Stretching Ourselves Through Service

I volunteered out of necessity and "What else am I gonna do on Wednesday nights?"  But the result was joy.

I told my pastor that I wanted to help out with AWANA, the Bible memory program that our church has for kids on Wednesday nights.  He said "You'd love working with TNT."  TNT is for the older kids, 3rd grade until the kids hit youth group.  He was right, I would enjoy it. 

"But I think I heard they need workers for Sparks," was my reply.  Sparks is for kids K-2nd grade.  He said yes, they surely do, so he put me in touch with the Sparks leaders.

Cheryl immediately asked if I wanted to be a teacher or a helper, although I'm sure she already knew the answer.

I was a teacher by trade.  Teaching is both my spiritual gift and my professional gift.  How could I be anything but a teacher?

So I ended up teaching second graders.

I learned that teaching second graders is not my calling. 

My husband and I spent all of our kidless years working with the youth group at our church.  I also taught high school English for 4 years.  I have had a great time getting to know Sarah, my 16 year old helper on Wednesday nights, and sharing in her excitement when she shared Christ with one of the kids in our class.  

But second grade is not my calling. 

The curriculum is mapped out nicely, and it's fairly simple to figure out what to teach every Wednesday night.  The leader handbook gives great ideas for making the lessons come to life.  Still, I'm not crafty.  Yarn, pipe cleaners, and glitter glue do not fit my personality.  But a cup of coffee does, so I find that my personality is geared towards older students.  I also had no idea that I would have a surprise pregnancy and end up feeling miserable for the entire second semester of teaching Sparks. 

Did I mention yet that second grade is not my calling?

Pregnant and tired, I recruited a friend to help out with some of the teaching on Wednesday nights.  When she teaches, I watch her and think of how gifted she is, and how perfect she is for this role.  Her tone is always tender, always kind, and during game time, I've seen her correct a child by being humorous and chasing him.  He responded to her correction much better than he did mine.

Second grade is Terri's calling.

But I loved it. 

I learned how much fun these kids are, and was reminded once again, that just like anyone else, these kids just want someone to listen to them, to show them that their ideas, their stories, and their emotions are valid.  Even if their prayer request is for their sick dog, it's important that we pray for that sick dog.

These kids want love, and I love them.  So does God. 

I absolutely loved sharing the Gospel with them.  I would come home, excitedly jabbering to my husband about the neat question that one of the kids had asked.  It was so fun for Terri, Sarah and I to clear up their ideas about salvation.  That no, going to church will not save you, and that trusting your life to Christ does not mean you will be sinless.  Trusting your life to Christ means that you've accepted His gift of salvation, that His blood now covers your sins, past, present, and future.  And I get to walk with Him every day of my life, learning what it means to obey Him. 

Every week was fun, and I didn't dread it.  I enjoyed it.

It wasn't a mistake for me to serve out of my area of giftedness.  God wants to stretch us, to challenge us, and to use us in our weakness.  He definitely did that for me this year. 

Will I do it again next year?  No, I can't.  I will have a 4 week old nursing baby boy when AWANA begins again, and the logistics of all of that just won't work out. 

But I will miss my kiddos, and I look forward to getting hugs from them on Sunday mornings and watching them grow in Christ.