Amy Scott's Thoughts

Sharing the thoughts that bounce around in my brain!

Pain Management February 6, 2012

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 4:43 pm

At the moment, there are so many ways this blog could go. I haven’t been able to blog due to my schedule for the last bit so I’ve been storing up ideas and just waiting for this moment when I’m sitting with my keyboard in front of me and a blank page ready to be filled.  As a writer, I’m sometimes overwhelmed at the amount of thoughts I feel I need commit to a page. I write a lot… That is an understatement. If I don’t write it down in my blog more than likely I’ve given those thoughts pages in my prayer journal. There is a strong call within me to write. In my life, writing things down makes them real. It takes them from my head and into the world. This is a process that helps me release and also cope with all the thoughts that are bouncing around in my head.

Normally, I would pick a cheery topic. I have a couple in the stock pile of ideas to write on (and I will get to them, I promise). However, I’ve had one of those afternoons. You know the ones… nothing is going particularly wrong and then something happens that causes you to snap. Today it was the Costco Pharmacy. Now I won’t go into the details, but it took my somewhat okay mood and let’s just say… it crashed and burned into a sea of irritation. Not ideal.  I had a long car ride home and then a walk once I got home to think about things. Now the pharmacy incident really did bug me, but it also opened me up. I’m not sure if anyone else is like this, but once I start thinking something negative, it’s really easy for me to take a trip down negative thought lane.  My starting point might have been the pharmacy, but the road I traveled led me to a very different place.

As, I drove home, I started to pray aloud in the car (something I do when I’m really wrestling with my thoughts). A mix of questions and truthful statements started to pour out of my mouth as I let God know how I felt about things. In ministry I’m always trying to balance doing more with not doing too much. I’m trying to judge where the best place to put my energy is. I’m also on the eve of a major event that I’m 99.9% responsible for. Plus, I’ve some other personal challenges on the front burners of my mind. All this mental multi-tasking has left my noggin a little bit fried. I’m not on top of my game as much as I feel I should be.

So yes, I’m processing all of this when my brain takes another turn. I start to ponder all the hurt I witness in the lives of those I love and those I minister to. There are a lot of people going through some difficult times. There are situations that I can’t believe they’ve been placed in and it just isn’t fair. Now, I learned a long time ago that life isn’t fair. I’ve also learned that the church is made up of messed up people and that means we struggle with just as many issues as the outside of world. We’re not exempt from the problems that seem to be plaguing the rest of the planet. I started to contemplate how much my heart hurts for people. I’m constantly hurting over some issue that someone is struggling with. I know that God has made my heart soft to these cries. I know that I have compassion because He has given me the passion to serve people. It’s only natural to respond with empathy to those in need and those that struggle. After pondering and praying for faces that came to my mind, I had another question pop into my head. How much hurt can I feel for others before I hurt myself? I’m not sure if that makes sense to you, but I was left wondering how much pain can I feel for others before the pain becomes my own pain. I really struggled with this question for the rest of the ride home. I have to admit that I don’t have the answer. So my question of the day remains how much pain can I witness and feel for others before I hurt myself? Has anyone else worked through this? Does anyone have an answer or something that has helped them? I know that I don’t want to harden my heart and go numb, but at the same time, I’m not sure just how far is too far. Is there such a place? I concluded my time of prayer by telling the Lord that I trust Him and I really do believe that He works all things for good. A lot of the time (honestly, most of the time), I don’t know how that is going to happen. I don’t see the good coming out the bad. But I know without a shadow of a doubt that my God is trustworthy and faithful. Even in my pondering and questioning, there is one thing that I will never question and that is the goodness of my God. I know His character. Now I need to reconcile my own emotions, feelings, and facts in the light of who He is. Anyone who has walked this road and would like to share their experience is more than welcome to comment! I need some insight into this!

