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The second blog in our "Thankfulness in Ministry Series."

How did you get called into the Shine ministry?

Growing up, I hated school.  Really, really hated it.  I felt like it was a total waste of my time, and viewed my teachers as the leading experts on soul crushing and fun killing. The smell of the place (yup - elementary, middle, and high all smelled the same), the sound of the bells, the look of the portable buildings…they all give me this anxious nausea.

Why would I ever go back?

Well…

Along with the nausea-inducing sights, smells and sounds, public school brought me into close contact with the most precious creatures this world holds…people.  And these people, they made a deep, lasting mark on my heart. 

Sam, undoubtedly the smartest kid to ever attend Manzano High, lived in abject poverty just across Lomas from me. He made me laugh every time I talked with him.  Kelly often passed out at her desk.  She sought comfort from the horrors of her life through cutting and probably drugs. Heather’s sister showed up at lunch one time to say good-bye to her…she was 16, and had decided to run away.  I cried with Heather through the day.  Tamara’s mom was a Buddhist, her dad an atheist.  She taught me how to ask great questions, how to listen, and how to be a great friend to a person who completely disagreed with my worldview. 

Ms. Fletcher could have been a professor at an Ivy League school, but she loved us NM kids.  She cried when we experienced sudden strokes of “brilliance”.  Oh, I could go on and on all day.  Public school is the place where the extraordinary, the needy, the hopeless, the anxious, the noble, and the hurting collide.  It is an incredible slice of society, and a surefire place to find people who are desperate for the hope only God can give them.

When Mountain Christian Church first had the opportunity to be partnered with a Title 1 APS school through Shine, I just felt like God was saying, “Here you go, Ash….all you’ve ever wanted.” 

Did I ever think I’d want to go back to public school?  Of course not.  However, to invest in the lives of the needy, to be an agent for change in a young one’s life, to bring relief to the suffering, to strengthen the trembling hands of those on the front lines (teachers), and to do it all in the name of Jesus Christ?  Honestly, it seemed too good to be true. It is the ministry of my dreams.

How have you seen God work in you and your volunteers through your ministry?

Wow…has my faith, and the faith of my Shine teammates…grown by leaps and bounds through this ministry!  We have had such little control over this thing, and have had to simply trust God at every turn.  Would the principal and staff of a public school really welcome the help of a church?  Would we have enough volunteers to help at the events we were actually invited to help with?  Would the love of God really be communicated through our efforts?  Would we have enough resources to actually make a difference there?  And, what does making a difference even look like?  What are we supposed to do with all the overwhelming need that exists there? 

We have prayed hard; and at every turn, God has opened doors, built relationships, and lavished abundance in ways that only He can.  We often find ourselves giggling over His goodness, because it bowls us over time and again.

What has been the hardest aspect of saving and how did God use that to grow you?

Uncertainty.  Shine is an uncharted ministry.  I often say, “I have no idea what I’m doing”, because I really don’t.  I like routine, and I like to have a plan, and Shine lends itself to neither.  The wonderful thing about this is that I know that the success God brings to Shine has nothing to do with my efforts….it’s ALL Him; and the uncertainty of it all keeps me coming back to His throne for wisdom and grace.

What are you most thankful for in your ministry?

I am most thankful for the relationships that God has built between us at MCC and our A. Montoya family.  What a privilege it is to share laughter, tears, victory, and struggle with the kids, parents, and staff at our school.  While we’ve been honored to serve them, they have blessed us in countless ways.  Diving into another’s world when you don’t “have to” always begs the question: “Why?  Why are you doing this?”  Our friends at A. Montoya don’t really ask us this anymore. 

The love of Christ that inevitably sloshes out of us and onto them is obvious.  They get it now…we don’t serve them so we can feel good about ourselves or gain converts or show off our generosity.  We love them because God loves them.  That’s it.

We are so grateful to Ashley for sharing her heart for God and the Shine Ministry with us! What an inspiration to see how God uses His ministries to transform lives! Click here for the rest of Ashley's insights on how serving through Shine has made her more grateful, trusting and aware of God's presence in a few days!

