In my household we are used to having daily chores. I remember growing up sometimes I wouldn’t do a chore because I would be waiting for my mom to tell me what to do. I used it as an excuse to hopefully get out of chores for the day. However, my Mom usually always noticed that nothing had been done around the house. Oops. I guess my excuse; “Well you didn’t tell me what to do” wasn’t going to hold up. My mom then would tell me, “Can’t you just look around, see what needs to be done, and do it?” Well that was a very good question…the only problem was that the dishes typically needed to be done and that was the last chore I wanted to do!
This month I have realized once again that my Mom is always right and very wise.
Our ministry this month has been very slow. I did my job in coming up with a schedule for ministry. Each afternoon we have a Bible study, teach English, help with dinner, and children devotions. The only problem with the schedule is sometimes people don’t show up. Also this week marks their holy week holiday so many of the women and children have left to visit their families.
After two weeks of this, I became really frustrated. You see I am a doer. I am very good at making to-do lists and completing tasks. So when a bible study doesn’t take place or my student is too busy to learn English, I get very flustered that this task is not getting completed. I also start feeling helpless. How am I helping this ministry or women at all if they won’t even show up to a Bible study?
And then here comes my Mother’s voice, “Can’t you just look around, see what needs to be done, and do it?”
Okay so the truth is the dishes do need to be done most of the times around here. A lot of times babies need to be watched (usually ending up with throwup all over you). Sometimes the supply room needs to be recounted and things stored away.
Also I have learned that ministry is not about how much you do, but how much you love. So instead of looking at how many Bible studies I can have with these women, I rather should focus on building relationships with them and showing them Christ’s love. Sometimes this means simply sitting and having a cup of tea with them.
These things aren’t on my schedule. They aren’t on my to-do list.But they are apart of ministry.
Many times in ministry we want someone to tell us what to do. We need an outlined plan of when to go feed the homeless or visit the nursing home. We like to have a scheduled time to make sure we can complete the tasks.
But this is not how ministry usually works. Ministry is messy. It doesn’t always fit a schedule. And most of the times it won’t look like what you expected it. But the most important thing is that it is needed.
So maybe you need to listen to my Mother’s wise words:
This month I have realized once again that my Mom is always right and very wise.
Our ministry this month has been very slow. I did my job in coming up with a schedule for ministry. Each afternoon we have a Bible study, teach English, help with dinner, and children devotions. The only problem with the schedule is sometimes people don’t show up. Also this week marks their holy week holiday so many of the women and children have left to visit their families.
After two weeks of this, I became really frustrated. You see I am a doer. I am very good at making to-do lists and completing tasks. So when a bible study doesn’t take place or my student is too busy to learn English, I get very flustered that this task is not getting completed. I also start feeling helpless. How am I helping this ministry or women at all if they won’t even show up to a Bible study?
And then here comes my Mother’s voice, “Can’t you just look around, see what needs to be done, and do it?”
Okay so the truth is the dishes do need to be done most of the times around here. A lot of times babies need to be watched (usually ending up with throwup all over you). Sometimes the supply room needs to be recounted and things stored away.
Also I have learned that ministry is not about how much you do, but how much you love. So instead of looking at how many Bible studies I can have with these women, I rather should focus on building relationships with them and showing them Christ’s love. Sometimes this means simply sitting and having a cup of tea with them.
These things aren’t on my schedule. They aren’t on my to-do list.But they are apart of ministry.
Many times in ministry we want someone to tell us what to do. We need an outlined plan of when to go feed the homeless or visit the nursing home. We like to have a scheduled time to make sure we can complete the tasks.
But this is not how ministry usually works. Ministry is messy. It doesn’t always fit a schedule. And most of the times it won’t look like what you expected it. But the most important thing is that it is needed.
So maybe you need to listen to my Mother’s wise words:
“Look around, see what needs to be done, and do it!”
Dinner Prep
Babysitting
Taking the kids to the pool
Taking the kids to the biotanical gardens
