Summer is for Serving

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Summers are the greatest, aren’t they?

It’s all relaxing and eating bon-bons and sipping iced tea. …Yeah, not around here either. But that doesn’t mean that summer’s not fantastic.

Our summers are filled with fun, but they’re also filled with lots of service opportunities. If we’re not heading to a camp, we are hosting a team of people.

Serving at Summer Camps

June

This summer, our family attended the annual midwest Family Camp we have made a part of our year for the past 10 summers. It is the week of my year when I feel the most like what God intended the church to be. Older, mature believers pouring into younger. People of all ages serving in their giftedness, encouraging and challenging one another. This is what we are supposed to be as the body of Christ.

When have you most experienced the church really being the church?

July

In July, my husband and I both teach at a National Youth Camp that our boys attend. It’s held on a college campus, so it’s not quite as rustic as Family Camp. Greg teaches a class on Creation vs. Naturalism. He’s received the greatest feedback from students in his class about the difference it has made in their lives. Teens telling him that finding out the truth about the lies of evolution has shown them that the Bible is trustworthy, that it strengthens their faith.

This year I’m teaching a couple of classes. One on abortion and Planned Parenthood’s ties to the eugenics movement, and one on handling social media responsibly.

Our boys also compete at this camp in a Bible Quizzing competition. Each year the teams are given a chunk of Scripture that they’ll be quizzed on. This year it is Matthew 4-7. They memorize large portions of the text and teams go up against each other to answer questions. It’s a game of both speed and knowledge.

And it’s surprisingly tense. Whoever gets the pleasure of sitting next to me needs to be on guard for me to grab their knee when things get tight. Oh, and their team took first place this year. No big deal.

(My guys are the two on the left in the top pic and bookends in the team picture, btw)

What are some ways you’ve used to put Scripture to memory?

Hosting a Service Team

Our eldest has served on a team for the past 5 summers that travels to different parts of the country. Last year I had the pleasure of serving with them in Nashville, and this year we all have the joy of hosting the team in Minnesota. They spent half of their time at our church, near the Twin Cities, and the other half at various locations around the state.

I love that the team spends time visiting and learning about local ministries wherever they visit. This year our church worked with them at Feed My Starving Children to pack food that will feed 94 children for a year. In the past the team has served food and led worship under bridges in urban areas, built fences and sidewalks, and even milked cows and butchered chickens at rural sites. And throughout the trips, the leaders teach classes that guide the students in discovering and developing their God given gifts.

Have you ever served on any kind of mission team?

Other Travels

Later this month I’ll be presenting a workshop in Atlanta on how churches can support homeschoolers, And in August, we’ll be heading to Michigan for my husband to do a weekend seminar on the lies of naturalism.

Whew!

So between hosting, preparing for teaching, speaking, and serving and the actual travel time…we’re busy!

And I wouldn’t have it any other way!