Valerie Rae Hanneman
Luke 6:38 (NIV)”Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Sometimes I think I was crazy to ever get involved in Care Fresno Kids Klub. It is a hard ministry. Sometimes I think that the only thing that I have done in my life that was harder was to give birth. (Steven was 9lb 15 oz at birth. The ol’ wives tale says that you forget the process of giving birth in the joy of the child. Maybe so, but when you give birth to a Christmas turkey sized child – you don’t forget that.)
Care Fresno takes a lot of my time. I don’t just show up on Friday nights for a couple of hours and play with kids. I keep records, addresses, do newsletters, send out permission slips and plan activities. Most of my financial offerings (not my tithe) go to support the “Handy Dandy Candy Grab” the “Brain Bucket” and the “Super Soda Slurper” It takes a toll on me physically. When I leave Kids Klub on Friday nights I make it through my front door, to my recliner and then to sleep (quickly). It is difficult on me mentally. I am so blessed by the number of volunteers that are there every Friday, and they work so hard – but ultimately having 60 neighborhood kids running around in Fellowship Hall can only be described as (almost) controlled chaos. And let’s not even get started on the toll that this ministry takes on my heart. Some of my kid’s families face major challenges of finances, housing, substance abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse and sexual abuse. Several of my kids have parents that are incarcerated – one parent is incarcerated for life. Most of my kids struggle in school. And they tell me about their problems – and I listen. And although I listen calmly, my heart is weeping for this child and the heavy burdens that they should not be forced to bear.
So here is the $64,000 question: If this ministry is so hard – if it takes a toll on my time, my finances, my body, my mind and my heart – why is it the one ministry I can not imagine not doing? Why is it a source of my greatest joy?
We have all heard today’s verse before - usually when the preacher is preaching on our privilege to serve God through our finances. It is God’s promise that whatever we give Him will be returned to us. In my own life I have seen time after time when I give to God through my finances with a willing and loving heart and somehow the bills always get paid.
But I don’t think we should limit this verse to just finances. I think that maybe finances are the smallest part of the promise of this verse. The verse doesn’t say “Give money and it will be given to you.” It just says to give. And then it goes on to promise that it will be given back to you - a good measure, pressed down and shaken together. In other words, what we give to God is going to be given back to us – with interest. Of course, there is a catch to this – and that catch is where your heart is when you give to God. God’s promise says that the measure that we use to give to God is the measure that God is going to use to give back to us. If we give to God because we “have to” or because we are looking for that reward – if we give from the smallness of our heart – then God is going to give back with that same measure. But if we throw our hearts wide open and give ourselves in willing and joyful service to our God, then Father is going to give back the same way.
I give time to Care Fresno – Father has given me eternity. I give my finances to Care Fresno – God has given me a mansion on streets of gold. When I am physically exhausted, Father reminds me that I have a new body in eternity that will never be tired again. When those kids are driving me crazy on Friday, He reminds me that He gives me a peace that passes all understanding.
And He gives me so much more here on earth. He gives me Dwayne who is active in the Youth group and in choir. He gives me Miko who left FFBC, then came back years later to be baptized and to make a change in his life. He gave me Ryan and Anisa who continued on to our Jr. High program and whose families attend services. He gave me Debbie & Mikki, parents of some of my kids, who came over to see what was going on and ended up staying – then being baptized. He has given me so many children who have gone up to camp and come back in a new relationship with Jesus. He has given me the opportunity to see my kids come charging into church on Sonday mornings. There is simply not enough space for me to tell you all that He has given me. I give my heart and my love to these kids, and Father lets me know that my heart and love is His heart and love as well. I give Him the joy of my service and He gives me the abundant joy of seeing how He uses my service to change lives. It is unbelievable what I have received from Him.
This ministry is the source of my greatest joy because my service in it is the source of God’s joy in me.
It doesn’t matter where you serve – in the pulpit, chasing kids around on Fridays, teaching a class, washing dishes or mowing lawns. Do it with a heart of service and love and stand amazed as Father gives back to you and then some. Interest that is pressed down, shaken together and running over into your lap. Prepare for joy.
Father, sometimes I think that Care Fresno is going to be the death of me – but the joy You give me is something I cannot describe. Thank You for allowing me to serve You, and for being the life of me.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of FFBC at Valerie@fresnofirst.org.
Posted by Valerie at July 1, 2006 07:23 PM