Shave Ice and Worship

I know.  You’re probably wondering what shave ice and worship have to do with one another.  Let me give you a 2-word hint:  STUDENT MINISTRY.

Fall student Bible study book

One of the things I love to do is volunteer with the student ministry at our church.  On Wednesday nights I'm the "greeter" when the students come in for the mid week worship service, and this fall I’ll be leading a Precept Ministries Bible study with them.  I have had so much fun hanging out with these kids since March when I started volunteering with the student ministry.  The Wednesday night service is one of the highlights of my week, and I can’t wait to get started leading the Bible study this fall.  Fun times hanging out with students and encouraging them to be all God wants them to be.

2BC Student Praise Band 8/3/11 - Kaity on violin

Recently, Wednesday evening worship has gotten even more interesting for me since Kaity has become a member of the Student Praise Band – playing her violin.  Now, tell me that doesn’t do a Mama’s heart good to see her beautiful daughter actually making use of all those years of violin lessons… and even more years of piano lessons before that.  Seeing her up on stage worshipping Jesus through her violin is so wonderful to watch.  Brings tears to this Mama’s eyes every time I’m there to see her play with the Praise Band.

Tonight, as usual, the kids all began to gather at the student center at 5 p.m. for a couple of hours of “hang out” time before the worship service began.  About 6:15 the surprise of the evening arrived – the Kona Ice shave ice truck drove right up to the front door of the student center, and Dustin, our student pastor yelled out, “Free shave ice!”  This was not the time to be between the game room or anywhere in the lobby and the front door… as a stampede of teenagers began with the words “FREE” and “SHAVE ICE.”  Now, Dustin had actually arranged this little surprise visit about 6 weeks ago – obviously having no way of knowing that the date he had schedule to be shave ice night at the student center would coincide with the hottest day so far this summer.  That wasn’t a surprise to God, though.  Not a coincidence, I’m thinking.  Yes, God really does care about the little details like this.  Hottest day of the summer?  Let’s have shave ice for the students (and adults) at the midweek service.  Yeah, that’s a great plan!

Hottest day so far this summer - 111 at 3:30 p.m.

Kona Ice at 2BC 8/3/11

Speaking of things God cares about… I’ve been spending time with the Lord via a new devotional book for the last few days:  Nearer to Jesus by Sarah Young.  It’s actually kind of a compilation of two of her other books:  Jesus Calling and Dear Jesus.  Several friends had recommended Jesus Calling to me in the past several months.  Then, one day I was looking at the free eBooks on the Barnes & Noble website (which I do quite often – who can pass up “free” and “books” together in one place???) and noticed this book, Nearer to Jesus by Sarah Young, listed as one of the free books and realized she was the same author who wrote Jesus Calling, which had been so highly recommended to me.  Being the bargain lover (can you say FREE?) that I am, of course I downloaded it.  It just sat there on my Nook for a while though because I’ve always had such a hard time “getting into” devotional books.  Usually I’m doing a more in-depth Precept study and don’t really have time for “extra” devotional books, but right now I’m in between studies, so about a week ago I started it.  

I’ve been a Christian for a while; I asked Jesus to be my savior when I was 8 or 9 years old – sitting in my grandmother’s lap in her big ol’ recliner that could hold her, my brother, and me all at one time when she read us our Bible story before bed every night.  So, you would think after 31+ years of having a relationship with Jesus I would “get it” how much He loves me.  And to a certain extent I did/do.  But reading this devotional book – Nearer to Jesus – for the past week or so has opened up a whole new understanding of how much He loves me and who I am in Him.  Let me just say that I think Sarah Young is an amazingly gifted and compassionate woman, and I’m so thankful for all the recommendations of her books and for God allowing me to find that book as a “freebie” when I did.  It’s been just what I need after a very hectic summer to find Rest and Peace in the presence of the Lord every morning lately.

So, shave ice and worship… cooling off, feeling rested, finding peace… so many reasons to worship my Savior, and not the least of them being that He loves me no matter who I am, what I do or don’t do, what circumstances I’ve lived through in my life, or any other of the multitude of things that cause people to like/not like/approve/judge/praise me.  He just loves me.  Not because of anything I do, look like, say, or give.  Just because I’m His.

Now that’s a reason to worship.

Thanks for letting me share another little piece of the plans He has for me.  What a joy to discover His plan for me one day, one step at a time.

Heather