The Lord’s been waking me between 3 and 4 every morning for the last several weeks. Even on vacation. It must be the Lord because I cherish a good night’s sleep and consider napping one of my favorite spiritual disciplines.

Getting back to sleep is hard for me when the brain kicks in, so I’ve been praying…

• for the Moms who didn’t get a full night’s sleep last night either because their little one is sick, is nursing, or just left for college…our God is a Father with a Mother’s heart. He gets it.
• for the friend who is undergoing treatment; who has read all the scary stuff on the internet yet chooses to read the bible and funny books instead…that the only hole her mind goes into is the pothole in the parking lot on her way to a Nutella milkshake.  I pray she’ll have the funniest nurses on the planet and affectionate doctors because she’s going through something that a hug just might be the best medicine of the day.
• for the friend who is ‘between the rains,’ where life and direction is dry, aimless, seemingly purposeless…and I pray she’ll remember the promises offered at her baptism, through her calling.  I pray her work towards wholeness will be fruitful, so she will find her identity in His restoration and redemption and not her brokenness.
• for the Mama who has begged the Lord for a cure to work in her baby girl, but now just begs…be SO present Lord.
• for more folks to come to the upcoming training event we’ve been advocating for for the last 8-9 years to provide excellent resources and experiences and friends-in-the-Lord to those who answered the call into service to minister with children in the local church in the North Georgia Conference…and I pray that more than three will come.  But if only three come, I pray we will be faithful to pour into them with all the hope and energy as if 100 come.
• for a children’s ministry colleague who continues to look for work in professional ministry because of all the places to cut expenses, her previous church chose the ministry to children…Did she hear you right, Lord?  What can she do in the meantime?  Can she find meaning and provision?  Let her count the moments instead of the days.
• for my grandchildren to live closer…just sayin’.
• for every machine in my office to work today…not like yesterday.
• for His voice to be clear and like a loud, flashing siren when my children, my hubby, or I get even close to stepping over the line of what is right in His eyes.
• for forgiveness for passing judgement…even in my head.
• to be fully present when a heart is before me.

What do you pray for when He wakes you early…really early?

“O God, you are MY God, earnestly (early in the morning) I seek you…On my bed, I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.” Psalm 63:1, 6

Last year, our long-time-serving Church Administrator and Financial Secretary retired to a life of traveling, fun, and love. The position was 3/4 time and the search began immediately for her replacement. After 8 months, the right fit was not happening.

I had been ‘working’ on a whole host of things that included Children’s Ministry co-rep for our denomination’s conference and Discipleship Team, speaking and training around the country, coordinating two networking groups, writing, reading, taking and leading bible study, all important and wonderful mostly-volunteer-work that mattered. But now that we are true empty nesters with grandbabies that live way too far away, we wanted to improve the family balance sheet in preparation for ‘later.’  I had been working ‘part time’ since our little ones were little ones.

The other consideration was that although our finances were secure, like most Americans, we were probably one medical procedure away from “OH NO!”  Like Dave Ramsey says, “We didn’t have an expense problem, we had an income problem.”  The planning freaks that we are, we started praying about it, waiting in anxious expectation for God to answer those prayers.

Sitting on the back porch with Mr. Bob after an amazing retreat weekend surrounded by the greatest servants on the planet, he suggested I apply for the Church Administrator and Financial Secretary job…..wait for it…in addition to serving as the Director of Children’s Ministry.  I worked my way through college by running the customer service desk at the local A&P grocery store and as a bank teller.  Before going into ministry and raising our family, I was an Assistant Vice President of Investments at a huge clearing house bank in south Louisiana.  I fully understood debits, credits, deposits, expenses, assets, and numbers.

Not one to leave any stone unturned, we put together a proposal to submit to the Staff Parish Relations Committee.  I asked for prayer from a couple of friends who serve on my personal board of directors.

The SPR Committee accepted our proposal and I started both positions…wait for it… the week before Vacation Bible School.

I’ve been at the full time position since June 15th.  I’ve had to learn a few new things like the church ledger system, ACS, and the proper protocal for a whole host of situations.  But I didn’t have to learn the faces, the hearts, the storage cabinets, the building, the dna of a new organization.  I love the folks who call this church ‘home’ and I am committed to the staff who serve here.  We already know each other.  I did have to adjust my schedule to be ‘in the office’ Sunday through Thursday, but the blessings have been profound.  I resigned a few of the organizations where I was volunteering and reset some time priorities to make it work. SPR agreed to let me continue my speaking engagements and we have precious volunteers to cover the office when I am out.

My greatest challenge: I have to adjust my ‘girlfriend-in-the-Lord’ time and bible study may be for a party of one until I get my schedule to operate most efficiently.  I chose the audio cds for the study I just started so I can continue to use the commute time even when I’ve finished the study.  I’ll be making more phone calls, writing more notes, having afternoon tea instead of lunch, and really guarding my Mr. Bob time on Saturdays since it’s our only day off together.  Priorities.

God answers our prayers that continue to put Him first.  Everything is for a season and a reason.  We didn’t want a season to just happen for us, but rather we chose to be intentional about beginning a new season. We covered it in prayer and left no stone unturned, no opportunity was labeled with “I don’t think so,” or “I can’t.”  This is my new season.  What does your new season hold?

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1