Worshipping Once Again May 19, 2014

We often have seasons of how we interact with God in slightly different ways. I don’t know about you, but there are times where I am hungry to read the Word of God, others where I want to sit in the presence of God, and others where I feel the need to press-in in prayer. I’m currently in a season of increased prayer, not that I give up reading my Bible or worshipping or fellowshipping, but I find myself being called to a deeper prayer walk. Watching Ellie, and I believe that kids go through these same ideas of interacting with God differently in different seasons. There are times that Ellie wants to pray a lot, and there are times where she won’t join in to pray at all and demands that Mommy or Daddy prays for her. There are times where I catch her reading her Bible by herself or she wants to listen to me read mine, and then other times where she would rather play quietly during my devotion time.

As her parents, we have decided that the best way to cultivate her journey with God is to immerse her in our walks with God. We pray out loud, have set times to read our Bibles, do family communion, go to church together, and bring up discussions about God when they fit. We desire to show that following God is a way of life for us.

The other night we went to speak at a middle of the week young adults service. Ellie is typically shy of any childcare that isn’t her regular Sunday school class, so I told her she could sit with us during service if she wanted. She jumped at that, and joined us for the service. I was excited to immerse her in the service and help her feel a part of what the adults do during service.

As I held Ellie and worshipped, Ellie joined in with a soft wordless song. We caught each other’s eye while singing and both smiled. Ellie was worshipping alongside her mother.

My heart broke for joy for several reasons. First, she was entering into worship. It was in her own way and not under compulsion, but flowing from her heart.

Second, she hasn’t joined in during worship since we were living in Bangkok. For several months prior to our move, Ellie would sing during worship. When we moved, the worship song style was different and unfamiliar. The humming and singing that Ellie would do didn’t match these beats and patterns. She closed up and hasn’t sung during worship since. It has been a year since I heard Ellie worship alongside me and she has joined back in once more.

A beautiful moment because Andy and I chose to bring Ellie out to a late night service and to include her in worship. As we drove home I could barely keep back the happy tears as I recounted our worship time to my husband. What a wonderful night.

A Toddler’s Worship March 24, 2013

Before coming to Thailand, I served in our church as the children’s pastor. It is an honor to bring God’s word and truths to children and help them understand in ways that make sense to them. This meant different things to different ages. So in the nursery we would want to play worship music softly and pray over the children. At the toddler and preschool ages we would incorporate the Biblical theme into play and crafts. As the children got older, we would engage them more and more in ever deepening conversations and activities relating to God. Focusing on the children in ways they understand is a great thing.

Here in Thailand, though, we don’t have child centered activities on Sunday mornings at the moment. We used to have lessons geared for school aged children (ages 3 and up), but they have moved to Saturdays for the time being. This means that Ellie hasn’t ever gone to children’s classes (except when we visit churches in the States). At times it can be distracting, very distracting, for others but mostly for myself. But I’m finding that including her in the service is a very special thing indeed.

We worship God as a family. To help Ellie stay focused, Andy or I hold her during worship time. There are times that she tries to wiggle away or play games, but we work on helping her know that worshipping God is important and not a play time. She watches us raise our hands, clap, close our eyes to focus on God. She is learning what it means to worship God.

Keeping busy during the sermon

Recently, Ellie has started singing with us. She closes her eyes and then sings wordless songs. It melts my heart to watch her enter into worship in her own way. I’ve also “caught” her worshipping away at home when she thinks I’m busy doing something else. The difference between her worship and singing other songs is the volume and her eyes open or closed. Watching her worship is another reminder to me that it is never to early to introduce children to God and all that it means to serve and worship him.
I am humbled to think that Ellie worships and follows after God in the way that Andy and I model. It presses me to want to live a life that honors God in all that I do that one day Ellie would desire to follow God with all of her heart.

I’m always looking for ways to better incorporate raising up my child to be a disciple. What ways  work well for you?

Following in Mom’s Footsteps October 19, 2012

While at ECFC in Sri Lanka, one of the speakers mentioned how he would like to have a gathering were everyone dressed like the person they were before Christ. He explained that we could then see the work of God evident in how He has redeemed lives and is a God of mercy and compassion. I was left thinking, what would I wear?

There was never a time in my life I didn’t know the Lord. I accepted Jesus into my heart as a young child, but even before that I knew His love, as evidenced through my parents’ lives. They exampled God’s love to me. They were my first disciplers, introducing me to God’s word, showing me how to pray, and setting an example of what a healthy Christian life looks like.

This is what I want to example in Ellie’s life. I would love her to have the same testimony that I have, one of walking with God all her life. This is not easy. As I read throughout the Bible, many Godly parents have ungodly children, just look through the lives of the Kings. God has given my husband and I an amazing task, not only to teach our daughter the ways of life but also to point her to God and teach her about Him.

As parents we have been tasked to be disciplers of our children. Another speaker at ECFC brought out this point. He asked, “Does God have grandchildren, great grandchildren and so on? Or does he simply have children?” God looks at all his children as equal, no matter their age. We, as parents, have the privilege of helping our children know their heavenly Father. We get to be their first disciplers. Before friends have an influence, before Sunday school teachers and youth pastors teach them, it is our opportunity.

How are you using your opportunity to speak into your child’s life?

Looking Out For Each Other May 8, 2012

In Asia, the group dynamic is different than in the Western world. Family is very important. Your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews are all equally as important as your parents and siblings. In fact, the word for cousin is the same as sibling. When you create deep friendships, you consider that person like family. Strangers you ignore, but your friends and family you go out of your way to talk to and care for. Sociologists label this an “in-group/ out-group” mentality. You only think, care, worry, help those who are in your in-group, your family and friends.

Since we don’t have our family nearby, our church is our in-group in Thailand. I’ve seen this especially since Ellie was born. Everyone takes responsibility for her when we are at the church building or other church settings. They all watch over her and make sure she is safe. She can run around and I know that someone is watching her and she will be safe.

Ellie with one of the girls who was looking out for her.

As I’ve mentioned before, kidnapping is a real threat in Bangkok. Well, the other day, Ellie and I were out at a large and crowded mall with some of the girls from the university outreach. As we walked and shopped, a lady stopped to talk to Ellie and I. She mumbled something in Thai to us and pretended to be talking with us, even though I couldn’t hear her clearly and she didn’t respond when I talked with her. After she left, the girls asked me if I knew that woman. I replied that I didn’t and didn’t think anything more of the situation, but the girls were clearly disturbed be the woman.

After we finished shopping, we met up with some others in our group and went to the food court for some dinner. We found a table to sit at, and then Ellie and I went to get our food while some of the others waited at the table. When I got back the girls told me an unsettling story.

The strange woman who was “talking” to Ellie and I earlier, had followed us to dinner and was sitting directly behind me after we sat down. She was staring at Ellie while making sure that I wouldn’t see her. After I left to go get food, the girls all banded together and went to talk to the lady. They told her that she needed to leave and stop following the baby around. They were going to be watching her and protecting the baby. She promptly left.

What were this lady’s intentions? I don’t know. Maybe she was harmless, maybe not. I’ll never know. But I do enjoy that I’ve got people watching out for Ellie, protecting her and keeping her safe. I’m glad that we are part of an in-group.