Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The Best Laid Plans...

As September of 1999 rolled around, my life and ministry were in a bit of turmoil.  I was at an impasse with my own Senior Pastor.  Despite my repeated attempts to communicate with him, The Pastor Who Shall Not Be Named was making me a little crazy.  I was pursuing my options and looking for a new ministry; at the same time I was being pursued by churches from all over the country.  I didn't know how it would all turn out, but I did know this:  I would work as hard as I could for the students of FUMC-K as for as long as I could. 

At our Youth Ministry Team meeting in late August of 1999 I presented the team with schedules for our Sunday nights, Wednesday nights and special events for the 1999-2000 school year.  It was to be our first year of being a fully-functional "purpose driven" student ministry, and I was very excited to get started.  Our Wednesday Night Live Bible studies were going to focus on the ministry of Jesus.  Our Sunday evenings would continue to surprise our students with a variety of programs, games and worship.   I wanted everyone involved to know that despite my issues with The Pastor Who Shall Not Be Named, I was still looking to the future and giving my all.  Here is just small sampling of some of the special events we had laid out for that year:
  • Rock the Universe/Night of Joy Marathon Weekend
  • A Live the Life Evangelism Retreat
  • Spaghetti Dinner & Talent Show
  • SHO-Time @ Ohana's
  • Fall Family Festival for the children of FUMC-K
  • WWJD Spiritual Growth Retreat
  • Supertones/All Star United/Plankeye Concert
  • No Turkey Thanksgiving Family Feast
  • Adopt-a-Family for Christmas
  • Christmas Eve Living Nativity
  • Kyoto's Night
  • Ski Trip
  • "Souper Bowl" Hunger Event
  • Super Bowl Party
  • Orlando Solar Bears Hockey
  • 30 Hour Planned Famine
  • Easter Sunrise Service
  • Senior Roast
  • Another full summer of amazing events, including a Myrtle Beach trip, a Mission Trip to Washington, DC, and the best Youth Week ever!
And that just scratches the surface of what we had planned.  Some of it would happen; much of it never came to pass.  It would have been an amazing year.  As it turned out, God had other plans for us.  There would be tragedy in our youth family.  The Pastor Who Shall Not Be Named pulled the rug out from under some events.  And I found myself heading to the Union Church of Hinsdale.  Tomorrow we will look back at those last few months before my March move to Chicagoland, because we did manage to get a lot done despite it all.  But I can't help thinking about what might have been...

Because of Jesus,
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5 comments:

  1. Unknown10/19/2010

    So do I get to pick up where you stop when you left in March? Which was one of the HARDEST 6 months of MY life... It's amazing what you think you can handle until you actually get in the thick of it and God makes you think twice about "HIS" plan. I still can not for the life of me understand how or why any of that happened my FIRST Sunday! Unreal to say the least!

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  2. CJ10/19/2010

    Dana, I am always open to guest bloggers if you want to chime in. They say God never gives you more than you can handle...I know you wish He had thought you were not quite so strong. Yet you were there when so many needed you. God knew what He was doing...

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  3. Anonymous10/20/2010

    Amen! I remember at the time being so thankful that Dana stepped in for us. What a blessing it was to know that people cared for us in difficult situations. Thanks Dana!
    -Erica

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  4. CJ10/20/2010

    Thanks Erica, and you are exactly right! And I also hear rumor you are going to be a mommy soon- CONGRATULATIONS!

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  5. Anonymous10/22/2010

    Thanks! We're pretty excited!

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