I've been wanting to post about VBS all week, and only have time now that it's over! VBS was very different for us this year, and very much a blessing to our whole family on many levels. For the first time, we invited a missions team to come lead our VBS. Since last summer, at least four of the ladies who have helped with vbs weren't going to be able to this year, and I've got a newborn! So, when the offer came of a team that wanted to do vbs, we were thrilled.
So late last Saturday night some folks from our church met them at the airport to drive them down, and on Sunday morning, we met for the first time sixteen of the most wonderful, loving folks you'd ever hope to meet! The pastor and his wife from Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Church of Glasgow, KY brought this team, and what a blessing! They completely ran the VBS program, and poured their southern lovin' on everyone who walked through the doors of this church!
For the kids who came to VBS (we averaged about 18/day), it was powerful for them to see so many men in the position of spiritual leadership (there were 8 men/8 women on the team). We have always run our vbs programs during the day when the men in the church are working. I think it was quite a statement of faith and conviction, too, to the fathers who came to the closing program (and to some in our own church that might not be as inclined to get involved)...that men would think it worthwhile to invest in a trip like this. Yes, I know it's Alaska...but they were serving a bunch of kids all morning, not out hunting moose or bear or something!
Many, many seeds were sown in the hearts and lives of these kids...and God has promised that His Word will not return void!
They were such an encouragement and challenge to Mark and I personally as well. Their pastor Scott is also bi-vocational, which can be very challenging and tiring...it encourages us to keep on keeping on when we see others doing the same thing, and doing it well! And after the closing program, the team presented us with a whole showering of gifts...some of the gifts we were given instantaneously transformed us into Louisville Cardinal and UK Wildcats fans! (Now, the Holy Spirit brings great unity and love...tears were flowing freely as we all said our goodbyes, loving each other dearly and hating to say goodbye-and we had only known each other 5 days! However, it is apparent that the Holy Spirit cannot bring unity to a church in the area of loyalty to basketball teams)! :)
I could go on, but will just say that we are overwhelmingly humbled and blessed by the outpouring of love we felt from this team...and the highest compliment I think I can pay is to say that they truly live out "they will know we are Christians by our love." Oh, to never have someone finally meet us at church and say "I didn't know you were a Christian!" That's our challenge, each and every one of us. Put aside the things of the world, the worries of the day, the busyness of the moment, and let His love flow through us. They will know.
So late last Saturday night some folks from our church met them at the airport to drive them down, and on Sunday morning, we met for the first time sixteen of the most wonderful, loving folks you'd ever hope to meet! The pastor and his wife from Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Church of Glasgow, KY brought this team, and what a blessing! They completely ran the VBS program, and poured their southern lovin' on everyone who walked through the doors of this church!
For the kids who came to VBS (we averaged about 18/day), it was powerful for them to see so many men in the position of spiritual leadership (there were 8 men/8 women on the team). We have always run our vbs programs during the day when the men in the church are working. I think it was quite a statement of faith and conviction, too, to the fathers who came to the closing program (and to some in our own church that might not be as inclined to get involved)...that men would think it worthwhile to invest in a trip like this. Yes, I know it's Alaska...but they were serving a bunch of kids all morning, not out hunting moose or bear or something!
Many, many seeds were sown in the hearts and lives of these kids...and God has promised that His Word will not return void!
They were such an encouragement and challenge to Mark and I personally as well. Their pastor Scott is also bi-vocational, which can be very challenging and tiring...it encourages us to keep on keeping on when we see others doing the same thing, and doing it well! And after the closing program, the team presented us with a whole showering of gifts...some of the gifts we were given instantaneously transformed us into Louisville Cardinal and UK Wildcats fans! (Now, the Holy Spirit brings great unity and love...tears were flowing freely as we all said our goodbyes, loving each other dearly and hating to say goodbye-and we had only known each other 5 days! However, it is apparent that the Holy Spirit cannot bring unity to a church in the area of loyalty to basketball teams)! :)
I could go on, but will just say that we are overwhelmingly humbled and blessed by the outpouring of love we felt from this team...and the highest compliment I think I can pay is to say that they truly live out "they will know we are Christians by our love." Oh, to never have someone finally meet us at church and say "I didn't know you were a Christian!" That's our challenge, each and every one of us. Put aside the things of the world, the worries of the day, the busyness of the moment, and let His love flow through us. They will know.
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