A Word of Thanks

Merry Christmas! I hope you all are enjoying your time with your family. I have had such a wonderful time catching up with my brother and his family. I didn’t realize how far behind I was in the goings on in their lives!

I just wanted to take some time to let you know how thankful I am for you all. Volunteering can be difficult. Sometimes we sign up for things with all good intentions only to discover that the commitment has cost us a bit more than we realized it would. I believe God uses those times to grow us in Him and teach us more about who He is and what He did for us. Thank you for standing next to those of us in KCRG and doing ministry, and life, with us. We all have experienced some changes both in our church and in KCRG and I know that sometimes it is pretty confusing. Please know that you are deeply, deeply appreciated. You come every week (or every other week) and give. You give your time, your love, your energy, and your wisdom to make a difference in the next generation. And you ARE making a difference.

I heard a story just the other day about a student who is quiet in class, not really up front with his participation in class activities, yet when the time came to minister at Castle Lake last week by delivering presents and praying with families, he was the first in line to encourage—no demand—that his family make time to be there. He stepped up and went into homes he didn’t know and prayed with families he didn’t know. I believe that this child’s heart was shaped, at least in part, by what he absorbed during his time in KCRG.

You ARE making a difference. You are stepping up and living out the scripture:

O my people, hear my teaching;

listen to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in parables,

I will utter hidden things, things from of old—

what we have heard and known,

what our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children;

we will tell the next generation

the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,

his power, and the wonders he has done.

He decreed statutes for Jacob

and established the law in Israel,

which he commanded our forefathers

to teach their children,

so the next generation would know them,

even the children yet to be born,

and they in turn would tell their children.

Then they would put their trust in God

and would not forget his deeds

but would keep his commands.

Psalm 78: 1-7

I pray God’s blessings on each of you as we start 2011 together. Our God is good!

Lori

The Roles We Play

Welcome to our first volunteer blog! I am Lori Harper, Ministry Assistant for KCRG, and I am so excited to begin this new way of talking with each other, learning, sharing, and hopefully building another bridge between our worlds.

We all have different roles we play in life—different titles that help to define us. What are your titles? Mother? Father? Daughter? Son? Friend? Leader? All of these roles are areas that require attention in order to grow. All too often we go about life as if it is all going to happen naturally, no planning required! As if we can drive with no headlights, no map, no idea where we are going and arrive in Utopia! The truth is that we have to be intentional in our pursuits in order to have a life of meaning and fulfillment. This idea of regular self evaluation can be very difficult in our fast-paced lives. It is both hard to make the time and hard to take an honest look, but it is worth it! Take some time for yourself and think about where you want to be in 2011 and farther down the road.


Not everyone will have the same priorities and that's ok. The important thing is to ask the questions that really matter. Take a careful look at what is important to you and what success looks like in that area.


Here are some areas you might like to consider. These questions are a compilation of several sources, but should give you a good place to start:

1. Spiritual Life—What is your plan for spiritual development? Where is God speaking to you? Correcting you? Refining you? What should you be studying? Reading? Memorizing? Discussing with others?


2. Health—How is your health? Are you eating well and exercising regularly? Are there any doctor's appointments that you have been putting off How is your health affecting others in your life?


3. Marriage—How would you rate your marriage? How would your spouse rate your marriage? How could you improve in this area? Are you being intentional in loving your spouse according to biblical principles?


4. Family—How is family life right now? Is it fun? If you haven't already, consider making a family mission statement and establish some values that are important to your family. Have your kids help to define what kind of family they would like. Also, consider adopting a family scripture verse.


5. Financial— Are you giving what you should? Are there new opportunities to consider? How is the emergency fund looking? Do you have any big purchases you need to be saving for? Are there any areas where spending can be cut back?


6. Leadership Development—What areas do you feel you need to learn more about? What are you doing to grow as a leader? Are you listening and being intentional about learning and growing? Who should you be learning from and allowing to speak into your life?




These questions are just jumping off points to give you ideas for your personal plan. This plan can be anything you want it to be. You can make it fit your style and your needs.


Let Us Know
Have you ever gone through this process? How has it helped you succeed? What do you think about when considering a self evaluation?