I moved back home a couple months ago, broken and completely lost as to where life was going to take me next. I was a nanny, and left two children whom I'd grown to love, whether I would admit it or not. I had no job, wasn't attending college, and didn't want to be back home, feeling that it only meant failure. All I knew was that a new year was coming up, and that I wanted my focus of that new year to be on learning how to love like Jesus. I really wanted to get involved volunteering somewhere that I could make a difference, preferable a ministry opportunity. I prayed several weeks for God to open a door for me where I could serve to the best of my abilities. I soon started attending my parents church where I went for most of my younger years growing up. I found out that they were desperately praying and seeking a Sunday School teacher for their children and youth. Because of my love for children and my background working with them, I knew this was the opportunity God had provided for me to serve where my heart was. The church happily and eagerly accepted my volunteer to be their new Sunday School leader.
At first I was scared that I wouldn't be able to make much of an affect on the children, or that they wouldn't take to me easily. I was so completely wrong. By my second Sunday there, I had children running to my classroom yelling "Miss Katie! Miss Katie!" and fighting to give me a hug first before the other. I got to know the children and the older youth, and I grew to love them more with each passing week. I got to spend some time with the older ones, and I saw their self-esteem rise higher and higher as they felt more comfortable with me, and got used to me telling them how beautiful they were and how much Jesus loves them. After a few weeks, only one little girl was able to keep making it to class. She always wished more children would come to class alongside her, but I tried to make it as fun and educational as possible with only the two of us.
As I got to know this beautiful little girl, I came to know that she loves to create and she loves to teach. So the Sunday before last, I decided not to plan a big lesson, but to just sit back and let her teach me a craft that she wanted to teach me. I had some cute cross and verse materials that she was welcome to use to make crafts, and yet she decided she wanted to make marshmallow men, with tiny s'mores for them to eat, as well as an entire village made out of bibles. Marshmallow men?! Now there aren't exactly any lessons in the Bible that relate to r marshmallows or s'mores. And I could have said as such, and encouraged her activity to take on a different direction of my prompting. But in order to love a child, sometimes you just have to put aside your own personal agenda, get down on their level (which is usually one full of dirt and mischief and silly nonsense), and put your entire being into participating with them in their own world. So that's what we did. We spent over an hour playing "marshmallow men" and seeing who could make the "tiniest s'mores in the world." I didn't sit and try to teach her a bible lesson. I just got down on the floor with her and loved the best way a child knows how to best loved.
And that morning, when the Pastor gave the alter call, that beautiful little girl went up to accept Jesus Christ as her personal savior, and asked to be baptized in the church. She had seen and tasted what love was, and she wanted to accept it for herself. It was nothing I ever did, nothing the pastor ever did. It was nothing but the love of Jesus captivating her little heart. And in the same way, Jesus continues to captivate my heart when I experience His love in the selfless, indulgent, lavishing love of a little child. In the way they laugh without stopping, and wrap their arms around you without hesitation. In the way 5 pairs of hands all grab you at once, begging for you to sit by them and not the other. It's when you hear their little prayer requests for their fighting parents, their arguing siblings, their sick relatives...and yet, they don't become hostile and bitter, withholding their love. Even the most broken of children continue to love, to hug, to touch, just like Jesus does with us.
Because of God's wonderful blessing in my life, He has given me the awesome opportunity to move to Montana with a dear friend for a few months. Because I will be moving soon, this last Sunday would be my last as the Sunday School teacher at the church. It was also to be the 65th Anniversary of the church. That morning as I prepared for church, I asked Papa God to please bring some new children to church that I could teach about Jesus and love on, and to whom I could give away all the fun prizes I had been saving up. So I went to my little classroom and set up all my crafts, prizes, and activities. I waited and thought that maybe on my last day that no children would end up coming. But in comes my little girl, excited to see me and hug me, with two other little girls trailing along that I had never seen. They told me that all they had heard about God was that He was mean and controlling, and that they had never even heard of Jesus Christ before. I got to teach them all about Jesus' love for us, and all of the things He does for us because He loves us! Their timidness to be in class was soon replaced with their excitement to learn about Jesus and the Bible! We had a great time and they were able to each tell me all about God and how the Bible says He loves us and will be with us and what Jesus did for us. And I wasn't surprised this time when three pairs of hands each pulled me into the church service, begging for me to sit by them instead of the other.
