Definition of momentum: the impetus and driving force gained by the development of a process or course of events.

Our pastor just celebrated 20 years of ministry at the same church this past Sunday. It was a blessing to share in the story that celebrated his consistent ministry at the same place. It made me look back on the journey that God has been taking me on so far. In October I will begin year 10 of serving as girls minister at Brentwood Baptist. I had no idea that I would still be here at Brentwood Baptist almost 10 years after I started. I’m so glad that I’ve been able to see what girls ministry looks like at the same place for this many years. I can only imagine the momentum that people like my pastor can experience as they’ve journeyed with our congregation for 20 years! For those of you that have just peeled into your first days, months, or years of working with girls whether in a ministerial role, director role, or volunteer role, I wanted to share some things that I’ve learned in hopes that it will be an encouragement for you.

1. There will be hard days.
That may not seem encouraging but hopefully it reminds you that you are not alone in this journey. Ministry to girls and their families can be hard. If you heard that it’s all about drinking coffee and being the coolest person in the lives of teenaged girls—well someone gave you the wrong job description. Those tough times may come with girls, with parents, with volunteers, with your staff, or even with yourself—but they do not last.

2. Develop a prayer team
Make sure you have a group of people that you trust to truly pray for you. Pick a few from your church, but choose people that know you apart from the ministry. It allows you to share things that you may be required to be guarded about (not confidential items with students or families, but regarding your struggles and pains).

3. Have a mentor.
Always be willing to learn. I have known people that have asked me to mentor them, but when it came down to it, they were not very teachable. Continue to learn as you journey down this road of girls ministry. I’m still learning tons so trust me, you don’t know it all.

4. Stop looking around at what other people are doing.
I know it gets distracting and you hear that so and so just had this cool gig or this girls minister just got asked to do this, but you are not called to be them at their place of ministry. God is at work in you where you are, so be present there. You’ll miss you’re own story if you’re not careful.

5. Boundaries.
Make sure you have boundaries in place so that you are able to be refilled and away from girls ministry sometime during the week. This is important to your health but also it is a weekly reminder that the world keeps spinning without you.

6.Keep thirsting for God’s word for yourself.
Don’t just be a straw that transfers God’s truth to another. Make sure you are soaking up God’s word for yourself.

7.Take a spiritual prayer retreat on regular basis
Our pastor has made it mandatory that our ministers take spiritual prayer retreats regularly. He recognizes the necessity of such days in the life of those who give their lives away daily. You need to have days where you don’t work on girls ministry. Days where you don’t meet with people. Days when you only spend completely in communion with God. Sometimes we can trick ourselves into thinking our value and identity comes from what we do and not from whose child we are. It’s such an important time, and ironically it’s a day that often gets neglected if it’s not scheduled.

8. Begin to look at your place in ministry as a crockpot, not a microwave.
So often, we want to see results now. But what if I told you that serving alongside the same people for a considerable time brings richness that you would never know if you just zapped the experience with a microwave. Sometimes we are looking for the next big thing and we’ve been taught that bigger is better or “moving up” is the best thing. Sometimes you may be called to “stay” in a place for a long while and if that’s the case, let me assure you that there is a momentum that occurs when you are willing to say no to stepping stones, and yes to digging roots. Some people don’t have this calling, but if you do—-it will be worth the wait.

I’m sure there are so many other things I could share that I’ve learned, but those are top of mind tonight. I’m excited to see what happens as I continue to journey with these girls and their families over the next several years. I continue to learn new things on this journey. For example, we just found out we’re expecting! So I soon will be able to minister as a mom and I’m delighted to see how having my own child adds a richness to the ministry God has called me to. Should be a fun beginning to a new decade! What about you? What encouragement do you have for those who are just beginning this journey?

As we begin to prepare for the “Easter Lilies”, as my friend calls those friends who only visit church on Easter, what conversations are you having with those outside the walls of the church? I know it’s really hard sometimes to have conversations with people who don’t know Christ and don’t know you in your official title and responsibility. I know because we can so easily find ourself in the church all day, and by the time we are home, we have not spoken to anyone who is not a Christ follower. I stumbled across this devotional that I wrote in 2007 that reminded me to look for those conversations and to make them happen. What about you? Who pops into your mind that you need to have a conversation with about Christ?

