A Simple Invitation

Can you think of a time when you didn’t want to do something, but you begrudgingly did it and then something great came of it?

My “something” was last year on a sunny Saturday morning. My husband, Jason, had signed up to volunteer at a local 5k fundraiser event and I was honestly less than thrilled about it. There are many stretches in the year where almost every weekend is filled with ministry related events or something that requires extra of my husband’s time. Ministry is hard and I still consider us to be “newbies” in this calling that God has given us. So, I was struggling this day and I selfishly wanted him to just be home. I wanted a slow Saturday morning as a family. Even with knowing my husband’s heart for this fundraiser and his motivation to volunteer, we were not on the same page. But, I got myself and our daughters ready to go and we eventually met up with my husband and our family at the event. It turned out to be a nice day and we all had a good time. The beautiful weather and watching my kids play was enough to begin to humble me, but it was how God worked a week later that really humbled me and reminded me of my God’s sovereignty.

My husband’s job at this event was to man one of the inflatable obstacle courses. While doing that, he met a grandfather who was waiting on a grandchild to come out of the obstacle course. They struck up a conversation which led to my husband inviting him and his family to our church. Really thinking nothing more of this conversation my husband and I went on about our week like normal. But when Sunday rolled around, this grandfather and his family were at our church and they have been attending our church since. They regularly come on Sundays and their grandchildren are actively involved in our children’s ministry. This sweet family has impacted mine and my husband’s lives more than they probably realize. If you are thinking, “What’s the big deal, Krissy? So your husband invited someone to church and they came. Doesn’t this happen all the time?”. No, it doesn’t. It can be discouraging in today’s world when it feels like you invite people to church and they don’t ever come. But see, the lesson I learned this day is so much more than just inviting people to church. I also was reminded of the importance of following my husband’s lead. If you know me and my strong-willed self, you know that submitting to my husband’s leadership doesn’t come naturally for me. It is an act I choose everyday as I trust the Lord to guide my husband in leading our family. My husband saw the importance of us being at this fundraiser. From my husband’s desire to serve his community, the Lord used this event to connect a grandfather and his family with a church and to teach me the lesson of following my husband’s lead with a willing and helping heart.

This fundraiser is in honor of a teenager, Callie, who tragically lost her life while on an international mission trip. While I never met her, she has impacted my life. Because of her life and her story, this fundraiser was birthed. Because of her life and her story a family is now involved in church. Because of her life and her story, I have a treasured little lesson of trusting that the Lord’s plan is much greater than anything I could ever dream of. Being in the community that day was so much better than what I had planned for us at home.

This event is happening again this weekend and I honestly can’t wait for it. I’m excited to see how the Lord will move again in our community and in my own personal life.