By Lisa Davis
Shifting Direction for 2024
When I hear the word ‘shift’, I am immediately taken back to my fifteen year-old self learning to drive. My dad insisted that I learn to drive with a manual transmission. You know the drill; push in the clutch with your left foot while you change gears with the gearshift stick and find that perfect balance between clutch and gas that’s smooth, one that doesn’t send your passengers through the front windshield because you stalled the car! Hours and hours of practice are required to make these smooth transitions. It was especially challenging as I moved to Cincinnati to attend CCU for undergrad and lived on campus for a season over on Price Hill. Talk about intense shifts! Thankfully I never rolled back enough to hit the car behind me, but it really made me nervous whenever I needed to venture off campus for errands.
Shifting can be like that though, can’t it? My husband and I lost his mother in May of this year. She was our last living parent and had lived with us for nearly 20 years. It’s been a difficult shift; different ways of ordering our days and schedules. A challenge of not saying good morning or good night or I love you. Those shifts are sad and I know that many of you join us in the shift of losing loved ones this year. You’re not alone and I am reminded that Jesus sees every single tear that falls. He knows and He loves you.
I’ll be shifting my role at Mount Carmel in 2024. I completed my master’s degree in 2018 with an emphasis in Family Ministry, something very near and dear to my heart. I’ll still be overseeing our MC Kids team, but will be intentionally spending more time talking with parents on Sunday mornings. As the Family Minister I’ll have the pleasure and privilege to lean in to our Student Minister, David Rimarski. I’ve known David for many years and look forward to being his biggest encourager and cheerleader and we together set vision and goals for our Student Ministry.
Together with our Build Team, MC Kids, and MC Students we’ll be creating several unique opportunities for Family Worship Services this year. They will not happen on Sunday morning but a different day of the week determined by the calendar and needs of our families. Our focus: Family Discipleship.
I hope that our MC Kids families are following along with our December discipleship calendar that we printed for the month. It’s the first step in shifting the gear to parents discipling their kids. We would love to hear your feedback!
As I shift into my new role, I may stall the car a few times. It may not be completely smooth, But I know as we follow God’s direction in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NIV), He will be faithful in His presence on this journey.
“Hear O Israel, the Lord Our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Impress them on your children.
Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
With joy,
Lisa
