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In kidmin

a farewell letter

August 19, 2011 No Comments

live — YUC jenna, who recently moved to maine, celebrates her farewell luau with her parents on the coast!

tonight i said goodbye to an incredibly special group of 6th graders. through a week that was tough (for many reasons) at best, my Savior was precious to give me not only words for them, but for me as well. the focus of my letter to them was inspired by a recent newsletter from anne graham lotz where she was calling all of God’s people to wake up and know we will see Jesus.

August 19, 2011

dear YUC XIII, (Youth Under Construction)

there is no way i can begin a letter to you without first confessing how many times i failed you! for you see, as much as my heart wanted to constantly point you to Jesus, my flesh continued to get in the way. there were times i reacted instead of rested in the fruits the Holy Spirit provides. times i came spiritually ragged and complacent instead of overflowing with His Truth. times you and Jesus deserved my best and i offered up “just good enough.” i am truly sorry, and with that i know that this letter is as much for me as it is for you. (it is also for your precious parents, too.)

as you move forward into this next phase in your life, so much seems too hard, too different, too fun, too scary, and too real. might i remind you that as we may perceive this life as a stark reality, as c.s. lewis reminds us so beautifully in “the last battle”, these captive moments are merely the shadowlands. for you see eternity is our reality and there we will see with unveiled faces, our Savior, Jesus Christ! what we don’t see in front of us is far more important than what is so aggressively forcing itself upon our eyes daily. so with that thought in mind and with the personal challenge God has given me lately, i have but one piece of advice for you as you move another step forward in this vapor that is your life. live like you are going to see Jesus.

seeing Jesus is reality! whether it is seeing Him upon your last breath on earth or when He returns again, you and i will see Jesus. what if? what if, we lived our lives with that very reality? for you see, if we fixed our eyes upon that reality every single aspect of our lives would be touched.  

when you feel like you are “good enough”… live like you will see Jesus. (“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23.)

when you are walking into the unknown… live like you will see Jesus. He is with you every step of the way. (“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6)

when your heart is breaking… live like you will see Jesus. He is oh so close.  (“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Proverbs 34:18)

when you are faced with choosing between Him and the world… live like you will see Jesus. (“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36)

when you feel like you are all alone, no one understands, and you need courage… live like you will see Jesus. (“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9)

when your world seems like it is falling apart and you have no peace… live like you will see Jesus. (“For He Himself is our peace…” Ephesians 2:14a)

when your days begin to get too busy for time with Him… live like you will see Jesus. (“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28)

when you feel like you have out-sinned His love for you… live like you will see Jesus. (“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20)

when worldly wisdom, ideas, and half-truths seem more “fun” and easier to hear… live like you will see Jesus. (“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105)

when you feel like you may know more than God… live like you will see Jesus. (He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He. Deuteronomy 32:4)

when you feel unloved, rejected, unaccepted, and excluded… live like you will see Jesus. (“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3)

whenever you doubt what the One True God feels about you… live like you will see Jesus. (The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17)

may we all live like we are going to see Jesus, because through our relationship with Him we will see each other again beyond the shadowlands and spend forever with Jesus. now, that’s quite a reality!

much love-
miss danielle<><

In faith

jonah, a vine, and me

August 13, 2011 No Comments

my mind has been captivated lately with chapter four of jonah. maybe because it is the part of the story we often don’t hear, or maybe because it just hits too close to home.

as i was rereading it the other day i was struck again how jonah would rather die than witness God’s compassion on the people or suffer uncomfortable circumstances. i actually almost said out loud, “drama queen.” but as i quickly turned to judge this man of God that prayed such a beautiful prayer of repentance in chapter two, the conviction turned on me. i thought, how could one who knew the character of the God he served be so quick to anger or throw in the towel? the Spirit whispered, “you know me, too. why do you get so upset and choose to give up so easily?” as my mind questioned jonah’s lack of compassion, my heart was searching for some shred of the mercy and love my Heavenly Father has for me.

after quite an adventure, jonah agreed to be obedient to God’s call on his life, but he still had some growing to do. jonah may have been a prophet, but he wasn’t God. God took me on quite a journey to plant me in children’s ministry, untrained and fearful. see, i, too know His character yet still question Him and often throw my hands in the air. how much more effective and obedient in ministry would i be if i would drop the drama, quiet the questioning, ax the anger, silence the threats to quit, and simply serve the One that called me? after all, He is God and i am not!

