Ministering to Your Minister

Mark and I spend our entire lives thinking about other people.  It’s just what we do.  We wonder how each of our church members are doing, we grieve when they are struggling, and we are giddy when they have exciting news. We feel like the birth of every new baby is an addition to our family and I have to admit that we always cry when we see each new life for the first time.  We pray fervently for the needs represented in our congregation and believe that God will answer our prayers.  We love the people that God has given to us with a profound love that I believe is straight from the heart of God.

And although our love for other’s runs deep, there are two little lives running around our house that we care about more than anything related to North Creek Church.  Our two daughters are our priority!  We strive hard to make ministry fun for them and accomodate their needs into the big picture of the church’s needs.  And although we try hard, there are days when I see that they are weary with sharing mom and dad.  I am sensitive to that ache in their heart and do whatever I can to prevent it.

Perhaps that is why I am most impressed by people who go out of their way to minister to my kids.  I want them surrounded by amazing, Godly, loving people.  I want leaders in their life who expect them to be great…not because they are pastor’s kids, but because they are God’s kids and He made them great.  That is why I currently have more respect for those leaders in our preschool class than any other leaders in our church.  They are the faces that tell MY kids about Jesus every week.  They make church fun for MY kids.  They make an investment into MY kid’s futures.  If all else falls apart, my kids are still going to be there, and I want them to have fond memories of church and of Jesus.

This week Delaney came running up to me and said, “I want to make a project for Emily and Chrystal!”  (Emily and Chrystal taught her preschool class last week, but they have also spoiled her rotten whenever possible over the last few months.)  Delaney thinks they are amazing and wants to be just like them when she grows up. 

My daughter spent the next half an hour constructing a little gift for both of them.  I asked her why she wanted to make a gift and she said, “They teach me good and I like them and they are pretty.”  It’s a simple compliment from a four year old, but in my heart that said, “Mom, I like church.  I like learning about God.  I feel that I am important in my teacher’s eyes.  I’m glad that I get to be a part of this church planting journey with you, because I’m a valuable piece to this puzzle.”

 

That’s really all I need.  I just need to know that at the end of the day, someone else has a positive voice into my kid’s lives.  So, hats off to Emily, Chrystal, and the other amazing preschool leaders that Rachael is raising up.  I know that the preschool class doesn’t come with a lot of glamour.  I know that talking to toddlers is a challenge and often times draining.  But just know that your ministry goes far beyond that 2 year old who is eating a crayon.  You are touching the lives of those kids and the grateful parents that know the value of your work.

Growing, Growing, Growing…

What an exciting time of ministry!  Our church attendance has been climbing steadily and we are now having to question to reality of multiple services in the near future.  As we pull out more chairs every week, I continue to be so impressed by the people of our church.  They are friendly, flexible, welcoming, and genuine.  We get comments weekly about how our church, as a whole, really goes out of their way to care about people and get into their world.  I am most grateful for that!  Church should be the warmest, safest place possible where you really feel like you can enjoy yourself.

The interesting balance is that you always get back what you give.  I watch as those people who are bending over backwards to welcome people also feel the most loved and included.  It’s God’s way of saying, keep pouring out, I’ll keep filling you up!  And He always does.

I look forward to the future!  Every person who walks through our doors changes the DNA of who we are.  It keeps it interesting!  And although I love the DNA that we have had, I look forward to molding and shaping to include more people in the love of Christ.

I love our church and I love our people!

Let’s Talk About Purity

I’m finishing up my sermon this week and it’s been a war to write it.  I’m speaking on sexual purity and I find myself wondering how to even define purity in our culture.  It’s a word that we don’t even hear on a regular basis.  Let alone the idea of having a high standard of sexual purity!

I still believe that America can embrace once again the idea of marriage between a man and a woman.  I still believe that we can embrace healthy sex lives within our marriages, while refraining from it outside of marriage.  I still believe that Christians can throw out the trash that the world gives us and raise up to a new standard.  I know that we are constantly told exactly the opposite of what I believe, but I hold tight to the words in my Bible.  I hold tight to the fact that the right way produces fruit in our lives that is worth the cost.

Sexual obedience is a defining issue for the church!  God speaks clearly and strongly about this area in our lives and although it is so easy to fail, that does not hold us faultless.  We must raise up a new generation of teenagers and kids who will fight for purity.  My generation has done a poor job and I’m not impressed by the results.  We have downgraded sex and purity to a level that is pathetic and purposeless. 

