06. Make changes and improve yourself constantly. I’ve had to reinvent myself as I’ve ministered to young people in the 70’s, the 80’s. the 90.s and now in the 00’s. Be a student of leadership. Improve your skill sets and abilities. Do what works! Evaluate, network, brainstorm with others. Choose to be a lifelong learner! Have a mentor or ministry friend coach and critique your service, your abilities or a meeting that you are leading. Have a makeover in your hairstyle or wardrobe. Wanting to improve is the first step in actually improving.

07. Guard your heart! Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” My mother told me years ago, “Grow tough skin but keep a tender heart! How do I do this? I stay away from complainers and negative people. Never let bitterness set in. Examine your thoughts with the Word. Wrong thinking causes strongholds to develop. Never compare yourself to others. In John 21:18-22, John writes “I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."
Weary in well doing and burned out don’t come from too much serving, they both come when you stop following Jesus and you don’t guard your heart.

08. Stay Focused. Don’t get side tracked. There is a big difference between a God idea and a good idea. Not everything that’s a good idea is God’s will for you to do. God doesn’t give me a green light on every opportunity that presents itself. You must learn to live by your priorities. Make a list of God’s priorities for you and live by them.

09.Learn how to encourage yourself! My favorite example of this principle is found in 1 Samuel 30:6, “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” This is a habit you must learn to last. It’s not your Pastor’s or your supervisor’s job to keep you refreshed, it’s yours. I use every tool in my tool belt, I go to church, I read my Bible, I pray, I stay full of the Holy Spirit. I go to conferences and seminars and network with others. I also have learned the importance of rest. Take your day off!
Exodus 23:12, says "Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.” Find a hobby or happy place (even if it’s work related, writing relaxes and refreshes me. Over the years so has fishing, cross-stitching, recording, writing, guitar collecting and playing, shooting, tennis and cycling.

Here are my top ten list to have power to last over the long haul in children’s ministry.
10.Never loose sight of who called you. Your pastor might have asked you but it was
Jesus who called you! He is with you! Matthew 28:20 tell us, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." God equips those He calls. You already have the power. (The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you!) Over the years I have had to constantly remind myself who called me, who I’m doing what I do for and that He believes I can do what He’s asked me to do. If God is for you, who can be against you? It was not my idea to minister to kids I was seeking the Lord asking Him what He wanted me to do, it was His idea for me to minister to kids. I have seen over and over again that God’s plan for my life is better than any plan I could come up with on my own.

Not everyone who starts something for God completes his or her assignment.
I know as many people who used to work with kids than people who have always worked with kids. What happened? The reasons and excuses are limitless.
There have been times through the years that I’ve thought about making a vocational change. But I haven’t. It’s one thing to think about it, it’s another thing to act on it.
Did you know even people in the Bible had thoughts like these? Look at Jeremiah 9:2, “Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people.”
Do you hear what Jeremiah is saying? Oh to run a Holiday Inn in the middle of nowhere so folks will check in and check out and I want have to deal with them on an ongoing basis. Discouragement not only comes at Children’s Pastors it also comes at your workers. I hear it every week! I need a break. I would like to take a short leave of absence. (Leave of absence is code for I quit!) God is leading me to another ministry or to another church and last but not least I they say the “B” word. I am burnout!
Burnout is not a part of God’s plan. Nobody starts out intending to burnout.
Somewhere along the journey people forget about the beginning. They loose their excitement, their hope; they let go of their dreams and loose sight of God’s vision for their life. How do you keep the new from wearing out on a ministry? Do what the Word says, keep yourself stirred up. 2 Timothy 1:6 says “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” How do I do this Jim? I’m so glad you asked. Over the next few days I'll be adding my top ten list to have power to last over the long haul in children’s ministry.

I’m so glad I never gave up on children’s ministry. I have had the wonderful opportunity to ministers to children in my twenties, thirties, forties, and now in my fifties. It’s been amazing to see the modern day children’s ministry movement grow into what it is today. I like to tell people I was in children’s ministry before children’s ministry was cool. There have been a lot of wonderful changes in how churches value children and offer ministry to them. Just this past weekend I was asked the same question I’ve been asked a thousand times. “Why are you still working with kids and not pastoring a church?” It’s simple I’ve prayed about it, I’ve tried to do different things but God always brings me back to what he called me to do in 1977 and that was to “train up sons and daughters for a lifetime of service in a local body of believers.” Have I ever thought about quitting children’s ministry? Sure I have, in the early days I thought about it every Monday. I believe with all my heart the Lord has called me to make a difference in reaching the next generation of young people and to help train this next generation of children’s ministry leaders. Here at World Outreach Church I have the best job in the world because I get to work with children of all ages. (Birth through College) I love making Christ real to kids throughout the whole maturing and discipling process. Has it been an easy journey? No there have been challenges and difficulties along the way but God has proved Himself faithful through every one and He has been more than faithful to lead me and strengthen me through every disappointment, trial and problem. .