Jonah 4

Jonah’s Anger at the LORD’s Compassion

¹ But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. ² He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. ³Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” ⁴ But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”

⁵ Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. ⁶ Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. ⁷ But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. ⁸ When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

⁹ But God said to Jonah, “Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?”

“I do,” he said. “I am angry enough to die.”

¹⁰ But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. ¹¹ But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?”

In kidmin

dwelling.

July 19, 2011 3 Comments

summer in children’s ministry is inevitably an event driven time for me. i can literally hear my brain switch gears at the conclusion of one event in preparation for the next. for example, on the way home from my first camp of the summer, my mind is flooded with to-do’s, ideas, and excitement for vbs that is right around the corner. those that work with me know it, because emails, phone calls, and dream sessions all become a reality once i have completed the proceeding event. although i am a self-described multi-tasker, my heart is a bit simple in its effort to pour passion into one event at a time. but after last week at my 6th grade servant camp, something is different. oh i have plenty in front of me: promotion, 6th grade transition and goodbyes, etc., but my heart seems settled and longs to marinate in the Glory of God we experienced last week. instead of rushing ahead to the next “thing”, i can’t shake the awe of the God that was and is in our midst.

last week we took 33 6th graders and 14 adults to the 100+ temperatures of memphis to serve from the time they woke up until the time they went to bed. one of the goals of the trip was to stretch them completely out of their comfort zones so that they could experience what God alone could do in and through them. (funny when you plan that for your children, it has a way of stretching you as well.) we said all week, “it’s not about me” and for one of the first times i can honestly say that the majority (if not all) of the group so removed themselves, their desires, their comfort, and their plans for the week that God was able to show up in mighty ways. we remained in His presence. we were broken for our sins and wandering. we were pushed to the end of ourselves and we saw His Glory. the camp was quite organic, but our God was Almighty and changed hearts and lives forever.

my heart longs to dwell there. while much planning went into last week, i ache for the simplicity of when i simply got out of the way and God showed up, took over, and met us each so personally. so as i return to the office this week, i am praying that i never “switch gears” and move on to what is next. may the God who challenged me and exceeded my expectations last week be allowed to infiltrate every ounce of my planning and ministry. i’m weary of my ways and choose today to cling to the Vine and dwell in His glory!

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5

In kidmin

conference conversations

May 2, 2011 2 Comments

i just returned from my first orange conference and i am delighting in many conference conversations that God placed throughout my time in atlanta. i am a people person. i thrive in community and God is faithful to place people in my path to encourage, equip, challenge, and listen when i need it most. last week was no exception.

one person i couldn’t wait to meet was amy fenton lee. amy, a special needs blogger (www.theinclusivechurch.com), had been pivotal in my ministry before we would even meet face to face. she was so sweet to take time to talk me through one of the most trying times i have had in ministry. she not only listened and encouraged me, she researched and sought information on my behalf. so needless to say, i couldn’t wait to hear her heart and passion for special needs ministry. even though her workshop was practical, helpful, and Christ-centered, it was my casual conversation with her that blessed me most. her talked matched her walk (blog). she was just as passionate out of the spotlight as she is in front of a group of thirsty children’s ministry leaders. her humility was refreshing. she freely admits to not having all the answers, but as she says that you sense her desire to do all she can for special needs families and the Kingdom! i for one am so grateful, not only for her ministry, but for the authentic conversations i have had with her. i look forward to many in the future.

then there is donna harris, a KidMin leader i met through twitter and only knew through one phone call. how fun to spend time with her as we both sought information and encouragement at the conference. not only did we talk “ministry”, i was also blessed by the wisdom she shared as i was transparent about where i am in ministry now. our conversation time was such a gift for the weary parts of my heart. i am also always blessed to spend time chatting with jenny funderburke. her face and words radiate the joy she has in serving in ministry. i can’t help but smile when talking to or about her. God is doing amazing things through her and i look forward to hearing more and more about them.

all this talking has me thrilled about KidMin in October where authentic conversations are central to the culture of this new conference.