 

A new year and another year January 7, 2012

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Recollections,Simply Me,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 9:28 pm

Right now I’m smack dab in the the middle of the New Year and my 26th birthday. It’s a very contemplative time as I ponder 2012 and turning another year older. What will this year hold? This might sound strange, but I’m not a fan of odd numbers, so I’m always happy when I enter an even calendar year and even year of age. As much as I don’t want to be another year older, I am somewhat comforted by the fact that it will be an even year. Like I said, I’ve been thinking a lot… it’s something I probably do way too much in general. Here is what has been bouncing around in my head…

When asked what my new year’s resolutions are I had to say none. I have no goals set for 2012. My mom said this was healthy since according to her I’m scary when it comes to goals. I will be the first to admit that I like to be working towards something and that I have pretty high standards for myself. I’ve been thinking about a lot about my standards. I’ve been looking back in my mind to the standards I set for myself as a  youth student. I’ve been remembering the things that I was passionate about and that shaped the adult I’ve become. I was blessed with a group of friends and family that held me accountable to the high standards I set for myself. Because of the high standards I’ve always had in place, I find that I hold others to equally high standards. Now I don’t judge when someone isn’t like me or not on the same page as me. I just care a lot about my friends and family. I want the best for them. This leads me to holding a pretty firm line in some areas of life. It’s been a challenge for me to watch some people that care about deeply make choices I don’t always support. I can give my two cents when it’s asked for, but really, I’m not in control of others (DUH!) and I’m not responsible for their choices. As a teacher at my church, it’s hard when this happens with students. I feel in some way that I let down in my training. While, I know that isn’t true, I feel the weight of their choices.

As I’ve been pondering the standards that I hold for others, I started to evaluate the standards that I currently have for myself. If you’re going to teach, the Bible says that you’re going to be held to the standard of your own teaching and higher. I started to look at myself deeply and wondered if I’m really walking the walk that goes behind all my talk. Now, I haven’t had any major revelations about poor standards in my life, but I have come to the conclusion that I need to do better. I have so not arrived yet… I’m so far off from being the person I need to be. Even today, I had to apologize for a blunder I made and a lapse in judgement. I’m still human no matter how hard I strive to be perfect. Tonight at church, we sang two songs that mentioned weakness and being weak. In the car ride to church I was praying about that is how I felt, so it no surprise for me to see the theme of weakness coming out in worship. I feel so weak. I know that in my weakness God can do great things. I also know His strength and power is revealed in times of weakness. I just don’t feel like some strong spiritual giant. I feel small. I’m a bit of a control freak who has through a lack of control in life turned a bit paranoid. I can see healthy tendencies in my thoughts and perceptions. I know there are roads I don’t want to go down. I need to refresh my mind and my way of thinking.

All being said, here is what I came up with as my solutions and in a way somewhat my resolutions for the this coming year. I need to pray more. I find that I’m good when I have time to write out my thoughts, but I need to be praying a lot more than I am now. When I try to do things on my own, I fail. I need God to be a conscience part of my every moment. I need to invite him to live each day with me. I know the lines of communication need to be more open for me to see growth in my life. I believe that a focus on prayer coupled with my Bible reading will be a backbone for growth in me this coming year. Bottom line – I want to be better. I want to be a better wife, sister, daughter, friend, employee, teacher, mentor and overall follower of Christ. I know that the people in my life and my Savior deserve my best. I pray that God will give me the strength to make changes in my own heart. If I start with making a difference in my life then I can truly do a better job of making difference in the life of others. This is what I look forward to in 2012 and hope being 26 will be defined as – a year of change – a year where I get better. I believe the this desire to get better will be something I struggle with every year. I think it’s the desire for eternity in my heart. It’s my desire to be truly made right and whole by the love of my Savior. I will someday know this feeling to the fullest, but for now I will make small strides towards the woman God wants me to become.

