The past two days I have had the
opportunity to be the missionary at Prairie States Christian Service Camp – the
church camp where I grew up and currently work.
This week, we have 3rd
& 4th graders – one of my favorite age groups!
I was invited to share about The World Race. I showed the kids maps of where my
team is headed. I set up my tent and showed them my backpack. I sold
bracelets to them – they gave up their canteen money to help support this
mission.
While all of that was nice, and
I am very appreciative that I was given the chance to share about my trip and
to raise some funds, my “a-ha” moment came this morning.
After I finished my little talk
about how I will be traveling/living for 11 months and answering what seemed
like a hundred questions, Tyson [the dean] asked for one boy and one girl to
come and pray for me.
As each kid [only 8 & 9 years old] took his/her turn praying for me, my heart swelled and my eyes watered. Levi’s prayer began:
“God, please keep Samantha safe when she goes to the Philippines and Thailand to share your love.”
Their prayers were the simplest
and
most authentic prayers I have heard in a long time. I sometimes find my own
prayers to be [as authentic as I try to make them]… just empty words, more like
a routine. These two have hearts for Jesus and childlike faith. While doing my
devo this afternoon, I came across this verse:
And [Jesus] said, “I tell
you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will
never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew
18:3
I’m ready for that childlike
faith. I’m ready to love and to trust. I’m ready to believe that God can and will do big things.
Peace,
Samantha
