The Real Nicole.

"Well, it must be so fun and full of joy to always get to play with children for your job. Colouring in, bubbles and craft, I have the older ones-  teenagers, they are starting to have the real issues, its difficult, doing what I do, it  must be for easy and fun for you." This was the start of a conversation I found myself in the other week, in that moment I had a choice of responses to make, I could either; A) Smile and agree B) shut them down, argue and tell them about the 'real issues' I had faced with the children in my care in that last fortnight. C) smile and tell them how its not always that simple and easy but how its a privilege to walk alongside and listen to children in the joy of colouring in and the pain of life. I chose option C.  Even though I really wanted to take option B and get all 'real issues' on them.  You see it really is a privilege to walk alongside and listen to children, and sometimes it is fun and games and full of bubbles ...

For some of you who know me really well, you might be thinking, Nicole has always had a voice. But I want to tell you, this weekend I found my voice. It wasn't really lost, but it wasn't confident. It was hidden behind the fear of being judged or boxed a certain way. This weekend just gone we had the Presbytery and Synod meeting for the SA Uniting Church.  This is the business and governance (or AGM) meeting for the whole church.   I have been a member for a number of years at this meeting, but haven't really spoken on matters at the microphone.  This weekend, I went to the mic, not just once, but 4 or 5 times. Now, you might just say, well yeah, that's the process, you were just doing due diligence to the role and reason you were at the meeting.  You are right but let me explain a little more about why it was important for me to find my voice. During the first day of the meeting, in smaller working groups, I cautiously and nervously shared my thoughts....

One thing I've really struggled with since being Is Naracoorte is making friends. Don't get me wrong I've got some mates. But every week at church it's a real struggle to know who I should sit with. I pray that youth will come and not have their family with them to sit with. Often I sit alone. It's not nice. A few years ago I wrote for the New Times (Uniting Church SA magazine) about being a young adult in church and not being treated as an adult because its the church you grew up in and older members of church don't really realise you have grown up because they remember you as a kid. I thought when I moved churches and started in leadership I would be treated as an adult. But I still find that difficult in my new context. Not because people are horrible but I think because the age gap is big. Most of the church congregation is 40 years old and older. In fact I think there are maybe 5 people aged 20-40 in the congregation. Then there are youth.  Now these ot...

So I'm a  youth pastor right, it's something that sometimes I say out loud and it still blows my mind. It's something I always wanted to be and I am that now.  I don't know if I'm doing a good job, i thonk I'm doing alright, I might not be as cool or successful as some of my other youth pastor friends but I feel like I'm doing alright.  Last week I went to NYMC Encore which was a day conference for those in youth ministry.  It was a great day and totally worth  coming back the 400kms  to adelaide for the day, I got to see my friends, my family, my support network. But I heard from God too. Both on a personal level and also for my ministry.  One question I am left with after the conference is about young leaders.   Now I would consider myself a young leader. At 21 , I am young, I have been blessed with many leadership opportunities well beyond my years, but in still a young leader . I'm still leading about who I am and my style of lead...