 

Fa la la la la la la la December 15, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 3:07 pm

Last night I had a chance to go caroling with a group from my church. I’ll be honest and say that caroling really isn’t my thing. Back in high school, I was in choir so I was daily practicing my singing voice. Nowadays, driving in the car is the only time I sing loudly. Needless to say, my skill level has taken a drastic change for the worse. I was never the greatest singer and now I’m really not the greatest singer. However, I know that I didn’t need to have the best singing voice to bring cheer to those in need this time of year.

Jeremy and I lead a group to a seniors apartment complex in Chehalis, WA. We are both strong leaders, but not strong choir directors. Our group walked the halls of three floors of apartments singing as we went. Since no one in our group was a really strong singer, we all kind of floundered our ways through the songs together. The good news is there was enough of us to fill the hallways with sound. It’s nice to sing in a group where you’re voice isn’t standing out because the group is too small or too quite. We were able to make a joyful noise and that’s all that matters.

I dressed in light layers since I knew the apartments would be warm, but wow, I could have dressed for the tropics and still been too warm. I felt slightly self-conscience as I walked the halls with my red, overheated face being flushed. Many of the residents kept their doors shut (I wonder if our talent had something to do with that?), but for those that opened their doors we had great conversations. I’m amazed at how many sweet old ladies have bowls of candy ready to pass out to children! The kids in our group loved the free handouts and gladly accepted them!

We were given a handout with the lyrics to about 8 classic Christmas carols. As we walked the halls we cycled through the songs. When we stopped at a open door we often asked if they had any requests. The kids would rattle of the list of songs we had words for. The best part was when one of the kids said “Hank the Herald Angles Sing” because the cursive font made the R look like an to them. Moments like that make for fun memories. Once we made it to the third floor we were getting pretty tired. A lot of walking and singing had worn us down and our singing quality had gone down. As we awkwardly tried to hit high notes that would no longer come out, we would start to giggle at how bad we sounded. Once the giggles took hold it was hard to recover the song. I think the giggles might have come from the lack of oxygen we were getting while singing.

The smiling faces and the conversations made the night worth it. It’s important to bless those who might be widows or away from family during the holiday season. Many in these apartments have limited mobility so it was nice to be bring a blessing to them. It was a great opportunity for families to do something special together. There were a lot of great teaching moments for the kids throughout the night. After a couple of years of caroling at the holidays, I can’t say that it has gotten easier. I still get really nervous about my voice and the interactions with people.  It’s not in my comfort zone to show up unannounced at someone’s door. I do know that I was asked by my pastoral team to lead a group with Jeremy. I knew that I had a obligation to my team and to my congregation who would be taking a lead from my excitement level. Sometimes in ministry you have to do things you don’t love to do, but they are a blessing to others and they are opportunities to deepen connections with people. I’m glad that we went and I’ll have some good memories to go along with my sore throat. Overall, I learned that it doesn’t matter how well we did the job, it was just that we did it with a cheerful heart.

 

Mentoring Matters September 3, 2011

Filed under: Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 10:22 am

Mentoring is one of the most important things that I can invest my time in. It’s become a deep passion of mine over the years and I am so blessed by each of the relationships I have in my life that offer mentoring opportunities. Each is different and each is a gift from God. Mentoring colors my life and brings so much joy and yes, sometimes much pain. Even when it seems like a roller coaster, I know God values the work of mentoring and can use all things for His glory.

Mentoring for me started in high school. At that time, I had some great mentors in my life and they really showed me how valuable mentoring is. Without those leaders I wouldn’t be the person I am today. They would listen to me as I poured out my heart. They offered wisdom to my tough my tough decisions and were prayer partners with me. I knew that I could come to them about anything and that they would be there for me. Also in high school, I had a strong group of friends and I would say we had a relationship of peer mentoring. We encouraged each other and held each accountable for our words and actions. These friends in my life were strong influences for good and I know that their support also shaped my character.

