Summer in God's Kingdom by Jeanne Hirsch

I love this time of year, starting with Easter and the beginning of spring.  Easter is a beautiful reminder of our new life in Christ.  Recently, in my Monday morning Bible study I was reminded that Jesus took all of the curses for our disobedience (sin) upon Him on the cross.  What a beautiful and humbling gift He gave us that Good Friday.  Then He rose victorious over death and gave us new life in Him.  He coupled that with new life all around us in spring.  As I watch things come out of the ground after a cold, snowy winter I marvel at God’s design of our wonderful land.  Then after planting oh so small seeds in the ground, I watch my garden emerge.  I am moved to thank Him for His beautiful creation and the sharing of that with us, His children. 

He asks me to plant those small seeds of Him in others by my words and actions.  He then grows people in Him through me if I am willing.  Sometimes it takes a while and I don’t see the fruit of those seeds for a long time.  I never know where He might leave a fingerprint or handprint on someone’s life.  Spring and summer remind me that I need to slow down and take the time to leave fingerprints and handprints in the lives of my family, friends, and neighbors.  I love that God has blessed me with the honor of serving the parents and children here at the Ridge.  This time of year is a time for me to remember to look beyond my list of tasks, in my position, to the fingerprints and handprints that I can make, through Christ on the Wee Ones here at church.  The fingerprints and handprints that these kids leave in my life are precious gifts from God!  Cultivating my life garden is an important thing that can get easily buried under my to do list and that can ultimately lead me to a dry and desert land before I even notice it has happened.

I challenge you to think of a relationship that might have been buried under your winter cold and snow, or maybe plant a new one and tend to it.  It is a win-win for both parties in God’s economy!  He built us to do life together.  1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

Blessings,

Jeanne Hirsch (RidgeKids WeeOnes Director)