body needs most?

The Lord said in Isaiah 43:19b,  “I am making a way in the desert, streams in the wasteland”.

So, consider what you did in the past to recover from fatigue?  What helped you recover from being so tired, wasted?  How can you apply what you did in the past  to present day?

Finish by writing a plan down, posting it somewhere look everyday (bathroom mirror, refrigerator or computer screen) and tell someone what you are doing.

Let Ministry Care know how it helped you or did  not help you at:  gary@ministrycare.org.

Spiritual Renewal: Stay Ready Ministry workers bear the expectation of spiritual readiness.  As if always being available weren’t difficult enough, the church expects us to be compassionate, amiable and sympathetic, to be supportive, positive and spirit-minded, never cross or ill-tempered. Unrealistic, but real.It’s hard enough to do these things when you feel your best, let alone when your tank drips near empty.  You need a reserve tank, a spare battery.  In a power outage my computer relies on a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) to keep working. If I unplug the UPS and run on it, I’ll be out of juice in 20 minutes. The UPS and the reserve tank are not for normal use.  I save them for emergencies. The best way to stay ready is to have something in reserve.  You’re not made to run on empty all the time.  What habits can you change to keep from living off your reserves, so that you’re always ready to serve?

Mark Reed
Author of Rehearsing for Heaven

Healthy eating choices are difficult these days.  With all the delicious and appetizing food commercials and TV food programs around the holidays, one can begin salivating in front of the TV.  Holiday snack food on the kitchen counter and tasty pastries on the office work room counter entices one to eat before thinking.

Below are some tips from Tibits from Tim Detmer, a St Louis based health coach and trainer  at Finish It Fitness.

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Who is your model leader? I don’t mean your favorite leader. I mean the person you think exemplifies true leadership.

There’s a huge difference between popular leaders and model leaders. Popular leaders say and do what endears the crowd. Model leaders say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done.  That’s because model leaders consider the organization’s mission and goals above their own self-esteem. They get their strokes from serving stakeholders, building character and living by it and don’t base decisions on strokes from constituents or admirers. Like a parent acting in love for his children and in love and respect for his elders and peers, a leader acts in love and respect for stakeholders, sometimes making the hard decisions or taking an unpopular stand.

By Mark B. Reed

June felt younger than her age, was often found working more hours at the church than expected because she enjoyed serving others.  As a wife and mother of two youngsters, June found time to meet her families’ needs and ministry expectations.  June was a godly example of giving to others, not expecting a return, especially when giving to families who needed God’s help.

One day, June was not surprised to hear her husband say over the phone, “When are you coming home?”  She gave her normal reply, “You’ll see me when you see me”.  Opps, she thought, I should’ve said it that way.

Before she could correct her words, her husband hung up.  Realizing there was a problem, she left the church for home then got a text from her 12 year old daughter saying, “dinner?????”.

Do you relate a little or a lot to June’s situation?  How?

What options does June have while contemplating her family’s concerns while driving home?

What can she do to handle the immediate concerns?  What options does she have for potential long term issues?

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