Usually you eat spaghetti to fill up your belly.
Yesterday a whole lot of other people ate spaghetti to fill up my heart.
The 7th and 8th grade students from my home church threw us a spaghetti fundraiser and they raised $720!!
That's just plain awesome.
John and I were able to connect briefly with the pasta eaters via Skype (thanks Dad and Ronald for hooking that up!) and it just thrilled us to hear the excited chatter and enthusiastic cheers for our adoption. I skyped with just my dad before connecting with the whole group and overheard the voices of all those 12 and 13 year-old spaghetti servers saying things like, "Sir are you done with your plate?" and, "How was your meal?" as they hurried around, serving and cleaning away.
I saw maturity and grace and, most of all, abundant generosity on display in the lives of those students last night. J-walkers I hope you know that last night you were the church. The Spirit was heavy among you.
You know that verse in 1 Timothy that says, "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
You set your example last night. Mature speech. Passionate life. Loving generosity. Faithful obedience. Pure kindness.
You have blessed and inspired us to a richer faith by your example. Thank you J-walker students and leaders!
And thank you so much to the community of believers who rallied around this fundraiser. You demonstrate the power of community and the intimacy of love that stretches over the years and distance. You should be so proud of the way you raised me up and so filled with hope as you look at the students you are raising now. Thank you for giving John and I the gift of being able to raise a child ourselves. We love you deeply.
Bless my happy, thankful, filled up little heart.
Yesterday a whole lot of other people ate spaghetti to fill up my heart.
The 7th and 8th grade students from my home church threw us a spaghetti fundraiser and they raised $720!!
That's just plain awesome.
John and I were able to connect briefly with the pasta eaters via Skype (thanks Dad and Ronald for hooking that up!) and it just thrilled us to hear the excited chatter and enthusiastic cheers for our adoption. I skyped with just my dad before connecting with the whole group and overheard the voices of all those 12 and 13 year-old spaghetti servers saying things like, "Sir are you done with your plate?" and, "How was your meal?" as they hurried around, serving and cleaning away.
I saw maturity and grace and, most of all, abundant generosity on display in the lives of those students last night. J-walkers I hope you know that last night you were the church. The Spirit was heavy among you.
You know that verse in 1 Timothy that says, "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
You set your example last night. Mature speech. Passionate life. Loving generosity. Faithful obedience. Pure kindness.
You have blessed and inspired us to a richer faith by your example. Thank you J-walker students and leaders!
And thank you so much to the community of believers who rallied around this fundraiser. You demonstrate the power of community and the intimacy of love that stretches over the years and distance. You should be so proud of the way you raised me up and so filled with hope as you look at the students you are raising now. Thank you for giving John and I the gift of being able to raise a child ourselves. We love you deeply.
Bless my happy, thankful, filled up little heart.
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