About me 

My name is Christine COLLET, wife of a pastor and mother of four children who are now adults: Pierre, Olivier, Noymie and Alexis, to which must be added their spouses: Catherine, Marianne, Jeremiah and Mélody.

For as long as I can remember, I have heard of God and have seen his wonderful works in the church where I was born. As a little girl, I liked to come to meetings, even though I was very turbulent (according to my Christian relatives and friends). I was thirsty for God; his presence that I felt among his people did me so much good. From Sunday school, I keep only memories of boredom and religiosity, in any case, nothing that can nourish my nascent faith. Fortunately, the meetings were alive, the testimonies of God’s action were numerous, and the songs intoned in full by the Christians communicated to me the enthusiasm of God’s people. I was less than 10 years old when I decided to give my life to God: this approach was a no-brainer for me! I had already realized that nothing on this earth equals the wonderful salvation offered to us in Jesus Christ.

In the years that followed, the desire to devote my whole life to his service became more and more intense, until I met the one who shared that same desire for the whole life, my husband, Daniel COLLET. Our common aspirations naturally led us to build our home in this goal of service, applying us to follow the Lord with all our hearts with the means and abilities that were ours.

And we have never regretd these decisive choices in the first years of our life together. The children have added to each other for our greatest happiness. On the easiest and most difficult days, we knew them like everyone else. But God was so good! With love, fidelity, tenderness, thoughtfulness, he carried us, guided us, consoled us, rescued… words are missing…!

Now that I’m in my fifties, I look back and I can’t help but admire how carefully God has led my way since my childhood. Throughout my “career” as a pastor’s wife, a mother, a teacher, a monitor manager, as well as at the professional level, God prepared and equipped me for the work I do today: first, write the teaching materials of the Monitor Workshop, then share my experience and what I have learned from God with those who teach children.

 

How did the Monitor Workshop site come about?

It’s a bit of a long story, but so wonderful! If you are curious about God’s works, then continue reading… 

The time of learning

When my pastor asked me to take over a group of children to teach them (I was 24 at the time), it was not yet clear to everyone that the instructors needed to be trained. So I was entrusted with 25 children of all ages and I was allowed to do it… as I could.

The children gathered in the fully glazed multipurpose room of a neighborhood of a popular city. Soon, curious little spectators, after looking at the glass in their hands, which was happening in this room, began to shyly open the door and finally enter. Things were getting complicated for the inexperienced instructor I was! A sermon was not enough! These children full of energy and curiosity were just asking to receive, yet I had to know how to do it … My inexperience and incompetence could have made me give up, but I couldn’t decide to abandon these children. They needed God so much! I saw in them what God wanted to do with these lives.

Some time later, training for instructors was organized in my area. Leaving children and apartment to my husband, I left for a week of training, eager to learn. What a revelation! I got everything I could and as soon as I got back, I put into practice, as far as possible, the teachings and advice I received. The change has been radical and manifest! Finally, the children were attentive, they converted and learned to follow Jesus!
For years, in the various churches where I worked, I tried to provide a suitable education for the children I spoke to. This often required me to write the lessons myself, to draw, to invent, to make my imagination work, and above all to stand before God and pray, until I achieved the desired results.

Little by little, God made me notice the lack of consideration of children in some churches and, at the same time, he made me aware of the needs of the monitors. An idea was established in me: to share what I had received and acquired. But how do you do that? My husband and I thought about it at length and made it a subject of prayer, until an opportunity to work in the field of Christian publishing for children presented itself to me: the EEA (Children’s Association and Gospel) was looking for a person to update his teaching material. This is how I worked for 3 years in this beautiful work of God, in contact with committed and so warm Christians. At the end of the contract that bound me to this association, I had always intact in my heart the desire to share what God had deposited there… 

God leads the way

At that moment, I got sick, without the doctor finding the reason, probably some kind of virus…. For a month, I was bedridden, unsealed, unable to work. I took advantage of this time of inactivity to meditate and pray, bringing to God the burden of my heart for the monitors and children. A lead was beginning to appear to me: the creation of a website, with all the possibilities that this tool offers. But I rejected this idea, which seemed unachievable to me for many reasons, including my lack of confidence.

One Saturday morning, a Christian from my church calls me. Quickly and for no apparent reason, he moves away from the subject for which he contacted me and begins to tell me about my work among the children, encouraging me in every way possible to go further to use the talent that the Lord has given me for about an hour. Surprised by the turn of the conversation, I discern the thought of God in these words. The phone hung up, after reflection, I conclude that it takes more than that for me to undertake something, and anyway, what?
In the evening, a Christian woman from my church calls me in turn. We start talking and then, all of a sudden, she changes her conversation and repeats to me the same words that the brother said that morning (with whom she has no particular contact). The same scenario happens again! My heart starts beating hard because I realize that I am listening to prophetic words. There’s no denying the obvious! When I put down the phone, my decision is made: I will obey, despite my shyness, my various fears, etc., I will obey and God will take care of the rest…
Later, I told this brother and sister how God had used them to talk to me. Neither was aware of how God had used their mouths! No recollection of their words! As for me, their words were etched in my memory and in my heart, and I will need them in the months and years that followed.

From that moment on, God’s plan, its purpose and the way in which I was to proceed were clearly revealed to me. He showed me how he had prepared me for many years, in every stage and situation of my life, so that I would become an instrument in his hands to feed the children of his people. He showed me that he had planned everything for a long time, spiritually, personally, professionally, materially and technically. Everything was ready, it was the moment and there was no time to waste!

Get to work!

The following months were spent organizing the program and then making the content of the website. Although I was used to using various software because of my profession as an administrative secretary, my skills ended there… and my budget didn’t allow me to call on a professional webmaster.

It was just then that CVA Multimedia Productions http://studio-cva.com/   hired Jean-Paul VINCENT for his IT qualification. The impossible was possible! With enthusiasm and efficiency, Jean-Paul took the construction work of the site, and then with great patience, he undertook the second (great!) project: my training.

One year after my “yes” to God, the Monitor’s Workshop site was open to monitors.
The realization of lessons, illustrations, activities and others was a huge task and often I thought about what Noah had felt, alone at the foot of his ark under construction… So I hunted the demoralizing thoughts and turned my eyes to the Lord of the impossible, to the one who had ordered the work and who would bring it to its completion. He provided for everything, renewing my strength and determination, allowing me to receive words of encouragement when it was necessary. I often feel like an angel is standing next to me as I fill my blank page. The Spirit of God enlightens my thoughts, directs my thoughts and sometimes my tears flow before the wonders I discover in His Word. What a joy to pass them on to the instructors and, by the way, to the children! In 2015, I was able to give up my job to devote myself entirely to the Monitor Workshop.

I like to tell the children about the wonderful works of my Heavenly Father, to pass on to them the joy and faith he has put in me. Today, it is with you, instructors, monitors, and other visitors to the site, that I wanted to share this beautiful adventure that began a few years ago and will continue as long as the Lord desires.

“Lord, your love goes to heaven,   your faithfulness rises to the clouds.
Your justice goes beyond the highest mountains,   your decisions are as profound as the sea.”
Psalm 36.6