It's 2007! Wow NS ended for me just over 5 weeks ago! The feeling of being free from NS is so good! Been going out with friends and going for several church activities. Sometimes I think I'm too free haha.
Over the past several weeks, I've been helping one of my church friends who had been feeling quite "out" and wanted to leave the youth. The emotions that this friend was struggling with echoed very strongly with what I had gone through, and I was determined to help my friend tide through this difficult time. I spoke with my friend and kept this friend in prayer for many weeks. Recently, this friend has been feeling better and is mixing well among the youth. It's really glad for me to see this effort pay off.
Just last Sunday, one of the pastors was preaching about being a disciple-making church. He mentioned about how our church should be a church that cares for one another and ended off with a story about a person's life in church, which I eventually realised was
his own story about his own life in church. He mentioned that at one point of time he almost left church, but one of the church people came and spoke with him and helped him get over those feelings.
I was stunned when he mentioned about that cos I never knew about that!! I know of people in the past who had left church and even know some of them, and this pastor also mentioned in the past that our church's Youth Ministry has a track record of many youths leaving church. But I never knew that he was one of those who almost left church too!! I thought back to the time when I almost left church, and also thought about the friend whom I had helped over the past weeks and some friends who had left church but whom I am currently reaching out to. I realised again how much people need caregivers, and the sharing from the pastor affirmed that God has indeed called me to be a caregiver, to care for people in times of trouble, to comfort them when they are suffering or feeling alone, to reach out to them when they are feeling lost. It's a role that will take lots of time, effort and commitment, but when I see these people settle down and grow spiritually in church, I know that it's a role that can really make a difference.
Spirit touch Your church
Stir the hearts of men
Revive us Lord
With Your passion once again
I want to care for others
Like Jesus cares for me
Let Your rain fall upon me
Let Your rain fall upon me
(chorus of "Spirit Touch Your Church")
So let us learn how to serve
And in our lives enthrone Him
Each other’s needs to prefer
For it is Christ we’re serving
This is our God, the Servant King
He calls us now to follow Him
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King
(from "The Servant King")
