Shelter

Last night was our long awaited night to serve again at the Central Iowa Shelter. Tommy, Drew and I served with my friend Wendy and her church in September. That night inspired me greatly. If I knew how to link you back to the blog on that I would, but it was written in early September if you want to go back and re read. :)

I shared with a few friends how moved I was by the shelter and by the entire experience. Since that night, I was able to get in touch with the lady who heads up volunteers for the shelter and through my friends who made the initial commitment to each head up once a quarter, we have made a commitment, along with about 18 other families who are friends of ours, to serve 4 times a year there. This includes making the food, preparing everything, donating and providing everything for dinner and breakfast the next morning. Last night was our first official night! It was my turn to head it up and we were SO blessed. Once again, God shows up and amazes me.

As I stood there with a kitchen overflowing with people who signed up to help off of our team, and friends of those on the shelter team who invited themselves and wanted to help I started to cry. And nope has nothing to do with being pregnant....just overwhelmed. I looked over at my friend Wendy who came to help me lead it all...she is the one who invited us a few months ago. I looked at her and thought WOW! First off the fact that she reached out and asked if we would like to serve with her in September...and now here we are 3 months later with our own team overflowing....food everywhere. God had put it all together. He knew. He knew we would go with Wendy, He knew it would touch my heart, He knew that I would then be inspired to serve and set up the rest. He knew...

I stood there with this kitchen full of people awaiting direction, eager to serve and I knew on the other side of that kitchen wall was a room full of people waiting for food. We had more than enough people to be able to serve them a sit down meal. How often do you think a homeless person gets "served" food? Sits down and has someone waiting on them? It all made me so emotional...

So as I directed I cried...and my parents had come to serve that night as well I looked for my Dad, knowing he'd be crying with me, and he was. I wasn't the only one. We prayed and got ready to serve the over 130 people who were living there.

The whole evening touched my heart...watching the kids coming up to me and asking, "What can we do? What else can I pass around?" Isn't that what we REALLY want to be teaching our kids? How to serve others? How to put others before ourselves? Isn't that what we as adults want our days to be filled with? Less of ME more of Him?

What a blessed evening it was...our boys can't wait to go back. They want to do this every month! Fills my heart with joy...