I grew up knowing Jesus loved me. My momma made sure of that. We sang the lyrics “Spirit in the Sky” and “Jesus is just alright with me” as she drove her Volkswagon Bug with me in the back. We grew up loving nature and all the beautiful things God created. Our home was in the woods with a creek and we camped in the Smoky Mountains every summer.

The church bus would pick me up every Sunday and I can still hear the lady who invited me sing “Do Lord” all the way to church. We would sing at the top of our lungs. Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and church camp are fun memories and I am thankful for them. I believe my mom still has a craft made of walnut shells that says “nobody is perfect” made during VBS. I also remember asking Jesus into my heart at church camp.

As life continued, there were times God felt far away. In my heart, “This Little Light of Mine” was barely shining any light. I would pray and wonder, “God, where are you?” Thank God for the adults in my life who taught me I had a light, God, inside me.

Life’s pages turn, and at one point I was working part-time in childcare to socialize my son. I learned quickly I had specific values and expectations about the care my child received – and the care of other children, too. I decided I wanted to run a program that offered more than the basics of child care.

That took me to Cloverdale UMC where I opened Train Up A Child with God’s guidance. It was and remains important to me children know they are loved by God all the time, no matter what. I pray for children no matter where I am working. It would make me so sad to think there are so many children who have never heard of God. In my small-town mind everybody believed or had heard of God, right? Thirty miles down the road there are many kids who have not. Ours and many other ministry-based child care providers are necessary. I cannot imagine going through dark times without the little light I learned I had inside of me at a young age.

I am so thankful to be here at KIDS@PUMC where prayer is a part of the day. This ministry is my life calling. Our pastors make time to spend with our littles during chapel time and in the hallways. Children have attended VBS in our care. PUMC offers a safe place to play, learn and worship. There are times when kids cry or are just LOUD and that is OK – they are here in this place, and that is a gift, a sign of God’s call to each of us to love children and prioritize families and young people everywhere. When you see a stain on the carpet, a ding in the wall, handprints on windows or messes and glitter on tables and floors, will you join me in praising God we have children in our midst? God has brought them to us! I invite you to be part of the beautiful gift and opportunity we have to help fill them so full of God’s love and kindness they have no doubt how loved they are when they leave this place!

I invite you to be that adult who invites and brings a child or young person to church, makes the craft at VBS or teaches a Sunday school class. Be passionate about teaching children Jesus loves them. Point out the trees, the sky and the crawling ladybugs or an earthworm named Bob and tell them God created the heavens and the earth. Tell them they have God’s light inside and that they will shine light unto others. At any stage in life, we have an opportunity to influence a child.

The folks who attended worship in New Day Praise January 5th received a word to reflect upon in 2025. My word: invite. As Pastor Abby invited me to share my story here, I extend the ‘invite’ to you to step into my life and how I ended up involved in our church kitchen!

Like many kids I grew up with, I baked cookies and participated in 4-H where I earned an award of merit for my attempt at a Swedish fruit roll! It wasn’t until I moved away from home that I discovered how much I enjoyed baking/cooking. I had every kitchen gizmo/ gadget. I baked bread, desserts, three-course meals and there was always a pot of soup on the stove. Now there was only so much baking /soup that could be eaten, so I began to take food to work on a regular basis. When I didn’t bring in something, I heard complaints!

Even on camping trips I would make soup from scratch and spend evenings giving leftovers to fellow campers; I didn’t know how to make a small pot of soup. I was fond of using the three-legged cast iron skillet over a fire – I even made biscuits on top of it!

That all came to an abrupt halt when I had kids and found they were happy with, and actually preferred, mac and cheese from a blue box. When I became divorced and a single mom, I really appreciated those blue boxes!

Fast forward to retirement: I wanted something worthwhile to do, so I started helping with the homeless outreach Monday afternoons here at PUMC. This is a real operation: from donations to purchasing to prepping and delivery, it all has to work together or there is no food to deliver. I started by chopping and dicing for soup or baking biscuits. I did help deliver, but felt more confident assisting in food prep.

Remembering those blue boxes of mac and cheese and how much I appreciated when someone would share a home cooked meal with me, I then reached out to help with our Last Saturday Lunch. This group encouraged me to take on planning and cooking the meal for 100 folks. Instead of calling that first meal a disaster, I refer to it as a learning experience. I had many learning experiences along the way. My meal organization skills improved and I made true friends over time. I even learned to operate the dishwasher much to the delight of the women who organized bereavement meals. When LSL expanded to Second Saturday Lunch, I stepped up to cook on a regular basis.

When COVID hit, everything changed. Saturday meals were placed on hold; the homeless outreach continued, but fewer folks participated and we worked in shifts to provide social distancing. Shortly after this, Phil Heffelman retired as the soup(er) chef. I became one of the four teams that took over. Yes – it took four teams to fill in for one Phil! Between dropping off supplies/cooking for the Monday downtown and Saturday lunch programs, I am in the kitchen A LOT and wouldn’t have it any other way!

Because of these food-based missions, I have witnessed God’s love in action. Whenever the funds get low, a huge donation is received. It’s a blessing and a gift – a sign of God’s presence – to be able to serve folks, like the one very hungry gentleman who came inside because he saw the sign outside about free lunch, to see folks picking up meals for their neighbors to ensure they have been fed. Where is God “inviting” you to offer your talents and time, the fruits of your hobbies or interests, to learn and grow so you might help others experience the loving presence of God?