Well, it is now official. It was announced yesterday that I am taking over the role of Children’s leadery person thing at Ivy. (I must get a clearer title sometime.)

Having deliberately NOT done any children’s ministry at Ivy when we arrived and deliberately NOT told anyone that I used to be involved in Children’s ministry, I confess to being rather surprised at the turn of events that has led me to this point.

Basically, I was ‘outed’ not by people, but by God. He told some of the elders to seek me out and talk to me regarding the position and there it was. BUSTED!

They needed someone, for a few months between pastors, who roughly had my experience and background. It seemed a bit of heavenly set up, and so I agreed, smiling to myself! God’s routes are sometimes surprising. They don’t always follow what we would think of as ‘sensible paths’. I mean, if God has told me what He has about me being a worship leader and speaker, (and HE HAS!) why would He then want me to do this transitional children’s role? Well for three reasons:

1. Because He knows how much I love Him.
2. Because He knows how much I love my church.
3. Because He knows how much I love children.

I have never loved God more than I do today. I adore Him. I will go where He leads me, even if it doesn’t seem to make much sense of my long-term goal at the time. It is always right! Therefore this, which is undoubtedly Him, is right for me. So I have my excited clothes on! Yippeeee!

I love Ivy. I have always been passionate for it to be the best that it can be. BUT God has already been speaking to me about the children’s work there and how His heart for it is not JUST to be the best it can be, but to be the best in the WORLD. (YIKES!!!) He wants it to be a place where people learn how to become Children’s pastors. He wants it to be a place where children grow in their leadership and their anointing. That will not happen if people just expect their children to be looked after for 40 minutes during a service and come out the same afterwards! It will have to be an expectation, a prayer and a desire on the part of the leadership and the community.

Watch out chaps!!

Have you ever stopped to think that there is no such thing as a junior version of the Holy Spirit? It’s not like a game of scrabble where there are two versions: one for those who can only spell CVC words (Consonant, vowel, Consonant- like DOG and CAT) and one for those who can spell “onomatopoeia.” NOPE!
There is one Holy Spirit, available to ALL who believe. We are all ONE in Christ Jesus; those who have known Him for 50 years, or 5 minutes.

I love children. I always have. I have always led children.
To my shame, my oldest friend Ros (Now a pastor’s wife in America) once reminded me of my first Bible study and prayer groups with her and another girl. I was 4 or 5. I charged an entry fee of 5p. I think I also set homework? So it was there even then; the desire to serve and teach…Shame on me!!

Like I said, I love children. I sometimes find having 4 little people very hard work. But anyone who knows me also knows how much I adore them and get so much joy and pleasure from hanging out with them.

I am looking forward to my new role (which I think starts properly in a few weeks) and seeing what God does. I am already hearing Him whispering to me and am excited about what will unfold in these days.

Open Heaven over our children Lord, in Jesus’ name!