I love when we have the opportunity to serve as a family....like at the Shawnee Rescue Mission. It does get a bit tricky at times with Noah man being at a very busy age....okay lets face it there are times its next to impossible and the only way to describe our "service" is as "character building" for me :)! All that said we still go....my hope is always that us just being together and serving the poor will somehow impress upon them the great love Jesus has for all people.....and also that since we have been given much- much is what we should give back. So last night we took our precious youth kiddos and our kiddos and spent a while packing grocery boxes for needy families/persons. It was a rare night where everyone got to serve and here is what I learned from last night.
First, there is nothing like watching your husband serve and enjoy it. Sammy hasn't always been comfortable at the rescue mission- he wouldn't mind me saying that. He loves Jesus but the loving others was a bit hard for us until last year. I have seen God answer so many of my prayers for Sammy to be the Spiritual leader in our home(which meant mostly that God had to teach me to be submissive- those who know me know only God could do this) and for Sammy to love Jesus above us. Over the last year or so I have bee privileged to watch Sammy fall in love with Jesus.....above money, above career, above me and his children, and above himself! AMAZING!!! Don't get me wrong Sammy has always been a "nice guy" you know one of the good ones....but now he is a "broken for Jesus" kind of guy- ya know :)! So Jesus taught me last night yet again that He is faithful to answer the prayers of the faithful....and I am a humbled and blessed wife!
Second, he showed me what a surrendered heart in a teenager can look like. Our discipleship kids are nothing short of AMAZING!! I have two girls Bryse and Lydia and they love love love our kids. I am not sure if they realize how much it means to us as parents that our kids get to see teenagers living for Christ! These girls have both been to help us serve and their hearts for the Lord encourage me. Sammy has Drew in discipleship and he too is amazing. He loves our kids plugs in with them and they have all become a part of our family!! Last night in particular the they took their spots happily on the assembly line....with Hannah and Ethan right in the mix of it. They served with gladness and happy hearts. The Lord taught me the power that a young person yielded to Jesus can have!!
Third, He taught me that Hannah and Ethan get it. I sometimes wonder if they really understand why we do some of the things we do....or make some of the choices we make....and He constantly reminds they do and He is growing them into Him!! Hannah and Ethan served with happy hearts for the entire couple hours we were there. No real complaining and with JOY- something most of us adults need to learn! At one point I heard them making matches with soups- like the match game! So once we were home we got them ready for bed, and I asked Hannah if she had a nice time and she said to me "Yeah momma we should go every week because Jesus fed a lot of people tonight....we were part of a miracle". That tickled my heart! And when I told Ethan I was proud of how he had served he said, "well mom that is what prophets do". He has recently started telling us he is going to be a prophet when he gets big....while we have some explaining to do about this it is amazing....he says he wants to be one because they get to see God....and I quote "if you do really good at being a prophet God just takes you right up to heaven to be his friend like Elijah". At least they are listening and serving the Lord with gladness!
The last thing I was reminded of last night was that Jesus loves the hurting. What he has done at the mission over the last couple of years is humbling. His hand is at work there and he has given us a mission field ripe for the picking just waiting for laborers. He meets tangible needs there weekly, but He also becomes living water to many every week....who will now never thirst again. Over 100 families will receive groceries and last week 8 people received Christ! Thank you Jesus for showing us how to love! We are all the same distance from God's grace apart from Jesus.....love seeing that gap bridged with Salvation.
Now, just so no one is left thinking wow everything in their house is perfect etc.....this is my blessing day after days of the kids and mom not wanting to do school, my almost four year old wetting 2 beds in one night (I have no idea how that happens), and me trying to rush God and my hubby into a decision, a week of way over-eating, and repentance on my part for secretly wanting to drop kick Ethan for wetting two beds( how is that for honesty I didn't do it- Sammy promptly prayed over me at this point). Okay so its still crazy and on most days a beautiful disaster at best.....but we are learning and some things are sticking!!!
