Getting to Know You

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“Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good.”  Hebrews 10:24

One of the things – (in a long list of “things”) – that I love about working with Servants is their work ethic.  I remember the leader on our first assignment telling us to put our hammer down and interact with the homeowner – FIRST.  Get to know them – listen to their stories – pray with them.  At the time it seemed kind of counterproductive to me.  I was always the roll up your sleeves, grab your hammer and don’t stop swinging until the sun goes down kind of gal.

But what I came to realize is that at the end of the day…..more importantly – at the end of our lives – it won’t matter how quickly that roof got fixed.  But it will matter whether our hearts are fixed.  Our real goal as we go out into the community together is not necessarily to fix the physical needs, but rather to address the spiritual needs THROUGH our acts of love and kindness.

God commanded us in Deuteronomy to address the needs of the poor.  Jesus repeated the fact that there will always be someone in need.  And as followers of Christ we must address those needs…..whatever they may be.

“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. For the poor you will always have with you in the land.  Therefore, I command you, you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor in your land.”  Deuteronomy 15:7-11

Servants and actionchurch’s main goal through EVERYTHING that we do is to love people.  Our love reflects Christ’s love.  The people that we are going to serve definitely have physical needs – bathrooms without working plumbing, leaking roofs, rotting foundations.  But often, they need a friend, willing to listen. They need a loving, compassionate person willing to pray with them.  They need someone to show them that they are loved, cared for and cherished – not only by us, but by God himself.

In the early “church” Jesus’s  disciples carried out his commandments literally – and –  there were NO needy persons.  Poverty was eradicated among them!  Can you even imagine a world like that?  How could that possibly be?

“There was no one in the group who was in need.  Those who owned fields or houses would sell them, bring the money received from the sale, and hand it over to the apostles; and the money was distributed to each one according to his need. “  Acts 4:34-35

THAT’S how it can be.

Are you willing to open your hand?  Are you willing to get to know your neighbors in need? Are you willing to be a part of something bigger than yourself?

“Then I said, “Here I am, to do your will, O God…..”Hebrews 10:7

Wake up!

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“I tell you, he replied, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”   Luke 19:40

It’s 3:00 in the morning and I am wide awake.  Some people assume that this is normal for us older persons – but I always tell my kids I can’t sleep because God wants something from me.  Sometimes it’s because there has been something heavy on my heart that I need to put on God’s shoulders. So, I pray about those things.  God wants my weary burden – and I gladly give it to him.

But on very special occasions the 3:00 a.m. wake-up call is because God has a message for me to relate to anyone willing to listen. Words come into my head that my fingers are supposed to type. But for a while now – I’ve been like the bratty kid with my hands over my ears, shouting “I can’t hear you!”  as my dad is trying to give me instruction.

God has given me the gift of words…. Written words – spoken words – heartfelt words that I am supposed to use to teach and encourage and comfort.  But lately I have been feeling unqualified to use those words.  And not just unqualified – I’ve felt unworthy. I’ve been covering my ears to God’s messages because I was certain that I wasn’t the right person to relate them.

But today’s alarm clock was pretty specific: ( Let me paraphrase ) – “Wake up blockhead!  I have something to say that even a block of rock would be able to relay.”

So – here is the message – don’t hide your light under a basket.  Don’t stifle your calling.  Don’t let The Evil One tell you that you aren’t “good enough” or that you aren’t “good for anything”.  Because the truth is that each of us has been given a true and wonderful gift from God.

“In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.  So, if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.  If your gift is serving others, serve them well.  If you are a teacher, teach well.  If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.  And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” Romans 12:6-8

Sometimes it takes a long time to figure out exactly what our knack is – but we all have one.  I encourage you today to ask God what ability you have and specifically how he wants you to use it.  As Don mentioned, actionchurch is moving forward with a very exciting serving opportunity in July.   Being uncharted territory for us, we are going to need every single one of you to use your gifts and talents to make this project a success.   God will give us the resources and the skill, but it’s up to us to uncover our ears and open our hearts  to receive those gifts and in turn, use them to serve others.

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.  Use them well to serve one another.”  1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

Ratios

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Another year gone by. Another Relay for Life – actionchurch style – in the books. If I had to describe this year’s Relay in one word (which I rarely do) – it would be – peaceful. I’m grateful for Rachel’s phenomenal planning skills – and I’m certain that her organizational expertise had a lot to do with this year’s successful event. And, actionchurch could never be a part of Relay to begin with – if it weren’t for Michele’s generous spirit and heart for serving the community. But – it was more than years of relay experience that made this event different. It’s hard to explain in written words (without my normal hand motions when I speak). If you were a part of Relay this year, perhaps you felt it too.

The tent was full – like always. The ratio of servers to those being served was almost perfect. Enough survivors and caregivers enjoying the evening that we had to hustle – but not rush. The food was extraordinary – like always. The ratio of crabcakes to consumers was over the top! Everyone walked away with full bellies, our crew had an opportunity for fellowship and we were still able to bless the first responders in our community with abundance. The weather was humid – like always. The amount of sweat was in direct correlation to the temperature. I don’t think I will ever get the ratio of butter pats to salad dressing correct – but that’s kind of a given 😀

So, all in all – not a whole lot has changed from previous years at the survivor banquet…..but there was a sense of peace and tranquility that I can’t remember experiencing in years past.

And – I’m pretty sure the rational is God.

