Living life with steps of faith

When I was in middle school I created a list of 100 lifetime goals.  Using colorful markers and white pieces of computer paper I recorded these dreams of mine for the life that I wanted. In high school I recreated the list, crossing off the few items I had completed. In college, in writing pen, I added several more and removed new achievements. Yesterday, I went to find the list and was unable to locate it. So, I sat down to write a new list and realized how much my adult perspective had shifted things. A hundred goals at an idealistic age of thirteen was no problem.  But now that I have seen the work, patience, and obstacles that must be overcome to accomplish each goal, even creating a list of eight was difficult.  My new list, I suspect contains some of the items on my old list.  "Travel to Italy," "Be in a movie or television series," and "Learn another language."  It also contains some new ones, with lengthy clauses, "Have the entire house c...

I think reading the reflections of pastors from the past is a gem in my collection of tools for ministry.  Sometimes they seem so much wiser than the writings from pastors today.  Pastors who are too consumed with contemporary life to recognize the truths and principles of ministry that have stayed consistent through the years. I want to be that type of pastor. The one who holds on to and lives the core values of pastoral care.  The shepherd who knows her sheep by name and their stories by heart.  One who listens and creates sacred spaces of hospitality where God's love and grace is shown.  A minister who keeps Jesus Christ first and lives a life of prayer, soulful rest, Bible study, and joy-filled fellowship. I want my life to reflect God's peace.  I want to be a presence that brings people home to Jesus. I want to love and to live freely.  When people think of me and my profession, I would like them to think "pastor" before "minister." I apprec...

Dating, Marriage, and Sex High School Sunday School Class I. Letter to Parents Prior to the class, email parents to notify them of the upcoming discussion related to dating, marriage, and sex. Here is an example email: “ Although only 13% of teens have had sex by age 15, most initiate sex in their later teen years. By their 19th birthday, seven in 10 female and male teens have had intercourse.” *** Dear Parents, This coming Sunday in High School Sunday School we will be discussing the sensitive topic of dating, relationships, marriage, and sex.   I will be leading the High School class and will organize it more in a discussion style than in a lecture style.   I am making the assumption that most of the youth have been in a sex ed. class at their school and that conversation about these topics is not unfamiliar to them and their peers. Thus this will not be a biology focused sex ed. class (S.T.I.’s, biology of intercourse, etc.), rather it will be a discussion of how o...

I came across another youth ministry article today that was addressing purity in teenage dating relationships.  Since getting married I have some very strong feelings about how the Christian sex/dating/marriage education thought-process is missing the target.  Here are just a few of my thoughts: 1.  When I was a teenager much of the focus of "purity" lessons was on the physical aspect of purity, but little was said about the "heart" aspect.  I remember people commenting on how quickly a young man could undress a young lady with his mind, but little was said of how quickly a young woman may marry a young man in her mind.  (And of course nothing was said of how quickly a young woman may undress a young man in her mind or how quickly a young man might marry a young woman in his mind.)  Instead of focusing on what a young woman should wear or how she should keep physical boundaries (which so often is focused upon), shouldn't we address how quickly she com...