Recently my son and I took an afternoon to serve together at one of our local mission partners, Serving You ministries in the Woodlawn area.

I’m always looking for ways I can encourage my son to serve other people and get the focus off of him, but I did not expect to experience a focus shift myself that day.

Serving You helps people from all walks of life who find themselves needing financial assistance with utilities and/or groceries.  But they also give them several “next step” opportunities for job training and mentoring with their partners: Work Faith and Hope Unlimited. Both of these sister organizations are housed together in their building, they call the Hub, and work together to serve people in Jesus name.

We walked into this friendly, clean and welcoming suite of hospitable volunteers that were ready and anticipating their guests for the afternoon. There was coffee waiting, soft drinks chilled and a homemade cake warm from the oven. As people started coming in, a retired lady from a local church greeted them, offered them a snack and had them complete some paperwork.

I was asked to serve as a chaplain for the day, who talked with people about their current situation, their relationship with Christ and pray with them for their daily bread….and that was an eye-opening experience while my son helped people grocery shop and carried their items to their vehicles.

Because I realized that I could have been any of the three women I met that afternoon.  I could have had an unexpected medical issue, needed unplanned surgery, had a job with no sick pay, lost my job or be reduced to part-time status, gotten behind on my bills, needed groceries for my children, and be sitting in the chair across from someone like me.

And these women, believed in God, knew Christ as Savior and believed He would sustain me through this time, but needed help that day….needed hope that day…needed Serving You that day.

And Serving You needed me and my son that day…and they need you too! Go to servingyou.org for your first step!