After high school, I started to see ways that I could become a mentor and bless others as I had been blessed. I started teaching in children’s ministry. At that time it was a 3rd/4th grade group of girls. I was really nervous about if I was cut out to teach to kids. It turn out I ended up falling in love with that class of girls. The relationships that I built with that class is still strong. Those girls are entering their junior year of high school and I’m still in touch with many of them on a regular basis. Mentoring is a relationship that isn’t measured by a certain time or teaching obligation. Just because a student moves up from my class doesn’t meant that my relationship with them is cut off because they are too old now. The most rewarding relationships I have in my life are with students that I have maintained friendships with years after they have moved out of my classroom.

Mentoring looks different with each relationship. A lot of times, it’s a meal out, a stop at Starbucks, or a movie night. In fact, just this week I had two students over for one last movie night before school starts. These lovely ladies will be starting their freshmen year of high school next week. One of them, I used to baby-sit when she was three! Movie nights are a fun time for us to just hang out, but I find that the car rides from their house to my house and back, hold powerful times to catch up on what’s going on their lives and the issues they are facing. I know I can’t solve their problems, but they know that I am a listening ear and I will be praying them.

Now mentoring isn’t professional counseling. It’s not all talking about issues and working through problems. In fact, I would say most of my mentoring relationships just revolve around having fun together and staying up to date on each others lives. It’s the consistency in relationship that allows people to feel comfortable sharing the hard stuff when it comes. If I never hung out with my girls then they wouldn’t feel like they could trust me when stuff did come up. Mentoring is also just living a consistent life of character and integrity. I’m human and they all know that. I don’t pretend to be perfect. I do, however, want to model what living my faith looks like. I want to be a good example so that they don’t just learn from my words, but more importantly from my actions.

Finally, I find the best way for me to be a mentor is have a mentor. I need people in my life who can speak to my joys and sorrows. I need people who I can be honest with and I can have fun and laugh with. I’m very lucky to have a couple ladies in my life who I know love me and care for me. I can be real with them and they will not judge me. They are here for me to see me grow. I also still have some of those peer mentors from high school in my life. We’ve grown into adulthood and now have different lives in different locations, but our friendships are still strong. Their voice is my life is still very important and valuable. I’m blessed to be loved and in turn have the opportunity to love and pour into the next generation. It’s seriously the most rewarding thing I do!

 

Being Intentionally Slow August 24, 2011

Filed under: Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 1:57 pm

Being in ministry keeps my life at a fast pace. It seems like there is always the next event to be planning, people that need contacting, the weekly classes that need to be prepped. There is always something to do and focus on. When God called me to ministry as a high school student, I knew that this was the life for me. I wanted to the pace and I wanted the action.

Now that I’m a few years out of college I have realized that I don’t quite have the energy level I once had. Now that I’ve been living the ministry lifestyle, I truly know how much goes into keeping up the pace. It’s different than I expect. I’m different than I expected. Turns out I’m more of introvert then I realized. The more I spend time with people, the more I need to spend time alone. It can be hard to balance it all. Commitments, to-do lists, trains of thought continuing on the work track when I’m at home… I’ve had to learn a lot about intentionally slowing down my life. I’ve had to learn where to say yes and where to say no. It’s easy to fill up every second of everyday, but it isn’t necessarily wise.

I’ve made some tough decisions over the last couple of years to help myself intentionally slow down. It seems like everything comes at a cost, even quieter living. One of the major decisions that I have made is to not work full time and be content with a part time job. This is something I’ve struggled with over the years. In a society where most people without kids have two incomes, Jeremy and I decided that a part time job allows me to invest myself more fully in other areas. It seemed like the more hours I worked, the less energy I had for mentorship and doing things after work. I would just want to come home from work and be a blob at home to recover for the next day. I may not be paid or considered “on the job” while I’m mentoring and hanging out with students, but I know my reward will be greater in heaven then it will be right now on earth. When I have a kingdom perspective, I can see that the things that get little to no credit are of great value because they are done with a pure heart and the right intent.

