Granola Bar Devotional

I wanted to use my post today to highlight my devotional ministry - Granola Bar Devotional Ministry. I started this small writing group in the JANES Women's Ministry at Bay Area Fellowship. The GBD Ministry is now global, but it had its beginning in the local church. I believe if you want to start a ministry, you would not go wrong by starting it at your local church and in your local community.

I started this ministry because my women's minister was looking for more women's groups to get women plugged into the church and connected with each other. I told her that I was thinking about starting a writing group, and she said, "Why don't you write devotionals." I thought for a second and said, "Sounds good!" This was over three years ago.

I spread the word about the writing group and when the first night came for us to meet, I was so nervous! Several beautiful women came to the meeting who were leaders in our church. Let me tell you, I wanted to say, "Nevermind," and call it quits. God was pushing this introverted girl out of her comfort zone, and I felt so under qualified!

The women gathered around my dinner table, and I explained to the them what we would be doing. I told them why I was naming the ministry the Granola Bar Devotional Ministry (nutritional snacks for spiritual growth), I explained the unique design of the devotionals (small and square like compact granola bars), and I tried to act like I knew what I was doing -- which I did not!

Over three years of leading this ministry has taught me so much. I have learned that a few people can achieve a lot, that ministry should always be about reaching others, that I will never, never, never be perfect (thank You, God, for Your GRACE) and that starting a ministry is not a smooth process.

However, the most important thing I learned is that it is imperative to wait on God's timing. I found myself pushing and pushing this ministry to where I wanted it to go, and I became frustrated, exhausted and upset at God for making me do something that was so hard. I wanted to give up many times, but I later realized that God was doing a good work in me, not just through me.

A ministry should have what Joyce Meyer calls a "holy ease." Starting a ministry is not easy; but if you are frustrated with life, God and every one around you, you may not be aligned with God's plan. I struggled with this until I heard the following story on Christian radio:

A woman was driving a car through a construction zone. She was late to work and anxiously remained stopped behind eight cars waiting their turn to go down the street. A safety vehicle was slowly leading cars to the other side of the construction. The woman became so impatient that she sped around the safety vehicle and crashed.

What I learned is that God is our safety vehicle. He knows things that we don't, and He protects us from crashing. When we start a ministry, we need to make it our number one priority to seek the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we will speed off, lose control and crash and burn! We need to find a "holy ease" when it comes to doing ministry and not worry about what the world deems as "success." God's success looks quite differently than ours.

I constantly have to test myself. If my ministry is starting to control me (my time, my emotions, my thoughts), I need to reconsider my strategy. God has told me in no uncertain terms that my role as a wife, mother and a child of God are more important than any ministry. Playing hop-scotch with my children is more important than writing a best selling Christian novel. I can never forget that!

However, in my spare time (when all the kids go to bed) I forgo the TV and write and read for my Lord. So here is a little something I wrote for the GBD Ministry. It's just a small spiritual snack, but I hope it makes you smile!

Heavenly Smiles

When I am holding my baby daughter, she gives everyone heavenly smiles. She is in my arms, and she feels the freedom to spread her sweetness to each new face that she sees. Her smiles melt the hearts of the passersby, and they always comment on how beautiful and sweet natured she is. However, when my daughter leaves my arms, her sweetness completely disappears. When someone else is holding her, she frowns and cries and lets the whole world know her displeasure. She has no more heavenly smiles to share and no more sweetness to pass out. She is completely miserable and makes those around her anxious. . . . Read the rest here!

*If you would like to make Granola Bar Devotional Ministry a part of your writing ministry, please check out our Information Page. We try to ensure that our devos have one spiritual nugget in each, and no more. We are not trying serve up a spiritual feast....just spiritual snack buffet!

This post is dedicated to the original GBD Girls: Jeannie, Tammi, Susie, Mariah, Sunny, DeeDee, Vicki, Liette and Christina.