Sunday, August 3, 2008

Ministers at Home

The convictions that flowed through my heart and mind after my dark room of self examination have made me yearn to do something, to truly live for Christ, forsaking everything else. I began to pray fervently and deeply that God would grant me a bolder ministering spirit and a willing heart to serve and labor in love and for Him to lead me in the right direction. After thinking a lot about being a ministering spirit to those around me and laboring in love for Christ I realized something, I must start at home. Home is my calling, my ministry, my battle ground, it is where my laboring in love for Christ must begin.

My husband has been just as convicted as me and probably more. He called me the other night after struggling with what to do... study or minister... he chose to minister but one thoguht he had was maybe he should come home and minister to his children and then it occured to him, there is already a minister at home that he trusts with his children... me. I quickly realized that he is right and began examining myself as a minister and mother to my children. I found a lot of things that I needed to pray about and begin working on with this new perspective in mind. I have been thinking a lot lately about parenting and one thing that I just realized from my husband's sermon this morning... how would Jesus parent my children? Talk to them? Encourage them? Love them? Discipline them? Respond when they willingly and rebelliously sin? React to the constant demands of the day? How would He show them to be peacemakers, to love one another, to obey, to serve, to be respectful and to simply live to glorify His Father?... how have I been?

Here is the thing, I am a minister. A minister to my children and all those who enter my home. I have a very high, holy and crucial calling! It may not seem very important on most days but when we have our perspective focused on His will we will recognize the truth. With this idea or fact of being a minister at home I am refreshed and encouraged in my calling as well as stricken with immense responsibility as I serve His kingdom. It is not that my calling has changed in anyway but my perspective has which for me changes a lot of things with in my mind considering my calling as a joyful wife, mother and homekeeper.

JOYfully in Him,
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an amazing way to view the everyday! I have been feeling very tied to my home these days and quite honestly I am loving it! I am looking forward to starting school with the kids soon. Hope you are well...sounds like there is a new fire in your home!! I love you like crazy and miss you and your family so much!! Keep up the good work.

Dena

cryssi said...

Kelli you did it again. You posted on something that has been heavy on my heart here lately. I too have come to the answer that my house and children are the ministries in my life right now. You put it so well though. Thank You!
Crystal

Allison said...

Thanks for the refreshing post! You are always so encouraging!

Sarah said...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts once again. Every time I read your blog, I am convicted of an area that I am so lax in. Parenting is a big one--I see all of the other needs around me, that I feel I should be fulfilling. But I fail to be awed by the responsibility that has been placed in my lap by God Himself--raising my 3 little ones.

God bless you as you do that--I think you seem to do a wonderful job already--and I am thankful for the reminder I have been given tonight to do the same.

ByHISgoodGrace said...

I love this post...I read it the other day and tried to comment, but it froze! My pastor had said to me that I must think of my children as my own congregation and it really put my role in a whole new perspective. My husband I both serve in the church (my husband preaches occasionally) and we both put so much effort towards that congregation. The conviction of realizing our boys are our own congregation was deep.
Good post.