VOLUNTEERS, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU!

VOLUNTEERS, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU!

Picture this (well, you don’t really have to since there is a picture above)! It’s noon on a Wednesday, prime lunch time, and we’re at our local Willy’s Mexicana Grill with 20ish rising 4^th and 5^th graders. Our goal is to hang out, have lunch, and have Bible study. But as you know anything with almost tweens is not going to go quite as planned! Between ordering that takes forever, mixing every drink together, and eating with friends (WITHOUT PARENTS!) by the time we get to Bible study, I’m not sure if we’ll get anywhere at all. But Abby, the Children’s Ministry intern, and I decide to give it a try. We explain that during the month of June, we are focusing on prayer. We read Jeremiah 33:3 and talk about the fact that God listens to us when we pray. We talk about how God wants us to pray and talk to God about everything in our lives…the big stuff, but also the little stuff. At the end, we give every child a prayer journal and challenge them to write (or color, draw, etc.) a prayer each day this summer. But as we leave, I wonder to myself if they really “get” it.

Fast forward to Wednesday this past week.  It is noon so of course, I’m at Willy’s with the coolest loudest lunch gang ever. One student who was sitting across from me gets my attention. She holds up her prayer journal and says, “You know, when you gave these to us, I really didn’t think I would use mine. But it’s been really cool. I’ve already written 27 prayers. I’m talking to God so much more than I used to.” What? Really? Yes! I was reminded, again, that Children’s Ministry is a ministry of planting seeds. We are meeting them where they are, just like God meets us where we are. This is a reminder I needed, and as I reflected, I decided I wanted to share this with our volunteers as well. Because, let’s face it. Being a children’s ministry volunteer is hard. It’s wild; it’s crazy; it’s chaotic. Sometimes children’s ministry volunteers can wonder, “What difference am I making?" Let me tell you, you ARE making a difference.  You are doing important work….being there for them, being consistent, being vessels of God’s love. They are watching. They are listening. They are learning. They are experiencing God…BECAUSE OF YOU. 

I think this is an especially important message as we rapidly approach Vacation Bible School with 450 children and over 200 volunteers. Volunteers, whether you are walking children, teaching rec, craft, or Bible; you are doing important work. You may not always see the fruit of your labor, but know it is important; it is worthwhile, and it is making a difference. Thank you for sharing the love of Jesus with our children!!