Over the past few months we've considered how we can encourage MCC members, and those in leadership positions at MCC, to be thankful for the ministries they serve in while considering how it has changed their perspective and allowed God to transform them. Sometimes it's only when you step back to look at the big picture of ministry that you see just how much God has done to your heart through your work for His kingdom. With that in mind, I've asked Ministry Leaders across MCC to answer eight questions about how serving has transformed their faith, walk and idea of how ministry can change lives; of those who serve and those who are served. This is the first in that series.

• How did you get called to become a Children's Church Teacher?

We started attending MCC when our son Cody was 2.  He would cry when I would try to leave him downstairs in class, so I would stay with him as he got comfortable.  Molly Malizzo was the teacher, and she was so very amazing and energetic with the kids.  Her animation in telling the Bible stories was mesmerizing!  I had taught Sunday school at our previous church, and I felt very led to join the team of teachers.  My desire to help my child grew into a love for helping other kids.

• How have you seen God work in you and your volunteers through Children's Church?

I cannot tell you how many times that the lesson I am scheduled to teach blesses me and speaks to what is happening in my life. So often the verses and stories miraculously meet my current need. This makes the stories easier to tell and have a bigger impact on the kids. I am humbled that God would work so personally in my life. My Bible knowledge and love of the Gospel have grown tremendously over the years.

• What has been the hardest aspect of serving and how did God use that to grow you?

I wish I could experience every child in my class accepting Jesus as their savior. As a teacher of 4-6 year-olds, I have to be content to simply plant seeds of truth. My job is to come alongside parents in leading their children to Christ. If they love Jesus more and know more about God and His Word when they move up to a new class, that is success also.

• What are you most thankful for in the ministry?

I am most thankful for the love from the kids that I receive in return.  To have a child say to me, “Are YOU going to be my teacher today?” or “I miss being in your class!” is a true joy.

• What would you say to someone who doesn't feel equipped to serve?

Focus on serving where God calls you to serve and trust Him to equip you. Serving should be done from the heart, not out of a sense of obligation.

• Why should people get involved in ministry?

You will be surprised at how much God blesses you in return compared to the time and effort that you put in.

• Can you share a ministry success from 2018:

One of my biggest joys in Sunday school occurs when every child chooses to pray aloud before the snack. As someone who never prayed aloud in a group until becoming an adult, I have a real heart to show the kids that Christian friends pray together. Over time, the prayers I hear are beautifully eloquent and about meaningful topics. These prayers melt my heart and renew my faith.

I grew up in Canada in a very abusive home and suffered much pain in my early childhood. When I came to faith as a young adult, I came to the church for help.  But, I didn’t find it. In frustration, I asked myself “Are my questions too big or are their answers too small?” 

After years of searching for help in the world, and literally blowing up my life, I returned to the church. This time, I was helped by a young pastor’s wife. During that point, the only books that addressed my type of abuse were written by Christian psychologists. While those books helped me a lot, they could only take me so far.

Psychology, and psychology books, never take you to freedom because it is still all about you.

Providentially, by God’s grace, I moved to the U.S. and met a woman in Biblical counseling. During my time with her, I matured in Christ and finally found freedom. The struggle to renew my mind was fierce. I had a lot of wrong thinking that needed to be changed. I needed to study the Word to see what the Bible said. My first session with my Biblical counselor was life changing. I asked her, “How do I love God?” and she said, “Open your Bible.”  It sounds too simple but it set a fire in me. And as I found freedom in God’s word, I wanted to comfort others with the same comfort I received.

As I mentioned, psychology can only take you so far; if you want to see permanent change then you must go to Jesus and His Word.

I began attending counseling conferences with my former counselor, studied and took the exam, and was certified by NANC (now known as the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors). It is a joy and an honor to “Open my Bible” with others. I tell people that I am a great signpost; I don’t have the answers but I can point you to Who does.

As I connect others to Jesus, I help them to renew their mind about God, about themselves, about sin, about their purpose, about God’s process, and about our maturity in Christ. There is so much joy in helping others find their freedom in Christ.

FEAR. I got into biblical counseling out of fear.

As a 26-year-old soon-to-be seminary graduate, the thought of counseling hurting people within the church absolutely terrified me. Somehow, I managed to reach my final semester of seminary without having taken a single counseling class.

Like most seminary students, I loaded up on the biblical languages, theology, and church history classes; not even considering the role of counseling in future ministry.

