Hope in Times of Distress

I haven't blogged in awhile, and to be totally honest, I didn't plan on writing this blog either, however, I now know how Jeremiah felt when he said:

"But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." Jeremiah 20:9

I spent the last week studying the Christmas story for the children's lesson at church. I ended up confused, however when the main passage I was dwelling on was Matthew 2: 16-18. This is not a passage that I would not typically use in a kids story, but I felt strangely drawn to this passage. 

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
 and refusing to be comforted,
 because they are no more.”

Thursday night I found myself almost literally crying and asking God why He would allow innocent children to be killed as part of the birth story. It just doesn't make sense.

Then Friday came. I was in the middle of naptime at work, trying to get kids to sleep and checking my Facebook when I read the news about the Sandy Hook shooting. The news absolutely devastated me. I grew up in a generation where school shootings were common, and to a degree, I had become numb to this kind of news. However, in the past the shootings were mostly high schools; and although that is a tragedy that should never happen, and the thought of a shooting in an elementary school was beyond comprehension for me. Once again, I found myself questioning God (something that I believe is healthy as long as its done in the right manner).

I still don't have any answers as to why, but I felt God speaking to me at that moment. I felt like He was saying, "I understand. I get it perfectly. I watched my Son narrowly escape death as an infant only to be crucified as an adult. I know the pain these parents are dealing with."

I can't explain why God allows evil to exist in this world. However, I know He cares deeply and wants to offer hope in hopeless times.

It's Been Awhile...

It's been awhile since I've posted anything. There is a few reasons for this. First, I have re-entered the world of juggling a ministry, a job, and an education. I haven't taken the time to focus on blogging.

Secondly, and probably more importantly, this year I have transitioned into the role of a children's minister at a church plant, and not just any church plant, but a house church! This year has been a time of experimenting and reevaluating how to do ministry. I haven't had the experience in this new ministry to jump into the blogging world with both feet.

Here are some of the lesson's I've learned:

1. You better take every opportunity to share the gospel, because we have a lot of visitors, not a lot of people who stay and become involved. (Those who do stay have really grown in their faith, however!)

2. House church ministry doesn't look anything like "traditional church" ministry. I'm dreaming of the day when we expand into enough churches that I can justify a "children's ministry house." Until that happens, we are a motley crew of each age group together in one room. We have to be as quiet as possible because we share a wall with the "service."

3. Flexibility is key. One week we may have 20 people in the house, the next week we may have 8 (and my pastor's family is 4!).

4. Outreach events take so much more planning! Location, location, location! We have a massive yard for events, but its in a neighborhood where people don't come out and mingle much. I'm still trying to figure out where to have those big events.


As a side note, a few weeks ago, I was visiting my cousin who lives near the beach. Her daughter liked going and standing in the ocean while I was holding her. At one point I put her down a little too soon and she was knocked over by a wave. She panicked, yelled for mommy, and then 10 minutes later asked for us to go back in the water. What an example of faith like a child! She was scared, but after a few minutes, she was willing to go back in the water. Although it looked like I had failed her, she trusted me to pick her up and take care of her. Shouldn't we trust Christ in the same way? Sometimes He seems distant, but we need to trust him to carry us where we need to go.