Its goal is a little pretentious
This is a place where I want to offer nuanced instruction and perspectives on church ministry for staff and volunteers. New children’s Sunday school teachers and pastors juggling 2-point charges can read what I have to say and come away, if not informed, at least inspired to carry on.
My audacity to position myself as a leader worth listening to emerges from a personal quality my closest friends can vouch for in me: I think I have great thoughts. Most of the folks I hold dearest in my life consistently downplay their importance or value to the team, and in doing so I believe they shortchange the rest of us from the impactful ideas they could share. Not here – ideas will fly freely here, whether they are merited or not.
It will be imperfect
Putting my own written words up on a screen has been on my weekly to-do list for five months now. Finally, I would rather flop than face that daily torture of looking at a difficult task and then looking away, so in the interest of getting started, I have committed to throw onto the Internet whatever first-draft words appear here.
There will be mistakes and half-baked opinions for sure, and I will do my best to own those. But in the interest of taking action on a previously dormant dream, this is happening.
It will promote my books
In just about two months, my second book will bounce off the printing press and into the world to be read by my friends and family, and hopefully by a stranger or two. My first was called 6 Secrets of Preteen Ministry, and the next is Children & Family Ministry Handbook. I get fidgety in anticipation of the moment I’ll hold a copy in my own hands. I’ve already preordered one, just to see what that feels like. And I paid full price.
Anyone who clicks over here in the next few months will be treated to significant amounts of gushing over this first work of mine.
It is unplanned
Doing this “right” has haunted my paralysis. Building a brand, scheduling the first 10 posts, designing a website, learning to write in Markdown, and everything else that goes into a well-planned launch have intimidated and overwhelmed me. This imperfect, unplanned start seems to be more my speed – and often, it’s how ministry comes together, so I’m really just setting a good example here.
It is my passion
As a kid, I wrote the most awful short stories – all character descriptions, no plot – but the writing of them felt like something I was supposed to do.
In college, I majored in English because I loved words, grammar and stories.
Last year, I started writing in earnest, and I discovered it was my great joy. When I write from my experience in ministry, I get that feeling we all have after finishing a good workout, without actually having to exercise. It is glorious! It’s what I am made for.
It will help you find what you are made for
God calls everyone. God has called you. I believe God calls everyone to some sort of ministry within God’s church as well. I hope to speak clarity into what that calling discernment process can look like and to inspire those who sense a call to pursue it wholeheartedly.
Now you know all the big secrets! Come back later, and I’ll make sure to have some more obvious truths to tell.
Sarah Flannery 