Dear:Pastor (A letter from your youngest worship leader)

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backsliding, Bible, boring sermons, children, Christianity, church life, Confessions, devil, God, Israel and war, Jesus, Jews, lost generation, mundane, need for young people, not growing, Pastor, religion, religious leaders, Word of God, youth

I try and be a good Christian girl and follow God’s commandments and ways of Jesus. Yet I fall short DAILY as I try and die to my fleshly desires it’s not easy being a Christian in this modern day especially when it comes to romance and love but that topic is for another day .

I have been attending your church for the last six years and yes I have grown in leadership and found healing, joy, deliverance and made good friendships learnt alot etc but lately church has become a dreary place.Yes I understand and grasp the concepts that we are the church and that we should go expectant to worship Jesus and not man but as a young person that has grown in zeal and love for God and his work,church and people I find church quite boring.

I have felt this way for a while now since lot of the folks left our church and the numbers dwindled I know you see the numbers as it’s part of your job, but its quite scary to witness from the stage as I lead worship on a Sunday. Not that I watch the people but some Sundays when we start I often wonder where are the people? Never mind the young people. When a group of people left our church a while back and all the young people left as well I stayed faithful and true as God didn’t say its time to leave.I know God builds the church and that, you’re merely the vessel and instrument he uses. In all honesty and highest respect for you Pastor things do need to change. I am not trying to disrespect you or God’s delegated authority yet I can’t sit under your voice every Sunday as you take us on a journey of your family life, your working days at the Court, Army days when you get so excited about rifles or your passionate views and history like talks about Israel, the Jews and your family heritage that is somehow linked to you being half Jewish.

I love the Jews and yes the war that is going on is REAL and I try and remember that and to pray for world peace.I just want you to know yes I am leaving your church because I’m moving away, but also because I need church to be fun, exciting and inviting. It’s said Go where you grow and I’m not growing. Sometimes I find myself backsliding in more ways than one. It’s not your fault entirely I should seek God for my own but if the church has no platform for young people/young adults my age then there is a generation lost and free for the devil to have his way with.I am not saying become like the next mega Church, but do think about your approach to your sermons and talks. I know lots of people that left that had enough of the same things too. You’re always doing some series on David or your current one on Isaiah. What happened to just talking about relevant topics or from your heart.? And by relevant I do not mean talk about the war in Israel that you have to mention every single Sunday!We already know you’re half Jewish. Do you really have to remind us again and again? You are becoming redundant.When there are so many topics and Bible scriptures to choose from or does God only speak to you about Jews and your family? If so I need to have a serious chat with him.

I do not know how to run a church so know that I’m not hating on you or anything I am just a leader in your church and a preschool teacher by profession. I probably have no idea what I am talking about,but I know that if I do not engage my children in different new and exciting teaching ways I will bore them and they will lose their love for learning. Your sermons/talks have lost its lustre and is not challenging me to be a better Christian and not pulling me to press into God.

It’s said in 1 Corinthians 9:22 that we have to become all things to all men so we might save some of them  (paraphrased) so if you don’t want to lose anymore people young and old think about your approach to bringing the word of God across.The word of God is supposed to be exciting, alive not dead, fun and not boring . I remember children’s church days how exciting it was and how one could not wait for big church and now I feel myself wishing for a reversal. 

In conclusion I’d like to thank you for all you did for me as a whole you don’t need to heed to my advice or counsel and you’d probably never get to read this which is also cool. I just needed to rant and vent.

God bless

© Melanie Arendse

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Little ones

Tags

children, Confessions of the heart, love of a child, my kids, school, teacher's heart

You already have my heart , little one no need to ask

“Teacher Mel do you like me? are you my friend?

If only you could comprehend that really you’re my friend

Coz , my day would not be complete without your

little hugs,

little touch,

little kisses

little fusses

My little ones

You play a Big part cos your love resonates through my heart

© Melanie Arendse

The Soul is healed by being with children – Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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anxiety, changed, children, Confessions, fear, healing, hope, Life, life goes on, love of a child, Making Lemonade, school, teaching, therapy, time

My soul is in the process of being healed and I can feel it I am better because of my kids at school. Their hugs and kisses filled with pure love has left a remarkable imprint on my soul and has played a vital part in my healing process.

Although leaving the house in the morning still proves to be difficult it has me looking around nervously and I am still gripped with some fear when I see a group of guys but I am healing and only time is a healer.

I am a woman so nothing like retail therapy does it better. I went out and bought a new pair of sneaks, I got a haircut so that’s how I’m dealing. I don’t want your pity or your judgement. If I happen to show some signs of withdrawal please don’t hate me for it , you be violated in any way and show me how you deal??

I am not perfect, and I am above all else grateful, and thankful that I am alive and still here. I have found enough squeeze in my lemons, I am smiling again, yes I am changed by what has transpired, but that’s part of life. Our experiences changes us inwardly, emotionally and without us having any say in it. So here I am changed but I am still the same? Contradictory much? Yes I don’t understand it myself, but I don’t need to because I can feel it…

Thankful for my little ones that play a remarkable role in my healing process.

Teacher Mel

© Melanie Arendse

Lessons from little ones

Tags

children, Confessions of the heart, Inspirational, school, teacher's heart

Working with preschoolers daily has made me realise how much more free I can be, how real, to say how i feel, to smile when I’m happy and to cry when I am sad. I’ve learnt that with them I can be myself. There’s no need to be something I’m not, or to put up a facade or impress I can just BE.

If and when I make a mistake they correct me and might say “silly billy teacher” and I’ll admit my mistakes knowing that I don’t have to know everything. I’m also learning and there’s no judging, ridicule, condemnation, fear of man/failure or of having to live up to expectations. They accept me for who I am. ACCEPTANCE the one big Struggle we all face daily in every walk of life.

Hence I believe we can learn a thing or two from these little ones and when we do and apply it in our daily lives,only THEN can we change the world.

Little lessons from little ones.

*Say sorry VERY quickly so you can continue to build/make/bake sandcakes with your friends.

*Be quick to care when someone is hurting even if you can’t do anything physically, you can call on someone bigger and stronger than you.

*To Trust if Teacher says she’s gonna catch you when you fall when you try and climb up the jungle gym…she will, she’ll be there have Childlike Faith.

*Be Unselfish, even if you have to take it out of your mouth to share (happened to me i had to eat sweet while child watched on) as Teacher taught us “Sharing is Caring” and teacher is always right ?? (or so they think in their uncorruptible, unpolluted little minds), though we know better.

I think Jesus had a good point and definitely knew what he was talking about, when he said  “Unless you become like a child you shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven” – Mark 10 v 15, The Bible.

So let’s strive to be childlike and not childish. Let’s forgive easily, learn to trust, let’s show compassion and in doing so we become selfless.

Teacher M

© Melanie Arendse