Another way I am intentionally slowing down my life is by investing in the things I do, beyond mentoring and people. Starting this blog has been a great outlet for me. When I am in the quiet of my home, I pick up my laptop and write about the things that matter to me. It’s been a lot of fun to come up with blog ideas and dream about the things I would like to share. Even though the readership of this blog isn’t on a national level, I am greatly affected just by writing the entries. Yes, I hope others are touched and intrigued by my ramblings, but really my blog has been a chance for me to develop myself and the person I am and want to become.

I have learned that some days need to be viewed as sacred. Just like the Old Testament called for a Sabbath. There are days in my life where I know it’s important for me to keep them free from the clutter of a busy life. The day of the week might not be the same each week, but for the most part Fridays are my sacred days. I try to make no ministry plans on Fridays so that way Jeremy and I can keep our one day off together focused on us. It’s not possible to keep every Friday free from plans, so I’ll often keep certain nights of the week free for just hanging out at home. I’ve learned that I can only go so long with something schedule on each day of the week before I burn out and start to resent my schedule. Being protective of certain dates and keeping things sacred has helped me to build in slowness to my schedule and my life. It gives me time to breath and time to relax.

I realize that not everyone has the freedom to make the decisions I have made. Some people have to work full time jobs or over time to make ends meet. Some people might think that I’m even lazy for balancing my schedule and trying to keep some time sacred and slow. I’m still in the learning process because the opinions of others do matter to me. The truth is that I can’t make everyone happy and I can’t make people see things from my perspective. All I know is that I am called by God to live a life of sustainable ministry. The longer I do this, the more I can see the importance of building slow moments into the schedule. It looks different for everyone. I’m definitely more introverted than most, so I have come to realize that my down time needs are greater than others. At first this frustrated me immensely because I felt that I wasn’t being “Super Amy.” God is working my heart to show me that I don’t need to be super, I need to be healthy. Even the things that I have made time for in my life, I know will have eternal rewards and I feel like the balance I have struck is one that allows me to be filled so I can empty myself out with others and not run dry. Living at a slower pace is counter-cultural and that is why it takes serious effort to be intentionally slow.

 

The Global Leadership Summit August 17, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 8:00 am

This last week I had a great opportunity to attend a highly acclaimed leadership conference. The Global Leadership Summit is put on by the Willow Creek Association and it is always a top-notch event. The speakers are always amazing and truly gifted in their fields. For two full days, the amount of leadership knowledge that gets poured into those that attend is astounding.

Today, I went back through my notes and highlighted the points that really stood out to me through conference. The worst part of a conference like this is it’s easy to fill your head with all this information and then slowly let it seep out. Reviewing a couple days after the conference gave me a chance to clear my head and then go back in and intentional remember the points that I want to take away.

Below are the points that I found myself highlighting. I figured typing them out would be another way to reinforce their place in my memory. I also thought they might be of some benefit to you. Each point is just a small piece of the great leadership expertise shared by this amazing line-up. I hope that some of the thoughts below jump out at you and strengthen your leadership just as much as it did mine.

