Author Archives: Kenna
Now
“I wanna be your hands. I wanna be your feet. I’ll go where you send me.” Audio Adrenaline retro Sunday song – thank you “The Go-Round” ….. at least the Ghost Buster’s theme is now out of my head!
Sacrifice
Who ya gonna call?
“But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” 1 John 3: 17
There are earworms and saddle burrs that I can’t shake this week. Both of them are a result of things that our friends from Servants Inc shared with us – little bits of information heading into our upcoming DAY OF ACTION.
The first unshakable is that Servants is a 100% pass through charity. Many of you may have already known that – but honestly – it impressed the heck out of me! What that means is that if you donate $100 to Home Helps (Servant’s local based ministry) – $100 ENTIRE dollars go directly to help your neighbors in need. Little dollars don’t get directed to advertising on billboards…..ten dollars don’t go marching off towards a contest to get more donors…..ONE HUNDRED TOTAL dollars go DIRECTLY to help someone who is taking a cold shower with a garden hose.
“One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord and He will repay him for his good deed.” Proverbs 19:17
Which brings me to the next thing that has been rubbing me the wrong way – like the proverbial burr under my saddle – how can we possibly allow such need to exist right in our own back yard? What struck me the most was when Chris Gohn said that the homeowners that we will be serving have no where else to turn. They have tried making repairs on their own, they have asked for help from government organizations, they have turned to friends and neighbors …….and Home Helps – is their last desperate call.
Cue the sound track from Ghost Busters……the earworm that has been plaquing me all week…..Gang, I want to be the FIRST place where people in need turn. I want them to remember things that actionchurch has done in the community and I want them to pick up the phone and dial 1-800-ACTIONCHURCH. That’s what the Christ followers did. That’s what the early church was. They were a group of dedicated, compassionate individuals who banded together to help one another. It’s time that the church – that we as individuals – start to rise up and actively seek to aid those who are less fortunate.
If we continue to be THAT church – the one that gives, and gives and gives. The church that goes out of their way to help a neighbor….in the end – the people that we serve will come to realize that it isn’t actionchurch that is their savior. They will come to understand that there is a true savior – someone who was willing to sacrifice not just a sweaty, hot, dusty Friday to help them get their shower fixed – but someone who was willing to give their life for them to spend an eternity in heaven.
So – this week – let’s be THAT church. Be the people I know who can pack the lobby with so much paint, hammers and nails, plywood, drywood, lumber wood, Gatorade and water that we will need a moving van to get it all delivered. If you want to know the greatest need for Home Helps, call Steve Fowler ( he is the crew leader for Home Helps 717-378-0336 ) and ask him what they need.
Then head out to Home Depot – grab a shopping cart – dance down the aisle to the Ghost Busters theme – and load up for Home Helps!
“And look out for one another’s interest, not just for your own. The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had.” Philippians 2:4-5
The Mom Squad
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me ,and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14
Come one! Come all! EVERYONE has a role to play in our upcoming DAY OF ACTION! This includes moms…..who are usually the ones who get up before everyone else and are the last ones to bed. Moms have their hands full of toddlers and their calendars overflowing with commitments. BUT – moms are also some of the most dedicated, over-achieving, “give until it hurts” people I know.
Case in point: I got a message from one of our young moms who told me that there are several action-mommas that want to be a part of our Day of Action – but have young children who come first…..Well – obviously the kids come first! But that doesn’t mean the moms can’t participate. Let’s get creative and think outside the box.
Moms with teens:
Bring them along! Servants is one of those organizations that I love working with because of their flexibility. We believe that families that serve others together learn compassion and empathy…..AND they might even learn some new hands-on skills. Heck! We had the Burr girls laying roofing shingles before they were out of middle school!! Kids can paint, they can sand railings, they can help with landscaping or even inside chores like cleaning areas that might be harder for older or disabled homeowners to reach. The teens could even offer to babysit some of our actionkidz to give our younger moms an opportunity to serve without carrying a diaper bag! There are so many opportunities I can’t even begin to list them all.
Moms with elementary age kids:
Same as above…..just more one on one supervision. Kids at this age would be perfect for washing cars, organizing tools, sweeping, raking, cleaning basements/garages – At this age they LOVE being a part of projects that benefit other people. If you can’t make it to the job site – you can make cards for the homeowners or decorate the lunch bags that the crew packs their lunches in…..anything to make the volunteers and the homeowners feel loved and appreciated.
Moms with wee ones:
Even the teeny tiniest can come along for the ride. Most toddlers and babes fall asleep as soon as they hit the car seat. What if you volunteered to go to the job sites in your air-conditioned car and make sure they have plenty of ice and beverages? You and your toddlers could surprise the crews with frosty freeze pops on a hot day. Most older people I know LOVE to hold babies. What if you were the person who just sat and talked to the homeowner and left them coo over your baby?
Working Moms:
Each evening during the week the volunteers return to Logos Academy for dinner. Could you make a casserole or provide a dessert? Would you have time to do the dishes or clean up after dinner? How about going in early and prepping for breakfast before you go to work. You could offer to help Alisha return phone calls or order supplies.
Moms with grown kids and empty nests:
What if you all got together and offered to play with the actionkidz during the day so that our younger moms could actually be a part of the job site crews! Wouldn’t that be an amazing way to love on our mommas? AND you could glitter and glue in an airconditioned room while feeding the kids LOTS of snacks!! Now THAT is a volunteer position with some perks!
I am so thrilled that we have moms who are eager and willing to add more to their already hectic, crazy busy lives. I am so proud of them for wanting to demonstrate by example to their children how to love God and love others by taking action. WAY TO BE – Mom Squad!!
“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20