From the very first Relay for Life that my family and I participated in with actionchurch God has always been at the very center of the event for me. I remember being moved to tears at the luminaria ceremony and how God called me and encouraged me to become an even bigger participant the next year….and the next year….and the next year. And I remember the year we added more children’s activities and the years we served breakfast for ALL the participants and praying that God would provide the resources and the volunteers. He showed up in such a big way that no one could question that God was solely responsible for the success of our endeavors.

Don’t get me wrong – there were always bumps in the road, friends with new cancer diagnosis and challenges to be overcome. But the resolution to the hiccups along the way always pointed to our Lord and Savior being at the heart of the crazy whirlwind of preparation and the back breaking, muscle aching, blister making thing we call Relay for Life.

But – THIS year – the ratio changed for me. The element of calm within the tent on that muggy, hot, humid football field was 100% God infused peace – 0% stress and worry. Gang, it was a great lesson for me. It was just SUCH an amazing feeling that I want to replicate in my personal life. I want to feel 100% – all the time – every day – completely infused with God’s peace. And I want that for you too!

So – thanks to all of you – the old guard from the Crew…..and all of our new friends who joined together in humble service. Thanks for making my job easy. Thanks for using your vacation days and Friday night to serve others. Thanks for showing God’s love to me…..and to the cancer survivors and their caregivers.

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Bring your dog to church recap

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“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,and all these things will be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33

First kiss – pretty exciting
First time behind the wheel – terrifying for the passenger.
First time meeting the in-laws – a little intimidating.
First labor/delivery/child – a lot scary.
First loser (i.e. 2nd place) – maybe bitter OR determined to get better.
First Bark in the Park – fun for all ! …..(Except the guys carrying the bounce house)

Firsts always involve a lot of emotion. They can be a bit scary or intimidating. As humans I think we have a natural tendency to fear the unknown. It’s a normal reaction. Firsts are always learning experiences. Most of us are willing to give something a try and then figure out a way to make it better the next time. But, sometimes – Firsts can be crazy exciting and loads of fun, too!

This past Sunday we actually had – not one – but two FIRSTS in the history of our church. That in itself is pretty darned exciting if you ask me!

BRING YOUR DOG TO CHURCH was a first that definitely fell into the scary category. It was something new – something different – something we’ve never done at actionchurch. When we pitched the idea we knew that it would either be a dreadful mistake or a barking success. So – when the preacher told me the dogs were well behaved in church – I marked that in the win category!

And the second first for actionchurch this week – (sounding like an Abbot and Costello remix…..”Wait! Who’s on first?”) – was the American Cancer Society’s BARK FOR LIFE Honestly I have to tell you – I wasn’t the least bit apprehensive about actionchurch’s first time involvement.

The event itself was brand new – a first – but the concept remained the same. Take our generously given resources and serve others. Plain and simple. The bounce houses are still heavy, but they were new for the kids who were bouncing. (Besides mine.) The shaved ice stand is still sticky, the sno-cones are still free, but they were a new and surprising treat for those that never experienced actionchurch in action.

From the very first days of actionchurch our whole philosophy has been to serve others first. Think about it – every week entire crews of people voluntarily give their time to provide a church “service”. Every time we go out into the community to stage an event, our focus is to love and serve. By investing our time and our money we’re showing that we’re dedicated to putting the needs of others before ourselves.

Mark 9:35 tells us what Jesus said to his disciples about being first – “Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”

I think when we stick to the basics we can’t go wrong. Loving God and seeking Him first. Loving and serving others before ourselves. Taking action by showing Christ-like behavior to the world. Win/win the first time and every time.

They will know

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“And, they’ll know we are Christains by our love, by our love.
Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”
(Jars of Clay)

It’s that time of the year! The days are getting longer. Warm breezes are beginning to flow. And every conversation I have, every blog I write, every plan I make – includes WRESTLING!!

“Hi, Kenna – did you have a chance to order those supplies?” “No – sorry …..I was looking up wrestling tournament dates.”. – Got to get those on the calendar!

“Hey, Jess – avocadoes are on sale this week – wrestlers love those!” Note to self – Make sure you add jello, peanut butter and 6 1/2 dozen eggs to grocery list – sucking weight….you know!?

“Kenna, can you babysit for us?” “Sure – like in about three months once we are done post season wrestling”

Annoying – I know. (And I apologize ahead of time – because it’s not going to change)

When I got up this morning and my mind automatically went into “grappling mode” – I stopped myself purposely – and asked the question – “What would happen if I talked about Jesus as much as I talk about wrestling?” Hmmmmm. It seems like it would be the right “Christian thing” to do. Should I add bible verses to the bottom of my emails? Maybe I could make the blog less ketchy and more “religious”. Would people think I was weird if I said “peace be with you” instead of goodbye?

Annoying – I know.

And – while I think it’s always good to be ready to give your “testimony” about your faith (if/when a conversation warrants it) – I think it is more important ….and WAY less annoying – to show – with your actions – not necessarily your words – that you are a Christ follower. ( I know my kids are going to use that against me since my constant parental refrain is “use your words, not your hands!”)

But Jesus tells us in John, Chapter 13 verse 35 – “This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples – when they see the love you have for each other.”(MSG) – Did you catch that? When they SEE the love.

I don’t think being a Christ follower is something you say – I think it’s something you do. I think love is something you show. It’s demonstrated by your actions. Being a disciple is one of those things that is so engrained in your daily life that people just automatically recognize that you are different; loving others is a part of your very fiber.

And just like everyone knows that we are a wrestling family – we live it, we breath it, it’s who we are – I want people to see Jesus’ love poured out of me in much the same way – so they know……I want to show love – so they know I’m a Christian.