What's Your Excuse?

Having recently returned from our mission trip from Fayette County, West Virginia and having sweated the past week away at Vacation Bible School, I finally have some time to take a breath and collect my thoughts.

First of all, let me say that I am very proud of the small group of students and adults who traveled to West Virginia and served the community and families who are in desperate need. While down there, I learned that the average income is Eight-Thousand dollars per year. That amazes me and appalls me all at that same time. I'm blessed with a steady job and a cozy home and all the other "extras" that I'm able to afford for my family. Yet, just four hours away are other families just scraping by on a fraction of what I make in a year. I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to hopefully make a difference in these people's lives. I am certain that our mission team served well and displayed Christ's love through their actions.

But that's not the only reason I'm proud of them. Here was a group of teenagers willing to sacrifice a week of their summer to get up early, work in the hot sun all day, sleep on the floor of a classroom, sacrifice their cell phones, computers, and televisions, and not complain once, and to actually say to me--"I can't wait until I go on my next one."

Let's not forget our two adults who went along too. Amy and Clint should be recognized as well. They sacrificed a week's vacation to do the same thing, probably working harder during their week of vacation than what they would be working at their regular jobs.

To say that I'm grateful would be true. To say that I'm impressed would be even closer to the truth.

I'm even more impressed when I stop and consider that most of our group turned around and spent their evenings this past week at the church serving as volunteers at this year's VBS. Can you say "motivated by God's Love to make a difference in the world for Jesus?"

At the risk of making some people mad, I'm going to ask this question: What's your excuse?

Believe you me, I've heard a lot of them throughout the years as youth director here, and not only from students. "I only get one week of vacation a year." "I not very handy." "I'm too old." and the classic "I've never done anything like that before." To all of these excuses I only have one response: What's one week out of your year, what's one week of stretching yourself, what's one week of serving God and TRULY being HIS hands to someone in need?

We all have to make sacrifices, but when was your last sacrifice to God? I'm not sure when our next mission trip will be, but I hope that more and more of you will be willing to come join us. I hope that you will come and witness firsthand what a small group of teenagers can accomplish and what they are willing to sacrifice for the Lord.

What's your excuse?