Time To Play Catch Up!

Hello all!

I know, I know, I have been MIA for a while! I’ve been busy and, I’ll admit it, a bit uninspired. I’ll start with letting you know about something I was part of that was probably the most meaningful thing I’ve done, outside of raising my kids and making the decision to turn my life over to Christ.

Vacation Bible School. Last year I blogged about my experience with VBS and how inspired I was by it. Well this year, I directed it. Yup. Just over a year into my journey with Christ, God led me to be the VBS director. I can’t tell you how nervous I was. I knew I could do it but I never wanted to make the people who volunteered their precious time to feel like I didn’t appreciate them or respect them.  I wanted to be sure it was fantastic and didn’t want to let anyone down. I put TOO MUCH pressure on myself. But what rose above all the negative self talk, was the amazing guidance and presence of God! I had so many people volunteer to help. People that were just as enthusiastic and committed as I. People who supported me and each other and the overall goal of creating a VBS that would be exciting, encouraging and bring more little ones to Christ. I was so touched by this, that often times after meetings, I would cry on my ride home. Tears of happiness, tears of recognition that God brought me to this place that has become my family. Of course Satan didn’t like any of it. Of course Satan played his little games. My son was diagnosed with MRSA 3 days prior to the start of VBS. There was some other issues that were laden with Satan’s desires, not God’s. Hey, guess what you evil doer you!!!  You LOST! My son healed just fine. The other issues seemed to work out with support. And it was a fabulous week! I wont bore you with every little detail but I have to share the story of what happened one night. A story that still brings tears to my eyes when I think about it. It IS that good!

On day 3 of VBS, the lesson was to teach the kids to Pray About Everything and Prayer Helps Us Stand Strong. I as leader of the opening and closing sessions, had to pretend I couldn’t come in to the room to lead the closing because of all these burdens and worries. I had a big cape on with several pots and pans set on the dragging part of the cape. The skit included teachers from the other sessions running up to me and putting more pots and pans on my cape to represent them adding more and more responsibilities to my plate. Making the burden and my worries larger. One volunteer was encouraging me to give my worries to God. Part of the skit was for me to be reluctant. (To represent giving my worries to God, we had to place the pots and pans at the foot of the throne on the set). Towards the end of the skit, the volunteer was leading the kids to chant “Pray about everything, lift it all up to God”. Nope they didn’t. Not a single one of them. No. They all got up, walked up to me and my large cape of burdens and worries and started lifting the pots and pans off the cape and onto the throne. There was one pot left and two kids. One said “oh, there’s nothing left for me to help with.” The other child responded, “Here let’s do this together.” Not one dry eye from an adult in the sanctuary. It was beautiful, encouraging and so full of GOD that I wish I would have gotten it on video to share on here! (And yes, right now I am crying!! haha)  I dare say that VBS had the exact effect on the kids we were hoping. To be like Christ. So touching! This was a great example of a child’s faith!

I look forward to next year’s VBS, although I want to make some changes, I know it will still be amazing!

I am also helping to coordinate a Women’s Renewal Day. I am so excited! I went to this renewal day last year, just two days after accepting Christ as my savior! This year it’s going to take on a whole new meaning! I can’t wait!

For now, keep me in your prayers. Simply for inspiration for blogging. Blogging helps me continue to grow in my faith and helps me in general!

Thank you all for following this blog!

Blessings & Love!

Sarah

 

Vacation Bible School

A few months ago I was approached to help with the Vacation Bible School (VBS because I am too lazy to type it out! haha). I was asked to work with the preschoolers. Of course I agreed. Then I realized it meant that I would be teaching VBS to the preschoolers! At first my anxiety was getting the best of me. I thought I couldn’t do it, I surely don’t understand the bible enough, I’ve never even understood what VBS was! I couldn’t possibly teach it! But, then I remembered, God gives us what we need. I settled on the fact that there was a greater purpose to me teaching and getting out of my comfort zone. Plus, we figured it would be limited to 3-4 kids, one of which was my own daughter and another was my good friends son, and the third kid would have his mother there as my helper. Easy peasy. I spent a lot of time reading, preparing and practicing for VBS. GOOD THING! I had 6 kids that first night. Each night after that it went up one – Tuesday I had 7; Wednesday 8; Thursday 9; and Friday 11!!!! No one expected that! It was the largest group of all.

How did it go? It was AMAZING! I think I had more fun than the kids. I had a great helper (two actually) and great kids!! Each day we had a goal of what to teach them, but the over all theme “Trust God” is what we needed to get across. I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to teach effectively. But they all got it!! I had them jumping up and down screaming “No matter what, trust God!” It was awesome.

What did I get from it? So much. I know God put me in this position because he has bigger plans for me at this church. I am ready and willing to accept what ever that may be. I learned that I can effectively teach kids, even hyper and talkative preschoolers. I can’t sing great but I can sing enough to entertain the kids. In fact, my husband and I have been together for 9 years, he came to VBS on the last night and heard me sing for the first time! I learned to open up, let loose, have fun. I learned that no matter what, who I am, what happens, what people do, where I am I can always trust on God to be there for me and he will always pull me through. He reignited a fire in me to work with kids and make a difference. I thoroughly enjoyed the planning and preparing for the VBS. In fact, I would love to be in charge of VBS! But they already have a director 😦 But She did great so no worries!

The best part of all of VBS was the fact that the kids had fun! They absorbed it all, learned about God and his greatness and smiled!! My 3 1/2-year-old daughter also memorized a bible verse!!

If you have the opportunity to help at a VBS, I highly encourage you to do so!

Blessings & Love,

Sarah