Tuesday, April 19, 2011

YWAM Update: Erika and the Creative Ministry Department + A Puppet Video

          I, Erika, have been going through a lot of transition lately in my area of responsibility here at YWAM DENVER.  I have been involved with the Creative Ministry Department now for a year and I have truly seen myself grow in communication, creativity, and leadership.  One of the reasons I have been 'transitioning' is because over the last 6 months I have been also working with 2 DTS's (Discipleship Training School) each school was 3 months long.  This work with DTS has been tiresome.  For the most part I was meeting weekly for an hour with up to 4 DTS student girls and talking about the journey they are on with God in their life.  This type of discipleship is taxing because it is not 'organic' in that the relationship happens in a normal life setting (going for coffee, having a game night, or just meeting up at church) The DTS model is set up so the student can get intense legitimate input-----ALOT and what felt like ALL THE TIME!  
         After the first 3 month school was over from September to Christmas I was drained!  I was spent actually.  My heart for the three girls I mentored grew, but my responsibilities in my creative ministry department grew too.  I came home crying the night before we left for Christmas break---for I had just finished packing all the outreach props, music, sound, and puppet bags all by myself late into the evening.  SOMETHING HAS GOT TO CHANGE!  I really had no processing time to think of what was going on in my own life......let alone needing to talk to these wonderful girls every week too.  
          Straight after Christmas I came back to the base and jumped into another DTS + Creative Ministry Department situation and barely made it through another 3 months.  This time I was meeting with 4 girls once a week for an hour or so and finding that there was a SMALL WINDOW of LIGHT coming in.  I was given a STUDENT ASSISTANT in my Creative Ministry Department and close to the end of the quarter was giving a STAFF ASSISSTANT too!!!!   The Lord knows my need!  We were able to pack all the bags for outreach teams a week early!  I was able to find some really great hard cases, air tight, water proof....and lifetime guaranteed  for our sound units!  There were enjoyable times in the preparation process and in sharing the load with some others that cared about the outcome.  
           I have spoken with the personnel department (responsible for schedules at our ywam base) and began laying a foundation of what I really needed to be a good leader and a creative asset to this base.  In this discovery I found a few things to be true:

1.  MULTIPLICATION---I need to train others in the details of this department so that I can be released from it from time to time in the future (to go on outreach)

2.  ASSESSMENT--I need to train people that are not going to take over my department to be the best at what they teach (if they are one time teachers I coordinate with)  I can give helpful feedback and connecting thoughts about the bigger picture of what it looks like to 'PREPARE A TEAM FOR OUTREACH'

3.  REST--- I can say 'no' to things.  I do not have to be a staff member in a DTS if there is no one to take my department.  That reality is okay........I can rest in this brand new time of growing.

            All I can say in response to this is that I am truly blessed because the Lord brings rest to those He loves.  I know he loves me and that is so evident 6 months later after a lot of trial, prayer, and tears----that YES, the Lord wants his children to be prepared for outreach and he will send workers to carry the load with me.  YEAH!!!   I love my job as the Creative Ministry Director.  It satisfies so many small areas of my personality and my calling as a teacher, exhorter, and artist!   My heart is to disciple wherever I am---whether I am working with a school or not.  If it was my choice, I would keep doing what I love in Creative Ministry and just be faithful to those around me in that 'organic' way.  But if someday I was asked to staff a DTS and to work with students directly again I will be able to say yes because someone has been trained to take over Creative Ministry for that quarter!  I will be able to advise and release them to do manage the department....and they will release me to work with a school.  Nice Trade!
             
          So it is the Spring Quarter already and I have 2 STAFF ASSISTANTS!!  God has already multiplied the help.  I have begun to see new areas of development that can come from my head being unified---not fragmented---with the thoughts of Christ.  


HERE'S A LITTLE CREATIVE MINISTRY IN ACTION!  This was the Musicians DTS team that went to Mexico from Christmas to February 2011.  A Delightful Puppet Routine!





1 comment:

  1. I enjoyed reading your articles. This is truly a great read for me. I have bookmarked it and I am looking forward to reading new articles.

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