It has been a COLD winter! We have seen enough snow and ice to keep our memories warm for years to come. It’s been fun to sit by the fire and read great books without guilt, and it was not so much fun to dig out of driveways. We must take the good with the bad and be thankful for each new day.

As I write this, it is a gorgeous, sunny, 65-degree hint of what is to come! Today is one of those days God pulls out of his pocket and places between the challenging days of the past and those that lie ahead. The warmth and the sunshine have made me excited for the grass that will grow green again and the bulbs that will be blooming in a few weeks. 

Lent is a season of reflection. The past 18 months have allowed me more spiritual growth than I have ever had. First, I completed a year-long certification in Women’s Ministry from Lay Servant Ministries | BeADisciple.com. The year was filled with a focus on women in the Bible that opened my eyes and my heart to scripture and context in ways that made me hungry for more.

Then, in September, I began the Certified Lay Ministry Cohort with Home | Laity Ministries | North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church. I have spent months digging into what it means to serve, to lead, and to share the love of Christ in a congregational setting. It has been what they used to call, in Facilitative Leadership work, a giant “So What?” So, I’ve learned some things…now what am I going to do with this new growth? It has made me question how I have served in the past, how I am serving now, and how I might serve in the future.

Between these two growth opportunities, I feel like a different person in some ways. I can’t read a scripture anymore and just stop there. I have to dig into the context and the translations and pull my map out to see where everything is located.

After digging, I find myself praying at every church I visit, for seeds to be planted that will allow them to grow and flourish. We all know, things that are planted need nourishment to grow. Our hearts, our minds, and our spirits do as well. Use this season of reflection to consider ways that you might grow this Spring.

If you are a pastor or a lay leader, please share the resources available to all laity at Conference Committee on Lay Servant Ministries | Laity Ministries | North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church.

Blessings,
Kim