As I sit here staring at my computer, I can think of a million easier sermons, but I can’t think of a more important one.  For those of you who are struggling with sexual purity, I implore you to keep fighting.  Move out of that boyfriends house, get internet software and break free from pornography, don’t entertain the idea of an affair for one more minute…fight.  Fight.  FIGHT. 

There is no greater push on my spirit than to see God’s people walk before Him with pure and blameless hearts.  I still believe it’s possible.

It’s the Little Things

 I love caramel apples.  They are my favorite treat, especially from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.  So, on Valentine’s Day, my husband hit a home run with $4.95.  It really doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, but he knows what I like and he went out of his way to bless me.  It made my whole day and everytime I walked past my yummy caramel apple, I couldn’t help but smile.  I smiled even more when I got to eat it later that evening! 

On a spiritual note, I think God is just as easily pleased with our life when we do the little things.  From what I read in Scripture, it seems as though God is pretty happy when we choose not to gossip or to choose to forgive that person that cut us off in traffic.  Sometimes I think it’s easy to gauge our lives on the bigger picture…”Well, I’m a nice person.  I don’t steal and I haven’t murdered anybody.”  But integrity is based much more on the quiet decisions…the decisions that people may or may not ever see us making.

I’m really happy that Mark is a good husband on the big picture.  I’m glad he’s faithful to me and a good dad to my kids.  But there’s just something about a silly apple covered in sugar that tells me that he’s not jut committed to this thing called marriage.  He’s in love with ME. 

My hope is that everytime God passes by me, He smiles.  Not because I’ve nailed the Ten Commandments, but also because we’re in a real relationship where I’m concerned about the little things.  I want God to smile and say, “She’s in love with ME!”

MarriedLife Live

We have a great event at our church on February 21.  It’s called MarriedLife Live and it’s basically a night to remember how important marriage is.  We have awesome entertainment, giveaways, yummy desserts and lots of laughs!  Our theme this time is Hurry Home.  It’s all about making your time with your spouse a quality experience. 

Marriage is a tricky adventure to be on and I pray a lot for the people of North Creek.  It is my desire to see the marriages at our church healthy and strong.  There are so many ups and downs, but a lot of it just boils down to being committed to grow and change together.  That sounds so much easier than it ever is.

I hope that you will join us for MarriedLife Live.  Tickets are available at www.coffeechurch.com.  It will be a great time to share in hilariousness of life and love.

You Know You’re Dating a Pastor When…

Continuing on with our theme of love, I’ll tell you about our first date. 

As I mentioned before, Mark was already a pastor, so I was very clear about what I was getting into.  It came as no surprise that our first date would be on a Sunday and it would start at church.  That’s only fitting for what the next 12 years would bring!

My drama team (Loveta, Abe and Tyrone) and I all drove from Lake Stevens to Renton to attend New Life that morning.  We drove two separate cars, so I threw my purse and jacket in my car, locked the door, and gave my keys to Loveta to hold for me.  I didn’t want to be encumbered by all of my stuff when I saw Mark for the first time.

We were mobbed at the door by a bunch of teenagers that we had met at camp, so we waded our way through and into the sanctuary.  Mark and I met and talked briefly, but he was busy with the events of the morning, so we parted ways.  The pastor’s at that time all sat together on the front row, which was not where I wanted to be on our first date!  My friends and I found our own seats and enjoyed the service.

When it was over, I said goodbye to my friends and made my way to Mark.  He introduced me to a lot of people and then said, “Why don’t you stay here and talk to Alvina while I go get changed for our date.”  I stood there and made small talk with the woman that would later be my mother-in-law, but Mark had failed to mention that she was his mom! 

As we were leaving, I told Mark that I needed to stop at my car to get my purse and jacket.  That is the moment that I realized that my keys were already on their way back to Lake Stevens, nearly an hour away.  We had no cell phones back then and the phone at the camp was not manned on weekends.  I was officially stranded in Renton.

We went on our date anyway, which was lunch and window shopping at the Seattle Center.  We had a nice time together and the conversation was very easy.  Time flew as we got to know each other a little better.  I hadn’t planned on staying for the evening service at church, but I found myself still in Renton, so I decided a few more hours wouldn’t hurt.  In the meantime I had miracously gotten a hold of Loveta and she came all the way back to give me my keys! 

