Last year, I was on bed rest at this time of the year. It was nice. It was quiet (yes that was the last quiet I had). I got lot's done because Jeff and Kevin, our worship and youth ministers, couldn't come sit on my bed like they do my couch in my office. That would be odd. I knew that I had set myself up for a difficult year. I was going to have a baby, a six year, a ministry, and of course, a husband that needed my attention. Mom and wife being the first priorities in my life, I knew it would take focus to accomplish anything new and exciting in ministry. And help! Lot's and lot's of help.
So, I set goals. Five in fact. Simple goals of where I was going to spend a majority of my working hours. These were based on our "Love God, Love Others and Serve the World" process of discipleship. They were done knowing that we have some incrediable leaders in our ministry at Kingwood Church of Christ and I should stay out of their way and focus on the ministries that need leadership. After all, God has called us all to minister. So, I resolved to serve the other leaders in ministry at Kingwood and focus my leadership on five items. I don't know if it matters in this post which five I chose.
As I look back on 2009 and I'm wowed by what God has done. By seeking God's will for our ministry, writing down the priorities I believed He had in mind for us, and working towards those for 365 days, I know that God can do immeasuably more than what we can ask or imagine. Best of all, I can look back on 2009 and know, for a fact, that my time and effort made a difference. It's not perfect. We still have work to do. But, things changed! Kids grew in faith. I grew in confidence in my ability to lead effectively. We had some incredible successes!
A long time ago, I heard a sermon by Andy Stanley, I believe, that talked about "keeping margins" in life. In other words, protecting the people God will hold you accountable to by making time and keeping some of the best of yourself for your family. Because, if you are successful as a minister, teacher, lawyer, or hamburger flipper, but your family never sees you and gets the leftovers, it is all for naught. Setting priorities, for me, allowed me to leave margins. It gave me the ability to say "no" when needed. It also gave me the ability to push just a little harder because the importance of an activity had been identified and had significance.
This year, I will again evaluate my priorities for my career with the liaison elders that have been so great to encourage and support the children's ministry and me personally. I am also thinking about priorities for my family, such as maybe actually taking a vacation this year and reading the whole Bible with River this year. Soon, those will be written down, and I'll live by them, because at the end of 2010, I will be able to look at those and know exactly how God has used me for His purpose.
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