New Year Archives - KidMinspiration

16 Books on My 2016 Reading List

01/04/201601/04/2016 Kathie Phillips

2016 reading list

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you’ve had a great (albeit short) start to 2016!

A new year brings so many possibilities, doesn’t it? It’s a time most of us reflect on what we’ve done, what we’d like to do. Many of us aim to do more of this, less of that…

I have always loved to read. Whether for pleasure or professional development, reading has been one of my favorite hobbies since I was a teenager. In 2015, I read more than I have in recent years. Not because I had more time (I didn’t) but because I made it more of a priority. Every day.

One of my goals for 2016 is to continue to feed my soul through books.

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” ― Harry S. Truman

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I have chosen 16 books to read in 2016:

For The Love by Jen Hatmaker (I started this book in 2015 – looking forward to finishing)

Move: Nine Conversations to Build Your Kids Ministry by Brannon Marshall

Leading & Loving It: Encouragement for Pastors’ Wives and Women in Leadership by Lori Wilhite and Brandi Wilson

Team Up! The Family Ministry Playbook for Partnering with Parents by Phil Bell

Every Child Welcome: A Ministry Handbook for Including Kids With Special Needs by Katie Wetherbee and Jolene Philo

Do Over by Jon Acuff

The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner

Teams That Thrive by Kal Otis and Michelle Marx

7 Family Ministry Essentials by Michelle Anthony and Megan Marshman

Wholly Kids by LifeWay Kids

The Bee Eater by Richard Whitmire

Dear Mary by Sarah Jakes Roberts

Tweetable Leadership by Jim Wideman

Audacious by Beth Moore

The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker

Your Beautiful Purpose by Susie Larson

What’s on your “To Read” list for 2016? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Six Ways to Reconnect in the New Year

01/12/201501/12/2015 Kathie Phillips

Children (and leaders!) at your church are settling back into a routine now that the new year is underway. As a kidmin leader or volunteer, you know the importance of bridging the gap and helping kids reconnect with you and each other. That’s why my friends at Orange invited me to share helpful tips to do just that. Please check out my guest post on their Lead Small website here.

Keep the conversation going by leaving me a comment below! How do you help kids in your ministry reconnect after the holidays?

New Year – And Trusting God!

01/06/201501/06/2015 Kathie Phillips 3 Comments

Happy 2015, friends! I pray that your new year is off to a great start!

The start of a new year usually ushers in a reflective mood that often leads to us setting goals for various areas of our lives. I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. A new year is a great time to reevaluate life and make adjustments to live more in the calling that God has for you.

But what if you aren’t sure what those goals are yet? This is where I am currently. I’ve been reading social media updates, articles and blogs about all of the ‘great things’ people have planned for the new year. It seems that some of these folks have been working on these things for some time now. I began to feel behind the eight ball – really behind.

When my family gathered to celebrate New Year’s Day, we talked about our responses to the following statements (we were given these in advance to ponder):

Ask God what He wants to reveal to you and through you in 2015.

Ask yourself where you let a dream fall by the wayside in 2014.

Ask God to breathe new life into dormant dreams or stir new dreams within you.

Ask God what He’s dreaming for you this year.

Write down what He is saying to you.

I found myself stumped with statements #1 and #4. Although I have prayed, I don’t yet know what God wants to reveal to me and through me this year. And I don’t know what He’s dreaming for me this year. Of course, there are many things that I’d like to do and dreams that I’d love to see come true, but what God wants and is dreaming – the bigger picture…I’m not sure yet. And that’s ok. So, if you find yourself in a similar place of waiting, you’re in good company.

Who says we have to have our yearly plan figured out on the first day? Or the 6th day? Or the 56th day? While I firmly believe that we should have goals and work strategically toward them, I am also content with the fact that God knows the plans He has for me (Jeremiah 29:11). I know that His ways are higher than mine (Isaiah 55:8).

So…I will wait. I know that He will reveal His plan to me in His timing – and I can’t wait!! I know it will be more than I could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Will you trust God to reveal His perfect plan in His perfect timing? Will you wait?