I love it when people ask me what I do for a living because it gives me a perfect opportunity to tell them about my church and that I have my dream job (I’m the Operations Director at Revive Church). And almost instantly after I tell them what I do, their reaction is usually something like…”so, do you guys basically sit around and hang out all day?” Or “You have it easy – working in ministry can’t be that much to deal with…” then I laugh a little bit and explain that working at a church, being in the people business, and running a ministry is so much more than “sitting around and hanging out all day.”
This particular week at our church we have a BIG event at the end of the week. We are expecting the most people we ever have before and in prepping for the event, I can feel the stress levels start to rise on the inside. Bigger projects mean more decisions to be made, getting more people involved, more money spent, more time given, less sleep, etc…so yes, stress can start to build up – if I let it.
Somethings I have learned over the years working with people and big ministry projects is that I can’t let stress dictate my attitude or the outcome of the project. Being under pressure doesn’t mean I have to crumble! Here are some things I keep in mind when stressful situations arise:
- Keep my focus on positive things. I take the word “can’t” out of my thinking, talk, and actions – and I remember what I can do.
- Address problems as they come in order of priority. When there is an issue, I choose to look at it as a “challenge” instead of something that seems hopeless. I work through the challenge with the resources I have and if things don’t work out the way I planned, I adapt.
- Take care of myself. I haven’t always done this…and I can definitely tell a difference when I don’t. Regular exercise and eating healthy foods make me feel better in every area and I am more equipped to deal with stressful situations. Find an outlet to let that stress go!
- Remember challenging situations that have turned out successful in my past and repeat steps as needed. This is a big one for me. If something has worked in the past, I try to keep it up and make small changes here and there.
- Ask for help… Eeek! Yes, shout out to all the control freaks out there! Delegate and ask for help! It’s not easy sometimes but it can save you time and energy.
There is no doubt about it, we will all have stressful times in life. And just because stressful situations smack us in the face does not mean we have to let it get the best of us. Realize that you are human and mistakes happen. When things aren’t going the way you want them to, readjust and change what you can. And lastly, understand that you cannot control other people.
Don’t stress y’all!
All the best…K
katiemichellerockwell 