  • You do your best work when you right over the over-challenged line at work. Not when you are appropriately challenged, not when you’re dangerously-over-challenged and not when you are under-challenged. (Bill Hybels)
  • You set a bad example when you live in crazyland (in reference to the dangerously-over-challenged work environment). (Bill Hybels)
  • Believe in the future by creating it first. (Len Schlesinger)
  • Historical results do not show future results. (Len Schlesinger)
  • Baby steps and small wins go farther then you realize. (Len Schlesinger)
  • Use your blessings to move you forward – don’t allow them to make you dumb, fat, and lazy. (Honorable Cory Booker)
  • Everyone is born an original, but most die a copy. (Abraham Lincoln, quoted by H. C. Booker)
  • How you see the world reflects your heart and character. (H. Cory Booker)
  • Look past the current problem and see the opportunity. (H. Cory Booker)
  • When you catch on fire, people will come to watch you burn. (Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil)
  • We are not called to survive the world, but to change it. (Steven Furtick)
  • Only God can make it rain. We can do all we can do, but God is the one who sends the favor and blessing and healing. (Steven Furtick)
  • If what you’re doing isn’t intimidating you, then it’s probably insulting to God. (Steven Furtick)
  • If you want to see the land filled with water, then you must dig ditches. You prepare for what you believe is coming. 2 Kings 3:9-20. (Steven Furtick)
  • Sometimes we only need to see the next step. (Steven Furtick)
  • Don’t confuse your behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel – it took a lot of ditching digging to get to those highlight moments. (Steven Furtick)
  • What I’ve learned – Silence your body, listen to your words. Silence your tongue, listen to your thoughts. Silence your thoughts, listen to your heart. Silence your heart, listen to your spirit. Silence your spirit, listen to the Holy Spirit. (Mama Maggie Gobran)
  • Wise people see the light and adjust to it. Fools see the light and try to adjust the light, not themselves. Evil people see the light and run. (Dr. Henry Cloud)
  • Show people you are willing to do what you are asking them to do. (Patrick Lencioni)
  • Honor others by being interested in them. Put them first. (Patrick Lencioni)

The other speaker I would like to highlight was an interview with Michelle Rhee. In 2007, Rhee was made Chancellor of the Washington DC public school system. From the very beginning she made drastic changes to the school system that rocked the city. She is a woman with high standards for education and a desire for quality in the classroom. I’m not a school teacher, but my job does involve working with the next generation. I got very wrapped up into her story, because she fights for the next generation. She wants to make the next generation better and bring them to a place where they will succeed in life. This goal is very close to my own heart. I want to make sure that I make decisions that are best for the kids in my life. I don’t want to make my decisions based on popularity or pressure. High standards ensure that the kids we come into contact with will have best opportunities possible. Her story and her fight impressed me greatly. While I took down no quotes from this session, it was one that deeply impacted me.

I was so glad that I was able to go to the conference this last week. The Global Leadership Summit always leaves you full of thoughts and ideas. It challenges you to take what you have heard and do something with it. Investing in leadership training is something I value so much about the team I work with. It was great to go as a church staff. I look forward to all that God is going to grow out the time invested into our leadership.

 

Kid’s Camp 2011 August 6, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Travels,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 9:39 pm

358 kids and adults joined together this week for Kid’s Camp 2011 at Camp Berachah! The theme was “Extreme” and every part of the week lived up to the name! Extreme activities, extreme worship, extreme fun, extreme exhaustion! The mornings were early, the pace was fast and the nights were late. Overall, every moment was used to the fullest.

The great thing about our network kid’s camp is how intentional they are with the flow of the day. We have 3 environments where kids get the same message repeated to them and allow them to soak it in using different opportunities. The first environment is morning chapel. This chapel is high energy and extremely engaging. It introduces the message for the day and give the first opportunity for response. The second environment is cabin devotions. This time allows the cabin to discuss the topic of morning chapel and dig through the message. The third environment is response chapel. This falls right after cabin devotions and right before bed. As a close to the day, the kids are invited into a quieter chapel environment for one more chance to act on what has been spoken over them all day. This might look like visiting a prayer station or singing along to a passionate worship song or praying with a leader. All day the kids have had the opportunity to let the Holy Spirit speak to them about the message and the last thing they do before bed is a have a chance to respond to what the Lord might be working in their heart.

