Hey there! This is Ruth, and I want to introduce this amazing post you are about to read! Esther and I asked our dear friend Sarah to share about the talents God has given her, and to encourage others to use their talents for God's glory. If you don't know Sarah, she is one of the prettiest girls—inside and out—and she is an exemplary example of what it looks like to have a gentle and quiet spirit. Also, she LOVES kids! So much so, that you can tell just by watching her with her little siblings and the kids she works with at the day school at our church. It's so awesome to listen to her share about her mission trip from last summer in Houston, and how she became so close with some of the kids there.
Esther and I are hoping and praying that this post speaks to you like it did to us, and that it will encourage you to use your gifts!
Hi everyone!
My two good friends asked me to share about what I love. I love, love, love kids. If any of you have spent any time with me you’ve probably heard me start a story off saying “One of the kids at the day school…” or “One of the kids I met in Houston…” or something along the lines of that. Kids are my passion.
But guess what. I don’t always want to wake up super early and go to work in the day school at my church. Sometimes I‘m exhausted and I don’t want to play tag with the kids in inner city of Memphis or Houston. All too often I don’t want to read the same Dr. Seuss book I’ve read to the kids a thousand times. I’m too tired to build another tower of blocks, play tickle monster, help someone across the monkey bars, go crazy singing super fun church songs, and the list goes on and on.
I find myself praying this same prayer over and over again: “God, please shine through me today. Help me to give the love these children need today. Please give me energy. Please remind me that these children are a gift and that this day is a gift. Amen.” Let me tell you it works. It usually works in ways I am not expecting but every time I pray that prayer I wake up. Regardless of whether I am working at a day camp or my churches day school or inner city Houston, I become full of joy. I love to see the faces of my two year old class light up as we build a tower of blocks, watch the blocks tumble to the ground, and build another. I love to listen as they tell me all about how they helped their mommy make dinner or how they learned all about polar bears in class yesterday. I love to run around museums and petting zoos with children from Houston and watch them as they get to experience all kinds of new things. The moment I hear a child, excited to see me shout, “Miss Sarah!” I know what I’m doing is good and is absolutely worthwhile.
My heart aches for children around the world with empty bellies, no homes, and no one to show them how greatly they are loved. My heart’s desire is to go somewhere where I can feed and clothe and love children until I drop every day. I know that God has planted that desire in my heart and I’m sure that He will one day fulfill it. Right now I am still a child myself and I belong in my parents’ home.
So for now I will do the jobs God has given me right now and I will do them well.
I will go on the short term mission trips God has given me the opportunities to go on and I will put my all into them.
I will love the children God has placed in my life with all I’ve got.
He has put all of these tasks, places, and people in my life for such a time as this.
I pray the Lord shows you the passion He has planted in your heart. Remember our Father has big plans for us, plans full of joy and love and hope and peace that passes all understanding. He uses what we love for good as long as we love Him first. When we fully trust God and follow him we are promised life and life to the fullest.
