Did you miss the first part of my story? Start here- My Story, Part 1- Telling
Going Home
After finishing seminary, I wanted to go anywhere in the world but home. My plan was to go home for one summer of fun to see my family and friend, then I would leave for England to work at a ministry center just outside of London as a church social worker.
God had other plans.
Summer at home turned into Fall, with still no final word on the ministry position. I started working odd jobs to make money while I was living with my parents. During this time the ministry position in England fell through and my Mom suffered a major heart attack that led to emergency bypass surgery during the Christmas holidays.
I was stuck. I was working a third shift job at a packing plant and I had no idea where I was going or what God was doing. I applied for a couple of ministry positions, but I wasn’t what they were looking for.
I talked with one pastor about a Minister of Education position. He prayed with me and told me that God was leading him to give me a collection of books about writing. He told me that God told him that one day I would be writing books for children and families. I graciously took the books and told him thank you. However, I left thinking, “I need a job not books and that the pastor was is a little off, because my grammar was horrible and I would never be able to write a book.”
I was sinking. I was back in my hometown and no longer felt safe and secure.
My former youth director, who was a pastor of a small church at the time, asked me to be his Minister of Education. Of course they could not pay me for the position, but they did have in the budget to pay someone to clean up the church grounds. I was going to be the Education/Youth/Lawnman Minister. (As I write this now, I can laugh and I really think it would make a great stand up comedy routine. This really is the life of many bi-vocational ministers.)
By myself, I would pack up my Dad’s riding lawn mower on his trailer and attach it to my Jeep and drive about 10 miles to mow around the church and cemetery.
I loved that little church. I was starting to build relationships with the youth and the church members and becoming a specialist in lawn care.
Out of the blue, I got a call from a pastor of a big church in my hometown. He wanted to know if I was interested in a part-time temporary Children’s Minister position. Temporary? Yes, temporary.
I told him I was happy at the church where I was and would not be interested in a part-time temporary position, but was looking for a full-time non-temporary position. 
The pastor called back a couple of weeks later and asked if I would be interested in a full-time position with a few strings attached.
I really wasn’t sure about being a Children’s Minister even thought I knew working with children was an area I was gifted and had lots of experience.
I prayed about it. I interviewed.
They offered me the job.
I felt a peace and took the job.
I jumped with both feet into this new position. I started with VBS planning, summer programs, etc… It fit me well and I was good at it. I loved the kids and the families.
One of the first things I accomplished was establishing safety and security policies to protect the children.
It was a great 5 years. God surrounded me with wonderful friends and a supportive church family. The staff and the members taught me so much about serving and ministering.
I didn’t share much about the abuse of my past. I would share with individual women or when asked to give my testimony to women’s groups, but not to mixed groups.
I was on a firm foundation. I put the abuse behind me and focused on ministry.
But, what about love?
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. Psalms 40:2 (ESV)