The other great thing about kid’s camp is the flow of the messages through the week. The first day message is usually about getting sin out of our lives and salvation. It’s all about getting right with the Lord. This is great for first time campers and those not familiar with Christ. It’s also a good reminder and a fresh start for those of us who have been in church and camp environments before. The next day focuses letting go of things that hold us back. We talked about how God made us very good and has created us with all we need for life. As things happen to us, we have added different things into our lives that God didn’t intend for us to have. The second day message dealt with the baggage we carry through life and need to let go. Day three focuses on the Holy Spirit and His power to give us boldness to share about Jesus and what He has done in our lives. We also shared how the Holy Spirit give us passion and peace. This is one of my favorite days because we ask kids to pray for the Holy Spirit’s empowerment! I know a lot of kids get excited to know that God wants to help them talk to their friends. With the Holy Spirit’s help they can do more then they ever imagined. Day four focuses on service and how we can serve anywhere, at anytime. Not everyone is called to be a full time pastor or a missionary, but they are called to serve in someway. Kids were invited to seek the Lord about where He might want them to serve. The last day is always a celebration of what God has done and a commitment to follow through once we leave camp.

Power Play is a great opportunity for the kids to engage in fun challenges and hear stories from missionaries. Power Play is formatted by having the kids go to different locations around the campground based on clues. At each station they hear powerful and extreme stories about missionaries. This section of the schedule is so amazing because kids can see how exciting missions can be. Our other missions theme at camp revolves around our offering project. This year our goal was to raise $1500 toward building a roof for a christian school in Tanzania. I’m happy to report that we did reach our goal and as a result the camp leadership team got soaked by the kids in the giant water fight.

As you can tell there are a lot of spiritual moments to look forward to at summer camp. Mixed in with these extreme moments with God are extreme activities and kids just being kids! Many of our students conquered their fears and went all the way to the top of the big swing. They raced each other at go-karts and pigged out on candy at snack shack. Jeremy’s favorite time with the kids is during the swimming hour. Every day the kids ran off their energy playing wacky outdoor field games. Also there was a campfire with silly songs and S’mores the first night. Fun is mixed in with everything at summer camp!

Summer camp is an awesome experience for students to get out of their normal routine. It gives them dedicated time to focus on God and deepen relationships with others. It was certainly an extreme time and one that hopefully won’t be forgotten quickly! I praise the Lord for the moments I had to pray with students and hear their hearts. Join me in prayer that what God started at camp will come to completion in the lives of our students!

 

Off to Summer Camp July 29, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Travels,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 4:53 pm

Thanks to my job, I think I’m one of the few adults I know who can say they go to summer camp each year. On Monday morning, we will load up from the church and take off for a week away at Camp Berachah in Auburn, WA. Summer camp is a great opportunity for each kid that gets to go. There is something special about getting out of routine and way from the everyday influences that surround students. Not only does camp have a lot of fun activities to offer students, but the greatest thing it can offer the students is a chance to connect with God on a deeper level. Through worship experiences and gifted camp speakers, students are given the chance to hear God above the noise of televisions, MP3 players, and video games. Each camp is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m always excited to see kids worshiping the Lord without reservation. You can see how tender their hearts are. My favorite moments at camp happen around the alters praying for students and getting to hear what God is doing in their lives. I also love the chance to just hang out with the kids as we go through activities and at meals. Getting to know each student better is one of the highlights of summer camp. If you think of us next week, say a little prayer for the kids at summer camp. I know we’ll be having a fun filled week. I’m positive that God is laying the ground work right now for some awesome things to happen in the lives of our students and I’m so excited to watch and see what unfolds this week!

 

Get Down June 21, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 5:30 am

I will admit that my legs are sore today. However, they are feeling a lot better when I compare them to Sunday and Monday. You might wonder why I am so sore. At children’s church on Sunday we sang “Get Down”. The song is originally performed by Audio Adrenaline. Google it if you are unaware of the song. The song sings the line “get down” numerous times. Every time it is sang, you squat to the ground and then get up. Thus, “I get down and he gets me up.” Over and over and over again!!! Well, after my many “get downs”, I was feeling it and continued to feel it.

As a leader in children’s ministry, I often have to make the choice to go all in. I could have not done the motions to this song because it would make me look silly and it would make me hurt for the days to follow. However, I choose to be a good example for the kids in that room and I got into it so that way they felt free to get into worship as well.

