Grace Klein Community desperately needed someone who would nurture the many volunteers that come to the office every day. Every person that walks in the office needs to know they are loved and matter. Who would He send to listen and love?
One day another partner ministry called and asked how they could pray for Grace Klein Community and the prayer request was a person who would serve by loving the many volunteers who give and give and give every day to love Birmingham through Grace Klein Community. The lady on the other line said, “no way, I just spoke with a woman this morning and all she longs to do is to give her life away by investing in others. I will call her and have her contact you guys.”
…and just like that, God answered our prayers and sent Rachael.
Some people can give their lives away, without needing a job position, title or occupation. These people do not need a paycheck because of other provision God has already set before them. What a gift for Grace Klein Community to realize this was the scenario of Rachael Smith! She could commit to 20-25 hours a week of full on volunteering with Grace Klein Community.
Rachael Smith comes to listen. She is intentionally at the office to love and encourage the volunteers who so generously and faithfully come to give their lives away. We believe these investors matter so much and we believe they always need to be reminded and validated of the treasure they are to this community. Without hundreds of volunteers, the community outreach that happens in Birmingham could never happen to the capacity that our volunteers make it happen! Continual lifestyles of “LOVE DOES” is how our diverse community operates and we need every single person to be the best possible community. If these volunteers are not cared for, they could be come discouraged, feel unheard or unappreciated.
Volunteers are the heartbeat of any effective community impact. Our volunteers ideas are invaluable. They need to be heard. Our volunteers are appreciated and we want them to be continually reminded of their purpose and value. Our volunteers are the best in the world and are making a huge impact in Birmingham and around the world.
Rachael Smith is at the Grace Klein office every week and at food delivery every month, to love on all the people of Grace Klein. We are better together for having Rachael’s prayers, listening ears, encouragement and enthusiasm to work alongside all of us.
Maybe you have met Rachael in the Give and Take Room where she sorts clothing, praying for who might need each item and that God will use every item to meet needs in our city, comfort those brokenhearted from loss and be used as a meaningful example of the faithfulness of our Father. Or you may have attended a recent community event where she set up our table and represented the vision of Grace Klein Community. Maybe you helped her lug a bag of trash to the dumpster or swept the floors so that the office was clean and inviting for the next person. She may have been in Scott’s office, when you stopped by, working through volunteer spreadsheets and preparing the food box for delivery or emailing community business partners to let them know of needs where we could really use some help. Have you come by to sort cucumbers, she may have been the one covered in slime beside you, asking you questions about how you were doing and how she could pray for you. Or maybe you are the once stranger she met at a Bible study, her child’s school or church when she invited you into Grace Klein Community.
The prayer of this woman is powerful and effective and accomplishes much! She’s a warrior for the Kingdom, fighting to love well every single person she meets, whether they are similar to her or completely different from her. She wakes up and puts on love. Then, she gets out of bed and scatters that love over everyone she meets.
Another fun attribute of Rachael is she loves younger women. She reminds them who they are, links arms with them, and walks with them on whatever easy or hard road life takes them. She shares anything she’s learned from Jesus and soaks up everything they too have learned from Jesus. She’s not arrived on some plateau, she’s learning and growing, just like everyone, and so she is not better than you, smarter than you or wiser than you! She is eager to know you for you, to giggle, make memories and grow together. If you think in the terms of mentorship, she’s your gal, but not in any negative terms of hierarchy, power or position. Every day she is stooping low, learning more of how to love, from a place of humility.
Has Rachael ever called you? Give her your cell number because you want just one of her calls. One day she may call you with a God story and your heart will be so excited you will not know how to stand it. She bubbles over Jesus and her passion and care makes you want to live your days looking for what He will do next! She is always anticipating what is around the bend, hopeful and expectant. She know He is always up to good things and she cannot wait to see more of His glory. She tells of what God has done, always bragging on His faithfulness, goodness and loving kindness.
Get to know this woman who is intentionally hanging around Grace Klein Community because she wants to get to know YOU. Feel Jesus seeping out of every part of who she is and realize that her pursuit of YOU is Jesus’ pursuit of you from the beautiful flesh of a precious woman. He’s gonna bless YOU through Rachael as you get splattered by her love that’s all His love exploding out of her. When you walk away from Rachael, you may even forget her name, but you will remember Jesus.
Surely this must be Jesus’ intent for all of our lives – all of us going in different directions, loving every person in our path, deliberately listening and leaving all these hand prints and footprints behind where people forget about us and remember Jesus.