He Continues to Amaze

I'm just going to cut to the chase...God is amazing. I'm in Sitka this week and boy, has God blessed this VBS. We have been doing Bible School at night this week. Our schedule has been inflatables for a while, family dinner, Worship Rally with all the VBS songs, crafts, Bible Study, and Recreation. About those inflatables...they are amazing. I sure do hate putting them up and taking them down, but God uses those in awesome ways to draw kids in. The really extra super cool thing is that they draw kids in that don't go to church. I am always incredibly excited to have unchurched kids come. So the first night after inflatables, we had these 6 middle school boys. They sat against the wall waiting for dinner and asked me, "What religion is this?" I answered to them, "This is Christianity." Then one of the boys said, "Well I'm Catholic and so are 3 more of us. The other two are Muslims." Man, I got excited then! I told Jake about them and he went and sat with them during dinner and struck up a conversation about Jesus. He told them all about how you don't have to do anything to have a relationship with Jesus and to get to Heaven. You just have to believe and have faith. They were so interested in that. They were amazed that you don't have to work to be saved or do a bunch of stuff, like they had been taught by their religions. Jake and the rest of us were really pumped about that conversation. Unfortunately, they left after dinner. The same thing happened the next night. They came for the inflatables and dinner, then bolted. Well we had definitely been noticing this and we were praying that they would at least stay for part of the VBS. Well with God being awesome and everything, that happened last night. Much to our excitement, all 6 guys decided for some reason to stay for the Worship Rally last night. Now if you haven't heard these VBS songs, they are pretty great. I know I write about them a lot, but I have just seen God use those so much this summer. Most of them are straight up reciting scripture and one of them explains the ABCs of becoming a Christian. Well these 6 boys got into the Worship time, and I was scared they would think it was stupid. Little did I know that God had it all worked out. From the beginning of the first song to the last, these boys sang every single word and did every single motion. These Catholic and Muslim boys were singing about only worshipping the one true God and giving up their sin to follow Him. That was hands down my favorite moment of this trip. After the ABC song, I felt God leading me to say something, because I wasn't sure if these boys were going to stay for Bible Study. So God layed it on my heart to share the plan of salvation and to share about Jesus and why He came. I don't take credit for that. It was totally a God thing. I'm so glad He told me to do that because the boys did end up leaving after the Worship time. But that was ok! They got to hear about Jesus and how He could save them. I am totally amazed at how God worked that out. We may never know what happens to those boys, but I firmly believe a seed was planted. God can use that and do mighty things with it. As I said in my last post, words cannot fully express how much God has blessed things and how He has intricately worked out the details of everything to go just the right way. God keeps showing me how big, how able, how strong, how loving, and how incredible He is. I am so glad that He is allowing me to be a part of the plans that He has. If all I get to do for Him is to sing a few kids' songs everyday about Jesus, then I am more than okay with that. God can use anything. I think that is pretty much the story of my summer. He can use the smallest, most ridiculous, most seemingly insignificant things to bring people to Him and to make Himself known. I am so priviledged and honored to be able to serve a God like that.

I hope that whoever you are that is reading this realizes that you can be used by God too. You don't have to travel thousands of miles to do it, you can do it right where you are. Like I said, God can use anyone and anything, no matter how big or how small. All you have to do is have your heart right with Him and be willing. This summer, me, Aaron, Turner, and Jake have had the big title of "Missionary" tacked on to us. I've realized that a lot of people really respect that term and put a lot of store in it. In some places we have practically been rockstars because we are the "missionaries." I'm not going to lie and say that hasn't been great, because it has been. It has made me think though. That term "missionary" shouldn't just be reserved for people who are doing what we are doing. If you are a Christian, you are called to live as a missionary. That can be right where you are, in another country, across the street from you...anywhere. That might not entail you giving up your job or quitting school to travel and do Vacation Bible Schools all the time, but it does entail making Jesus known. Just remember, God can use the smallest of things, just like He used those VBS songs with us. Just take the time to listen to God and to what He wants you to do. That will look different to each person. I'm not saying everybody is called to evangelize and be career missionaries. Like I said, you can do this right where you are, doing whatever you do everyday. Just listen to Him. He'll talk you through it.

I want to thank you all for the continued prayers. They help! Please continue to be in prayer for:
-Our last night of VBS tomorrow
-The continued ministry of FBC Sitka
-The 6 boys that came and their salvation, as well as their family's salvation
-Safe travels on the ferry this Saturday to Petersburg
-VBS in FBC Petersburg
-Strong finishes by all of my fellow summer missionaries in their mission fields

Love and Peace,
Lyndsey