“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
I’ve always felt this line was profound and it fits how I’m feeling this weekend perfectly.
Nearly eight years ago I had a new beginning. I began volunteering and serving in the Elevate ministry at my church. I remember talking with Anita, who runs the entire Discovery Island ministry, before starting and she asked me what age group I was looking to serve with. I answered that I wanted to go to wherever the need was greatest. When I got “my assignment” and found out I would be with the 4th and 5th graders I was actually disappointed. I had secretly been hoping for the babies or maybe preschool age. You might be asking yourself why I didn’t just say that when asked. Well, I was determined to go where God wanted me to go. The ministry was bursting and kids were being turned away because there wasn’t enough help and small groups weren’t small.
Well I’ll tell you one thing. Never question God. I quickly realized that this was exactly where I was to be. I found out that I love this age and never knew it! The ministry is committed to growing the kid’s relationship with God AND having fun. We did cool things like have lock-ins at the Livonia Rec Center, go to Rolling Hills Water Park, camp overnight at Camp Dearborn and my personal favorite – a weekend at Spring Hill Camp. I love watching the kids worship with all they’ve got and some love Jesus so much that they can’t stand still or contain it. I’ve been a small group leader these last 8 years. The girls are “my girls” and I’m very protective of them. I’ve enjoyed teaching them, having heart to hearts with them and my heart has broken for them because of things that have happened to them. They bring me joy each week with their smiles, laughter and hugs. And when they would move up to 6th grade and graduate from me I cried. Then I would get a new group of girls and I would become attached again. And I loved it.The volunteers that I serve with each week are like my second family. Some of my closest friends are in this group. They have helped me through some tough things and I them. I love serving along side them, worshipping with them, praying with them, hanging with them, laughing with them. They are the best and I just love them.
And this weekend was the last weekend that I will be with them for at least the next 18 months. I thought I was ready to move on but it was hard. My team prayed for me and my safety. I cried before, during and after. I led worship with the kids one last time and I had a lump in my throat the size of Texas. I couldn’t sing. So I watched the kids worship and I burned every face to memory. I closed my eyes and listened to their sweet voices praising our Mighty God. And I cried.
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. And this is the end of my beginning with Elevate. But it is the beginning of the next chapter of this journey called life. And there will be new experiences, new faces and more growth. And in December, 2010 there will be another new beginning from another beginning’s end.
