Last week I shared an AirBnB and four days with three amazing kidmin champions at the KidzMatter Conference in Murphreesboro, Tennessee. Yes, we met lots of people. Yes, we learned lots of things (which you will hear more about in the weeks to come as I plan for next year). Yes, we worshiped, prayed, and ate. What else?

Let me introduce you to….

Vanessa Myers – Vanessa is a full-time children’s ministry director serving the folks of Dahlonega, Georgia. She designs simple Bible resources to equip children’s leaders, parents, grandparents, and local churches to love God’s word through Family Faith Builders. Her beautiful resources are developmentally appropriate for preschool through upper elementary. They can be used at home or at church. She’s a graduate of Duke Divinity School and chooses to point littles and bigs to God’s word so they love the Lord with their whole heart for their whole lives. She’s also written two kid’s devotionals I use for large group, small groups, and children’s moments: Bible Food Truck and Breakfast With Jesus. In mid-October another kid’s devotional will be available just in time for Advent: Wondering to Bethlehem. It’s still a devotional for ages 5-11, but this time, kids dive a little deeper into the birth story by using their wonder and imagination. They’ll put themselves into the story at that time in history and use their 5 senses to wonder what was going on around the characters in each devotion. There’s a passport!

Hannah Harwood – Hannah is a full-time family ministry director serving the folks of Dalton, Georgia. She just started at her new church with the goal of equipping leaders to reach all kinds of families. I met Hannah years ago when she served as the campus ministry intern at Reinhardt University and I’ve watched her grow her kidmin skills and her faith as she’s served several churches from part-time to full-time. She’s a professional in every sense of the word and continues to prioritize her networking relationships, prayer, and her family to sustain her in all areas of ministry. 

Christen Clark – I was introduced to Christen at Children’s Pastors Conference last January by the fabulous Brittany Nelson of Deeper Kidmin, a Teachers-Pay-Teachers resource website for leaders in faith formation. Christen is the creator and host of Collide Kids Podcast. Christen has led children’s worship at some of the largest churches in North Georgia. Right away I invited her to come to our last two Family Vacation Bible School events last June as a children’s worship consultant. Why invest in a consultant? Because we needed fresh eyes on what we were doing to jack it up and be the most effective. What did we learn? That our folks really stepped up to do their best for our littles and bigs when a consultant was on deck; that we can easily gather families to worship together much more often with the resources (people, places, passions, provisions) we already have on hand; that a different voice can speak truth and permission into service lives before, during, and after an event. Money very well spent as an investment into the future of our local church.

These relationships began because networking is a priority for sustaining an effective life in ministry. “Networking is a lot like nutrition and fitness: we know what to do, the hard part is making it a top priority.” — Herminia Ibarra

Does your blah-blah need a rah-rah? Natalie Runion’s book, Raised To Stay, speaks about finding our Pauls. The Pauls are sainted cheerleaders sharing life AND content. We need these Pauls, ‘but the deal is, we have to keep going and run that ball full court.’ (p139) 

When someone believes in you, let them. Sit with the wise. Build in the margin for growing in relationships with others in the trenches of ministry with children and families always with a teachable spirit. Make some introductions. Be available to make a new friend-in-the-Lord. 

Who is in your networking group? Who is sharpening you? Who are you sharpening?

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17