Change can sometimes be difficult to understand. My life changed forever about eight years ago, the day I found out I was pregnant with my son. I was a young 20-year-old girl who was scared to death and wasn’t walking with God. After I became a mother, change came quickly!
I wanted to be a better person, I wanted to lead my child by example and God began to work in ways that were mysterious to me. When my son was not quite a year old, I started my job in the nursery at the Asbury Campus. I wanted my son to grow up in the church, and decided I might as well get paid for it! What began as a part-time job opportunity changed the trajectory of my life. It opened my eyes to my love for children’s ministry. It gave me opportunities to work with some of the sweetest people I’ve ever met and helped me understand the importance of a church family.
Change was happening in my life faster than I realized. St. Luke’s needed help at the Downtown Campus in Threefold, and as much as it saddened me to leave the Asbury Campus, God was making changes in my life that helped me grow in faith. After graduating college, I found myself managing Threefold and was offered the opportunity to work in Edmond part-time in the Children’s Ministry. Once again, God was moving quickly!
In August of 2016, I became the full-time Director of Children’s Ministry at the Edmond Campus. I never anticipated this, but God took hold of my heart and life and in three short years, He turned my world around. I’ve learned so much since starting at St. Luke’s but one of the biggest lessons is this: in order to grow we must be willing to go through change. Even if the change is painful, difficult or scary, we can trust that God has a bigger plan! He wants only good for us.
God had a bigger plan for Jesus! He knew what His son was going to have to endure, He knew the challenges and ridicule He would have to face. Jesus knew, too, and even asked God to change His plan for Him, but God knew what Jesus would have to do in order for the world to be saved. During this season of Lent, I pray we can all look for ways to change and grow, in order to grow closer to God.
Taylor Easttom, Edmond Campus Director of Children’s Ministries
