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At nearly 10 last night, our neighbor boys came over - pounding ferociously on the door as only they can do. :>) They needed a band-aid - the six year old had scraped his back. So Darrell (he's such a sweetheart) invites them in, goes and gets neosporin and band-aids and gets him all fixed up.
The little guy says, "Do you think you would have time to pray with me to ask Jesus to come into my heart?"
He has two older brothers - one of them was saved at our VBS this summer - he's had a big change in his heart and attitude. His other brother is 12 and headed down the wrong path quickly. He was the one who had brought him over here - I was thrilled for him to get to hear that Jesus can forgive and I pray that he'll make the same choice as his brothers very soon.
I confess, I've had to pray for God to help me to actively love these boys as they stop by sometimes several times a day (and always when I've got my hands full of something . . .) to tell me the trivia of their lives or to ask for a glass of water. ("Even a glass of cold water" - I've actually quoted that out loud trying to keep perspective . . .) And there have been many times when I've had to ask God to forgive my "put out" attitude towards them. But God is helping me to see that this is ministry. All this listening and unexpected supper time visits, and rides to here and there - it's about showing them Jesus.
So whatever you're doing that seems like a chore. . . :>) join me in looking for God's perspective.
Thanks, Liz. Sometimes we get overwhelmed with the everyday things and forget to see the moments of ministry that we have before us. Brent preached last night on "Let Brotherly Love Continue". We need to show our love to the brethren but also to those that we hope to have as brethren.
ReplyDeleteNicki Woodard
Ugh. I'm all too quick to whoosh them out the door--"No, they can't come in for snacks, You guys are going to track all over the floor, No, No, No." Ouch. The truth hurts.
ReplyDeleteI love your new blog. This was a great post.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed catching up with you again. It seems I don't make it around very often...I'll try to keep up better with your wonderful words of wisdom. :) I enjoy your posts very much! I've been doing some thinking on things, too, but I'm not sure I'm brave enough to post them, yet. :)
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work!!
Crystal
It seems like we've talked about this journey before, so I might be repeating myself. But this wonderful post took me back to lessons learned at the parsonage door in Alabama. I think finding the line between proper boundaries (with kids who have none) and opening my heart was part of the struggle for me. Even here in Indiana, I remember the struggle to find that balance again with my neighbor kids. That cup of cold water has whipped me in the tail many times, too. Until I finally stopped wanting the whippings and just started taking whatever jug of juice or loaf of bread we had around and passing it on. Reading this this morning has made me think that I need to be looking around to see what I might be missing in the midst of my pregnancy exhaustion and survival. I'm a latecomer in discovering your new blog. Looking forward to your provocative pontifications!!
ReplyDeleteLove ya so much, sis. All too often ministry opportunities start as inconveniences, huh? Keep on keeping on!
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