Chapter 1: An Empty Office, But a Full Heart
Nadia sat in her new office, staring at the small desk in front of her. The desk, like the room itself, was bare—just an open Bible and a few scattered pens laid upon it. The shelves were empty, save for a layer of dust that clung stubbornly to their corners. The whiteboard mounted to the wall was as spotless as the bulletin board next to it, which, for now, only held two simple drawings her children had made during Sunday school a few weeks ago. The pictures were hastily colored with crayon—one of a smiling sunshine with a lopsided smile, the other of a rainbow and some misshapen animals—but they were more than just doodles to her. They were reminders. Reminders of why she was here.
She leaned back in her chair, her gaze shifting to the tiny window behind her. Through the glass, she could see the tops of a few trees swaying gently in the fall breeze, and beyond them, the rooftops of the neighborhood where many of the church families lived. The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow across the scene, but Nadia felt far from warm. Instead, she felt an odd mixture of anticipation and apprehension.
The truth was, this “office” hadn’t even been an office at all. It was a closet, really—a forgotten storage room that had been emptied just for her. The old items and boxes that had once cluttered the space were now piled in the back of the gymnasium, waiting to be dealt with later. Pastor Rob had promised they’d clear out a proper office for her eventually, but for now, this little room would have to do.
Nadia smiled to herself. An office wasn’t what she’d come here for. It wasn’t what had been keeping her awake at night, praying and wondering what she could do to help the children of the church, to give them a place to grow in their faith. No, it wasn’t the space that concerned her. It was the task before her, the weight of the responsibility now resting squarely on her shoulders.
She turned back to her Bible, though she hadn’t really been reading it. Her thoughts wandered, carrying her back a few months to when this all began.
It had started with a note. An anonymous one, or at least she had thought it was anonymous. She had slipped it into the offering plate one Sunday morning, a simple letter expressing her concern about the state of the children’s ministry. She hadn’t signed it, hoping her words would speak for themselves. After all, she was just a mom—no formal training, no experience, just a mother with a preschool daughter and an elementary-aged son who had noticed that the kids’ ministry at their small church lacked direction. Several families had left the church recently, lured by the larger congregations in town that boasted about their "amazing" children’s programs. Yet Nadia had stayed. She and her husband had both felt that this was where God wanted them to be. This was their community.
Then came the pastor's response, a moment she still remembered as clearly as if it had happened yesterday.
“We’ve been praying for someone to lead our children’s ministry,” Pastor Rob had said with a kind, knowing smile. “Maybe you’re the answer to that prayer.”
The shock of his words had nearly knocked her off her feet. Her? Lead a ministry? She had laughed nervously, scrambling for some way to politely decline. She had mumbled about her lack of qualifications, her inexperience, the demands of her own family life. Her words were a jumble of excuses, each more disjointed than the last. But Pastor Rob had smiled through it all and simply replied, “God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.”
That phrase had lingered in her mind ever since. *He equips the called.*
And so here she was—sitting at an empty desk, in an empty room, with empty shelves and a heart that was full of questions. What now? What was she supposed to do? She didn’t even know where to begin.
Her eyes drifted to the old bulletin board. The two crayon drawings hung there, innocent and bright against the blank corkboard. Nadia smiled, a lump rising in her throat. Those were her children’s drawings. Her son, Tyler, had drawn the sunshine, and her daughter, Emma, had created the rainbow. They had been so proud of their work. And now those pictures were the only things hanging in this space, reminding her of the children she had come to serve.
With a sigh, she pushed back her chair and slid to her knees on the worn carpet. She wasn’t sure what to pray, or how to begin. Words didn’t seem sufficient for what was on her heart. So, instead, she let her thoughts drift upward, her emotions unspoken but deeply felt, as she sat there in the quiet. She wasn’t just praying for herself; she was praying for the children she would soon meet, the families she would soon serve, and the future of the ministry that God had, in His own way, entrusted to her.
After a few moments, she rose to her feet. Her knees were stiff, and she felt a bit awkward, but there was a calmness in her heart that hadn’t been there before. It wasn’t an answer, not exactly, but it was something.
Returning to her desk, Nadia picked up her phone and opened her web browser. If she was going to do this, she needed help—resources, ideas, direction. She quickly typed into the search bar: “How to lead a children’s ministry.”
A list of results popped up, and her eyes scanned the screen. One link stood out: “Kidology.org: First Steps for a New Children’s Pastor.”
Her heart skipped a beat as she clicked on the link. She didn’t know exactly what she was looking for, but she knew she needed guidance. She needed to know she wasn’t alone in this. As the page loaded, she felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something good.
She glanced again at the drawings on the bulletin board, and Galatians 6:9 came to mind: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
The weight of her role still pressed down on her, but in a way that felt different now. It was no longer a burden—it was a calling, something she was meant to carry, and she knew she didn’t have to carry it alone. God was with her. And that was enough.
Her gaze returned to the window, the sun now nearly set, casting long shadows across the floor. As she closed her eyes, she heard a quiet whisper in her heart. “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
She chuckled softly to herself. “Easy for you to say,” she murmured glancing up, “you never had to run a children’s ministry.”
Still, the smile lingered on her lips. She had a long road ahead of her, and countless unknowns. But for now, she had an open Bible, a simple office, and a God who had promised to walk with her every step of the way.
This was just the beginning. And as daunting as it seemed, she knew that the journey was not hers to carry alone. It belonged to Him.
She looked back at the screen. The website was full of articles and resources, tips and ideas, all waiting for her to explore. But for now, she simply turned off her phone, picked up her Bible, and breathed deeply.
“Let’s do this,” she whispered.
Her heart was full. And though her office might be empty, she knew it wouldn’t stay that way for long.
The adventure was just beginning.
Join Nadia on her journey as she builds a children’s ministry, step by step, with faith and a lot of heart. The challenges will be many, but so will the blessings.