As a last-ditch effort, I signed up for a counseling class: Counseling Parents and their Children. Dr. Robert Jones taught the class which turned out to be one of the best classes I took during my tenure at seminary. Biblical counseling fused theology and ministry. I learned about the work of sanctification. I leaned into difficult, real-life situations that would arise in a church.

God masterfully used my ungodly fear to draw me into an unexpected area of ministry.

Since my time at seminary I have pursued biblical counseling by getting a certification through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, as well as going back to get an academic degree in biblical counseling. Biblical counseling, as much as any other training, shapes my everyday work as a pastor. The training in biblical counseling has increased my precision in preaching, grown my compassion for hurting church members, and given me a boldness for confronting conflict.

I would encourage you, whether you're looking for training in biblical counseling or if you want to grow more confident as a disciple-maker to join myself, Elizabeth Allan and Barb Mulvey for the One-to-One Conference Friday, November 9th from 6:30 - 9:30pm and Saturday, November 10th from 8:30am - 3:00pm at MCC!  This weekend conference will help you grow in the care you provide for others!

I look forward to the opportunity to meet you along the journey in biblical counseling. Whether you are brand new to biblical counseling or a seasoned veteran; whether you are looking to grow as a disciple-maker or pursue certification with ACBC, God will use our time together to grow us in our faith and equip us for the work of the ministry.

When I was hired as church secretary I thought it was the best job in the world. I loved it – I loved creating publications, communicating, and editing. I prayed over each bulletin as I folded it, I prayed in the Sanctuary walking up and down the aisles. I was eager for Sunday, eager for worship, eager for God’s people to gather together under His Word.

But there was a part that I wasn’t prepared for.

Although I really liked people, I didn’t realize they would come to me to talk about their problems.

I have to confess that I did a terrible job in this area. I wanted to comfort, I wanted to help, but too often what happened was gossip. I thought I was helpful in allowing someone to “vent”, but the truth is, far more damage was done. Oh, I didn’t tell others what was said to me, but there is more than one kind of gossip. Instead of lovingly pointing a woman to Scripture to bring healing truth and the hope of reconciliation, I would let her talk and affirm her pain.

In turn, I talked about my pain too. Until a precious sister in Christ boldly spoke God’s Truth to me. Not lovingly, not gently, but firmly. “You are in sin,” she told me when I tried to ‘vent’. She reminded me, “God doesn’t talk about His children that way. Why are you? This is wicked!”

Thought it startled me at first, but I am so grateful she was firm with me. The only place she left open to me was repentance.

She gave me the “Peacemaking Woman” book by Tara Barthel & Judy Dabler. Desperate to heal, to learn, and wanting to make things right, I completed the book in a week. Everything changed.

Since that experience five years ago, I’ve spent immeasurable hours spent studying the Word, praying with and for women, days encouraging women through the Word and being trained to become a Biblical Counselor. The morning I was to receive my Biblical Counseling Certification Letter, I woke up with tears streaming down my face. We were in Grapevine Texas for the 2018 ACBC Light in the Darkness Conference, and today I was the day.

It was the reason I woke up crying. Because our God is so good, so forgiving, so powerful to allow me this day. I knew this wasn’t my accomplishment alone – all the time in His sacred and living Scripture was illuminated by the Spirit. Every time I sat with a woman and opened His Word, it was His work that freed her. I simply had the privilege of watching.

I thought about the community who had brought me to this moment through prayer, encouragement, and exhortation.  Pastor Frank, the Elders who hired me as a Biblical Counselor, the Deacons who gave me the time off to attend the training's, my sweet women friends who kept telling me not to give up, my fellow biblical counselors who were in the arena and cheering, my parents, my sister, and my son. This moment was not just for me, it was for all of us to marvel at God’s graciousness and power to take a foolish woman and exchange her foolishness for Holy Spirit Word filled wisdom to encourage and equip others as they have me.

Why did I become a Biblical Counselor? So that I could lead others to Christ’s truths, just as my friend did with me five years ago. Because I KNOW there is hope for you! I don’t know His plans for you, but I KNOW He has them and I want to encourage you with it. Because I KNOW He can do crazy things, things that we never expect and bring beauty out of mourning. Because I KNOW deep pain and that His healing love is the balm that is necessary and I want that for you! Just as others have wanted that for me.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Biblical Counselor consider attending the upcoming One-to-One Conference on where we will discuss biblical counseling and discipleship. Click here to register and learn more.