Family Ministries

I am so privileged and proud to be a part of Ridge Church. I serve in Waumba Land - the ministry for children ages 0-5. Last night we had a training that I was happy to be a part of. My friend, Patrick, is the Director of Family Ministries and he spoke to us about the value of what we do. His talk was fantastic! It was encouraging, inspiring, motivating and valuable. He spoke of the importance of our time with the children each Sunday, but more importantly, the partnerships we make with the parents who have exponentially more time with their children than we do. Here is the verse he referred to:

Hear O, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hand and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9

I am a teacher in Waumba, but more importantly I am a parent now. I want this truth to be on my heart and I want to impress it on my children. I pray that everything I do - my interactions with them, with David, with family, friends and strangers, my actions, words and works, my work ethic and service - will show my children this truth. I also pray that we will talk about loving God, pray together, serve together, etc. I ask God to give me the desire and willingness to share my heart with them, my heart that loves the Lord sincerely. I'm not perfect and I don't claim to be - I'm a work in progress. Through Christ I can do anything and I pray that I will impress this commandment on their hearts in such a way that they will live it out, be in relationship with Jesus Christ and glorify God with their love.

I'm excited to partner with parents and love on kids so that they know God. I love seeing my son come home from church and sing the songs we sang together in Large Group. It's the sweetest thing! I love praying with him before bed, saying "Amen," and a few second later he'll say, "Let's pray again." I'll ask him what he wants to pray for and he'll name someone he loves (usually Grandma, Grandpa, Mimi, Papa, Aunt B or Daddy) and we'll pray for them together (even if we prayed for them already that same night :)). I love that my child is learning about Jesus at such a young age. I'm so thankful to be a part of Ridge Church and so glad that the people there care about my son and his relationship with Jesus, too.

Thanks, Ridge!