Working in LifeKids wasn’t my dream. It wasn’t where my mind went when we decided to start a church. Although if I’m honest, I will say that leading LifeKids was a whisper way down deep in a part of my being I often try to ignore. It’s the part that usually wants me to do exactly what I’ve never wanted to do. I love children, but I’ve always said, “I’m a worker bee. Don’t put me in charge. It will be a disaster. There will be no work and just a lot of talk about cake.”
Oh, how God loves to stretch us and blow our minds. Today, with the help of an incredible team, I am leading LifeKids at The Edge Church. I make lists and create weekly schedules. I would dare to say I am somewhat organized. The point isn’t to brag about the new Type A super-powers God has bestowed upon me for this period of time, but to remind us all that God doesn’t ever do anything for nothing.
I took LifeKids over because God needed someone to do it, but I was totally overwhelmed. There were many tears and much gnashing of teeth. I knew God had His reasons, and this time He wanted to show me something. It wasn’t until about week 15, that’s 15 weeks of being in the kid trenches, that I finally had my, “AH HA!” moment regarding LifeKids.
I met a 52 year old woman after one of our Sunday experiences. She was broken, an addict, homeless, and believed she was unlovable. Her life had been defined and created by lies. Her mom told her as a kid that church people were liars and cheats, and that God could never love a bad little girl like her. My heart broke, but not only for the shell of a woman who sat in front of me, but for the little girl she had been. Once upon a time she had a bright future and a hope, just like my four-year-old little girl. She probably loved to laugh, and her eyes brightened over pretty shiny things. She dreamed of the wonderful things her life might become…about love, a career, and family, but those thoughts were stolen. Those dreams vanquished. People who should have loved her and cherished her…tried to ruin her. I wished with all my heart I could go back in time and be there for her. That I could have given her a hug and spoke life giving Truths to her. I wished someone somewhere would have cared more, intervened more, and loved her more.
Suddenly LifeKids wasn’t just a place to serve at The Edge. God didn’t just need a warm body to supervise the mayhem while the adults had “real” church.
He needed someone on the front lines.
It wasn’t just about entertaining children.
Kids are starving for Truth, and their futures depend on it.
“Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1Peter 5:8.
The enemy was feasting on the kids in my own backyard.
They are fed lie after lie in this LOUD world of television, Internet, and social media.
We have to be louder.
A task that seemed obligatory, mundane, and without prestige, instantly became the greatest passion of my heart. I decided then and there, any child that comes into my presence would leave knowing two things: I love them and more importantly God loves them.
I will never know if a word of Truth could have helped the woman I met. I will never know if my efforts on Sunday will thwart a life of hardship or addiction. All I can do is what God lays out in front of me to do, and for now that is to “let the little children come to Him.” And since obedience is our responsibility and outcome is His…I can rest in that.
Doing what is painful or uncomfortable never sounds exciting, but when God brings you to it…it’s never for nothing, and it always ends in an adventure you wouldn’t miss for anything. I assure you the next time God calls me into uncharted waters, my prayer is to echo the sentiments of an old Disney movie my daughter and I recently watched, The Emperors New Groove…it’s very spiritual.
“Uh-oh, God. Don’t tell me. We’re about to go over a huge waterfall.”
Yep.
“Sharp rocks at the bottom?”
Most likely.
“Bring it on!”
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