My Life as a Blogger: One Year Later

Kathie Phillips 4 Comments

For the past year, I have walked down a familiar, yet unfamiliar path.  You see, the path is both familiar and unfamiliar because while I have trusted God in unchartered territory before, this has been a different type of faith journey.  This type of journey would be done so in a very public format.

If you’ve followed me for some time, you know that my entrance into the blogosphere was filled with fear, trembling and trepidation.  (You can read all about that here.)  No one wants to fail but failing in such a public way is even more frightful.

My greatest desire in writing here is to share my Children’s Ministry experiences with others.  This blog has evolved over the course of the year and that has been so exciting to watch.  It has been fun to be creative on my own terms and to learn how to find my own voice in this platform that God has given me.  There are some great blogs out there, but I need to be myself and speak like myself.

Here are a few things I’ve learned along this amazing journey:

  • God has really knock my socks off!  I have had some incredible opportunities and met even more incredible people as a result of this blog.  So much for thinking that no one would read my posts!  But really, it’s amazing how sharing what God places on my heart has blessed people in the ways it has.
  • I can’t be afraid to change things up a bit.  KidMinspiration started out as a blog primarily geared towards Children’s Ministry leaders.  It has grown to now include Children’s Ministry volunteers and parents.  Volunteers and parents are naturally a part of Children’s Ministry, so why not make it accessible to people invested in kidmin?  My writing also tended to include volunteers and parents, so it was a natural progression.
  • Personal stories make me feel more at ease.  One of the best ways for people to know me better is to include personal stories.  Who doesn’t love a story?  In addition to being a kidmin leader, I’m also a wife, mom, daughter, sister and friend so giving you a peek into my life was also a natural progression.
  • Blogging takes time.  Whew – I underestimated how much time it would take to take a blog post from beginning to end.  Answering questions like What will I write about?  When will I sit down to flesh that out?  What type of media should I include?  Have I used too many words?  Or not enough words?  Is it clear and compelling?  For someone who’s not a professional writer, these things can be a little daunting but it’s getting a little easier.
  • There’s a lot to learn about blogging and how to blog well.  There is a plethora of resources out there for bloggers.  I am so grateful to read ways to become a better blogger.  This girl needs all the help I can get!

Thank you so much for being part of my life for the past year.  I honestly didn’t think that I’d last 3 months but God is so good to me.  I am thankful for everyone who reads my words, shares my words and allows my words to impact their life and ministry.  You have blessed me beyond measure.

Here’s to (hopefully) another great year together!  Be blessed!

What has been your favorite KidMinspiration post?  Let me know by commenting below!

My Mom, My Greatest Teacher

Kathie Phillips 2 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day!  As I have gotten older and become a mom myself, I have grown to appreciate my own mom more and more. What’s not to love about her?  She is deeply rooted in her faith, loved and respected by her family, loyal to her friends, dedicated in her volunteer service and ministry, just to name a few.  I am so honored to be her namesake (although she is Kathy with a “y” and not “ie” like me!)

I have had wonderful teachers over the years but I know that hands-down, she was the greatest teacher I’ve ever had.  She would disagree, but I think she missed her vocational calling!  She should’ve been a teacher.  But aren’t all moms teachers?  I think when we’re in the trenches, dealing with day-to-day survival, we moms can forget that we are teaching our children – teaching them how to walk with the Lord, how to resolve conflict, how to be in relationships with others, how to do laundry, how to get the best deal, how to enjoy life.

When I think back to the many lessons that my Mom taught me, here are a few that instantly come to mind:

  • Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate.  Growing up, we celebrated everything – good grades, awards, milestones, holidays, you name it.  To this day, my Mom still takes the time to celebrate the big and the small.  This is a tradition that my children have grown up with as well.  Get used to it, kiddos – we’re celebrating everything!
  • Make family a priority.  No one or no thing, absolutely no one and no thing, came before family.  Family is everything.  One area where this was particularly evident was in my sibling relationships.  Sibling fights were not allowed in our house.  Yes, we had disagreements, but at the end of the day, reconciling with one another was non-negotiable.  Which leads me to my next lesson learned…
  • Our home is a safe place.  The world is full of negativity and strife.  Put-downs, teasing and other hurtful actions were not allowed in our home.

As an adult, I’m still learning from my mom.

  • Take time for you.  Take time to pamper yourself with a trip to the salon or to get a manicure.  Buy a new shade of lipstick.  Treat yourself to that new blouse.  Don’t neglect yourself while you parent.
  • Nurture your marriage.  Date your husband.  Get away for a long weekend.  Show him respect and teach your children to do the same.
  • Pick your battles.  Save your energy for what really matters.

I asked my friends through social media the following question:  What’s the best advice your mother (or mother figure) has ever given you?  Here are some of their responses:

“Be stronger than you look.”

“Let go and let God.”

“Trust God, be faithful to my husband, be dedicated to my children and be committed to my family and friends.”

“Sometimes you win the battle but lose the war…and some battles are just not worth fighting (win or lose).”

“When I became a mom, I asked my mom what the driving force behind her mothering style was and she said, ‘I made up my mind to love my kids for who they were, not who I wanted them to be.'”

“Always be sure to thank your people (at the church I pastor).”

“It’s better to be over-dressed than under-dressed!”

“It doesn’t hurt to say ‘Hello’ to someone.”

“Pursue your calling now.  What’s growing up got to do with anything?”

“Look people in the eye.”

“Always wear a little lipstick.”

“Give people grace; only God knows what’s going on in their hearts.”

“Don’t base your life on ‘what if?'”

“Remember who you are.  You are a child of the King.  You were bought with a price.  Because Jesus lives in you, then within you is hope, and peace, and all that is good.”

