You Give Them Something To Eat

Every morning I drive our kids to school.  The last two years Josh typically took Harper to school because her old school started at 7:15.  That was early enough for him to just drop her off on his way to work.  This year our three big kids along with the rest of our family have ventured into a new school.  It doesn’t start until later, so now I take them all each morning.  It’s literally 2 minutes from our house, but every morning I pray for their day out loud as we drive.  I thank God for their lives, their teachers and their friends.  I ask God to show them ways to love on their friends and teachers and allow them to show them Jesus.  I tell my kids school is not just about learning and having fun, but their school is their mission field…one of their opportunities to tell people about the God of the Universe and to show love and kindness and generosity and compassion and respect.

I say these things with deep conviction and mean every word.  I see school as much more than just school.  Their school is our community.  Our entire family is meant to serve and love on this place and all the staff and families who are there.

Last week I listened with giant tears in my eyes as Harper told how she sat with a classmate during recess who was having a rough day in class and told her about Jesus.  She encouraged her to pray and ask God to help her through the rest of the day.  I cried because A) thankfulness to God for the heart He is cultivating in Harper and B) shame…shame because even though I tell my kids every morning they are mission for God…to be His light…to tell the people they encounter about His love…I straight up fail at this constantly.

It’s easy for me to talk about Jesus and what He has done and is doing as I hide behind my keyboard in the comfort of our home, but it’s another thing for me to come in contact with a bagillion different people every day and stay silent.  I’ve never felt the urgency more than ever that we need Christ…others need Christ…and I’m not doing a dang thing about it.  God used Harper to slap me in the face…wake up Laura…what are you doing for My kingdom.  If Christ is in me everyone I come in contact should know it.  If Christ is in me how can I NOT want everyone around me to hear about how much He loves them too?!?!

I’m ashamed I’m not a quick learner.  I’m ashamed at how long I’ve supposedly loved Jesus and the small number of people I’ve told of His grace and mercy and redeeming love.  It’s not an easy pill to swallow as God uses my 7-year-old to teach me lessons.  The question I keep wrestling with is what will I do with this lesson I’ve learned…have I really learned it…or will it fade away…will I choose to get really uncomfortable for the sake of Christ…and why is it so uncomfortable and awkward to share God’s love with those living right around me anyways?  It should pour from me…I should be eaten up with His love and it should be uncontainable.

I’m still making my way through Matthew and today I read about Jesus feeding the 5000.  Today it read differently than it ever has before.  “Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”  Matthew 14:15-16  The disciples then proceed to bring Jesus what they have…only the 5 loaves and 2 fish…practically nothing, but they brought that practically nothing to Him and He turned into Something!  Enough to feed 5000 men, besides the woman and children.  “You give them something to eat.”  Apart from Jesus I am nothing…absolutely stinkin’ nothing…just an ugly sinner…but when we obey God and give Him what we do have He does the craziest most amazing things and He gets all the glory He so deserves.

My heart is burdened and heavy…I want our family to give Him everything we have…even when it seems like absolutely not enough…and believe, anticipate and trust He will use our family and our words and our actions and our love to do something mighty for His kingdom.  May all the praise and glory be His.

6 Comments

  1. This is such a beautiful post, Laura! God works in crazy ways. I’m glad you speak about God and your faith on your blog. A lot lf people don’t because they are afraid of the backlash. Keep being bold.

  2. 🙂

  3. I don’t think you hide behind your keyboard. You witness to me in about every blog post…your love of Jesus is so honest and deep. And if your many selfless actions don’t demonstrate your faith, I don’t know what does!

  4. Beckers Kendrick-Thomas says:

    This is a beautiful message, Laura! Thank you!

  5. This is beautiful and so true in my life. I look at my kids and wish I had their boldness. Thanks for your words today!

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