A Girl's Guide to Ministry

That was the title of a workshop I was honored to lead this weekend at Momentum Conference.

Anytime I have the opportunity to encourage people to step into the fullness of their God-given destinies, whether that be ministry or another vocation, I am all in. I knew immediately what I wanted to share:

Discover your call

Pursue your call

Be confident in the God who calls

Thing is, I was excited to do this but I wasn't prepared for the way it went...so much better than I ever imagined!

Around 80 students and leaders came to the workshop and the questions that they had for me blew me away! Things like, "What scripture do you hold onto on the days ministry is hard?" "Have you ever felt attacked for doing what you do?" and one from a young lady who said she grew up in a "complementarian area" and she wondered how I would respond to those who would tell me that I'm not doing things right because my husband should be leading and I should submit to him. Like, these questions, and these are just a few, are way deeper and more profound than I was expecting but I was so ready! I was actually so proud of these young ladies for the type of questions they were asking and not shying away from. I am in awe of their hearts that so desperately want to gain an understanding of what it means to know they've been called and how to walk confidently in that call. I wish I had taken pictures. Fortunately my friend Teresa got one!

I am also very thankful for the adults who were in the room, too! I saw several who came to sit with their daughters or support girls in their student ministry. I hope, if you're reading this, you know what it means to those students to know you believe in them, that they have a support system already with people they know, love and trust and who love and trust that they have heard from God, too. I am also thankful for the ladies who helped hand out my buttons and while they are both special to me, one of them I rarely get to see and having her there, and finding her sweet note tucked into my Bible (you sneaky sneaky thing, you!) was just the icing on the cake!

As if all of this wasn't just so cool on its own, on Sunday we held a special moment in our service. Our District Superintendent and his wife came and did a ceremony of consecration for me as the new lead pastor of our church (see the two-image slideshow below).

I am at a place in my life that I can't believe I get to do what I do, but I am so excited for it! I can't help but think that what God is doing is very special and the fact that I get to be a part of it is absolutely AMAZING!