Now it’s your turn…What’s the best advice your mother (or mother figure) has ever given you?  Share her wisdom below!

 

Mother’s Day Prayer for Moms in Every Season of Motherhood

Kathie Phillips 4 Comments

Last Mother’s Day, I heard the most beautiful prayer for moms during our Mother’s Day worship service.  What made this prayer unique is that it covered moms in every season of motherhood as well as those who longed to be mothers.

The prayer was written and shared by Debbie Schmidt, our Pastor’s wife.  She has granted me permission to share it with all of my readers.  I have also placed a pdf copy under the “Free Resources”——> “Parents” ——> “Downloads” tab.  You can find it here.

I pray that it will be a blessing to you and the moms in your sphere of influence.  Enjoy!

Mother’s Day Prayer

Our good and loving God, we thank you today for mothers, for grandmothers, for great-grandmothers, for aunts and neighbors and every wise and kind woman you have put in our lives. We are grateful for the many ways they have nurtured us.

We pray today for the mothers in our midst and ask for your blessing on them.

We pray for expectant mothers and thank you for the joy and excitement of new life. We ask for your protection over these mothers and their babies.

We pray for mothers of infants, that you would give them endurance for the daily tasks of feeding, diapering and caring for their children. We pray that in the midst of these challenges you would give them times of joy and delight in the little ones you have brought into their lives.

We pray for mothers of young children, that they would have patience for the endless questions that come as young minds try to make sense of their world. Refresh them by your Spirit and help them model to their children the love they receive from you.

We pray for mothers of teenagers, that they would have the discernment to know when to speak and when to listen. Give them confidence that you are at work in their children and that you hold their children’s futures in your hands.

We pray for mothers of rebellious or wayward children, that as they pour out their grief to you, they would find hope and encouragement. Remind them of your love for their children, a love that exceeds even their own.

We pray for mothers who face special challenges, parenting their children alone or mothering children with disabilities or illnesses.  Give them an extra measure of grace. Surround them with a community that can support and love their children and them.

We pray for mothers who have lost children. Comfort them in their sorrow and use them in your kingdom to comfort others who grieve.

We pray for those who long to be mothers. Give them grace to receive the blessings of each day with joy and satisfy the desires of their hearts with good things.

We pray for our own mothers and ask your blessing upon them. Thank you for all the ways they have nurtured and loved us. Give us the words to express our gratitude to them.

Where our mothers have wounded or disappointed us, give us grace to forgive.

For every mother here who carries regret or guilt, we pray that you would meet her in that place of failure with forgiveness for the past and grace to move forward in your love.

Thank you, Lord, for the love of mothers. Their love feeds our souls and gives us a small glimpse of the overwhelming love you have for each of us.

In the name of your son, Jesus, Amen. 

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Ministry and Motherhood

From the Archives: Ministry and Motherhood

Kathie Phillips 1 Comment

Note from Kathie:  As Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching, I thought I’d pull a post from my archive to share with you (again).  If you are a KidMin ministry mom, please consider joining my Ministry Moms group on CMConnect.  You can find the group here.

Balancing ministry and motherhood is something that I’ve tried to manage for the seven years that I’ve been on-staff in Children’s Ministry.  It hasn’t always been easy.  Sometimes I feel like I pour too much of myself into my work while neglecting time with my children and vice versa.  Instead of thinking of it as either-or, I have tried to intertwine the two.  Here’s how:

I involve my children in my ministry.  This won’t work for every family (my children are teenagers) but my children actually enjoy being a part of my ministry.  In fact, they call it “our ministry”.  They are able to offer great insight into music choices, games, events and resources.  My little test group, if you will.  Not only does this help me stay relevant and “cool” with the kids at church, but it helps my children feel like valued members of our ministry (which they are).

As a result, I’ve seen them use their gifts and talents.  My son has seen me lead Sunday School and is now a teen small group leader for 6th grader boys at our church.  He not only prepares his lessons ahead of time but he finds ways to shepherd the boys as well as provide an atmosphere of community within the group.  He has also taught me a thing or two about technology (namely how to design a PowerPoint presentation).  My daughter is extremely artistic.  She has helped design brochures as well as sets and bulletin boards.  She has also researched craft projects and has written skits for the children.

I ask their permission before signing them up for events, etc..  I value my children and their need for personal boundaries by not signing them up to help me at events.  I don’t automatically assume that they will be present or fill open slots.  Because of this, they look forward to going to church and volunteer to serve in various ways.

I value their opinion.  When I was presented with a new ministry opportunity last year, I talked it over with my children (and my husband).  Because the opportunity would involve changing churches, their opinion was vital to my decision.  Talking it over with them and getting their insight strengthened our family and helped them to love, not resent, moving to our current church.

I am aware of negative talk about the ministry.  Volunteers don’t show up.  Someone may disagree with a decision I’ve made.  Someone may complain about this or that.  But my children don’t need to hear that.  It’s not their burden to carry.

As often as I can, I take them along with me when I travel for work.  My children are unsung heroes of my ministry, so taking them along with me is a reward for them.  Those trips have been some of the best times we’ve had as a family.

I value them by leaving work at work.  I love Children’s Ministry.  I love to read about it and talk about it.  But I also love my family time and try to protect that at all costs.  Saturdays and Sunday afternoons are reserved for family–movies, good conversation, a delicious meal, a road trip.  Just good, quality time to connect.

Although I love Children’s Ministry, motherhood is my most important ministry.  But having my children integrated into my ministry is the best of both worlds!  I could not imagine ministry life without them! 🙂

If you are a mom in ministry, how do you make it all work?  Share your thoughts below!