39,484,800 seconds...but who's counting??

39,484,800 seconds
658,080 minutes
10,968 hours
457 days  

1 year, 3 months

Time flies when you are having fun! It is so hard to believe that Brian and I have lived in Minnesota for 15 months. In the past week I have been reflecting a lot on our time here in Roseau. I love how God works, and it is so fun pausing to reflect on how He is in fact working. 

July of 2012 was such a month of ups and downs. We knew without a doubt that we were moving exactly where God wanted us. This knowledge might have helped take some of the sting out of the goodbyes we face, but they were still hard. Iowa was our home, we had deep roots there and pulling them up hurt. 

I looked ahead to our move with some excitement and some anticipation. What did God have in store for me? My life was changing in so many ways, I felt at times my identity was being attacked. No longer would I have the exact same ministry, no longer would the same faces greet me at church, no longer would I be homeschooling a child (empty nest came at the same time as the move), no longer would I be wearing red and black and cheering on the Bulldogs, and no longer would any of my children be on the court for me to cheer on. It was just a lot of change. 

Thankfully God and I had spent lots of time together before the move. He and I talked through some of this change. I knew going in that there would be some tough times, I knew that there would be tears. That did help some as I plunged ahead into a tough year. 

 Before I continue, you need to know that the year also had many, many highlights. We had a wedding, two announcements of grandbabies, our son transferred up north to go to school, Brian and I celebrated 25 years of marriage, our new church family has truly become our family and there are  more things than I can even mention. 

The tough part was more internal, more heart issues that God and I had to work through. I needed time to grieve what I left behind. I intentional said to no to opportunities that I would have jumped on before. I saw this move as God's way of changing my ministry focus. I saw this new town and new church as a way to discover if God wanted something different from me. I did however say yes to a few ministry opportunities, but only after much prayer. I am so glad I did! It turns out those two little yes answers are changing my world and my focus and my heart. 

When our children were home I saw them as my main ministry. I invested in them with gusto. We only have our kids for a such short time that I wanted them to be prepared for life after high school. During that time my ministry focus outside the home was techy type stuff, I LOVED what I did. Being an introvert, I found it easy to be a behind the scenes girl. 

Now my children are grown. My ministry to them still exists, but it is not hands on. It is more prayer support, which I count as such a privilege. However, God is showing me that He still wants me to have a hands on ministry with actual people. (not just with a computer!). Enter in those two times I said yes last year, and you have my new ministry focus. The fact that this ministry leaves me refreshed and energized is how I know that God is in it, and much to my surprise some of the things that energized me in the past now drain me. (Isn't it fun how God works.)

What is this ministry that has me so excited? It is simply called Play and Pray. Young moms come to my house to pray and fellowship, their kids go to our church to play. I love the discussion times with these women, they are so authentic. God has given me a love for these young moms, and I am so excited to see how God works! I love praying with and for these woman. I count it an honor to come beside them and encourage them as they focus on their ministry of motherhood!

For 39,484,800 seconds I have been looking for my next behind the scenes ministry and God was tricky. He pulled out from behind a computer to my own living room filled with moms(and a few babies) and said here, this is what I want from you. Invest in them!! Now to pray I can do just that!!!