Serving More than Food

Well it is hard to believe this summer is coming to an end.  It has gone by quickly with family and friends visiting, the boys going to various camps and VBSs, and serving together as a family. I haven't updated the blog in awhile because of so many things going on.  We still have been serving as a family and I wanted to share another experience with you.  

We served as a family at the homeless ministry called Amazing Love. Joe and I have served there for years (off and on) with different lifegroups.  The current group we are with started serving the homeless together (again) a few months ago.  Last month was the first opportunity for us to take the boys with us since they are old enough to remember.

Serving Begins at Home

Serving didn't start when we arrived at the location in Ybor City.  It started with the shopping and preparing of the food our family brought.  We prayed over the shopping list and prayed again over the prepared food. We talked about WHY we were going to serve and HOW many of the people we would be serving may have ended up falling on hard times and in a position where they need a hot meal from our family.  We thanked God for this opportunity to share His love when it is needed most. 

More than Just Food

Once we arrived at Amazing Love, the boys were taken back a little at the amount of people waiting in line to get food. They were also wide-eyed at the number of other people and families there that were serving just like us.  Our few pans of food wasn't much, but put together with our lifegroup and other church groups from around the area there was plenty of food.  Everyone was was so gracious and nice to serve with and to serve. It was ONE body serving together.   

We put on our plastic serving gloves and served spoonfuls of love with a smile.  We stayed after serving food for worship.  The boys knew the songs that were being sung from church.  I had the opportunity to explain that church takes place in many places (not necessarily in buildings) and God is present where ever we welcome his Holy Spirit to move.  

By the Words of Their Testimony . . .

There was a lady that shared her testimony with the crowd.  She talked about being on drugs, losing her kids, being on the street, and the loving people at Amazing Love showing her the unconditional love of Jesus Christ.  She accepted Christ, was able to get "clean", get her kids back, find a job, and find a house right around the corner.  Now she is volunteering to help others at Amazing Love that are in her similar situation. Nothing beats a good testimony to drive home a point that we try to relay to our children.  The boys heard loud and clear how drugs can really mess up your life.  I could have said that 100x, but hearing it from someone else that has actually lived it goes a long way.

Overall, it was a humbling experience for our family. To keep that humbling spirit going, we include the families we served and the many more who are homeless in our prayers for each meal.  We will definitely continue to do this every month with our family and lifegroup.  

Do you have any serving ideas to share that you have done with your family? Please comment.