This weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) was our first ever VBS (for the Ayars and for Wellspring Church!). Despite some new gray hairs and a few late nights, I was reminded of so many precious things by and through these kids and this work.
Our children's pastor volunteer lead has a HUGE heart for kids and a phobia of the microphone. She hates being the one in charge and loves loving the children well. So VBS? There were a lot of crosses in it for her. She had to take personal time off work to prepare. She had to speak in front of a lot of people. She had to be the one everyone came to when she would have rather been working behind the scenes. It could seem like that means she was the wrong person...and I know SHE felt that way lots of times. And for a performance, I guess she WOULD be the wrong person.
But discipling our kids isn't supposed to BE a performance. A performance has never truly discipled anyone!
For creating and maintaining a "people over perfection" atmosphere? She was IT. For showing the children that Jesus sees them and loves them and does not see them as an interruption? She was IT. For pointing the kids and volunteers to what HE wanted to do instead of what we all wanted to do? She was it.
She was it. So she did it! And carried her crosses (and I'm sure had a few tear sessions and panic attacks :) and looked to Jesus. It meant that VBS was slower and caring and had space and was intentional and precious. LOTS of people helping when lots of people didn't feel like it was their perfect gifting or idea of a fun time meant that kiddos who are rarely the center of someone's undivided attention WERE. That kids dealing with a lot a issues were given Jesus over just a giant good time. And today there were precious families in church who were not.
I also saw my kids really stretch, helping in ways and playing roles they didn't really want to at the beginning. Matt reminded me that the Lord has also given THEM really good gifts, and they are for THEM to use and not bury or use up on themselves. If we recognize that it is in the giving the Lord BACK His gifts are where joy and meaning are found, why do we tell our kids they can simply do what they want and what feels fun to them? I would have robbed them, and in the end, Sofie using her creativity and endless patience with the preschoolers and Lily acting in the skits and Nora helping the littles with the hand motions just pulled out so many of their God given gifts. They are pastors kids...and the church IS their ministry too...but they will also not be 18 and have NO idea what the Lord has built into them, or why. I pray.
Finally, as we all stretched...I was remembering that if you want results to change, you have to be abandoned. Willing to work. Ready to do the things. Ready to make room. Ready to add one more. Ready to invite and drive and sing and bake. If so many of our children are NOT walking with Jesus...if so many of our youth are NOT finding their peace in Him...if so many of our peers are giving Jesus the things they hate but not the things they love or are comfortable with...what are we ready to do differently?
How are we willing to pray? How are we willing to obey? How are we willing to serve? How are we willing to testify? What are we willing to sacrifice.
John Wesley's charge to preachers under him was always the reminder, "We've got NOTHING to do but save souls."
How distracted I can be from that single-focused work.
VBS truly reminded me. I'm so thankful!
This week I am off to OMS for missionary board meetings, which means I'm about to get re-ignited over that same work in more ways than VBS! Lily goes with me, both to hang out with her Haiti bestie Sarah and to finally get to OMS headquarters...this girl has missions on her heart, and if all goes the way I pray for them daily, God's got good gifts for and through these children for the Gospel!
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