Serve

I have to share this and I do not want to to put it directly on facebook.  

At age 15, I was trusted to take up the weekly Meals for Missions money at our church.  

At age 17, I was trusted with the little hearts that made up my first Sunday School class.  

Those two appointments were the seeds that grew into a love, no, a passion for service. 

 I had wonderful examples of people who served joyfully.  

I was just telling Larry a few weeks ago that I am happiest when I am doing something for the Lord.  

Well, my family will tell you it is not just some"thing".  I like to do lot of things to serve the Lord!  

The last few years has been hard on me.  

I had to give up my positions at church for health reasons and now I am not doing anything.  

But, I do not intend to keep it that way.

 I have to do something.  

In order for me to be happy, truly happy, I have to actively serve my Lord.

We trained our children to serve.  

Through the years I remember as I prayed for them I would tell the Lord I would rather they serve Him in full time service than for them to not know Him and be wealthy by the world's standards.  

I still feel that way.  

And if not full time, then I pray(ed ) for great lay leaders.  

When Rachel was a teenager we were talking about what she planned to do with her life.  

She said, "I just want to do what you do."  

Shocked, I said, "And what's that?"  

She said, "Nothing. But everything." 

 No, I didn't have a job outside our home.... that was the nothing part.  

"But everything."  I saw then that the training we were doing was not going unnoticed.  

That was one of the highest compliments I could have gotten. 

Serving. 

And last night, Ryan came home late.   

Some friends had got together after church, but he came home with youth service still on his mind.  

He gave the lesson last night. It was his first lesson for Wednesday night that he put together himself. 

(He had filled in for me in Sunday School a time or two.) 

He shared with me his lesson on Jeremiah 29:11 and how it is important for us to make plans 

but it is more important for us to consider God first in those plans 

and know that He may have other plans that are better than ours.  

Then he shared that he had put together another thought on service, but didn't use it this time.  

And then he said, "I never understood growing up why you had to do all you did in the church.  

But now, I get it. I can't just go and not do anything.  

I have to show them Christ."  

Serving.

Right now, I have two children who are serving in their churches.  

I am waiting and praying for the other to stop "something" so  "nothing, but everything"  can be done.

Obviously, I cannot, we cannot brag on anything we have done. 

Yes, we tried to train them, but we failed so many times.  

It is only by God's grace we can rejoice in their service. 

no greater joy...