Involvement

I am blessed, truly blessed.  I have the privilege of working with 5th and 6th graders at my church.  I have worked with them on and off for over seven years.  The kids I started out working with are now seniors in high school and freshmen in college.  I can't believe it.  I stopped for a year or two so I could really work with the college ministry.  

Then I was asked to help again....I very reluctantly said yes.  It is the best decision I have ever made.  In fact, I love that I said YES.  It took me a year to really figure out what the heck I was doing.  I came and served with a sort of religiousness and obligation.  It was a very dry serving for about 6 months.  I got nothing out of it.  I want did my time, punched the clock, got a smiley face on my test, and went home.  Involvement is so important, belonging, and serving is what God wants for us.  I have to say I not only served on wednesday but also Sunday's.  Seriously, it was not easy, and I tried to weasel out of it on numerous occasions but felt compelled to finish.  I was asked to speak, and those that know me know I hate public speaking, but I have been well prepared to get up and speak things.  It's sort of the way God does it in me.  I can plan and plan and stir and got for it, but I cannot ever know what's gonna happen.  Well the first time I got up to speak, I bombed like a missile in Baghdad.  I was so ill prepared.  

I still felt compelled to really go after the things I believe God challenges me in.  It's so funny that while I think I am so smart, but me in front kids, so pure and full of God, I am humbled and dependent.  I guess it is that vulnerability is right smack dab where God likes me, because lately that's where I have made my residence.  While I love it, and I am challenged, the truth is.....5th and 6th graders have taught me way more than I have ever taught them.  Well, the rest of the story unfolds in a leadership class that I teach on a weekly basis; these are the kids that absolutely want more out of their lives, and they are at a place where they want to go further.  I am humbled every week.  I through things out at them, they eat it, and beat it.  They overcome all their adversity, and are so hungry to hear the truth about what God is doing and what He wants from us.  They are like dogs who know they are going to get a treat. I can literally see them slobbering to hear.  It's awesome, but super heavy.  

You know the Kingdom of God is super simple; we are the ones that make it complicated.  We are the ones who make grace conditional.  We are the ones, who think we know better, but don't know really anything.

If you want to know what the Kingdom of God is like, come sit in the leadership class, or come to a Wednesday night service.  You will see it in its complete simplicity.  God is just insanely crazy about us.  He just is.  He is......I promise.

Peace

-b