Joyful Servants

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:

1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)

                At the age of sixteen, I started my first job as a server at a small restaurant in our town to earn some spending money for myself.  However, the benefits that came from that first job forever changed my outlook on life.  While waiting tables, cleaning up spills, washing dishes, and occasionally preparing food, I began to understand the importance of serving others.  I quickly learned that quick, friendly, and enthusiastic service would get me a larger tip pushing me to always be in a good mood.  However, as I continued to work in this restaurant until graduation, I began to understand the joy that can come with serving others.  Seeing people have an enjoyable dining experience simply made me feel better about the job I was doing and the service I was giving to them.

                In college, I was able to take a mission’s trip three times and have led several since.  While my service is no longer rooted in receiving a big tip it is still anchored in seeing the positive reaction of others.  Joy floods my heart, when I am able to help other people and bless their lives through my God-given talents and skills I have acquired over the years.  The blessing of serving others is something that has always captivated my heart!

                This past week, June 30-July 7, our church supported over sixty people to go and serve others in the name of Christ.  I was thrilled at the opportunity to be a part of this experience as I knew it would impact not only those we were serving but also the lives of our students and adults as well.  I was anxious to see how God would work through the projects as we joyfully served others.  However, my week took an unexpected turn when I had to leave the trip to go and support my father in the hospital who had some complications after a recent surgery.  My dad was able to return home on Wednesday and I returned back home late Wednesday evening.  At this point I could have stayed home and enjoyed the most conveniences that many of us have, however something continued to pull at my heart to go back to Steubenville and see the work that had been accomplished during the week.

                On Friday, I was able to travel back to Steubenville to see the projects, reconnect with the mission’s team, and see an amazing group of seniors lead devotions that night.  Their smiling faces, sweaty shirts, and loving hearts were on full display as each of them shared about the work they had done during the week.  Despite the heat and the lack of modern conveniences these students/adults embraced the challenge to be the hands of Jesus and serve others with a joyful heart.  Their smiles, words, high-fives, and hugs all made me honored to be the youth director at Faith UMC.  The joyful service that each of the individuals on the trip expressed to others was amazing to see and I am thrilled at the opportunity that I will have to serve alongside of them in the future.

                Thank you, Faith Church for supporting this life-changing ministry!  Thank you mission team member’s for your joyful hearts of service!  And thank you Butch Ransom for your vision, leadership, and sharing your heart of service to those in need over the past 25 years!