“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
I think sometimes we read these passages and we miss the power and the meaning behind them. But just stop for a moment…the God who molded these mountains, created the stars in the sky, who separated the ocean from the land, who is the king of the universe, thought the world needed YOU. So he created you…and not only that, he created you to look like HIM. In that, he has a PURPOSE for you. He crafted you uniquely and specifically for the grand plans he has for you. This is something that should never get old; it should strike as much awe in our hearts as when we first heard it…even more so the more that we get to know him.
This is the message we got to share with 40+ kids this last week here in Albania. Our teams put on a weeklong VBS with the theme of creation. Each day, they learned about different things that the Lord created and were continually reminded and exposed to how big the Lord is.
Every morning we started with worship and they were met with prayer and songs that told them they were built for a purpose, that they were loved, and that they weren’t alone.
They rotated between stations: Lesson, Crafts, and Games. During the lesson, they were taught about the creation of that day (we combined some to fit it into 5 days) and were taught the memory verses. They played games and learned more about the Bible and the God who loves them.
During crafts, I led them in crafts that went with the creation of the day. These kids don’t often get the freedom to create without restriction, so it was such a fun privilege to be able to orchestrate this for them.
During games, they had the opportunity to just have fun and be loved on by some of the members of our team and with the other kids their age.
At the end, all of the kids came together for review questions, more worship, prayer, and received a small lunch to take with them.
These kids have stolen my heart and it was such a joy to watch them sing along and know the moves to the worship songs by day 2. At the end of the FIRST day, several of them knew the memory verse and could recite it. These kids come from some of the poorest areas of Tirana. Some of them beg on the streets and are constantly pushed away. These are beautiful kids who do not believe they have a purpose and may not often be encouraged in their gifts. Some of them have more responsibilities at home than they should have to have and more worries than I can even begin to know. But for this one week, they got to come and be kids. They got to be loved on, dance around, create, and to hear of the love of their Father. It was such a blessing to see them enter into this week and to see how deeply the Lord DOES meet them and to see them realize their potential. Their innocent faith and joy is such an inspiration and encouragement.
Sometimes, I think it takes breaking down these “simple” things that we know for us to really stop and think about the weight behind them. In teaching them, we realize again how amazing the Lord is and we are reminded of these truths for ourselves. This week I was reminded again of the beauty and creativeness of Papa. Of how playful and purposeful he is. I was encouraged to continue to dive into looking at the ways that he’s created me- at my gifts, quirks, and personality- and to realize how much purpose he has for me and for my life. To really think about how he is using those and how he can use those. It was a new look at things that he has already been working on and it all came through looking at these kids through the eyes of the Father and realizing their potential and gifts.
In what ways do you skirt past these “simple” verses and when was the last time you really sat down and thought about them? Do you realize the purpose that the Lord has for you and those around you? Take some time and think about the ways that he’s gifted and created you. How is he using those? How can you step into those things in new ways? Ask the Lord to continue to show you these things and to help you believe them. Take time to encourage those things in those that make up your community.
Thanks to you all, I am FULLY FUNDED! Your support has been phenomenal and I would not be having these experiences without YOU! However,there are still plenty of opportunities and need to help support me with misc. personal living expenses and funds for me to use to bless the ministries and people I’m working with. The race has proven to require more personal funds than I had intended for ministry wardrobe purchases, equipment, food, and in being able to bless others. Pray about how and if the Lord would have you partner with me in this way! If you are interested in helping me with this, send me a message or you can donate through https://www.paypal.me/SylviaBarrett.
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