Month: June 2014

Win a 2014 Group KidMin Pre-Conference Training Registration!

Kathie Phillips

2014 Group KidMin Conference

I LOVE Group’s KidMin Conference!  I have had the privilege of attending in 2011 and 2013 and Lord-willing, I hope to attend this fall.

I love it for so many reasons, but here are just a few:

  • I feel at home here.  There’s something about being surrounded by fellow kidmin’ers!  While the conference is attended by thousands, the atmosphere feels small and welcoming.  I felt this way both years that I attended but especially in 2011 when I attended alone for the first time.
  • There is a wide variety of workshop options.  When I attend a conference, I tend to concentrate on areas that I need growth or training in as well as one or two ‘random’ ones just for fun.  Workshop options are so varied that you won’t have any difficulty finding ones that suit you.
  • Recordings of workshops are made available during and after the conference.  Because there are so many great options to choose from, you will likely have a hard time narrowing down your options.  I love that the workshops are recorded, so if I can’t make it to one, I can swing by the table and purchase reasonably priced CDs of other sessions. Not only can I use them for my leadership development but I can pass them along to others in my ministry.  It’s a win-win!
  • Keynote speakers and workshop leaders are very accessible.  Don’t be surprised if you’re walking through the resource area or enjoying a meal in a restaurant when you spot a keynote speaker or workshop leader.  I admit – I have been starstruck when a kidmin ‘celebrity’ is sitting at the table next to me – or gasp – when I enjoy a meal with them!  They are so gracious and down-to-earth.
  • Speaking of the resource area – you’ll stumble across some great finds!  I love strolling through the resource area to check out new materials available to kidmin leaders.  I also love the occasional freebies. 🙂  Items are often discounted for the conference AND you can have items shipped to your church or home.
  • There is a balance of learning and downtime.  This past year, I was able to enjoy meeting friends for meals or coffee in between the general sessions and workshops.  Being able to connect with friends and other leaders is such a great way to refuel my spirit.

Do you love Group’s KidMin Conference as much as I do?  Are you on the fence about whether this conference would be right for you?  Visit their website to learn more and register today!

If you’re looking for intensive training around one topic before the conference begins, consider the Pre-Conference training option.  It’s a full-day of training (9am-4pm) the day the conference begins.  I did this last year and it was great!

My friends at Group are offering a chance for YOU to win one free Pre-Conference Training registration!  Just send out a tweet using the hashtag ‪#‎goingtokidmin14‬ telling Group what you are most looking forward to at ‪#‎KidMin14‬. The deadline is June 15th!  Happy Tweeting!

My New Season of Motherhood

Kathie Phillips 5 Comments

If you follow me on social media, then you know that for the past few weeks, our family has been busy as my son’s senior year of high school has come to an end – prom, awards ceremonies, special class activities, exams and graduation.  Allow me to briefly tell you about my son, Daniel.

Five months into my pregnancy, Lance & I found out we were having a son.  We were so very excited!  I could not wait to meet him!  Before he was born, I dreamed about what he’d look like (although my ultrasound pictures showed he favored Lance more than me!), what his personality would be like and what God would do in his life.  I loved him before I even knew him – kind of weird, but if you’re a mom, you know what I mean.

When I met my little boy after his birth, I was in love.  I couldn’t believe how beautiful he was.  I loved holding him and staring at him.  We were bonded for life.  As he grew through infancy and the toddler years, my sweet Daniel was one happy little boy.  He hardly ever cried, his personality was so laid back and calm, his eyes made my heart melt and he had the most adorable chubby cheeks that were perfect for a million kisses.  He was an ‘easy’ baby and preschooler.

During his early school years, he loved school and was enthusiastic about learning.  Things took a turn during his fourth grade year and for the next 4 years, his enthusiasm turned to academic struggle and many frustrating, tear-filled nights for him (and me).  But thankfully, that time didn’t change his personality.  His adolescent years were surprisingly pleasant. Even as a high-schooler, he still loved to plop down on my bed to talk.  To this day, I enjoy his company – he is kind, gentle and very funny.  He always makes me laugh.

Daniel has been fascinated with cars since he was a toddler – he has built a pretty impressive Hot Wheels collection over the years.  About a year and a half ago, he got his learner’s permit to drive a real car.  Good times driving around with a teenager driver!  He always handled the car well and was very comfortable driving, so I knew he’d be fine when it came time to get his driver’s license.  Well, earlier this spring, he obtained his driver’s license and let me tell ya…the first time he drove my car alone, I was a wreck!  I sat on my bed, weeping, feeling like my heart would not beat again until he texted me when he arrived at his destination.  All was well when I received that text and I could resume breathing – until I realized that he had to drive home alone later that evening.  Repeat crying and a stopped heart until I heard him pull up outside.  It took such an emotional toll on me that I went to bed soon after he arrived home!

As his mom, I have always wanted to protect him and his sister.  If they were with me, I knew they were safe.  But the moment that my son was operating a motor vehicle outside of my ‘protective arms’, I couldn’t deal with it.  God showed me that I was a control freak.  As long as I was in the car watching out for idiot drivers, Daniel was safe.  How could I protect him if he was driving alone?  I really needed to rely on God to keep a hedge of protection around him.

As my son enters a new season of life and I enter a new season of motherhood, I am reminded of a few things:

  • Lance & I are finished raising Daniel.  This year, the catchphrase around our house has been ‘moving from dependence to independence’.  We have tried to be very proactive about that.
  • Our role is now to advise and guide as Daniel needs.  We have raised him the best we could; now it’s time for him to make his own decisions.  It won’t always be easy seeing him find his own way but he has much to learn through wise – and unwise – choices.  We are trusting that his relationship with Christ and what we’ve taught him will help him to navigate those unchartered waters.
  • God will still hear my mama prayers.  Just because my son is now an adult doesn’t mean that my mama prayers will end.  My parents still pray daily for my siblings and me.  I will still keep my son lifted up in prayer to my Heavenly Father.

Daniel is such a great young man.  Not only do I love him…I like him.  I’m excited to see him enter this new season of life as a young adult.  I’m also excited for this new season of motherhood and all that I’ll learn.  Pray for this mama, friends!