I’m carrying home more of God’s love from this weekend’s Mission Trip. To say it has changed me is an understatement. 

This was my first-ever mission trip, adult- and student/kid-wise. I grew up in the church, but never had the opportunity (or maybe didn’t take the opportunity) to serve in Mission prior to this weekend. Last year, when I was volunteering in Student Ministry, I was bummed I missed one sign-up for the Mission Trip and then couldn’t do the others because of my job at the time. Well, God knew that I was due for a Mission Trip and more when He made it my job to be in Student Ministry now!

To say this is my ‘job’ is still surreal for me. I am so blessed to be able to be a part of an active Student Ministry and to work with an amazing Director. Looking back, I know God was prepping me for what I am doing now. I was a teacher for 19 years in the public schools, so I have always had a passion for younger generations and knowing the power they can bring to the world. I coached high school softball for a bit, too, so I’m familiar with middle and high school ages with that, and of course, my volunteering before my job with Student Ministry. Throw in a few years of Educational Tech brought me more people and marketing skills, to name a few, to help ensure that the good work going on in our Student Ministry is known, but more importantly, can hopefully inspire others to serve and love like Jesus.

I don’t know where to start with the amazing things that happened this weekend, so I’m going to pick my top three moments for this blog, and I may have to reflect even more throughout this week here.

One of my favorite moments was seeing our students interact with a few young boys who were at a church we were helping clean and organize. It was a new church and didn’t have funds yet to help do seemingly small tasks like this to help prepare for Thanksgiving meals and upcoming Christmas events they are planning. The boys were there with their older sister and mom to let us in and to show us what the priorities were as far as the work needed. Seeing our students being focused on the task at hand while also knowing that God calls them to reach out to those boys to show love was amazing! They were playing outside with them, throwing a small football, playing chase, or hiding from them as they worked around the church, hid in the boxes/tubes they were cleaning out with them, talked to them in Spanish (the boys’ native language), and just gave them smiles/high-fives and the love of God. Small things that make a big impact.

Another favorite moment was seeing the group of high school girls I was with go door to door in an apartment complex asking if anyone needed Thanksgiving meals. The kindness and love they had when talking to them filled my heart. Explaining that we were working with Mission Arlington to deliver Thanksgiving meals or food while at the same time spreading God’s love. Many of the residents were uncertain when first opening their door, which made me a little sad because we are all leery of random knocks on our homes. After all, it typically is someone trying to sell or even scam. Once they heard the girls explain, they were either very appreciative, politely declined with a ‘thank you anyway,’ or even thought of someone else in their lives who needed the food more than themselves and signed them up for the free meal instead! There was also a deaf mother who was talking with us at one home, and seeing the patience of the girls as she spoke through her teenage daughter to them was God’s love in action again. 

Lastly, I’m going to kind of cheat and say that the all-around love and connections that I saw within our group, adults and students, throughout the weekend were nothing short of amazing. From the car ride down, to working the sites, to worshiping with our student band after, to the devotional time we had in small groups, sharing a meals together, playing a fun game of ‘Bestketball” (made up by the students/leaders a few years ago!), downtime at the end of a long day, going to church together that Sunday morning and MORE…God’s love was overflowing and connecting us all in a way that will spill outside of just the weekend.

I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me next. I want to get connected here locally to serve more consistently. I also cannot wait to hear how the students’ lives are changed, too. If you have the chance to go on a Mission, serve in any capacity, or just help someone in your life, this is hopefully your encouragement to just do it!

–💜Fuel your faith. Build your foundation. Live it out. ✝️

A rhythm of reflection and real faith, one day, one post, one spark at a time.