Have you ever stumbled on an idea that’s so good, so exciting, and makes so much sense that you can’t help but wonder, “Why haven’t I ever done this before?”
Recently, my sister and friend Amy shared her personal testimony at our Christmas party. In it, she had mentioned the significance of seeing Christians serve and help other people who were in less fortunate positions than they. As my team listened, something sparked in our hearts about the way that we’ve been doing outreach over here.
For me personally, I remembered that Servant Evangelism and community service have always been a big part of my life. I’ve always believed that they allow people to see our faith in action and give opportunity for people to encounter the abundant love of Christ. But over the last two years, I’ve been almost exclusively investing my ministry time in one-on-one discipleship meetings, friend appointments, prayer walks, and Bible studies. And we’ve seen good fruit from those things.
But the Holy Spirit has more! At our team meeting this week, it suddenly felt like God was openings up our hearts and a door for us to apply this kind of evangelism to our lives here. We started asking him how we could bless our campus and reach out to people in a new way. As we started lifting up our friends and all of the stress they are under with final exams, the Holy Spirit led us to idea.
Tomorrow, at 1am your time, 2pm my time, my team is going to campus with over 400 lollipops, with a message that says, “Good luck with your finals!!” And includes Jeremiah 29:11-13, in their language.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
This is one of the boldest, most exciting things that I feel like I’ve done in a long time. I feel excited that the word of God and an action of love are going OUT on our campus tomorrow. I feel excited that we’re going to be able to do something small to help relieve a little of the great pressure that students are feeling right now.
And I feel excited for the future vision that God has laid on our hearts to do more of this kind of ministry as a tool to raise up other leaders and believers who are sold out for Jesus. Frankie, a friend that was baptized yesterday (!), is going to come with us to hand out lollipops to his fellow classmates.
And On January 15th, we’re going to the North Train Station with some friends, which is filled with beggars and seriously hurting people (I’ve seen people with severe skin diseases, broken or amputated legs or arms, or worse) just sitting on cardboard boxes, hoping for people’s loose change. We’re going to prayer walk over the area and ask God for his power and help. We’re also planning to provide boxes of food and water.
Please pray for this! I think that amazing things are going to happen tomorrow and as my Team Leader “Acorn” wrote in his last blog, “God is going to blow the lid off of our ministry.”
Serving Joyfully,
Autumn