Ministry Monday: Cub Scouts

Cub Scouts is a part of the Boy Scouts Of America. The scouting program involves so much more than just hiking, camping and fishing. Each level of Scouting focuses on building character traits and good citizenship.

The Cub Scout program targets 1st-5th graders. Each grade level has its own small group or Den. All the Dens come together at least once a month to form a pack that does activities together. The smallest scouts learn team work, as well as other life skills, by experiencing life in a controlled environment. The scouts will visit a police or fire station, a TV or radio station, attend a professional team sport game like baseball or hockey, a historical site and the list goes on. The boys are encouraged to do activities both with the scout unit, Pack, and with their families. These activities are innumerable and include playing a team sport, biking, hiking, fishing and camping. The motto of the Scout program is Fun With A Purpose. Everything we do in Scouts is about learning but is also about having fun.

So.... how is this a ministry???  Is there a spiritual aspect of scouting???

Well, Churches, Civic Organizations, and other Community Groups can host a unit such as a Pack. That is exactly what our church has done. I am the Adult leader known as the Cub Master... meaning I oversee the program and supervise other leaders. The King's Queen is the Tiger Den Leader meaning she is the adult leader who directly teaches the Tigers or 1st graders.

The Cub Scout oath is as follows:

I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God and my Country, to help other people and obey the law of the pack.

In many cases God is explained as the Great Scout who created the world and everything in it. Primarily though, the scouting program is an opportunity to introduce families in the community to the leaders of the host church and to inform the families about the ministries offered by the church. Ministry is all about growing relationships with the ones in the community where God has called you to minister and creating a doorway to minister to these families in other ways, so Scouting can be used as a great ministry outreach program.

There are Scouting opportunities for boys of all ages, so just log onto scouting.org for more information about Scouting in your area. I have personally seen lives changed for Christ through Scouting and would encourage others to pursue Scouting as a ministry.

Feeling Fabulous Friday Returns

Some days, I really don't know why I chose to make Friday's posts about "feeling fabulous." After all, there are so many days when I don't feel fabulous. Honestly, there are so many days when it is difficult for me to even get out of bed. However, I know that the original idea of these Friday posts was to look forward to healing and wholeness, to focus on the positive, and to encourage others. So I will press on and continue to post about how I am feeling, whether it's fabulous or not, and what God is teaching me about finding peace with my circumstances and living in the abundant life that He offers.

 ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

                                                                 John 10: 10 ESV

²⁸ Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

                                                                 Matthew 11: 28-30 NLT

Today has been a day of bombarding myself with scripture and music that speaks of hope and healing and the love of God. I have been re-reading some of my old posts and asking the Lord to break this cycle that I have of tearing down what He has built up. The last three months have been such a challenge as I have gone off medication. I feel as if all progress was stifled for a while. I had a few setbacks, and I allowed myself to buckle under the pressure and to fall into the old habits of tearing myself apart. However, I know that I have to choose everyday to see the progress instead of the setbacks, and today I will rejoice because I am being remade. I am still seeking that wholeness that I posted about on the very first Feeling Fabulous Friday, and I will continue to pursue it and learn along the way.

This song is my new anthem:

Change in the Making 

Addison Road

Lord, give me strength and replace my sight with yours as you make me new!

Worship Wednesday: Worship Through It

Do you ever feel like you are expected to hide your pain and hurt behind a happy face when you walk through the doors of church? I know I do!

As a worship leader, I feel as if I am expected to set aside my feelings and lead everyone in a happy chorus. I feel as if I am supposed to be some sort of super hero who is never hurt by criticism and gossip, never has a bad day, never grows weary, and never needs encouragement! Truthfully, I feel as if I am not supposed to be honest about my pain and suffering.

Can I really lead people in worship when I am sad, hurt and confused? I should certainly hope so! Where else can we take those feelings but before the throne of God?

Leading a congregation into worship isn't always about giving an upbeat offering of praise that has everybody clapping and raising their hands. It should be about bringing an honest offering before the Lord. We must worship in whatever state we are in!

I think of the psalmist, David. He was so honest before the Lord. He offered praise to the Lord out of brokenness and suffering.

Psalm 69

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Lilies.”

 ¹ Save me, O God,
      for the floodwaters are up to my neck.
 ² Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire;
      I can’t find a foothold.
   I am in deep water,
      and the floods overwhelm me.
 ³ I am exhausted from crying for help;
      my throat is parched.
   My eyes are swollen with weeping,
      waiting for my God to help me.
 ⁴ Those who hate me without cause
      outnumber the hairs on my head.
   Many enemies try to destroy me with lies,
      demanding that I give back what I didn’t steal.

 ⁵ O God, you know how foolish I am;
      my sins cannot be hidden from you.
 ⁶ Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me,
      O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
   Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated,
      O God of Israel.
 ⁷ For I endure insults for your sake;
      humiliation is written all over my face.
 ⁸ Even my own brothers pretend they don’t know me;
      they treat me like a stranger.

 ⁹ Passion for your house has consumed me,
      and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
 ¹⁰ When I weep and fast,
      they scoff at me.
 ¹¹ When I dress in burlap to show sorrow,
      they make fun of me.
 ¹² I am the favorite topic of town gossip,
      and all the drunks sing about me.

