Guided Freedom

What does it mean to have "guided freedom" in ministry? I am not sure, but that it is a phrase that has been popping into my head a lot recently. I have realized something about myself recently when it comes to ministry, I am not really good at working with vagueness. I like very clear direction or complete freedom. When someone has expectations of me or of my ministry and does not tell me, or does not give me as much information I think I need, it just puts me in a panic. I like to be told..."I want you to run a mid week program and it needs to be Awana" or ..."You have complete freedom to run whichever mid week program you would like or don't run one at all. It is up to you, I trust you."

How does one get this kind of trust? That is what I am trying to figure out. Some of it comes with time. I know that being new in a position, I will most likely not have that trust from the leadership for a while. But there are some places that give that trust right from the start but will be quick to remove it when you mess up. Some times that trust is there but I have not reached out and taken it. My own lack of faith in myself has stopped me from seeing how much the leadership trust me.

I am sure that I am plagued with one or all of these reasons at some point in time, but that still hasn't brought us to guided freedom, what does that look like? Well to me it is a balance between complete freedom and complete direction. This balance can shift from activity to activity, some things I want way more freedom in and others I would love more direction. I am just learning about this concept of guided freedom. I am learning what balance I work best in, how to tell the leadership about that balance and how to trust myself to reach out and take the trust that is often so readily given.

Opening thoughts

Well here we go again. This isn't the first blog that I have tried to maintain, but with this one I hopefully will be more consistent in updating it. This is going to sound horrible, but I need this blog more than I needed my other one. My first blog was about my pregnancy, labour and about my son. When I started it I lived far away from my family and they needed somewhere to see pictures, hear stories and keep tabs on my life. Well I have moved closer to my family since so they can see my adorable son at their will, so gone is the urgency to post the newest cute story or picture. Since that blog something else, just as big but not as important happened, I started a church ministry job. I need this blog as a release, a safe place to share my feelings and to journal my career.



On that note I can promise that there will be little 'venting' on this blog, absolutely no names mentioned and no bashing that takes place of any kind. This is a place that I will be sharing my thoughts on topics such as curriculum, trends, frustrations and feelings, it is not a place to bash. I will ask for advice, although I don't know if anyone will be reading this blog, suggestions and prayer. I know that there are many people who are in ministry, paid or unpaid who need a place to chat, question and brain storm so if my blog can facilitate that, even to one person (myself?) I will be satisfied.



So welcome here. Feel free to post and don't be surprised is a picture of my son ends up on here once in a while, I after all still a very proud mother!