Becoming a WE instead of a Y'ALL

I spent 3 years living just outside of Memphis, and therefore I have picked up the language and the slang quickly. I often find myself saying "y'all", and often don't even realize I am saying it half the time. The other day I was sitting in the office at the church talking to some of the staff and I made the comment about something they were doing and my statement was "Well I don't know what y'all do..." my boss stopped me and said, "you're one of us now, its not a 'y'all' its and we." And it hit me, he was right. Even though I have physically been here just over 5 months I still frequently refer to the people and staff of Liberty as "y'all" instead of we. I am still mentally separate myself from the staff and church that I am now a part of. I know this is something I need to work on. How can I be a cohesive part of the staff when I still use us/them language? How can I lead children and families when I make myself an outsider? The answer to both of those questions is of course I cannot. God has lead me to this church at this time in my journey, and though I have physically moved and transitioned, I now need to complete that transition and move from a "y'all" to a "we."
I think that every one who goes through a time of change and transition has to make the shift from y'all to we. It has to be a purposeful change, one done with conscious decision. With each passing week and each upcoming event, I am beginning to change my vocabulary. I am trying my best to put my mind in the place of being included in the aspects of Liberty.  Just another milestone in this journey that is a life of ministry. And I am resolved to embrace each step of the journey.


Thankfully Growing at The Grove!

Miss Megan

Pictures from Kids Camp 2014

We had a great time at Kids Camp this year learning about how God wants us to live. The theme this year was WEIRD: Because Normal Isn't Working.
We looked at the lives of Ezekiel, Queen Esther, Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and John the Baptist. Each taught us a different lesson on how living God's way may seem weird to the world but is the right way to live.

Our favorite song this week was the 10 Commandment Boogie by The Go Fish Guys
                       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7rp1Ej9T98

I Need to Do What??!

In my past 6 years of being in full time ministry there have been things that have come up that I was never warned about/prepared for in college. I believe that I have learned just as much if not more in the real world of ministry than I learned in theory in college. Some of these things range from typical to slightly bizzare. Here is a short list for you:

1. What color/type of mulch is needed on a playground?
2. The plumbing make up of a preschool sized toilet.
3. What does happen when a child eats glue.
4. How to find the best possible route to pick up kids for camp.
5. How many batches of popcorn will feed 25 families
6. How do you get cotton candy dust out of your hair?
7. Designing a Theme/Logo for a ministry
8. Re Decorating a Childrens Building
9. Choosing/ Setting up  a security check in system
10. How long should you set the motion sensor light duration in a preschool bathroom?
11. How to balance the volume levels for the 3 stacked children's churches so that they are not turning it up to be heard over the others.

I know there are many more things I've learned, and I would love to hear things others have learned or had to deal with.

Learning and Growing at The Grove!

Miss Megan

The Feeling of Familiarity

God has been working on me lately reminding me of all of the good things that come with returning to the church that I grew up in. One of those blessings that come with returning to Liberty is the feeling of familiarity. I am able to work on a staff with a Senior Pastor that I have known for years. And though I have never worked for him prior to this, in general his personality is the same. In most situations you have the breaking in period where you learn your Senior Pastor and he you. Because we have both known each other, it was easy to transition into the position and meet the expectations the Senior Pastor has for me. It is as if we have been able to jump a few months into the future in our working relationship.I am also blessed to work along side a worship leader who also happened to be my Youth Pastor and my College ministry pastor. Instead of coming into a completely new staff, I had a familiar face to encourage me through the days of learning the ropes. I  have been able to get to know the rest of the staff very quickly and have already began to feel "at home" around the office.

Liberty has always been the church that I have called my "home church" in my time away and that is because I feel they are the church that launched me into my own personal ministry, and in the same way they have accepted me back into the church to be the leader of the children's ministry. Another aspect of this feeling of familiarity comes from the fact that we have so many families that are still involved in the church and more specifically the children's ministry. I have the awesome opportunity to serve along side of volunteers who I also served with years ago when I was here. This feeling of familiarity has allowed me to make a quick integration into the children's ministry and church as a whole. I have also had the privilege of serving along side some of the kids who were in the children's ministry when I left. They have now grown up and are serving themselves.

As the days go by the feeling of familiarity of grows. I am so glad that God has placed me back here at Liberty. Though at times it may feel like it is all new, I still have this great feeling of familiarity, it is a blessing from God.

Grateful to be Growing at The Grove!
Miss Megan

I Love Camp

If you were to ask me what I am truly passionate about, one of the answers you would get from me is camp. I LOVE CAMP! 

What's so great about camp? Camp provides us a way  to get out of our normal day to day life and spend time in God's creation listening to and learning from God. It is amazing how well we can hear God speak when we don't have the tv, phone, ipod, etc. fighting for our attention.

