Serve One Another

Sometimes life in ministry seems filled with an awesome sort of deja vu.  Because there are certain events that roll around every year, bringing back memories of years past and this incredible excitement for the future as well.  I’ll double post on our church’s blog so that I can share what actually happened tonight, but walking through our Spaghetti Supper this year, brought back such clear and distinct memories from last year.

Last year, was when this amazing group of students gathered in the Youth Room (affectionally known as the “Cave”) in our church basement.  If you didn’t know, I should mentioned that when your church is well over 150 years old, most likely you don’t have a cool huge multipurpose room.  So you make due with the church basement.  You fill up the side room with huge Xorbee BeanBag Chairs and a donated microfiber corner couch and then accent paint with a bright neon green.  And you realize that really, it’s totally suitable for hosting the best and most incredible kids in your town.

And the reason for all of those kids coming to the church late on Sunday afternoon?  Preparation for our church’s annual Breakaway Spaghetti Supper.  It’s the icing on the cake of our Breakaway Weekend Retreat.  And it comes each year so that we can have a great opportunity to serve others while celebrating and showcasing highlights from our weekend.  The dinner is always free and our Youth Group students always show up to serve their families and our church family for the night.

Michael was always solid for showing up to help out at the Spaghetti Supper.  And last year was no exception.  He joined his friends to help out in the drink room and spent the evening pouring sodas for the hundred or so people that we served that night.  I know I’ve said it before, but I always loved seeing Michael’s heart to help others.  I knew that no matter what I asked, he would always be willing to do it and always with a smile.

After the Spaghetti Supper, we went upstairs for our Youth Led Evening Service.  We always spend time singing and worshiping and then watching the Breakaway Video that Jeremy puts together each year.

And each year we ask different students to stand up and share what they learned from the weekend.  And last year, Michael was one of those students and he shared what he had learned and how it had made a difference in his life.

I don’t remember exactly what he said.  But I’m sure it was awesome and I’m always so proud of our students when they are willing to put themselves out there and share their faith so openly and fearlessly.

Today was a great reminder of our awesome memories from last year.  And it’s such a perfect example of the way that God calls each of us to live.  In Galatians 5:13, He tells us to serve one another in love.  Because even though it may not seem like it, it’s actually the best thing that we can do.  Putting others first is humbling, and if you read closer in the Bible, you see that God works powerfully in humility.  In James 4:10 and 1 Peter 5:6 it says that if you humble yourselves in God’s sight, He will lift you up.  And in James 4:6 it tells us that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  Living life with God’s help and his grace, is really the very best way to live life well.

My updates for Michael today came through others.  We weren’t able to go and see Michael since we had a busy day preparing for the dinner.  But this morning at church, Michael’s dad Mike told Jeremy that he was more alert today and doing better.  Also on that note, it was so very special today to have Mike, Sally, Aunt Christine and Willie come and join us this morning for church.  Our church has so much love for Michael and for his family so it was so good to be able to have them worship with us.

Later this evening, I talked to our friend Danielle who was able to see Michael today and she shared the same good news of a good day.  Michael was starting to make more facial movements and that this was a great thing as well.  So we can continue to pray for these little steps in the right direction.  We serve and love a mighty God and know that He is working in great ways in Michael’s life.  Thanks so much for checking in tonight!