To the Faithful...

Do you remember when & where your faith journey started?

I do...

A few weeks ago at one of our Summer Lunch Bunch gatherings,

I was given this 'Thank You' card and challenged to thank 

someone who had impacted my faith journey.

I had been meaning to do this for years!

I decided that it was FINALLY Time to follow through with my intentions.

So I wrote my note to 'The Faithful' at the first church that I remember attending.

 First Mennonite Church...I still remembered the street it was on...

so, I took a drive after the next Summer Lunch Bunch.

 Before my parents divorced, we were here on Sundays for worship & Sunday school.

We were here for Vacation Bible school and many other functions.

I remember there used to be a HUGE St. Bernard dog across the street

that scared the Bejeebers out of me!!

Once my parents divorced, we became C & E attenders...Christmas & Easter.

When we moved with my mom to California, we didn't attend at all.

I moved back to Kansas and ended up staying with my Dad.

At the time, my Dad & Step-mom weren't going to church on a regular basis.

They owned a retail business and Sunday morning was the only time we had at home.

Sometime during my junior or senior year, I started going to church on my own.

I'd walk to church and Sunday school.

I believe that it was God calling me back to Him.

The foundation had been laid when I was a child.

The church building has changed from when I was a little girl, 

but, if I'm not mistaken...

My early teaching began in some of these rooms.

Did the teachers know at the time that they were laying a foundation for the future?

Did they think about that as they prepared the lessons each week and

planned the activities for VBS?

Did they ever imagine how instrumental they were in my faith journey?

That because of the lessons that they taught, the Bible stories that they shared...

it would impact my moral foundations and beliefs?

I'm not giving them all the credit, I had wonderful family & friends throughout the years,

but...I do believe they had a huge hand in forming my faith character.

Do you teach Sunday school?

Plan activities for VBS?

Volunteer in the nursery?

Go on mission trips with the youth?

Have kids over to your home?

Share your faith with family & friends?

Have you thought of who & how you may have impacted 

someone else's faith journey?

I have done all of the above.

But, I'm not sure I've ever really thought how I may have impacted someone else's journey.

I challenge you to take some time and think about who

has impacted your faith journey.

Then, I double dog dare you to write them a note and thank them!

It will probably mean just as much to you as it will to them.

You may be encouraging them to keep doing what they do...

or to start doing it again.  Don't forget to thank those who are working

in the children's areas at your church...those people who are teaching 

your children or grandchildren.

Finally, I triple dog dare you to volunteer in your church!

Share your faith with others...children or adults.

It's never to late to encourage others in their faith journey.

To the Faithful of 1st Mennonite Church on Rambler Road...

Thank you!  For being a part of my life as a child...

And helping to make me the person I am today!

I couldn't begin to Thank You enough!!!

(And thanks to Susan for challenging us to 'Thank' someone!!)