In my mind camp is so much more than a location, it is an ideal. Inside, outside, no matter where or when, camp is a choice to step away, do differently, and come away changed. The concept  that camp is a state of mind is fairly new to me. I am still working through this but the more I think on it the more I believe. 

If we were to define "camp" as a period of time in which we separate ourselves from the day to day stuff of our lives and focus on learning and hearing from God. Using that as our frame work there are lots of things that fall into this category. In fact, Sunday School or church could even be placed in the category of camp with this definition.  If we can define a Sunday morning service as "camp", can we then expect to have the same mountain top experience during a service? I truly believe its not the pastor or location that provides us with those experiences, but instead  our own opening of our hearts and seeking to focus and hear from God. Imagine entering a Sunday morning service with that same willingness, even anticipation, oh think of the ways that God could move in our lives! Every time we are at church could be a spiritual "camp" experience,whether it be Sunday School, Children's Church, midweek, or even a Bible study. 

The thing I love most about camp is meeting with God in a real, tangible way. So then why is it so hard to accomplish more than once or twice a year?  I know personally I find it easier to listen to God when I am out in His creation. However the truth is, God is still speaking and moving even when I am not in His nature listening. And therefore the issue lies with me. I need to make more of an effort to tune out the distractions of the world, and listen wholeheartedly for the voice of God. I need to actively seek to be changed from every encounter with the Word of God. 

I love camp, and as I am learning, it doesn't have to be something I wait all year to experience. 

Grateful for God's lessons at The Grove!

Miss Megan

Giving Back

My whole life my parents have taught me the value of repaying a kindness done to you. When my parents were first starting out as a married couple they were both working and not making much money. There were times when my Grandpa (my mom's dad) would bring them over groceries to help the pay checks stretch that much further. And so when the opportunities have arisen, and my parents have seen someone they can help in some way, they have taken that opportunity to help, since the same was done for them.

My mom and dad have always shared the importance of this with me. As the body of Christ we are to help each other and repay what is done for us. That doesn't always mean repaying the person who helped you, sometimes it comes more in the way of paying it forward.

There have been many times in my life that people have helped me, whether it be through giving me something I was in need of, encouraging me along the way, or pouring their time and wisdom into my life. One in particular that stands out to me is the mentor relationship that I have. When I was a teenager I began a type of informal mentor/mentee relationship with our church's Children's Pastor. I would sit in his office and we would talk about the ministry, school, and life. He was a great encouragement to me early on when I felt called to ministry. As I have ventured out into my own ministry, he and his wife have continued to be a constant source of encouragement to me. I know if I need a sounding board for an idea, or simply a little bit of advice on how to handle a situation that he will be there to help in any way he can. Now that I find myself a little more settled, and feeling like I can hold my own in my ministry and life, I believe it is time for me to pay it forward. It is time for me to find someone that I can pour into, journey along side, and help through encouragement and prayer. I have been blessed by the impact my mentor has had on my life and ministry and I hope that God can use me to be a blessing in someone else's life.

I am so glad that my parents taught me to give back by helping others. Life is so much better when we all work together, that is what the Body of Christ is all about.

Has there been a time in your life where someone has helped you? Have you paid it forward and helped someone else?


Gratefully Growing at the Grove!

Miss Megan

Wisdom on the Wall

On the wall of my office, above my desk is a quote, "Every child is a story yet to be told." Surrounding this quote are pictures of children both in my current ministry as well as my prior ministries. I love having this reminder always in front of me as I work. Though it is not a quote from scripture, I still believe that it holds a great truth. Children have amazing potential and a long future ahead of them. They are impressionable and everything that goes on around them forms them into the adults they will one day become. This reminds me that I have a huge responsibility to make the right impressions on the lives of the kids in my ministry.Every interaction and conversation we have with a child is another mark on the blank slate of their life. My hope is that the end picture will be that of Jesus, and so I must do my best to mark carefully. I want to do my part to teach them about the love of God, to depend on Him to get them through the paths of life. Who knows what God has in store for each of these children. He may lead them through a path in life that is particularly hard to handle, he may call them to do something that is not necessarily popular or easy, He may even bring tragedy their way. God may also bless them beyond measure, give them wealth or fame. But in any circumstance, I want these kids to know that the center of their story, no matter what it includes, should always be God.

As I sit here looking at the faces of each of these children that hold a special place in my heart, I wonder what God has in store for their future. What story will each of them tell with their life? Has my story inspired them to seek after God? Has my influence been a positive on in their life? There is so much potential wrapped up in each of those faces. Stories that have already begun but are not yet finished. I pray that the Lord will use me to make a positive mark on the unfinished stories that each of these children hold.

Blessed to be Growing at The Grove!
Miss Megan