We’re so back baby!
Last night Kevin, Jared, and I reconnected at long last to start recording the next season of Press Pause. Did we bother taking a picture together to celebrate the occasion? Nope, never crossed our mind. But Kevin did snag this pic of Jared laughing at something hilarious someone said. Full disclosure, Kevin also took a picture of me at my laptop but it showed off my bad posture and desperate need for a haircut. :-)
That said, we’re excited to get new episodes out of our Google Drive and into your ears. This little pod started our journey into writing our book, Faith Builder Catechism, and immediately got put on the back burner once we got a deadline for that manuscript. A lot’s changed since the last time we recorded. Jared has a whole new job, Kevin has a toddler now (babies grow up fast), and I have a home office. Granted, my change isn’t as exciting as there, but we’re marking time here people!
The three of us began this project with the hope of creating discipleship resources that were easy for parents to use, and fun for kids to engage with. We want to give parents easy, confidence building wins as they’re learning to point their kids to Jesus, and we want kids to experience big truths about Jesus in language and images they can understand and relate to. My hope is to document more of the process of creating this season (writing, recording, editing, etc.), and sharing it with you all as we work our way to launch day.
If you haven’t listened already, we’d love for you to check it out now wherever you get your podcasts. Catch up on all the fun so you’re ready to rock with us when the new season drops. Thanks for your continued support and encouragement as we work to put stuff out in the world to help families draw near to Jesus and each other.
Greener Grass (Discipleship)
“Could a lesson for us here (for me, at least) be to enjoy the life we/I have been given? Not the life that I had hoped for or imagine, but the life I have? The situation I am in? The circumstances surrounding me?” Matt Pearson writes beautifully about humanity’s search for a patch of grass that’s a little bit greener, regardless of how green the ground we’re standing on may be. He looks at college athletes entering the transfer portal, presumably chasing down a better situation or a taste of glory. While it’s easy to point fingers at these guys, Matt quickly points us back to ourselves as we consider the “what ifs?” of life and the greener grass we often search for in work, relationships, etc. His encouragement? “Before you look longingly at that the top of the next hill, see if you might experience the fullness of life (God’s presence) right where you are.” It’s a good word for parenting, ministry, marriage, and just about anything else you want to apply it to.
Sharing Mission (Kids Ministry/Student Ministry)
“You can’t lead your people to understand something you don’t clearly understand yourself. If someone wakes you from a dead sleep at 3 a.m. and asks you to state your team’s mission statement, you ought to be able to do it syllable-for-syllable.” I’m constantly reminding the folks working through our kids ministry cohort each semester that having a handle on their ministry’s vision/mission is VITAL to all the work they’re doing. Whatever you’re doing—setting up classrooms, choosing where budget dollars go, or recruiting new volunteers—it better be connected to the mission you’re trying to accomplish. Danny Franks gives us a crash course on how to keep that mission/vision in front of our team consistently, so they’re seeing all they do through that same lens. Great read for anyone who’s leading a staff or volunteer team.
Hearing Prayers (Parenting)
“Our kids can know that when they’re in their dark rooms at night and they’re feeling alone, God is with them. He hears their prayer when they’re at school, feeling nervous, feeling sad.” Kristen Wetherell tackles the question, “How can God hear everyone’s prayers at the same time?” in this piece from Crossway’s Answering Kids’ Hardest Questions series. They’re each short, helpful examinations of common questions that pop up in Sunday school classes and carpool rides all across the country. Kristen does a great job with this one, explaining it in a way that kids can easily understand and giving parents a jumping off point for more conversations with their kiddos. These are all worth checking out.
The Skedaddler
Kids can be delightfully sharp and funny. . .as long as they’re not talking about you. Haha. This poor guy got roasted by his class in the funniest, most wholesome way I can imagine. Yet, somehow, it makes it even more savage. I hope all your Skedaddlers have a great weekend!