Many of us find ourselves on a life journey in which there are often roads and detours that we wouldn’t have chosen. However, God’s plans are different from our plans . . .
Early in my ministry, I was on staff at a church that I loved! The church let me learn how to do ministry as they supported me, encouraged me and loved on me. But I had to leave . . . God called me to seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. I loved serving at that church, but God had other plans . . .
Fast forward a few years after seminary, I loved doing ministry on another church staff and couldn’t imagine serving anywhere else. God sent some incredible students through the youth group during those years and I loved it as we studied Experiencing God and the Mind of Christ together. To watch them grow deeper in their faith and to be a small part of the journey was incredible! In the midst of the joys and challenges in ministry, I became a young mom. As a young mom and minister I claimed Proverbs 3:5-6.
During this season, God opened an incredible door for me to step through in 1998 at 30 years of age. I began to serve as a State Missionary in Discipleship Ministries at the Georgia Baptist Convention. The position focused on my areas of passion – Kids and Family Discipleship and Bible Drill. I couldn’t believe it – How God wove all of this together and opened this door. I loved being a State Missionary and working with leaders across the state of Georgia. The opportunities of seeing kids grow in their faith through learning Bible Skills and participating in Bible Drill, helping equip new Kids Ministers and networking with experienced Kids Ministers were true blessings. In January 2019, I found myself at a new fork in the road. God had a different plan, a different path. He’d been preparing my heart again for the next step and journey and I just didn’t realize it. . . So after almost 21 years of ministry with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, I am trusting God to lead me on this new leg of the journey. During this phase, He is teaching me the importance of being still and waiting for His “road signs” along the way.
With this blog/website, I’ll be sharing about this journey in ministry and what God is teaching me, as well as sharing blog articles on ministry passions (Kids Ministry in general, kids/family discipleship, Bible Skills, Bible literacy, Leading kids to Christ, new Christian discipleship, VBS, missions, prayer, etc.), some of my creative passions (scrapbooking and card making), as well as a few family updates along the way.
I am trying (even though I am a “Martha”) to be more like “Mary” and sit at Jesus’ feet more often and for longer periods of time – instead of allowing the busyness of life to draw me away . . .
The beach, in the early morning, has always been a place for me to “sit” and remember to Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10. The picture above, taken on our mission trip working with a church planter in Hawaii in 2017, is a perfect illustration and reminder to me. The road reminds me of the journey. Seeing the beautiful scene of the ocean ahead is a reminder of our wonderful creator and for me to take some moments today to be still and know that He is God. . .
Thank you for joining me on a new Journey through life and ministry!
Maria Brannen 