WeServe VBS July 11-15

Today my church family begins a week of VBS - in the neighborhood! We are hanging out in our local parks every morning this week and some have invited neighbors into their homes in the evenings. I am overjoyed to know that over 90 adults from college students to seniors along with many of their kids (preschoolers, children and students) are taking 2-3 hours every day this week to be PRESENT in their neighborhood. This is all possible because of dozens of volunteers who helped prepare materials in the office, donated supplies, invited neighbors to come, and prayed.
Here are a few of the things I am most excited about:

• We are living God's love in the heart of our city by being present in our neighborhoods with the presence of God in us.
• We are serving together as a church family. Many of our teams of volunteers are meeting members of our church family for the first time. This week they will cultivate healthy relationships that I pray extend beyond VBS.
• Many families in our church are meeting neighbors who, unbeknownst to them, go to North Phoenix too!
• Many children in our church family are serving their neighbors by participating in VBS and making new friends! They are on-mission this week to show God's love during VBS. I pray that the friendship seeds that are planted will grow long after VBS is over.
• The families attending VBS are learning the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4). By the end of the week they will be able to tell the story themselves! I pray that God's love will grow in them this week.
• Two of our VBS experiences in the neighborhood are in Spanish, led by volunteers from our Hispanic ministry!
• Four of our VBS experiences are in parks close to the neighborhood schools we serve in all year long. I pray that we will be able improve our relationships with the families in these schools.
  

It is a privilege to serve God through VBS with my church family. We have made ourselves available to Him for this week. We have prepared and invited our neighbors. Now we show up and ask God to draw families to Himself.

Praising God today with the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 146:

Praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord all my life. I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Don’t put your trust in human leaders. Don’t trust in people. They can’t save you. When they die, they return to the ground. On that very day their plans are bound to fail. Blessed are those who depend on the God of Jacob for help. Blessed are those who put their hope in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth and the ocean. He made everything in them. The Lord remains faithful forever. He stands up for those who are beaten down. He gives food to hungry people. The Lord sets prisoners free. The Lord gives sight to those who are blind. The Lord lifts up those who feel helpless. The Lord loves those who do what is right. The Lord watches over the outsiders who live in our land. He takes good care of children whose fathers have died. He also takes good care of widows. But he causes evil people to fail in everything they do. The Lord rules forever. The God of Zion will rule for all time to come. Praise the Lord.