My Life Archives - Page 7 of 8

Simply Put: First Things First

01/13/201401/13/2014 Kathie Phillips 2 Comments

Happy New Year, friends! I hope your New Year is off to a fabulous start! My New Year started with a vacation – my first cruise – to the Caribbean. It was a long overdue vacation and I did not have any problem relaxing…the weather was warm, the food was great, the company was sweet and the views were amazing. See for yourself:

The view from my room on the cruise ship – Sunset over the Atlantic Ocean

When I returned home, there were lots of things to catch up on – opening mail, unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping, email, catching up with my family (who stayed behind while I was away). “Where should I start?”, I asked myself.

Have you found yourself asking the same question? Ministry – and life in general – can be filled with long to-do lists. It can be overwhelming knowing where to start. Here are a few pointers that have helped me:

Make a to-do list. Simple, right? It is a burden lifted when I take a few minutes to simply write down all of the things swirling around in my head.

Prioritize the list. Take an honest look at what you’ve listed and determine what’s immediate, what can wait, what can be delegated, what can be eliminated.

Move forward. Work your list and make your list work for you. Jump in and start knocking things off of the list. Don’t procrastinate!

Set time limits. What can you do in an hour? What can you do in five minutes? You might be surprised how much you can knock out when you’re focused and have a time frame to work within.

Eliminate distraction. No social media. No email. Put your cell phone on vibrate. Set your desk phone to “Do not disturb.” Go to a quiet place (I love working at the library). You get the idea.

Cross things off of the list as you work. Seeing things scratched off the list can be one of your biggest motivators!

How do you keep ‘first things first’? I’d love to hear what you do!

The Question that Never Goes Away

09/12/201309/12/2013 Kathie Phillips 6 Comments

Our family is mourning the loss of my father-in-law, who passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday. He was a man who loved the Lord and who preached His Word diligently for 35 years. He celebrated his 71st birthday on Monday, so his passing on Tuesday was very bittersweet.

Many of my friends are going through a similar period of loss and bereavement. Why is my ministry failing? Why am I being persecuted? Why did cancer take him from me? Why are we struggling to make ends meet? Why is my child, who was raised in the church, no longer following the Lord? Why can’t I conceive? Why has it taken me a year (or longer) to find a job? Why is there so much tragedy and heartache in our world?

Asking God “why” is a common question. It is very human to want to understand why God allows bad things to happen.

If you are in a place where you’re asking God “why”, please be comforted that God knows and cares. While we might not know the outcome, God does know and He requires us to trust Him. Will you trust God for the outcome? His Word tells us,

“‘For I know the plans I have for you’, says the Lord.”

Jeremiah 29:11

Philip Yancey, author of Where’s God When It Hurts? has recently released a new e-book entitled The Question that Never Goes Away. Today only, you can download it free on Kindle. By clicking on the image below, you will be taken to the website..

Be encouraged today…God knows your pain and is walking right beside you. Blessings to you!

Do You Not See It?

06/07/201306/07/2013 Kathie Phillips 4 Comments

“For I am about to do something new.

See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?”

Isaiah 43:19

I am about to enter a new season of ministry leadership at my church. As I do so, I believe in God’s sovereignty, timing and call on my life. He has orchestrated all of the details that have led up to this time and I walk in confidence that He goes before me.

One day, as the realities of this new season began to sink in, my mind was flooded with thoughts about the word “new“. So, in true blogger fashion, I took to my computer and jotted down my thoughts. Here’s what I wrote:

New is exciting. New is refreshing.

New is unlimited possibilities. New is full of promise.

New is scary. New is uncertain.

New is exhausting. New is learning all over again.

God is sovereign. God is faithful.

God is loving. God is awesome.

God is a provider. God is my Father.

New is needed. God is good.

Earlier this week, I read a timely word in my Jesus Calling devotional that stopped me in my tracks. Here’s a photo of what I read (note my highlighted and underlined portions):

As I walk through the days ahead, I choose to walk through demanding days by gripping the hand of my Savior and walking in confidence that He who called me is faithful (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Amen!

My Thoughts on Milestones as a Mom and KidMin Leader

06/06/201306/06/2013 Kathie Phillips 4 Comments

When I became a mom 17 years ago, older women would say, “Cherish every moment. They grow up very quickly.” As a mom of young children, I honestly couldn’t fathom them growing up quickly. I was trying to survive each day! It felt like they’d be little forever and that I’d always be changing diapers, getting up during the night, picking up toys countless time a day, vacuuming up Cheerios, potty training and chasing after children who liked to run and explore everything! These days, I find myself giving that same timeless and true advice to moms of young children, with the preface, “You might not believe this right now, but…”

This year has been a huge year of milestones for my children, who are now ages 17 and almost 14. Milestones are nothing new; my children have hit many over the course of their young lives. It’s only when there are a TON of milestones in one year that it’s get to be a bit overwhelming. A few major milestones marked this year include: learner’s permit, class ring/ring banquet, Prom, becoming a high school senior (my son) and yesterday, my daughter graduating from the 8th Grade. I have had a wide range of emotions, that’s for sure!

I’ve viewed the events of this year through two lenses: my Mom lens and my KidMin leader lens.

As a Mom, I wonder, Have we, as their parents, done enough? What could we have done differently? Have we given them the tools to make their own decisions and live on their own? The time really has gone by fast. My mom has told me (and countless other women) about seasons of motherhood. I would describe this season of motherhood as the preparing to launch season. This particular season has found me being way more intentional in helping them to pray more purposefully, resolve relational conflict in healthy ways, be sure about what they believe and why, live out their faith courageously, manage their time, take care of their things and manage their money better.

As a KidMin leader, I wonder, How do we as leaders help parents navigate the many seasons of parenthood? Do we mark and celebrate spiritual and life milestones with them? Are we intentional as children transition from one area of ministry to another? These questions have kept my KidMin leader working overtime lately and will become part of my focus for the upcoming ministry year. It is important that my team and I recognize that parents (1) like to celebrate milestones in their children’s lives and (2) they need guidance on what to expect, support from their church and support from other parents going through a similar season and those who’ve already lived through those seasons.

I will be dusting off a few of my resources to give our team a good foundation to brainstorm from. Some of the resources I’m turning to are:

The Legacy Path: Discover Intentional Spiritual Parenting by Brian Haynes

*He also had a website, which you can check out here.

Take It Home: Inspiration and Events to Help Parents Spiritually Transform Their Children by Mark Holmen

Parents, how are you marking milestones in your child’s life?

KidMin leaders, how is your ministry helping parents celebrate and navigate milestones and transitions? What resources do you use? I am looking for ideas to please share away!