Sometimes we don’t want to go all in. We would much rather do certain things and not all things that pertain to our ministry. I’m wondering what spiritual muscles we are allowing to un-strengthened when we choose not to use them. It takes a lot of energy when you decided to give it everything you got. It may not be seem like a big deal whether I do the motions with the kids at worship, but I’m choosing to totally enter into my ministry role. Giving it 100% might hurt at first. Just like all muscles, its takes time to build up strength. I’m sure if I “got down” enough it would no longer cause my legs to be sore. It just takes practice and consistency.

It might seem like a silly example, but it’s a simple truth stuck out to me today. Going all in can take a lot of effort and energy. There might be a season where it makes us sore because our muscles just aren’t used to the work yet. Going all in and getting involved will eventually grow those muscles and tone them so you don’t even break a sweat. Maybe someday I’ll actually experience that after we sing “Get Down”…

 

Balance the Checkbook June 20, 2011

Filed under: Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 2:42 pm

I always thought it was a silly illustration to use a bank as a way of saying where we are at emotionally, mentally, spiritually. Making deposits and withdrawals seems like such an odd way to judge oneself. I first discovered this illustration in college and didn’t think too highly of it. Now that I’ve lived a bit longer, I can start relating more and more the banking metaphor. Back when I first started out this path to ministry, I had a lot more energy. I thought I would be one of those people who would be at the church anytime the doors where open. I didn’t understand balance. All I understood was dedication.  Being dedicated is good, but we all have our limits. As a young student, I couldn’t fully grasp the concept of sustainable ministry. I assumed burn out was impossible when you’re working for God.

Now have I’ve been in full time for the last five years, I can see how we must keep things in balance. Just like a checkbook, if I’m giving myself to others and to ministry, I must also be depositing into myself. I’m not an endless supply of energy (though I sometimes wish I was). I’ve learned that some relationships are investments. They take work and don’t pay off over night. I’ve learned that when I’m making major withdrawals for the sake of others, I need to make be making major deposits, so the bank doesn’t run dry. No one like to dip into the red.

We all have different things that add resources back into our banks. For some it is hiking, cooking, crafting, etc. We know the tasks that make us feel good and give us that new round of energy to tackle life. I am an avid reader. Reading a good book inspires me and bring so much energy to my soul. I view a good book almost as dearly as a close friend. Now as a woman in ministry, I read a lot of books about leadership and how to grow and develop spirituality so I can be the best person possible. These books are great, but sometimes I just need something else to fill the bank.

Last summer I re-read my favorite book series that I read as a teenager. The characters have always meant a great deal to me and it was almost like a reunion and reconnection with myself and with the things I love. Over the last month, I have read the Anne of Green Gables novel series. While these books might not be solving world peace , they made me laugh and they made me cry. They were perfect escapes into another time and another place. Sometimes I’m tired of walking in my own shoes. I thrill at the chance to slip into a book and see the world from someone else’s perspective.

Now I love doing book reviews and I thought about reviewing the Anne books and posting them here on my blog. For a while I really debated this idea, because I thought it was silly.  I pondered the purpose of reviewing a book series that had nothing to do with ministry. So here is a my review in a roundabout kind of way – I loved these books because they took me away from Lewis County, WA for a while. I knew that I needed to invest in my bank account before I ran dry and went into the red.

My challenge to you is – how is your checkbook balancing? Are you are withdrawing more than you are depositing? Is your checkbook close to going into the red? We are different and have our own things that spark our interest. I have learned to put aside my pride of looking like I’m always reading for a divine purpose and I have opened myself to things that make me happy – even they seem childish. The simple things in life and the things we have loved since we were a kid are often the ones that fill us up the most. Don’t put off reading that book  or doing that project or planning that hike. Choose to invest in yourself – not selfishly, but with the intent of refilling the bank so you can freely give to others.