As the church service started, I saw another group of children filing in! They sat in the back with my long time friend's grandma, who helped start the church 65 years ago. After the service, there was a big potluck, and the three children wanted me to take them to the park across the street. So I decided to meet the other children who had filed in, and to ask them if they wanted to come to the park with us. They were so excited to go! So I had 7 children trailing behind me to the park across the street. I started playing tickle monster and I soon became the "troll under the bridge." After about 5 minutes, the game was turned on me, as all the children started running towards me and started tickling me so much I almost fell over. Two of the little children couldn't stop hugging me, and they had only just met me! As I was giving one child a piggy back ride around the park, I turned to hear and see the all of the rest of the children standing on the top of a park table yelling all together as loud as they could "OHH MISS KATIE! MISS KATIE! COME GET US IF YOU CAN! BUT WE ARE ON BASE SO YOU CAN'T NA NA NA NA OHH MISS KAAAAATIIIEEEE!" Let's just say my heart melted :)
For another two hours, I played different games with these children who continually wanted hugs, piggy back rides, attention, and mostly love. As their parents started collecting different ones to leave, I realized just how blessed I was. I was completely exhuasted, out of breath, and had grass stained knees with a child riding on my back and another clinging onto my waist. In that moment, I realized just how sad I was that I had only just met these children, fell in love with their beautiful little laughs so quickly, and yet I would never see them again. I've never been a biological mother, but in that moment, I realized the full extent of that quote that says something about how her heart is always outside her body walking around with her children. As I hugged the last ones good bye and watched them go, I was both heartbroken and completely full. I knew for the first time in my life, that with a hundred percent confidence, that my purpose here on earth is to be with children. I've always wanted to be a mother, but now I understand what it feels like to love a child so much. I may or may not be a biological mother some day, but I will always be a mother to all children, whether they are mine or not.
As I get ready to pack up and start a new adventure in my life, I eagerly look forward to loving the children God brings into my life. May it be just playing with children in the park, or carrying around orphans and telling them how beautiful, how loved, how important they are (my ultimate dream). But no matter where I go or what I do, I know that God has given me the heart of a child, and the love of a mother. It truly takes a special ability, patience, and unconditional love to work with children, and it comes from God. I've always connected easily, and I know its because of the heart Jesus has given me for His children. He loves the little children, and He says to let them come to Him. In the same way, may we come to Him with childlike faith, love, and trust, as well as bringing the other little children with us to the feet of Jesus.
Blessings,
Katie Grace
* As always, I thankfully accept any donations put on your heart to give to my ministry. All funds will be directly used for ministry purposes, not excluding travel expenses in and outside of the country. You can easily donate by clicking the DONATE at the top of this blog. Forms of payment accepted are also shown in the icons below the DONATE button. If you have any questions concerning donations, as well as any concerns, or prayer requests, you are always welcome to contact me through comments or my personal e-mail address (ilovecharlotte@att.net) Thank you so much for supporting this ministry. God bless.
* As always, I thankfully accept any donations put on your heart to give to my ministry. All funds will be directly used for ministry purposes, not excluding travel expenses in and outside of the country. You can easily donate by clicking the DONATE at the top of this blog. Forms of payment accepted are also shown in the icons below the DONATE button. If you have any questions concerning donations, as well as any concerns, or prayer requests, you are always welcome to contact me through comments or my personal e-mail address (ilovecharlotte@att.net) Thank you so much for supporting this ministry. God bless.
