How serving at church radically changed my life - twice.

I was reflecting back this morning and thinking of all the little choices that I have made with the Holy Spirit's prompting that changed my life the most. Two of those choices were directly connected with deciding to take a step out of my comfort zone and serve in the church. Let me tell you about the first time...

I have attended Life Church now for over 12 years. One evening after a Saturday night service, I felt a strong urge to go sign up to serve in the nursery. Being single at the time, I thought, "Well, you never know, I might meet my future husband." The woman in charge asked me where and when I wanted to serve and I just rolled the dice, saying, "Wherever you need me." The next Saturday I met the people I'd be serving with every week, one was a nice, cute, college aged guy wearing a Third Day shirt. I immediately clicked with him and we began talking. I paired my first name with his last name in my head within the first 5 minutes of the conversation to see how it sounded. Then in walks a college-aged girl and he introduces her as his girlfriend. Ah man, there goes that, right? I was bummed. There were no more young men serving in the nursery during that service, so I proceeded to focus on God and love these children he had placed in front of me. It was great preparation for parenting. A year and a half later, that guy in the Third Day shirt broke up with his girlfriend and we started dating shortly thereafter. We've now been married for over 9 years, we have 7 children and we met serving in the nursery at church. A little foreshadowing by God maybe? :) 

2 1/2 years ago, I had 3 kids, 3 and under. I had basically been out of church for 3 years because of my illogical fear of germs getting my kids sick. One day, Seth and I made the decision that church was going to be a priority every weekend from that point on. We started attending Life again at a campus near our house. Seth got involved in a men's life group and we both began seeking God and searching for our Chazown - God's purpose for creating us. We were hardcore seeking Him and reading our Bibles constantly. I could feel that we were right on the verge of finding our purpose in Him. I distinctly remember this conversation I had with God after service one day.
God: I want you to serve in the nursery.

Me: God, I have done my time in the nursery. Don't you remember that's where Seth and I met and I served every single week for 2 years? 

God: I want you to serve in the nursery.

Me: God, I have 3 kids. I am so overwhelmed and exhausted. I do not want to take care of other people's kids. (Seriously, I said this multiple times to God.) 

God: I want you to learn how to love other people's children before I give you the next step of my plan.

Me: Okay God. I surrender.

It was almost immediately after I signed up to serve that He revealed to us that He was calling us to be foster parents. I still get goosebumps thinking about Him telling me how important it was for me to learn to love and care for other people's children. I just had no clue. I had no clue that in 14 months he would grow my family from 3 children to 7 children and ALL FOR HIS GLORY. We knew no one who fostered when we began the process. I met one friend while serving in the nursery who ended up being on the exact same journey we were on and will be finalizing the adoption of her two foster sons next month.  Another couple we served with ended up becoming foster parents a year later and now have two foster children. The divine appointments and relationships God ordained through my obedience in this area are just incredible. 

Where is God calling you to serve in your church? You never know what God will do with just one step of obedience. “We are the church and we exist for the world.” ~ Craig Groeschel

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