Let’s face it—we’ve all been running on caffeine, Goldfish crackers, and Jesus since the beginning of the school year. Many of us have been moving from one event to the next, barely catching our breath. Some of you are right in the thick of it as you’re reading this. The holidays are crazy. KidMin is busy. Life is full.

But this week, I learned something—something simple, but pretty profound—and I wanted to share it with you. It’s something I’ve heard every Christmas season for as long as I can remember, and I’m sure you have too. This time, though, it struck a chord. It made me pause.

In Luke 2, Mary is living through a whirlwind. She travels with Joseph to Bethlehem, which was no small journey. When they arrive, there’s no room for them in the inn. Joseph scrambles to find any place at all for Mary to give birth to the King, the Savior of the world—and it ends up being a lowly stable. And in that humble space, Jesus enters the world.

Not long after, a heavenly choir of angels fills the sky, announcing the good news to humble shepherds. They rush to find the baby the angels are singing about. When they do, they’re overwhelmed with excitement. They can’t keep it to themselves. They run and tell everyone they can.

And then there’s Mary.

Luke 2:19 (NIV) says, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

Mary stopped. She took it all in. She recognized that what was happening in front of her was holy and significant. This wasn’t just a sweet newborn moment—this was a look-at-what-God-is-doing moment. Lives were changing. God’s plan was unfolding. Futures were being set in motion in ways no one could fully see yet. Mary understood the importance of remembering this moment.

And that brings me to the other night.

I was standing on stage, running our annual Christmas program—something I’ve done many times before. As this verse was being read, I looked out across a room full of families. They were hearing about Jesus, worshiping Him, laughing, making memories, and simply being together. In that moment, I was overwhelmed with joy.

I felt incredibly blessed—and I knew I needed to do what Mary did. I needed to treasure it. I needed to ponder it.

I think sometimes in KidMin we get so caught up in the planning, the details, and the execution (all important things!) that we forget to pause and really look at the why behind what we do. We plan events for families. We intentionally point kids to Jesus. We weave the gospel throughout everything.

But we also need to step back and watch how Jesus is actively moving in those moments.

We need to notice the families.
We need to notice the joy.
We need to notice the seeds being planted.
We need to be like Mary—treasuring and pondering these KidMin moments in our hearts.

Even though I’ve heard this story so many times before, in that moment I felt God nudging me in a really powerful way. It wasn’t loud or dramatic—just a quiet reminder I couldn’t shake. This simple verse, tucked into a story we tell every Christmas, is actually pretty profound. And it’s not just for December. It’s for the middle of the year, the busy seasons, the exhausting weeks, and the moments we’re tempted to rush past. God is still moving in all of it. And like Mary, we’re invited to slow down, take it in, and hold onto those moments—long after the Christmas decorations are packed away.

In the middle of the chaos, may we be leaders who pause long enough to notice God at work. May we treasure the moments that feel ordinary but are anything but. Let’s be like Mary—stopping, pondering, and holding tightly to the sacred KidMin moments God places right in front of us.​

Jodie Slongo is the Kids' Director at Stony Creek Church in Utica, Michigan, and has been involved in Kids Ministry since her teenage years. When she's not serving at church, she enjoys spending time with her family. One of their favorite activities is visiting the charming town of Frankenmuth, where they go about once a month. They especially love exploring Bronner's, the world's largest Christmas store, where Jodie is always on the lookout for unique or cool ornaments.