MIM Ezine, May 15, 2008

-- Purpose-Filled Ministry: But, This Isn't How It's Supposed to Beeeeee, by Teena Stewart.

-- Book Review: "Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Young Mom," by Tricia Goyer, reviewed by Teena Stewart.

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Have you ever been frustrated while trying to get what is in your head onto paper or canvas? Have you ever played a song on a musical instrument only to be disappointed by how lousy it sounded? Most of the time the beautiful vision we have inside us falls short when we try to make it a reality.

I have experienced this exasperating outcome frequently as an artist/writer. But I’ve also experienced it in ministry. We begin with an exciting idea for ministry then started to work to make it happen. After putting forth all the hard work to put it in place, we may only see a pale replica produced, which can zap our excitement and energy.

This is what my husband and I experienced after selling our home in California and moving to Hickory, North Carolina, to start a coffee shop ministry. The reason we undertook such a radical move was to give us the chance to reach more unchurched people for Christ. (See http://www.javajourney.org)

Several months later, we are still working part-time non-glamorous tent-making jobs in order to make ends meet. Trying to balance multiple jobs for income and work on the preliminaries for the coffee shop are exhausting. It is difficult to spin that many plates. The coffee shop remains on the horizon, but just out of reach.

It only took a few months for the wave of excitement we arrived on to become a monotonous lapping of what seems like ankle-deep waves. We have been wading through the mind-numbing task of writing a business plan, researching the cost of supplies and locations, and trying to start our small group community. We now understand how discouraging it is for missionaries who spend years laboring and sacrificing to see only one or two people come to Christ.

Being all too human, we cry out in our human way, “But this isn’t how it’s supposed to be.” Our vision has gotten bogged down in the mundane details required to make it happen.

It is no wonder why so few people actually take the risk of doing risky things for Christ. It is much easier to play it safe. Several years before leaving California, we joined together with someone who also had a similar vision for a Christian coffee shop ministry. We had several preliminary meetings to explore the viability of whether this person might mesh her vision with ours. But as the meetings rolled on it became clear that she was more of an idea person who merely talked a good game and was too afraid to take action. Her excuse for not acting was that her spouse would be upset if she started something new before finishing a kitchen remodel.

Looking back, we can now admit that we understand more fully what Jesus meant about counting the cost. Making a vision a reality is hard work.

First, even a God-inspired vision will be met by people who think your cheese has slid off your cracker. Some will even say discouraging things. If God is truly calling you to do what he wants you to do and what you feel led to do, you will not have a moment’s peace if you ignore it.

Second, vision comes at a price, and part of that price is the hard work to make it a reality. When the going gets tough, many give up on the vision and move on to other, easier things.

Third, you cannot and should not do it alone. You need emotional and spiritual support from kindred spirits who resonate with what you are doing and can offer encouragement.

Fourth, when you begin getting discouraged, reflect on important milestones you have already experienced that moved you toward your vision. If they are conspicuously lacking in your recent past, it may be a reason for discouragement. Sometimes it is necessary to make more milestones happen. Even small ones, can make a difference.

For instance, we had been calling about many commercial properties as part of our research, but we had not actually looked at any. We had become worn down and discouraged. Then one real estate agent (no doubt God-sent) asked if we would like to visit a potential sight. Though we still were not ready to open shop, we did, and believe now it might be the location we need. It was amazing how uplifted both Jeff and I felt after looking at the property.

Finally, hold fast to your vision because it is not only your vision but also God’s vision, and His timing, which moves ever so much more slowly than ours, is perfect.

Tell us about your struggles and successes with making a ministry vision happen by commenting on the Ministry in Motion blog.

