DreamBuilders Ministry in Motion (DBMIM) Ezine, January 9, 2008

-- Book Review: "Making Peace with Your Mom: Steps to a Healthier Mother-Daughter Relationship," by Norman Wright and Sheryl Wright MacCauley, reviewed by Teena M. Stewart.

Looking for something, but not sure where to find it? DreamBuilders Ministry in Motion has produced a 50-page Resource Guide that just might have what you need. And it's FREE! You need adobe acrobat reader (also free) to read the document. Check it out at: http://www.ministryinmotion.net/christian_ministry_resource_guid.html

John flipped out the last lights and locked the last door. It was the wee hours of early Christmas Day. It had been a busy day and a long day. There were two services and all of the details and arrangements that go with creating special opportunities of worship like Christmas Eve.

Things had gone well and John was pleased with the attendance at both services, but there was this nagging sense of something out of place. And he knew what it was. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to deal with it in the wee hours of Christmas morning.

But the still small voice within his soul pondered loud enough for him to hear, “Just when would he address this nagging in his spirit?” And “Isn’t this the reason for having a Christmas anyway?”

Ministry leaders struggle with doing all the right things, planning a variety of ministry events, and working the crowd with polish and grace; but is it accomplishing the mission to which God has called the church? John knew many, if not most, of the people who attended on Christmas eve came for reasons unrelated to the message of God becoming human in Jesus Christ.

Is ministry leadership just a job? Is leading a congregation only another profession? Or do congregations still matter in the 21^st century?

I know there is a little time lag from when I write my rants to when they are published. Though this will be a bit dated, I still have to rant about it.

I was in a combination bakery/restaurant that is rather popular across the country. I really like going here with my family, since there is something we all want and it is a place with a little less fast food feeling.

Unfortunately, this is an older restaurant in the chain and it didn’t have the cool fireplace my wife and daughter love to sit by. So, we took to the section with the high tables and stools. We were enjoying our food when we heard this loud argument/discussion. I looked over and saw a table with a half eaten sandwich, a quickly-cooling coffee, and a partially-open laptop; but no one there. My eyes moved to the loud discussion. It was a business person arguing on his cell phone.

Please, understand this wasn’t just a conversation. This guy was loud. He was pacing back and forth, waving his hands around like he was talking to someone in person.

I really tried not to hear his conversation. I was really looking forward to the peaceful atmosphere this place usually brings. Instead I was there for 20 minutes hearing this guy gripe about some other company being closed for the Christmas holiday and how that just ruins his plans.

I felt like going over and telling him, “Ohhh well! It’s Christmas. Let other people enjoy the time even if you are too big of a scrooge to enjoy it yourself.”

It wasn’t the argument about Christmas that really bothered me. It was the reminder to me about how accessible we are. Think about it. We can be out with our families or on vacation and anyone can interrupt important time away from the church with questions. Or just someone wanting to bug you.

I admit I love my palm phone, but think about what it allows. It gives me the opportunity to receive calls, texts, and e-mails. Even on my down time, I can receive an email when I should be staying away from work.

All of us need to learn to rest and relax; literally detox from information. It is amazing how an annoying, rude person reminded me that I need to look at how I handle my own time.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and are looking forward to what God has in store for you in 2008.

Feel free to contact Scott to either agree, disagree or just pick his brain about youth ministry you can contact him at: rscottmiller1@aol.com Scott would love to hear from you!

R. Scott Miller is the Director of Christian Education and Youth at Milford First United Methodist Church in the suburbs of Cincinnati, OH. In his 17 years of youth ministry, Scott has written and developed much of the youth programming used in his churches. Scott has a B.A. in Radio/TV and Journalism from Morehead State University and an M.A. from Asbury Theological Seminary. Scott is the author of 7 Things Christians Don't Do and What To Do Instead by Abingdon Press.

Ministry in Motion has launched a new blog for readers just like you at http://ministryinmotionnet.blogspot.com/. It is a place to ask questions, exchange ideas, and encourage other ministry leaders in our growing network.

Making Peace with Your Mom: Steps to a Healthier Mother-Daughter Relationship

A mother’s influence can leave a lasting impact on a daughter. Unfortunately, moms aren’t perfect, so the imprints are not always be positive.

Bestselling author H. Norman Wright, a licensed marriage, family and child therapist as well as a certified trauma specialist collaborated with his daughter Sheryl Wright MaCauley, an award-winning artist, to produce this book. Making Peace discusses the effect that moms have on their daughters and how mother/daughter relationships can be improved. Wright recognizes from his counseling ministry that many women struggle with their relationships with their moms.

Stories from MacCauley’s own experiences plus quotations and stories from women who have had both healthy and painful mom relationships, lend credibility to the theory the authors are exploring. It is also a subject matter that the reader can identify with and have the feeling that, “Yes, that is how it is between me and my mom.”

How mother raised us shapes our own well-being and how we cope with day to day life. If your relationship with your mom could use improvement, this book will guide you through self-analysis in order to gauge how healthy it is and ways to strengthen it. The authors focus on identifying behavior that creates negative emotions, like depression and anger, or results in hurtful feelings, such as rejection.

The chapters are formatted to include questions designed to pinpoint problem areas by encouraging readers to journal about their feelings and memories. Specific suggestions are provided for ways to improve areas of dysfunction.

No mother is perfect, though we may long for her to be. Wright and MacCauley give us permission to reflect on both the positives and negatives, and to use that information to grow and heal.

The book is a great resource for anyone involved in counseling or as a self-help tool for women.

Site Build It -- There are many different hosting plans for those wanting Christian websites but few work with you to drive traffic to your site. SBI differs from these because it is an all-in-one do-it-yourself website program that doesn’t require html knowledge. Includes domain registration, hosting, keyword research tools, search engine optimization, ezine mailing, and non-interactive blog option. The system guarantees success in getting good ranking with search engines thereby assuring you of more traffic. This website system is used by DreamBuilders Ministry in Motion. Site Build It Quick Tour

Be sure to visit Ministry in Motion's Bookshop. Every resource is developed from hands-on church experience. Help members discover their spiritual gifts, how to connect them in ministry and more. Visit MIM's Bookshop.

Just $10 per classified listing. For more information on advertising visit our advertising page.

Ministry in Motion is looking for columnists & writers in the following areas: women's ministry, men's ministry, single's ministry, youth ministry, worship ministry, small group/bible study ministry, and general ministry. We are also open to general church ministry related freelance articles. If you have an idea for a column or would like to share ministry insight or even short ministry tips, we'd love to hear from you. Present payment is promotion only -- no pay but great exposure for you, your ministry, book, or website. Please read our writer's guidelines here.

One of the needs we have perceived at Ministry in Motion is a service to help connect qualified ministers and church workers to ministry related and church staff positions. If you are presently in job search mode, or if you have a ministry position you are looking to fill, be sure to check out this site by clicking here.

Magazines to help Christians grow spiritual and succeed in ministry. Discipleship Journal, Leadership Magazine, SpiritLed Woman, Christianity Today & Lots More! Click HERE for Magazines

DBMIM Ezine January 9, 2008