 ¹³ But I keep praying to you, Lord,
      hoping this time you will show me favor.
   In your unfailing love, O God,
      answer my prayer with your sure salvation.
 ¹⁴ Rescue me from the mud;
      don’t let me sink any deeper!
   Save me from those who hate me,
      and pull me from these deep waters.
 ¹⁵ Don’t let the floods overwhelm me,
      or the deep waters swallow me,
      or the pit of death devour me.

 ¹⁶ Answer my prayers, O Lord,
      for your unfailing love is wonderful.
   Take care of me,
      for your mercy is so plentiful.
 ¹⁷ Don’t hide from your servant;
      answer me quickly, for I am in deep trouble!
 ¹⁸ Come and redeem me;
      free me from my enemies.

 ¹⁹ You know of my shame, scorn, and disgrace.
      You see all that my enemies are doing.
 ²⁰ Their insults have broken my heart,
      and I am in despair.
   If only one person would show some pity;
      if only one would turn and comfort me.
 ²¹ But instead, they give me poison^[a] for food;
      they offer me sour wine for my thirst.

 ²² Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare
      and their prosperity become a trap.^[b]
 23 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
      and make their bodies shake continually.^[c]
 24 Pour out your fury on them;
      consume them with your burning anger.
 ²⁵ Let their homes become desolate
      and their tents be deserted.
 ²⁶ To the one you have punished, they add insult to injury;
      they add to the pain of those you have hurt.
 ²⁷ Pile their sins up high,
      and don’t let them go free.
 ²⁸ Erase their names from the Book of Life;
      don’t let them be counted among the righteous.

 ²⁹ I am suffering and in pain.
      Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.

 ³⁰ Then I will praise God’s name with singing,
      and I will honor him with thanksgiving.
 ³¹ For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle,
      more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves.
 ³² The humble will see their God at work and be glad.
      Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged.
 ³³ For the Lord hears the cries of the needy;
      he does not despise his imprisoned people.

 ³⁴ Praise him, O heaven and earth,
      the seas and all that move in them.
 ³⁵ For God will save Jerusalem^[d]
      and rebuild the towns of Judah.
   His people will live there
      and settle in their own land.
 ³⁶ The descendants of those who obey him will inherit the land,
      and those who love him will live there in safety.

That is honest praise and honest worship! Honest praise says, "Lord, I am in a terrible state right now. I am in pain, but you are God! I am hurt, but you are doing a work in me! I am down, but you can lift me up! Despite all that I am going through right now, I know that you are good! Come and comfort my heart!"

Shame on all of us for making people feel as if they must have it all together or at least appear to have it all together in order to participate in corporate worship. As difficult as it may be, I want to try to set an example of honest worship. I want to show people that we can praise through the pain! I pray that the Lord would allow me to be truly transparent and lead people towards honesty in worship this year.

This blog post that I read today has inspired me to open up my heart and let people see both the good and bad.

Worship Leading Secrets: Don’t Hide Your Suffering - David Santistevan | David Santistevan

I don't want to hide my suffering anymore! I can't truly worship when I am in hiding. I hope to share more openly and honestly on the blog this year, and I hope that you will be patient with me and my ramblings.

Here is my worship song for the day:

Beautiful

By Kari Jobe

Worship when you are broken and sad. Worship when you are confused and depressed. Worship when you are weak and in physical pain. Pour your praise out in the good times and bad!

Worship Wednesday: Moving out from the Inside

I have learned that the biggest hindrance to true worship in my life is myself. You see, I am an introvert. I am a self-improver, my own worst critic. In fact, I get so tied up in knots over what I have done wrong and how inadequate I am, that I lose sight of grace. I become so self-consumed and self-focused that I can not see what is going on around me, and I can not truly worship.

I've made the mistake of thinking that being self-centered is all about arrogance and vanity, but I have discovered that someone with low self-esteem and no pride at all in their appearance can be just as self-centered as the pompous and proud. It doesn't matter whether we wallow in self-loathing and self-pity or boast in self-importance, we are still acting out our self-centered nature, and in that nature, we can not truly worship our Savior. The fact is that the self-centered person is trying to be there own Savior!

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. ²⁵ If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

                                                              Matthew 16: 24-25

These verses make it clear that to be a true follower of Christ and a true worshiper of God, we must turn our focus outward. Being an introvert is not a sin, after all, it is part of my God-given personality, but when I become so consumed by my own internal struggles that I lose touch with those around me and lose sight of God's power and glory, that is when I must remember these scriptures and bring my focus back to the Lord first. With a renewed focus on worshiping the creator, I can then breakthrough my own internal struggles and reach out to those around me.

This self-denial, this taking up the cross, starts with one simple step...a decision. A decision to worship the Lord in spirit and truth. A decision to redirect our focus. A decision to step outside of ourselves and our circumstances. A decision to love God and others and put their needs above our own!

One day this past week, as I was having a particularly tough day struggling with self-pity and self-defeat, I  decided to take Toby for a walk to calm myself. So, I put in my earbuds and hit shuffle on my phone and this song came on and instantly soothed my spirit. As, I listened to the lyrics of this song my eyes were opened and I began to see the truth about my self-centered state. My focus was shifted off of myself and I began to praise! My seemingly dismal circumstances began to come into perspective, and I realized that I didn't have do this all on my own.

Beautiful King

By Danydew

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

 ⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

                                                              Phillipians 4: 6-8