God Shows Up

When I got to church today and saw that our pastor was starting a family series about raising Godly children, I was bummed. I remember one series like this that I sobbed through. I remember thinking if the programs and outside members of the family don’t have an influence on children that I sobbed, wondering what in the world I was doing. Volunteering with youth, teaching high schoolers, leading a small group and investing in the youth of our congregation, was I simply wasting my time?

I saw the series starting today, I saw the two chairs set-up on the platform. I braced myself for the inevitable – an hour spent listening to  a sermon that wouldn’t apply to me or Dave. Yet not willing to leave because on Sunday’s we go to church. (It’s how I was raised and I LOVE our church.) I sat there coaching myself, “Patty, not every sermon applies to you. Not every sermon is for you. There are new young families here that need guidance to raise Godly children. Listen and glean something you can pass on to someone with children. Share it with your sister or work friends.” Also, I totally expected someone with “stellar” children to sit on the platform and tell us how they are blessed with a family and how they have had success with their children.  I kept repeating this things, “Patty, other people attend here. You are not the only congregant. Listen to pass on the info to someone else.” UNTIL you called Kelsey to the platform. I thought, “That’s not what I was expecting.” I was pleasantly surprised. J

As I listened to her speak, I was so proud of her, her parents, her sister, our church and the woman of God she’s still becoming. It was like God was speaking to my spirit, telling me that what I did mattered. Miraculously, you asked me to the platform to pray for her. That was an honor. I pray for her and her cohorts everyday – so it was easy to pray for her and the youth of our church today. It was an answer to a prayer that I was not aware I was praying. Does what I do here matter?

Then he went on to preach a sermon that applied to everyone. “How do you want to be remembered?” “What’s your passion?” “If we asked your children, what your passion is, what would they say?” I gotta tell you – I want to leave a legacy. (I’m sure you are familiar with the song by Nicole Nordeman.) Today during a sermon, I was dreading, God showed me that I can do that - without having biological children or children that I’ve adopted - but through the children/teens He’s given me to love. After all, I truly believe that I am doing exactly what He has designed and called me to do.

Nicole Nordeman - Leave a Legacy