Be sure to stop by DBMIM's blog this month. Guest blogger, Dr. Richard Mabry, author of The Tender Scar, shares insight on ministering to those who are grieving. http://www.ministryinmotionnet.blogspot.com/

Many writing assignments, especially for magazines (real and virtual) begin with, "Can you give us 800 words on...?" Word count is preeminent in an editor's mind, but the last thing we scribblers think about. I never think about word count until the very end. With one particular editor who was very particular about word count I wrote exactly the number requested, plus ONE word. Neener, neener, neener.
Today I wrote a piece for an online publication to promote my workshops at a conference next February. They requested 500 to 600 words. Since it is a writer’s conference (Writing for the Soul) and everyone there is a writer, I gave them 609 words – every word GOLD. They'll edit, or not.
Mark Twain, the source of many of my favorite wise and witty sayings, once ended a lengthy letter to a friend with a post scriptus saying he would have written a shorter letter, but he didn't have time.

    If you have ever written even a post card home from summer camp you know what old Sam Clemens (Mr. Twain) was wrestling with. Economy of words is an art, crafted over time. Less often is more.
      I was delighted last week when my mailbox, No. 144, had a puffy little envelope stuffed into it. Therein, a new book,simple little words. My very creative friends Michelle Cox and John Perrodin have crafted a book full of great short stories around the theme (and subtitle) what you say can change a life. On page 35 you'll find my story of meeting Walt Disney, and having a great one-on-one conversation with him I was just thirteen. (Actually three days before my fourteenth birthday.)
    There are more than three dozen simple stories by and about people from Truett Cathy (founder of Chick-fil-A), best-selling author Karen Kingsbury, and film producer, Ken Whales (Amazing Grace.) It is delight-filled reading that you can open to any page and begin reading that story without starting from the beginning of the book. Lots of great quotes throughout. Bonus: the books website [HERE] has a study guide with great questions and simple exercises for every chapter in the book, FREE!
And...for the first time in my life, I made it on to the companion bookmark!
Simplicity and economy also work with visual arts.
My long-time friend, Steve Bjorkman, has another hit book out. Steve created the cover art and all the page-filling illustrations for Jeff Foxworthy's (Are you Smarter Than a Sixth Grader?) new book for kids,Dirt On My Shirt. Steve and I sat next to each other in Mrs. Phillips' art class in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.

We did cartoons for the school papers and yearbooks, at two schools we attended. We have remained friends for four decades. I have a favorite drawing Steve dashed of me that I am using in my brainstorming book. You've seen his work in EIGHTY picture books, scores of magazines, and innumerable greeting cards by Bjorkman Bros. (Carl is his wing man.)
Steve is a master of the simple line with powerful effect.
Whatever you are working on right now, consider keeping it simple. Don't over work. Every great painter and sculptor (and many authors and composers) died with grand, unfinished masterpieces in their studio, loft or bottom draw.
My uncle Paul was an artist (printmaking) and Dean of Art Education at California State University, Sacramento. He always said to young art teachers, "The trick is helping students STOP painting. Don't over work it."

This blog musing is reprinted by permission of by McNair Wilson. McNair’s site,http://www.teawithmcnair.typepad.com:80/ like his work, is dedicated to assisting professionals and creative teams in recapturing their creative spirit.

Once you become a parent, your life changes drastically. But changes are even more radical for teen parents who have to adjust to multiple roles, which include the duties of a parent, student, and sometimes even employee. Life Interrupted targets single teen moms and the changes and responsibilities they face.

One day Trisha Goyer was merely a 17 year-old high school senior, cheerleader, honor student. The next day she was a pregnant, unwed mother to be. Goyer, now a Christian, understands the unique challenges young single moms have to face. Her book is meant to encourage and advise them on how to handle their new roles as moms while giving them hope for the future.

The book has the informal style of two friends simply chatting with each other. Young moms discuss how they can successfully raise a child, who they should listen to for advise, and what preparations to take for theirs and their child’s future. Goyer addresses the topics of self-worth, identity, growth, roles, intimacy, instruction, asking for and getting help, the future, and taking badly needed breaks from the responsibilities of motherhood and schoolwork.

Included in the book are notes and observations from teen moms reflecting on how they dealt with and how they felt about specific challenges. The end of each chapter also gives suggestions pertaining to the chapter theme, plus Trish’s own insights from personal experience. Counselors, parents, and youth workers would be wise to have extra copies of Life Interrupted on their shelves to hand them out to teens and parents preparing for or adjusting to teen parenting.

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DBMIM- May 15, 2008