Do Everything

  In 2011, Steven Curtis Chapman released a new album called re:creation.  The first track on this album is titled Do Everything.

  This song reminds us that "Little stuff/Big stuff/In between stuff/God sees it all the same".  God made us to do everything for His glory.  So we would bring a smile to His face.  No one else's.  God's.

 I used to think that "doing something for God" would be hard, no matter how big or small, it's difficult and not desirable.  How wrong I was!  Over the past week, I've been looking at the ways I've been able to serve the Lord.  Who I feel called to?; How I am to reach them?;  What will I reach them with?.  I wrote more about this in my post Great Expectations.  Anyway, as I've been looking back, I've noticed something I hadn't actually noticed before.  I feel called to serve young ladies (ages 8-18).  I knew that.  God has provided me ways of using my calling.  I knew that.  I've led small groups of girls of all ages, at discipleship groups, church, and even at a video conference.  I've taught lessons at multiple discipleship groups (including my own), and church.  I've started two discipleship groups; and one of those I "founded".  As those experiences came to me, they came one at a time.  But as I look back, every single one of those opportunities match my calling perfectly!  They all have to do with leading/teaching young ladies ages 8-18 (sometimes younger)!  Back to the first sentence of this paragraph.  Yes, sometimes God does give us difficult tasks.  But it certainly doesn't mean everything he wants us to do is hard!

 Leading LIVE, and when I used to lead Bright Lights, I love it!  I love preparing the lessons and the rest of the meeting, I love having the meetings and seeing the girls, but most of all, I love seeing the girls grow.  Same as with those opportunities I had, when I see one of my LIVE girls each meeting, I may not notice the difference right away.  But if I look back to when we started and where they are now, they've grown up, they've grown more mature, they've grown in the Lord.  That has to be one of the biggest blessings.  But seeing them grow, is not the only way God has shown me that what I'm doing is what He wants.  The girls enjoy coming which is another blessing!  If they can't come, they're disappointed.  They show their excitement by completing the challenge their given, by smiling when they walk in the door, by opening up and being silly sometimes, by having fun in the games and song time.  Another way God has shown me His approval is that the parents support this ministry.  I get emails from parents saying they appreciate what I'm doing, they bring their girls each meeting, they allow their girls to take time and complete the "homework".

 But it's not always easy.  I have to admit that there are some days when I'd rather not make the effort to plan and prepare.  It's not always convenient to clean the house on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.  And for my family, on those "some days", I get stressed and it's not easy to live with me.  But also on those "some days", those are the meetings I most enjoy.  Those are the days when the meeting didn't just go well, it was fun for everyone including me.  It's almost as if God is telling me, "I never told you it'd be easy.  But it is worth it, isn't it?"

 Do Everything is a blunt reminder of what we are all here on this earth for.  We were created to please God, to worship and glorify Him, to bring a smile to His face.  And if that's not our purpose, what is?  We wouldn't have one.  The answer to the time-old question of, "What was I put on this earth for?" would be, "nothing".  Can you honestly imagine being put on this earth for no other reason but to be here.

 Remember our purpose.  Remember to make God smile.  Remember to do everything for His glory.

 God bless,
   Sierra