The rewards of serving: Peace and Joy

I'm in a position at church where people want to volunteer to do something in The ReignForest and I get to help them get engaged. Sometimes it's holding babies. Recently I sat down in Origins Cafe' and introduced myself to Penny M. Her husband was busy tearing down (taking down chairs) in the auditorium. I found out after talking with her that they had been coming to NPCC for about a year. I asked her if she was ready to do something like hold babies. She said "Yes, I'm ready to start. I'd think I'd like doing that." I can't possibly express how much this encouraged me. She's serving in the Grasshopper room and has attached herself to one of the little ones who is very precious, a little guy waiting for a heart transplant. Can you believe it ! I believe that she is there at the right place and the right time. This little guy needed someone who wouldn't be afraid to care for him while mom and dad are hearing the message. That's cool, but there's more.

I was so excited that day to have taken the time to meet Penny and her husband and then talking with Penny later I asked her if she was in a Small Group. She said No, that they had not joined one yet. So I invited her to join one that we were joining. Well six weeks later, her and her husband Jerry are now in Small Group with us and they are so cool !! Jerry is just overflowing with the freshness of falling in love with Jesus, he's a new believer and Penny is excited that she has renewed her commitment to Christ. There's something about fresh commitments that makes me re-evaluate whether my Love is FIRST and FOREMOST to God.

I have another story to share with you...normally I like to keep things shorter, but this is really good. I hope you'll read on.

Many people don't realize that The ReignForest is setup in 3 different zones; a nursery zone: ages birth - 24 months, The Reign Zone: two year olds (25 months - 35 months) The Preschool Zone are those children who are 36 months (potty trained) and ready to be promoted the first Sunday in September of the current year. The various stages of preschool children can be lots of fun to engage children in activities. It can be challenging also. Two principles we implement is: we teach them what is relevant to their age and we teach "with the end" in mind.

Here's a story from a mom who is seeing the benefits of The ReignForest:

"Walking to our car after church on Sunday, Cassidy says “You made the world and everything in it! Sam 89:11!!” The smile on her face was just beyond words. I am so excited and blessed that my 2 ½ year old already knows a BIBLE VERSE!! Cassidy sees a tree, “God made trees”. She sees a cloud, “God made clouds”. Whatever is happening in Monkeys and Canopy is working and my child is learning and growing and feeling good about it! A happy 2 year old makes for a happy Mommy!"

Thank you Tammy for sharing this story. You have encouraged me and others.

Come serve in The ReignForest, learn memorization and application...it's so easy a 2-1/2 year old can do it.

Romans 5
Peace and Joy 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a]have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we[c] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Cat & Dog Theology

Tonight the Small Group I attend began a study on Cat & Dog Theology. I'm familiar with this study because it was part of a presentation included in the Christian Perspectives class I took last year. Brief summary from the 1st lesson is this: Most Christians live like cats thinking their relationship with God is all about them. However if you live like a dog would live, you'd always be acknowledging that life is truly all about God and His receiving the glory.

It's amazing how different I look at things now just because of that Christian Perspectives class. I'm definitely mission minded. Tonight I remembered that even though mission mindedness is a good thing...the most important thing to maintain is: "Is God getting the glory?". Whatever is going on, my eyes should be looking for the how that God is going to be glorified. It's really about HIM, it's not about you or me.

This is going to be an awesome study with Dave, Carol, Penney, Jerry and Len. Stop back and check out the summary for lesson 2.