When a child worships, with abandon, without instruction, and in full freedom, the heart of an adult is deeply moved to worship too. Not to worship of the kid, but of the One the child worships. Adults can stuff emotions deep down inside ourselves, almost forgetting what it is like to feel, forgetting to remember the One who over and over again has proven Himself faithful.
Remember when you had no concept of time, when your tears were over taking a bath or going to bed, when your biggest decisions were riding your bike or building a fort? Spending time with children helps us remember what is really important and the treasure of living peacefully in the right now.
Arie Burke is a worshiper, praise dancer, chicken egg gatherer, bread sorter, donut eater, little wanderer, Jesus lover who is making our community better. Maybe you have met her in the office driveway, putting the rescued flowers tightly in water buckets so ladies all over Birmingham could feel special that week. Or you heard her little voice totally disgusted by chicken poo or cucumber juice, or maybe you’ve seen her tumbled down the GKC stairs. She may have been the one with her eyes peeking over that huge box she was trying to carry to the recycle bin. Maybe she asked you if you would like some bagels or she picked up the produce bag you dropped and handed it back to you.
And if you happened to be in the right place at the right time, you heard her singing. She was singing to Jesus so she did not notice you were listening. Her songs flowed from one to the other, a mix of all the truths that constantly run through her mind. Angelic. Beautiful. On key or off, she could care less. No performance issues, wondering what others may be thinking, or other self-esteem struggles to step in the way.
Maybe you were the one who gave the karaoke machine that she received for Christmas. Her big gift for 2016. Her family is sacrificing all their extra resources to adopt her a little sister from India, so she leaned in to Jesus for her Christmas gifts and He provided. Knowing Arie, she probably thought singing at the top of her lungs was the favorite part of Christmas morning and maybe spinning in her Christmas gown until it twirled so so.
Isaiah 54:13 says, “All our children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.”
As children, the LORD taught us and great was the peace of those moments. Take time to remember. Did you have boldness to share Jesus with a friend? Do you remember giving a hug to a stranger? What about that time you sang to Him at the top of your lungs while riding your bike? Or the time you kneeled by your bed and prayed for your sick grandma or the friend at school who had leukemia?
God sends us Arie’s to remind us we are all His children. He wants to keep teaching us too and giving us the same great peace that He gives to our community children as He teaches them.
Let us never diminish the children that are sharing life with us through Grace Klein Community. Remember the freedom we too once shared and let ourselves run through fields of wild flowers, dance in the rain and eat messy watermelon.
When a child worships, with abandon, without instruction, and in full freedom, the heart of an adult is deeply moved to worship too. Not to worship of the kid, but of the One the child worships. Adults can stuff emotions deep down inside ourselves, almost forgetting what it is like to feel, forgetting to remember the One who over and over again has proven Himself faithful.
Remember when you had no concept of time, when your tears were over taking a bath or going to bed, when your biggest decisions were riding your bike or building a fort? Spending time with children helps us remember what is really important and the treasure of living peacefully in the right now.
Arie Burke is a worshiper, praise dancer, chicken egg gatherer, bread sorter, donut eater, little wanderer, Jesus lover who is making our community better. Maybe you have met her in the office driveway, putting the rescued flowers tightly in water buckets so ladies all over Birmingham could feel special that week. Or you heard her little voice totally disgusted by chicken poo or cucumber juice, or maybe you’ve seen her tumbled down the GKC stairs. She may have been the one with her eyes peeking over that huge box she was trying to carry to the recycle bin. Maybe she asked you if you would like some bagels or she picked up the produce bag you dropped and handed it back to you.
And if you happened to be in the right place at the right time, you heard her singing. She was singing to Jesus so she did not notice you were listening. Her songs flowed from one to the other, a mix of all the truths that constantly run through her mind. Angelic. Beautiful. On key or off, she could care less. No performance issues, wondering what others may be thinking, or other self-esteem struggles to step in the way.
Maybe you were the one who gave the karaoke machine that she received for Christmas. Her big gift for 2016. Her family is sacrificing all their extra resources to adopt her a little sister from India, so she leaned in to Jesus for her Christmas gifts and He provided. Knowing Arie, she probably thought singing at the top of her lungs was the favorite part of Christmas morning and maybe spinning in her Christmas gown until it twirled so so.
Isaiah 54:13 says, “All our children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.”
As children, the LORD taught us and great was the peace of those moments. Take time to remember. Did you have boldness to share Jesus with a friend? Do you remember giving a hug to a stranger? What about that time you sang to Him at the top of your lungs while riding your bike? Or the time you kneeled by your bed and prayed for your sick grandma or the friend at school who had leukemia?
God sends us Arie’s to remind us we are all His children. He wants to keep teaching us too and giving us the same great peace that He gives to our community children as He teaches them.
Let us never diminish the children that are sharing life with us through Grace Klein Community. Remember the freedom we too once shared and let ourselves run through fields of wild flowers, dance in the rain and eat messy watermelon.
When a child worships, with abandon, without instruction, and in full freedom, the heart of an adult is deeply moved to worship too. Not to worship of the kid, but of the One the child worships. Adults can stuff emotions deep down inside ourselves, almost forgetting what it is like to feel, forgetting to remember the One who over and over again has proven Himself faithful.
Arie Burke is a worshiper, praise dancer, chicken egg gatherer, bread sorter, donut eater, little wanderer, Jesus lover who is making our community better. Maybe you have met her in the office driveway, putting the rescued flowers tightly in water buckets so ladies all over Birmingham could feel special that week. Or you heard her little voice totally disgusted by chicken poo or cucumber juice, or maybe you’ve seen her tumbled down the GKC stairs. She may have been the one with her eyes peeking over that huge box she was trying to carry to the recycle bin. Maybe she asked you if you would like some bagels or she picked up the produce bag you dropped and handed it back to you.
And if you happened to be in the right place at the right time, you heard her singing. She was singing to Jesus so she did not notice you were listening. Her songs flowed from one to the other, a mix of all the truths that constantly run through her mind. Angelic. Beautiful. On key or off, she could care less. No performance issues, wondering what others may be thinking, or other self-esteem struggles to step in the way.
As children, the LORD taught us and great was the peace of those moments. Take time to remember. Did you have boldness to share Jesus with a friend? Do you remember giving a hug to a stranger? What about that time you sang to Him at the top of your lungs while riding your bike? Or the time you kneeled by your bed and prayed for your sick grandma or the friend at school who had leukemia?