Response to Gods call

It's been almost two years since we embarked on the journey of leaving our home in Ontario and arriving into the promised land of long winters, mountains and a people whom we have come to know and love as Christ's children. We have been blessed!

Although in my role I work with both our unpaid and paid youth leaders, this past week has again been a reminder to me of how much we value those we call parents and volunteers.

In my own years of being directly involved in the daily doings of youth ministry, I understood the importance of the volunteer who spent countless hours preparing for a VBS week, parents who gave of their time to cook food for a fundraiser, or taking time off from work to attend a mission trip. They spend countless hours working with our children, our youth and when we are not directly involved, we tend to forget how crucial these people are to the churches mission. We end up taking them for granted.

This week I was able to walk along side those many people who planned, and implemented an amazing VBS event in Edmonton. Each person gave of their time, talents and money to give back to the community, their children and to God. They were truly filled with passion and love for each other and those they were ministering to. I was in awe and I thank God for them.

Many churches are similar to the one I was honored to visit and these people need to be thanked and encouraged in their roles. Not every church has a paid professional for youth ministry and even when they do, professional youth workers CANNOT do their jobs without the love, support and giftedness of volunteers. Thank you God for Volunteers!

Your church is probably planning to attend a mission trip, hosting a VBS event, planning a youth service, or working with the local needs of your town or city this year. Wherever God is leading you, thank Him for the people in your midst who work to those ends. Whenever you see someone who has given of their lives for others, thank them.

Join me in thanking our awesome volunteers.