Juice boxes, little kid snot, tears, hold me’s, playing outside, “I need to go to the potty,” singing and giggles. Some of you read the description and smile, others read it and think, “I don’t want to be near any of that!”
As a community, God makes us so different from one another. If we all shared what we enjoy, where we excel, how we invest and our best joy moments, we would give a plethora of answers. Some love kids, others excel in science and computer programming, many love yard work and others love being indoors. We can sometimes be critical of our differences instead of delighting in how our variety improves our effectiveness as a whole.
Being the body of Christ, we need each other. You be the hand, she’s the eyelid and he’s the foot. We all serve different roles for the most amazing unified purpose, the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As a pre-school teacher and children’s ministry servant at her church, Rebekah Lowery, is investing in kids. She’s teaching Jesus through Bible stories, songs, games and crafts. She’s teaching life skills like patience, kindness, gentleness, sharing, self-control, listening. The kids are watching her and they are doing what she does. If we watched her open a pack of crackers, we would see the children open it the same way. Or how she stacks the books on the shelf at the end of the day, that’s how they would do it too. They are shadowing her, copying her and imitating her. She’s teaching them through her words, actions and love.
As a part of Grace Klein Community, she brings that love for kids with her wherever she goes. At prayer night, who runs to give Ms. Rebekah a hug? The kids of course. Who sits close to her? The kids. Who talks to her at food delivery? Yes, the kids. What about at a festival, yard sale, or other community outings? Of course, kids are drawn to her. Something about her oozes that helps children understand she wants to know them, to listen to their stories, to jump on the trampoline, to dance to the music, to sing loud and with gusto. She brings safety with her, ease and understanding, and we are better for it!
Guess what Rebekah has signed up to do next with Grace Klein Community? Travel to Kwathu Children’s Home in Livingstone, Zambia. Of course she has and of course we need her. She will be taking her first trip out of the country to go love on abandoned and orphaned children at a children’s home. She’s the woman for the job. She will lead the team with her expertise with children. She will leave a part of her heart there. She will love every second until she has to say goodbye. But until the goodbyes, she won’t mind the dirt between her toes, long walks, scrubbing pots or hand washing of clothes. She will read stories for hours, play chase and dominate in soccer. She won’t mind the bugs they catch, the sneezes they share or the dirty hands that run through her hair.
Remember when Jesus told the disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14) God has brought people like Rebekah into our community to remind us… remember the children, let them come to Jesus, for the Kingdom of heaven still belongs to “such as these.”
Juice boxes, little kid snot, tears, hold me’s, playing outside, “I need to go to the potty,” singing and giggles. Some of you read the description and smile, others read it and think, “I don’t want to be near any of that!”
As a community, God makes us so different from one another. If we all shared what we enjoy, where we excel, how we invest and our best joy moments, we would give a plethora of answers. Some love kids, others excel in science and computer programming, many love yard work and others love being indoors. We can sometimes be critical of our differences instead of delighting in how our variety improves our effectiveness as a whole.
Being the body of Christ, we need each other. You be the hand, she’s the eyelid and he’s the foot. We all serve different roles for the most amazing unified purpose, the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As a pre-school teacher and children’s ministry servant at her church, Rebekah Lowery, is investing in kids. She’s teaching Jesus through Bible stories, songs, games and crafts. She’s teaching life skills like patience, kindness, gentleness, sharing, self-control, listening. The kids are watching her and they are doing what she does. If we watched her open a pack of crackers, we would see the children open it the same way. Or how she stacks the books on the shelf at the end of the day, that’s how they would do it too. They are shadowing her, copying her and imitating her. She’s teaching them through her words, actions and love.
As a part of Grace Klein Community, she brings that love for kids with her wherever she goes. At prayer night, who runs to give Ms. Rebekah a hug? The kids of course. Who sits close to her? The kids. Who talks to her at food delivery? Yes, the kids. What about at a festival, yard sale, or other community outings? Of course, kids are drawn to her. Something about her oozes that helps children understand she wants to know them, to listen to their stories, to jump on the trampoline, to dance to the music, to sing loud and with gusto. She brings safety with her, ease and understanding, and we are better for it!
Guess what Rebekah has signed up to do next with Grace Klein Community? Travel to Kwathu Children’s Home in Livingstone, Zambia. Of course she has and of course we need her. She will be taking her first trip out of the country to go love on abandoned and orphaned children at a children’s home. She’s the woman for the job. She will lead the team with her expertise with children. She will leave a part of her heart there. She will love every second until she has to say goodbye. But until the goodbyes, she won’t mind the dirt between her toes, long walks, scrubbing pots or hand washing of clothes. She will read stories for hours, play chase and dominate in soccer. She won’t mind the bugs they catch, the sneezes they share or the dirty hands that run through her hair.
Remember when Jesus told the disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14) God has brought people like Rebekah into our community to remind us… remember the children, let them come to Jesus, for the Kingdom of heaven still belongs to “such as these.”
Juice boxes, little kid snot, tears, hold me’s, playing outside, “I need to go to the potty,” singing and giggles. Some of you read the description and smile, others read it and think, “I don’t want to be near any of that!”
As a part of Grace Klein Community, she brings that love for kids with her wherever she goes. At prayer night, who runs to give Ms. Rebekah a hug? The kids of course. Who sits close to her? The kids. Who talks to her at food delivery? Yes, the kids. What about at a festival, yard sale, or other community outings? Of course, kids are drawn to her. Something about her oozes that helps children understand she wants to know them, to listen to their stories, to jump on the trampoline, to dance to the music, to sing loud and with gusto. She brings safety with her, ease and understanding, and we are better for it!