Pray, Love & Serve

I started working with young people when I was recruited as a Young Life leader when I was 19. I was barely older than the high schoolers but it was pure joy for me.  I was ever amazed at their energy and their creativity.  Once again, I am overjoyed at watching a younger generation rise up and shine.  Pastor Howard shared in church about how it’s time to get back to basics and that our church would be focused on three things for the future, Pray, Love & Serve. Shortly after, I got a text from Cara who had been thinking about the new theme of our church and sent me an incredible logo she created!  My heart leapt for joy and I immediately texted back that I needed a T-shirt!  Everyone who knows me understands that if there is spirit wear to be had, I am all in!  I totally believe in walking billboards!  My drawer is filled with all the causes I love!  Cara said they were already working on getting t-shirts printed and it was a serious happy day when I could purchase mass quantities of shirts for the Wog tribe….if only Dan would participate!  I traumatized Dan after 9/11 with an obsessive amount of Flag shirts and he has revolted against matching spirit wear of any kind!  Pray for him!

I walked up on a discussion on what color and type of shirts to order.  I proclaimed that I would wear anything that was printed because it wasn’t a fashion statement it was a movement!  I truly believe that God is doing something supernatural and people will be drawn to be a part. The T-shirts were sold yesterday in church and they were selling like hot cakes!  It was a beautiful thing to see the young and old unified, wearing our new Pray, Love and Serve T-shirts!  Pastor Howard challenged our church to pray and fast for 30 days as a church, to ask God for direction, to pray for our little ones and to pray for our possessions. Dan and I miraculously both fasted and made it to prayer the first week! I am warning people that try to give an excuse why they can’t participate….really??  Come to my house and see what a true effort and sacrifice it is to go to prayer and still get 5 kids dressed and ready for school!  :) I truly believe that God is requiring all of us to pray like never before.  We are living in desperate times.  We are surrounded by sad, devastating situations that require God’s miracle working power just to survive. I am expectant to see all the answers that will follow from this time of unified, focused prayer!

Loving others proves to be one of the most difficult things to do.  Sounds sweet and sappy, but to truly love past offenses, hurts, rejections is more difficult than anything I have ever tried to do.  It’s easier to be miffed and avoid people than to offer love and forgiveness in order to retain the relationship.  To be wounded and to wear it like a badge of honor is the natural thing to do.  The most noble, Godly thing to do is to QUICKLY extend forgiveness and move on.  I was convicted today at prayer about a grudge I have been holding for years.  It’s time to purge and purify ourselves of our old, comfortable behaviors and to truly be doers of the Word and not hearers only.

We had a Church Covered Dish on Sunday and I have been pondering the wonder of it all for the past couple days.   It was an “All Hands on Deck” moment for me!  Every age church member from children to senior saints, pitched in to make it one of the best church functions I have ever been too.  Excitement, joy and love was the permeating feeling of the day.  Everyone wanted to be a part and to help!  It was quite a beautiful sight to behold not to mention the awesome food that we enjoyed. 

It’s been a long, sad few months for me but I feel like we have turned a corner to brighter days.  I am honored to wear my Pray, Love and Serve t-shirt and I am dedicated to making it a part of my daily life and not just another spirit wear shirt in my drawer!