Women in Ministry United Podcast

Do you struggle with embracing your limits? Do you feel as though you are losing yourself on this journey of leadership? In our final episode [originally #20] of the BEST OF SERIES, I share my conversation with Pastor and friend Ashley Engle.

During our time together we talked about the challenges of leadership and what we’d tell our younger selves to remember along the journey. It was a refreshing, healthy dialog about our need to embrace the gift of limits and the importance of giving ourselves permission to live in a way that honors how God has made us.

There are so many things that Ashely shared that speak to me and my personal experience...and that's why I believe this episode has been listened to more than any other...because Ashley's struggle is our struggle. She gave voice to what we are going through. She was able to put into words what many of us could not or have been afraid to say.

Connect with Jen

If you need help creating a pace of ministry that accepts your...

Do you feel like things are out of your control? Have you told yourself change will never come?

We are in the middle of our BEST OF SERIES where we are replaying the most popular episodes of the podcast. Although this episode [45] originally aired last year, many things have remained the same.

When the world seems out of control, it is tempting to believe that you've lost all control. However, that is simply not true. You have control over so many things! In this episode you are challenged to broaden your perspective and given strategies to exercise the control that God has given you.

Welcome to the BEST OF SERIES where we replay the most popular episodes of the podcast.

We are starting off by talking about the feeling of discontent with who you are and what you do. This episode [17] originally aired in June of 2019.

Many of us struggle with feels of discontent around who we are or what we do and we keep saying to ourselves, "there must be something more." In this episode, I confront our discontent with the assertion that our feelings stem from trying to be someone or something we were never meant to be. Could it be that your discontent is God’s way of stirring you and getting you out of the comfort zone that is keeping you from being the person He is calling you to be? Or could your restlessness be a by-product of the fatigue that comes from chasing a dream that was never yours?

Planning time off...is that hard for you? Is it hard for you to intentionally take chunks of time and set them aside, designating them as time to step away and not be in charge? Is it hard for many people, including for me!

Most of us have a hard time being intentional about looking at the months ahead and carving out space to step away. We'd rather get to a season when there is a lull...things slow down and there is calm after the storm. We wait until everything is checked off the list and taken care of...and THEN, then we'll decide to take time off. The problem is, that time rarely comes! There is always something. The only way that most of us will have time off is if we plan it in advance.

Have you planned your time off? Do you have time set aside that will look different from the regular pace of life and ministry? Now's the time. Decide when you will have time off. Mark it off on your calendar now. Even if it is two days here, three days there...whatever works for you,...

Do you ever go through the day just trying to keep up? Does it feel like you're running late and can't keep up? Does time get away from you? It is easy for the day to become hectic and to feel like you don't have enough time. But there are a few simple things that can help you plan your day to make it go as smooth as possible.

Tips to Help You Plan Your Day

Many people have said that a successful day starts the night before and there are a few things you can do before your day even begins:

Look at the day ahead of time. This way you are not caught off guard by surprises and can plan thoughtfully and not on the fly.

Make decisions the night before. Take the guess work out of as many things as possible and save yourself precious time and mental energy by making simple decisions the night before. For instance, what will you wear? What's for dinner? What will your workout be for the day? Whatever helps you get moving and keeps you moving!

Connect with the people who will be...

Do you remember the saying, "you can never have too much of a good thing?" Well, in some instances, that can spell disaster, particularly in ministry.

We are a society that believes the larger the initiative, and the more you do, the better. But in many cases doing more means achieving less. An increased number of events and doing things on a grander scale gives us a false sense of effectiveness. This type of thinking extends beyond secular culture and has infiltrated the church and various ministry organizations as well.

Many people who serve in ministry feel overloaded and fatigued. They go from one big project to the next. They are spread thin, and their leadership suffers. Instead of undertaking a few high-quality ventures that spur transformation, they crank out program after program that has minimal impact, leaving them and their people tired and overused.

More+Bigger DOES NOT EQUAL Better!

You can be a relevant church or ministry organization without overloading your team...

Today, God invites you to open your heart and allow His word to be spoken over you to strength your soul. There is nothing required of you. No call to action. Just come and receive and know how much God delights in you and in this opportunity to love you today. Listen. Receive. I know, you’re busy. You want to learn as much as you can. The temptation will be to go to another podcast or to the next thing. Allow God’s word and affirmations of His truth to be spoken over you is more powerful than any other strategy you could learn or implement in your ministry.

Be Reminded of God

• How great is the Lord. His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension.
• God’s faithful love endures forever.
• God is for you so you will have no fear. He will help you.
• The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things, it is raised in victory.
• Everything the Lord does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails.
• God forgives all your sins and heals...

Trying to figure out how to manage all the expectations in ministry? 

In this episode, we go deeper into what lies beneath expectations and what to do with them if they are something we can't do. 

What are expectations?

• Assumptions, presumptions
• Hopes
• What they think would happen in the future
• State of Anticipating
• Feeling of what should happen

Where do they come from?

• Family, friends, neighbors, schools, people in the place of our ministry
• Formed and shaped by past experiences and personal definition of responsibilities.

Things to consider. Are the expectations:

• conscious
• realistic
• spoken
• agreed upon

What do you do with them?

• Ask God about the condition of your heart and for His guidance.
• If it was not agreed upon, acknowledge this in a kind way by saying, "I didn’t know that’s what you were expecting" or
  simply, "I’m sorry, I am not able to do that."
• If it was agreed upon, start a conversation. Talk about it. This is what I can do...this is what...

What Gets in Your Way of Creating Healthy Boundaries in Ministry?

This is a question I recently asked and the responses boiled down to 4 key things.

• I don't have a mentor. There is no one to help me figure out what this looks like and encourage me along the way.
• I don't know how to say no.  Am I allowed to say no? How do I do that? What do I say no to?
• I am genuinely interested in the things I am asked to do. I would enjoy it and honestly, I'd be good at it!
• I don't know how to manage all of the expectations.

If any of these barriers get in your way, join me for the Margin Maker workshop. We'll help you get clear on your priorities, learn how to say "no," create a plan, shift your mindset and help you establish margin (which means you have to create healthy boundaries) for the long haul. Enrollment ends April 16th at 6:00p CT. Learn more HERE.

Connect with Jen

If you are loving the podcast, don't forget to subscribe on your favorite platform so you...

Does all that you do for God help you be your whole self? The answer should be YES, but many of us find that we end up losing ourselves along the way. Too many great, godly women are leaving their ministry positions. Some may step out of the position of authority, while others stay but are dying on the inside. We start off by saying yes to God and our God given assignment, but end up drifting to this place where we are not able to be the true, complete, whole person God called us to be.

The Trend

Far too many times, while we begin ministry with enthusiasm and hope, it ends up consuming all of who we are and tends to put to death the other vital pieces of our lives. None of us wake up and think, "let's say yes to ministry but ignore every other piece of ourselves or neglect important relationships," but it can happen if we are not careful.

Also Mentioned in the Podcast

Margin Maker. If you need to make margin in your life and ministry you won't want to miss the Margin...