When I was in college, I would spend the summers working at a camp called Centrifuge. I was assigned a camp location and a team that I would minister with for 8-10 weeks. As a staffer, not only did you lead Bible Study for a group of about 20-40 students, but you were also equipped to lead two track times. One of my track times was to lead a “For Girls Only” discussion group. The other track time was known as Messy Games. To be a messy games instructor meant well, that you did some great recreational games that ended with making sure that your participants were thoroughly messy. I was passionate about my responsibilities as a Messy Games Instructor. We played games like Messy games baseball, where every base was a baby pool filled with ooey gooey surprises. We played games like oatmeal slip n slide which was just like a water slide but with oatmeal. And last but not least, we played Cow tongue football which was like ultimate football only with a cow tongue. So as you can see, I took messy games very seriously. So seriously that I had to devote every Tuesday night for a special Messy Games Wal-Mart shopping trip. And because it was camp, there were only certain times when i was able to slip away to do such special shopping due to all the other responsibilities I had. So it turned out that every Tuesday at 10 p.m., I would take my fellow staffer (at the time) Darrel Girardier with me to go to Wal-Mart and shop for several gallons of ketchup, tubs of cooking oil, 10 economy size flour bags, 20 tubs of oatmeal, 50 pair of panty hose, 40 cans of shaving cream and several other large amounts of random items. When you do shopping like this, you are bound to call attention to yourself. For the first 2 weeks, people just looked at us, but before long we noticed that the same people happened to be at Wal-Mart, as us. One clerk started to get brave and ask why we used such weird stuff on a weekly basis. I couldn’t help but notice that a crew of construction guys seemed to lean in a little too close to find out the answers as well.

My answer was to tell them “I am a Dirty Games Instructor.” As the answer came out, I quickly added “for a Christian camp.” It wasn’t exactly what I had expected to say, but my awkward answer begged for additional questions. As the “weird” shopping cart of purchases was going through the scrutiny of the cashier, we began to talk about what each of the games was, and why I was spending my summer away from my home in Illinois to do a camp in Tigerville, South Carolina. The secret was out about our faith and what we were teaching teenagers each week. The cashier was amused and said she would see us again next week.

As the summer progressed, Darrel and I made certain that we went at exactly the same time every Tuesday of the week to go Messy Games shopping. We always made sure to look for our cashier friend and were happy to see she was always at the same register every week. Our conversations would deepen every week as we became a regular with her. She would even make mention if I had added a new element to my cart, and ask what game I intended to play. She began to tell us that she had children and wished they could come to a camp like ours even if they did play weird messy games.

I was called to Tigerville, South Carolina. That was the plan. I was placed there to reach out to hundreds of campers as a Bible study leader and track time leader. But on my way to do what I knew I was called to do, God led me to a Wal-Mart cashier. Every week I had the opportunity to ask her about her relationship with Christ, and every week I would get closer to the question but it was scary to put it out there. Finally the summer was closing, and it was my last week to be the messy games instructor. This was my last opportunity to see my cashier friend. I prayed with Darrel before we left and we had prepared by purchasing a bible with a note explaining God’s story, why it made a difference to our life and how it could make a difference to her. I could feel the adrenaline pulsing as I got ready to tell her that our last night to shop with her was that night, but that we had a gift for her to have. As I reached the regular register, I noticed that our cashier friend was not there. I asked if she was in the store, and they said that she was not. I told the replacement cashier that we had a gift for our cashier friend, and awkwardly handed him the bible. I left the store, with a bittersweet feeling. I knew that God was able to use the note we had left in the bible, but I somehow felt like I had missed a blessing in using my own mouth to say the words I had been saying to teenagers for 8 weeks. Why was it so easy to do when I was labeled a Bible study leader, but so hard to say when I was in a Wal-Mart shopping center? Why did I always think I had another opportunity to tell my cashier friend God loved her and I did too?
I prayed that God brought someone around that cashier friend to help her use the bible we had left. And I prayed that I would be bold enough to not take for granted the conversations God places me in, and think there will be a next time.

In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, we are reminded that it is not our leading that brings the knowledge of Christ but it is through us. I don’t have an ending to the story of the cashier. She knew I was a Christian. I shared the fact that I was at camp telling people about God’s love. I had some great moments with her laughing at games I would play at that Christian camp. I just missed the opportunity to look her in the eye and tell her that God had brought me here for her as well. We all may have had those moments. You could probably come and tell me yours. You would probably tell me that the fact I left the bible behind was enough, and sometimes that is just what God would have a person do. But it is in the leading of Him that you know the steps you are to take. I had 8 weeks to have that conversation. I knew I was supposed to do it because God was leading, and yet I chose to wait til the last minute.

In Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ.

Let Him be the leader in your steps as you meet people and share about God’s story in your life. Let God take you from place to place leading the victory parade of sharing His love story to the world. It’s a tough thing to offer your life to Him to use wherever He may want. You may find yourself having conversations with people in the strangest places, but if God is leading—it means He’s already been where you’re headed. And that was one thing I realized a little too late with my Wal-Mart cashier friend.

God I thank you for allowing us to follow where You lead. Thank you for scenting our lives with your salvation, and let us not be afraid to share the sweet fragrance of your love with those we meet. Help us to have boldness to follow your leading. Keep Satan from whispering to us that there will be another day or a better opportunity to do what you have called us to do right now. We ask this is in your name, Amen.