My ministry with my children.

I have a great calling to a great ministry at my church. Since I was about ten, I have always wanted to be involved with children. I guess it started volunteering in the nursery. It started off small since I was only ten. When I was twelve, I was asked by the Childrens Church director to be a "youth" helper. Basically a youth helper isn't old enough to be a Leader but is old enough to assist the Leaders that were back there. You became a leader once you get to be a sophomore in highschool. It was the rule.

So, my ministry started when I was twelve. Mrs. Ava, the Director of Childrens Church, asked me to come back and be a youth helper to one of my good friends named Ricky, who was, at that time, a sophomore in highschool. (He's well into his 20's now.) I helped him along with my other good friend, Anna. I had so much fun doing that. And as the years passed and I was nearing my sixteenth birthday, (which was the age you could begin to train to be a leader) I was getting more duties given to me as preparations for being a leader. I was very excited when I was asked to be one of the Leaders as well as my friend Anna. (We're about a month apart in age.) So, Anna was the Leader of one group and I was the Leader to another one and we got two helpers helping us with our groups. There was always a dilemma though. See, Anna and I were very popular among the kids. But I would always be the one to have more kids because Wednesday night I would assist in the kids games that they have. Also, my Godsister and Godbrother were among the age for Childrens Church.

I continued my Leader roles in Childrens Church. When I was sixteen, nearing my seventeenth birthday, the Director of the Childrens Ministry asked me to be an assistant to the teacher for the 1st and 2nd grade Sunday School class. Again, I said yes because my Godsister was in the 1st grade and I'd have her in my class. My Godbrother was still in the kindergarten class and I wouldn't have him until Ashley went up to third grade. I was very excited about this. Well, as it turns out, I got an even greater opportunity just a year later. The person who was teaching the class graduated from college and was now in another state entirely so, the Director asked me to take over teaching the class. Of course, I was thrilled to do it. My helper was an older woman and we were a great team together. But because she was older, she developed a condition that caused her to have to give up her position as my assistant and I was assigned another. (And as it turned out, she is now my assistant for what I do now. Ironic? Coincidence? Who knows.)

Even as I was teaching the class, I was still a Leader in Childrens Church. But when I turned eighteen, I joined the adult choir. (See, I had been involved in choir since I was in preschool. My mom is a music major and I inherited her voice, as well as my brother. I went through all of the church choirs. Kids, youth, and adult.) The rule to join the adult choir is you have to be graduated from highschool. I informed the Director that I would be resigning from teaching the 1st and 2nd grade class. Ashley had already moved up to third grade. My Godbrother, David, was just entering 1st grade when I resigned. He was not a happy camper but I informed him that I would still be a Leader in Childrens Church.

Within the time I became teacher of the Sunday School class and a Leader in Childrens Church, I was also asked by my cousin, Lisa, who is the director of Childrens Choir, to assist my Godmother (who is the mother of my Godsister, Ashley, and my Godbrothers Matthew and David.), whom I call Mama Lori, with her class. Lisa told me that once I graduated highschool, I could come on as a teacher with Mama Lori. (And both Lisa and Mama Lori are members of the adult choir)

Adult choir was great but I felt such a void and emptiness after resigning my role as teacher. But we moved to a new church on Siwell Road. The campus was bigger and it would be a great change from our old church that was so small to our new church that was much much bigger. I continued to be in the adult choir and be a Leader. The way it would work is, I would get up Sunday morning and do choir through the 8:30 service and the 11:00 service and when the choir was released to go and sit with our families, I would go to the Fellowship Hall to be a Leader. My helpers would fill me in on what the activity was.

I love singing and I loved being in the choir with my mother. But our choir director retired because of medical problems. So, we got an Interim director. As time passed, we were blessed to find a new Director of Music named Aaron Odom. He is actually a great accompished singer and song writer with a beautiful wife and the cutest two year old in the world. But I couldn't stay in choir when he came on board. The reason I couldn't is because instead of doing the choir special during the early part of the service, he moved it to the end of the service. I did do the choir until this past Christmas Eve service which is more commonly called Carols, Candles, and Communion. It is well known in the South Jackson and it is a tradition that we do every year (as well as an Easter production called The Living Cross). The only reason I stayed for that long is because I had a solo in one of the songs (Light A Candle).

Once Carols Candles and Communion was over, I started doing Childrens Church full time again. Well, I was more drawn to the younger kids. I coudn't explain it. I talked with Mrs. Ava (who had really been great and a fantastic mentor to me during all of this) and she told me to follow my heart and what God would want me to do. I felt that God was really calling me to the younger kids (the infants, walkers, and the two and three year olds). So, I went and spoke with the Director of the Nursery, Mrs. Gail. She told me that she did need help at the 8:30 and 11:00 service which would completely cut me off from the adult choir. She also asked me that whenever I could, could I help at night on Sunday's and Wednesday's. I told her that Wednesday was not a problem but Sunday night would be because I was still a teacher with Mama Lori. She agreed and the deal was settled.

That was great and I really enjoyed being with the babies and toddlers but I still felt like something was missing. I loved what I did because I got to watch Andrew, who was the little boy of a very good friend of the family. Actually, both his mother and father, Amanda and Al, are very good friends. Al works up in the sound room with my father working one of the cameras and Amanda is the 5 year old Childrens Choir teacher along with her assistant, Adrianna. Amanda is also in the adult choir and is often asked to sing for services. (She sang last night and I just fell in love with it. I told her that I loved her voice and her passion. It reminded me of my mother's passion for singing.) Her son, Andrew, is just over a year old and the cutest little boy I have ever seen. (I jokingly refer to him as my boyfriend.) I often watch Andrew on Wednesday nights because Amanda is involved in the choir and Al works nights.

My void was finally filled when I was asked to be the assistant to the two and three year old Sunday School class. Who was the teacher? My assistant right before I resigned the first time. Now, I would be assisting her. Or at least that's what I thought. A couple of weeks passed and she asked me to take over teaching because she had just gotten custody of her granddaughter for the time being until her son came back from Ecuador on a mission trip. So, I was asked to take over teaching the class. Of course, I was thrilled. So, I began teaching. Now, during the 8:30 service, I'm in the Walkers room handling the few kids (usually choir kids) that come with their parents. 9:45 I go across the hall and teach the 2 and 3 year olds. Then, 10:30 I go to the Infants room where I watch Andrew and the few other babies that are in there.

God really gave me a slew of gifts. Not only did I inherit my mother's voice (which I use to worship God and give thanks to Him.), but I was also given a fantastic gift that I love. I have the gift to teach children. I connect with them on a level that most envy. When I left the adult choir, questions were asked of where I was. When my mother would tell them what I was doing instead of choir, they'd say "Oh, that's perfect for her." And that's true. I love the kids that I am involved with. Now, I work in both nurseries, teach the 2 and 3 year olds, and am a teacher in Childrens Choir. I enjoy it so much and I thank God every day for this wonderful opportunity. If you have a gift similar to mine, don't just ignore it. If you can use it in anyway, then do so. God will always find a way for you to express what you love. He has with me. And I'm loving every bit of it. I wouldn't trade any of this for the world. I am not a mother but I love what I do. And I know that I will be a great mother one day.