August 20, 2021

I know that many families went to family camp recently. We just finished VBS and our first ever Helmar Palooza. Many volunteer for years as Sunday School teachers, children’s church and youth group. I know that the preparation for these things are huge. It takes many hands and many hours. But the payoff is eternal. The lives changed, the seeds planted cannot be measured by earthly standards.
Our grandson, who is 13, went to his first church camp this year. He’s been texting home giving glowing accounts of his time there. They have worship sessions a couple of times a day, study sessions, and of course free time for tubing and zip lining. His dad called me tonight, “Maks just called and said he wants to be baptized but the pastor said he had to call his parents and ask. I just wish we could be there”. Of course, they took a video and texted it to him. What an awesome moment! I can’t tell you how proud we all are.
The older I get, the more I believe that nothing in this life is really important except this decision. We will try and fail, we will struggle with sins, we have losses and disappointments. But at the end of the day, if our hope is in Him and we have made that decision to accept His grace, all of our sins and scars fall away. From that day forward, He will hold us in His hands and cover us with those promises in the Bible. God never promised it would be easy. He did promise us joy for the journey. Indescribable love and peace that passeth understanding.
So today, I am grateful to every person that poured into MY grandson’s spiritual life. I am also grateful to every person who poured into ANY child’s life. If you have never taught a class or are not currently, I would ask you to pray for these. For the ones who have not yet given their lives to Christ but also to the ones who have. The enemy will be working hard to trip them up. They need our prayers as they grow.
I taught Sunday School for 20 yrs. The amazing part is that on a couple of different occasions, I had one of these students come up to me as an adult and thank me!! I remembered the students, but I did not remember the specific things they recalled. God used their time in SS to plant that seed that would grow the rest of their lives. I heard it said that we all cannot be “Billy Graham” BUT Billy Graham had a Sunday School teacher that poured into him. Who knows, teachers, will one of your students be the next Billy Graham?
God is SO GOOD!!