A special speaker named Donny was at the church that night and we thoroughly enjoyed the service.  After our second round of church, we got the privilege of taking the speaker out for a late dinner.  Donny enjoyed the time with us by grilling us on an assortment of questions, “Do you want to get married?  What type of guy do you want?  Do you want kids?  How do you feel about being a pastor’s wife?”  And on and on and on…

Mark and I still laugh at that dinner because it was like speed dating.  If there had been any concerns, we’d have known all about it on our first date. 

After dinner, Mark took me to my car, where we sat and talked for a while longer.  It was now about the 12th hour of our first date and I still had a drive ahead of me.  We agreed to meet again, and thanks to Donny, Mark knew that I don’t kiss on the first date.  He gave me a hug and sent me on my way.  And the rest is history.

Simply Worship

Last night we had Simply Worship at our church.  Just under 60 adults and kids were there to give God some extra time to talk to our hearts.  Some sang, some prayed, others read their Bibles.  It was a great time with the church family to regain focus.

As I prayed, I was just laughing with God because I am such a better leader than a follower.  What I mean is this…I struggle to turn off my leadership brain and take the time to follow Christ.  To wait on him.  To listen.  My mind is a circuit board of leadership issues.  I spend my time thinking about what needs to be done or how I can fix whatever current problem is on the agenda.  The words on the screen become lost in my brain somewhere and the song trails off in the background.  I’m in leadership mode.

I always feel the pressure to administrate everything.  It’s my strength and my weakness all at the same time.  I know it’s not possible to control everything, and frankly, I don’t want to, but I do want the ship running as smoothly as possible.  I say all of the time that it would be so much fun to attend our church, but it’s sure daunting to be in charge of it!

So, last night I just sat down and laughed with God about my tangled web of a mind.  And I made a conscious effort to listen to His voice and tell Him once again how great He is.  It was refreshing to set aside my priorities and just care about His.  And you know what, the problems were still there when I was done talking with Jesus, but the burden was sure a lot lighter.

Beauty and the Beast

It’s “Love” month around North Creek!  In honor of Valentine’s Day, we begin our new series called Beauty and the Beast.  It’s basically about how the world has taken the subject of sex and made it something that God has never intended.   I’m excited to be addressing the biblical perspective as a church and trying to recapture God’s heart on the matter. 

On that note, I thought I’d share how Mark and I met.  He was 25 and already a junior high youth pastor at New Life Church in Renton.  I was in my second year of college at Northwest University.  During my time at NU, I travelled on different drama teams doing skits and being crazy at summer camps.  My team was just about to go on our first week of our summer tour, so I was driving back from Montana after a visit with my parents.  I prayed along the way, “God, change my life this summer!”  And boy, was He about to!

I drove straight from Montana to Cedar Spring Camp in Lake Stevens, Washington, just in time for the evening meeting with all of the leaders of the camp.   During the meeting, I was introduced to Mark.  He was preaching in chapel on Tuesday morning and needed some help from the drama team.  We sat outside at a table in the cool air of a July night.  He was preaching something with a Mr. Rogers neighborhood theme and asked if I happened to have the music with me.  What a strange question!  The only stranger thing is that I did have the music with me…we should have guessed we were destined to be together then!

The next morning I woke up, ready to face a day of excited junior highers at camp.  They randomly placed those of us on the drama team in different cabins to help out and I got assigned to a group of girls that would literally be a part of the rest of my life…they were from New Life Church and Mark was their youth pastor.  It didn’t take them long to decide that they were going to set me up with their bachelor pastor.

Mark and I both will tell you quickly that it was not love at first sight.  I had a bad hair cut and he was painfully skinny.  I was 20 years old, and at the time, he seemed really old for me.  I was still in college and he already had a life of his own.  I wasn’t excited about jumping in to a large church as a pastor’s wife.  It all seemed overwhelming.  But then there was God.

Watching each other invest into a bunch of smelly junior highers at camp sealed the deal in both of us.  As we worshipped, prayed, and played with teenagers, our hearts were twisted together.  By the end of the week, I was ready to see where this journey would lead us.  It would take another couple of weeks for Mark to ask me out, but I had already made up my mind.  I knew if I started dating him, that would be my last first date.  And it was.