BiblicalLeadership.com writer profile: Kim Niles
1. Tell us a little about yourself personally:
I've been married to my husband for almost three decades and we have one son. We claim his fiancée, our nieces, and nephews as our "kiddos" too. We also have the fur variety of kids ... our Great Danes. I'm very family oriented – family is my favorite!
Other than family, I'm passionate about ministry, the grief community, and marriages and families. I'm a grief and marriage coach and enjoy helping and encouraging couples, individuals and families.
I enjoy trying out new coffee shops with family and friends, writing, traveling, and cooking/baking. I also love Tae Kwon Do and have practiced this sport for 25 years.
2. Describe what kind of work you do, and what you've done in the past:
My sister and I are the founders of a grief ministry called Grief Bites. Having experienced the deaths of multiple family members—including our dad and sister—as well as many other trials and grief events in life, we count it a privilege to help and encourage grievers.
I am also a YouVersion Partner and write grief-related and inspirational holiday Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible app.
I also am a speaker, conference leader, and author, and have a new book that will be coming out later this year.
In church settings, I have served as a community leader, Sunday School teacher, youth leader, marriage coach, grief group leader, children's choir leader, Awana teacher, youth community specialist, women's Bible study leader, host team leader, young marrieds teacher, character trainer, and hospitality team leader.
I've also been a speaker coordinator for multiple speakers at large conferences as well.
3. What was your first-ever leadership role:
For my first leadership role, I was the leader and facilitator of a class called Character First for pre-K to 12th graders.
4. How has God grown you as a leader over the years?
I started out in children's ministry, then went into youth ministry, then into adult ministry. Each was incredibly rewarding, and I learned and grew so much as I served different age groups.
As I've served in marriage and grief-based ministries, the Lord has been so good and gracious to teach me many important lessons that continually grew me. God has also been good to allow continual personal grief and life events that have kept my heart soft and my grief fresh so I am better equipped to truly encourage and help those I serve.
When going through grief, loss, trials, and hardships, it's genuinely the best opportunity and time to learn from God's heart. Although difficult situations are never fun, they truly hold treasure, equip you to help others, and grow you as a leader ... and teach you to trust God and seek His heart.
5. What's the hardest leadership lesson you've ever learned:
The toughest leadership lesson I've learned is genuine forgiveness. There are times in ministry when you may be wounded by fellow staff, leaders, or the people you minister to. At first, it surprises and blindsides you, but as you trust God and allow Him to work through and navigate these tough situations, He teaches you to serve, better understand, love, and forgive others like Him.
6. What advice would you give to Christian leaders?
First and foremost, stay close to God's heart and seek Him each day and in every decision. Realize He is the one who equips us to help, encourage, and serve others ... and He has placed us in the position of leading and serving.
Also, seek to understand each person you lead or minister to and truly invest in their life. Get to know them as a person, encourage them, spiritually challenge and strengthen them, and help them find God's encouragement and purpose for their life.
And last, prevent discouragement and burnout by wisely prioritizing your spiritual life, marriage/family relationships, ministry, time, and health.
7. Most meaningful Scripture:
Psalms 56:8, "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book."
During everything we go through in life—whether joy or heartache—God intimately and intentionally cares for us. The fact that God keeps track of each heartache, collects every teardrop in His bottle, and records these hard times in His book ... wow! What an incredibly personal, caring, "all-in" committed, and loving Father! If you truly ponder Psalms 56:8, it's truly a life changing verse.
 | Kim Niles is the author of Getting Your Breath Back After Life Knocks It Out of You and is the co-founder of Grief Bites. She is also a writer and partner for YouVersion, a Community Leader at her church, and an inspirational speaker. Learn More » |
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