“The speakers and leaders at KidMin are here to interact with you the entire time. We talk, we share, we listen. It’s a time to bond and connect with speakers and other kidmins on every level.”

this brings me to gina mcclain, who is one of the people i am most excited about hearing at KidMin. through conversations i have had with gina since meeting her this year, i am always impressed with her humility and frank honesty. she is such a great mix of the heart of ministry and the practicality we all know that must be addressed when serving/working in the church. she is the real deal. you won’t want to miss hearing her heart, but also the chance KidMin offers to really interact with her as one of the conference leaders. i think we will all be blessed. is it october yet?

In kidmin

experience made me a believer

April 16, 2011 2 Comments

“there is nothing like it”

“you just have to experience it.”

“it is more about relationships and ministry than just
a show.”

these are all things i had been hearing from those who had attended SYMC. i was trying to learn about this conference since it is kinda like the big brother of the new KidMin conference. well, i am hard headed and hearing wouldn’t be believing for me. i needed to experience this conference that created so much buzz.

while packing to head to chicago this march to spend some time in the KidMin booth at SYMC, i was wondering if this conference would really live up to the hype. to make matters a tad more intriguing, here i was a children’s minister diving into the waters of the youth conference world. surely i would feel out of place and leave without any connections to this older area of ministry.

well the SYMC experience made me a believer and has me even more excited about KidMin this october. here’s why:

it’s true, there is just something about the culture there. people were connecting and encouraging one another. i passed countless conversations where people were investing in one another. there didn’t seem to be any sense of competition, just all for the One and Only, Jesus.
i made friends!!! now i can talk to a wall so making friends is not usually too hard for me, but for some reason i doubted that i could connect with those in a ministry that honestly intimidates me. day after day i met people from all size ministries from all over the country. i was also blown away by a couple relationships i established that are still encouraging me even today. (literally – i was on the phone today with my new sweet friend kim from new mexico. i was able to be transparent and honest about some ministry frustrations. she was there to listen,encourage me, and even followed our conversation up with a text quoting scripture. )
i experienced Jesus. i sat in the back during louie giglio’s talk and felt like God had a message personally for me. it wasn’t a flashy talk with unreachable goals and ideals. i was simply encouraged to make much of Jesus. that was medicine for this ministry leader’s soul.
i never once missed the the “exhibit hall” experience, but loved walking through the halls seeing people relaxing in sack chairs. these simple elements and a diverse schedule with many options provided an atmosphere of refreshment. after four days, i left renewed and re-charged, not overloaded and weary.

i was grateful to be a part of SYMC 2011 and love that they deliver what they promise when promoting the conference. attending this conference and knowing all that KidMin has gleaned from their experiences makes me proud to be a part of KidMin 2011. i am excited about how this unique, new conference for KidMin leaders will make its own mark on many ministries, hearts, and hopefully on eternity.

click here to go to the KidMin website. there you can download a brochure, learn more about the conference, and register!!

here is a video of christine yount jones sharing the heart of the KidMin conference – Christine talking about KidMin

About Me

Danielle has over 25 years of kidmin experience and she possesses a great fervor for sharing, discipling, and shepherding children and families with the message of Jesus Christ. Danielle is a well-respected leader and trainer in the area of Children's Ministry and has spoken regionally at local churches and nationally at children’s ministry conferences. She is a curriculum writer for Gospel Project Kids. and Awana brite. She has also written the following resources: “God’s Brave Girl” Leader and Student Guides (Lifeway), “The Gospel God’s Plan for Me” Leader and Student Guides (Lifeway), and the Younger KidMin chapter for “Children’s Ministry Volunteer Handbook” (Outreach). Danielle is the lead instructor for the Children's Ministry Certificate at beadisciple.com. In 2010, Danielle was named by “Children’s Ministry Magazine” as one of the top 20 Children’s Ministry Leaders to watch. Danielle’s blog, dandibell.com, is one of the top 100 kid’s ministry blogs.
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The posts on this site are my own personal opinions. These posts do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the companies I write for or my church.