Finding Treasure in the Bathroom – Appalachia Day 2
I'm a very blessed woman. I've found God's Treasure in so many different ways and places throughout my life.
- He called me His child through a Methodist Pastor in a small chapel at Camp Glisson.
- He showed me His majesty atop several mountains in Colorado.
- He demonstrated His power on a Helicopter ride above Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.
- He taught me about true love through my earthly mother and daughter.
- He revealed His sovereignty while I was prostrate on my hallway floor in my home.
- He spoke Grace through a public library encounter with Dr. Les Carter's book "Grace and Divorce."
- He revealed himself as my soul’s lover through scripture and the book "Captivating," by Stasi Eldredge.
- He teaches and strengthens me through the Bible and multiple gifted teachers of the Word.
I could go on and on. God has spoken to me, loved me, led me and taught me in so many different ways and in different locations. So, it shouldn't be surprising that God spoke to me and used me to teach the girls (age 6, 7, 8, and 9) in a men's bathroom in Appalachia. Yes, you heard right … the men's bathroom.
Day 2 Highlights:
For those of you who know me pretty well, you may remember that I'm somewhat of a germaphobe. I won't even share a drink with my own husband! Enough said … let's move on.
While serving with our mini-group (4 girls and 2 moms) at a senior center in Appalachia, I became aware that Lily and I were not actively engaged in service or ministry. We had already been in the center for a while and had interacted with several seniors. However, by this time, there weren't too many people remaining; and our other AIM participants were engaged with those present. Just then, God prompted me to gather Lily and offer our help to the Center Director for any project that might need our assistance. Upon making the offer, the Director paused and thought for a long minute. Then, she asked us to wait as she consulted with another staff member. When she returned, she hesitantly (almost apologetically) asked if we would mind cleaning the bathrooms. Big Gulp! Bigger Smile (to cover the fear). After all, my daughter was watching! "Absolutely," I responded. "We can do that!"
The Director's appreciation for our willingness to serve was evident as she led us to the Janitor's closet for supplies. She explained that the Janitor had been away for two weeks! We quickly gathered supplies and got started. As the center began to clear out for the afternoon, the rest of our mini-group joined in the cleaning project. Not surprisingly (with our group being mostly very young girls), there was more than a little surprise regarding the type of project we had tackled – particularly when they learned we would be cleaning both the women's and the men’s room. In an effort to avoid an overly graphic description of this project, let's just say it was more than a little stretching for all of us. There was a good bit of girly-grumbling. At one point, I even considered abandoning the task altogether.
Just then, God prompted me to lead and teach. Instantly, my mind was filled with the scripture, "I can do all things through Christ[a]who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 NKJV. The other Mom and I explained to the girls that there are many things in life that we simply cannot do in our own strength. Only Jesus can give us the strength to do things we wouldn’t dream of tackling on our own. We taught them that scripture is powerful for many reasons. In this case (any many others in life), God's Word is a promise that we can cling to. In times of trouble, struggle, pain, discomfort, exhaustion, fear, etc., knowing and reciting God's Promise is a powerful lifeline to strength we would not otherwise imagine or possess. We recited Philippians 4:13 several times as we successfully finished cleaning.
We ALL left the bathroom that day knowing that God's Word is true, powerful, and relevant for today! Praise God, we found His Treasure in the Bathroom!
Stay Tuned for Sharing God’s Treasure! – Appalachia Day 3
