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Snakes, and Swans, and Kidology Oh, MY!!!
I went to the Kidology Conference over the weekend. Wasn't sure what to expect since I hadn't been to a conference in a while... my last was the CPC. Kidology 2008 was FANTASTIC!! There were many great Learning Labs and workshop offerings to choose from. The presenters were amazing - and all brought relevant information to us in a dynamic manner. I was sooo impressed with the excellence that ran through the whole event. Great job, Karl! God really worked through all the people I heard speak, through the chosen classes, and even the surprise opportunities He planned for us (thanks, Dan!)
So now that my head is spinning from sooooo much new information and inspiration, I realize that I need to remember to schedule a Study Day on the day I return from a conference just to pray through and study all I have learned.
I am excited and ready to quit debating with God about the changes that need to be made in the Ministry He has entrusted to me...changes He has been speaking to me for months, that were confirmed at Kidology. I feel ready to jump off the cliff and trust Him for the consequences. I have always been afraid of heights, but I know He will catch me. I won't jump blindly - I will pray, plan, promote, and prepare. So my leap off this cliff will hopefully be more of a Swan Dive - graceful. If we leap too quickly, before God's timing, it can end up being our Swan Song!
Just today in my time with the Lord, He made a Scripture jump out at me as never before...2Kings18:4..."(Hezekiah) He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Isrealites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)" Sure it's easy to imagine crushing idols from other religions...but can you imagine destroying something Moses made? Something symbolic of what miracles God had done (healing people of snake bites with just a look), and something that would later be referred to by Jesus Himself (John 3:14-15)?
That offered encouragement to me today - that those programs, processes, and paradigms of the past are just that. We cannot worship the symbols (memories) of God's healing or His miracles (successful programs). We worship HIM. We must continue to walk with Him, to connect with Him, to get FRESH vision from Him alone - TODAY. Many will be upset when we crush the fond Memorabilia to pieces, many who do not even realize they are worshipping an Idol.
When we do, and we are following the Lord, we can do it with confidence. Read on to 2Kings 18:5-7...Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the Kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow Him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.
I pray that for myself and all of us who are change agents in Children's Ministry...and the world!
So now that my head is spinning from sooooo much new information and inspiration, I realize that I need to remember to schedule a Study Day on the day I return from a conference just to pray through and study all I have learned.
I am excited and ready to quit debating with God about the changes that need to be made in the Ministry He has entrusted to me...changes He has been speaking to me for months, that were confirmed at Kidology. I feel ready to jump off the cliff and trust Him for the consequences. I have always been afraid of heights, but I know He will catch me. I won't jump blindly - I will pray, plan, promote, and prepare. So my leap off this cliff will hopefully be more of a Swan Dive - graceful. If we leap too quickly, before God's timing, it can end up being our Swan Song!
Just today in my time with the Lord, He made a Scripture jump out at me as never before...2Kings18:4..."(Hezekiah) He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Isrealites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)" Sure it's easy to imagine crushing idols from other religions...but can you imagine destroying something Moses made? Something symbolic of what miracles God had done (healing people of snake bites with just a look), and something that would later be referred to by Jesus Himself (John 3:14-15)?
That offered encouragement to me today - that those programs, processes, and paradigms of the past are just that. We cannot worship the symbols (memories) of God's healing or His miracles (successful programs). We worship HIM. We must continue to walk with Him, to connect with Him, to get FRESH vision from Him alone - TODAY. Many will be upset when we crush the fond Memorabilia to pieces, many who do not even realize they are worshipping an Idol.
When we do, and we are following the Lord, we can do it with confidence. Read on to 2Kings 18:5-7...Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the Kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow Him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.
I pray that for myself and all of us who are change agents in Children's Ministry...and the world!
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I came away with the same encouragement. Sometimes we set up past successes as shrines that do not work well anymore. We will go forth as Christ has called us.
Linda