Lessons From Love Week

Last week I returned from an amazing experience called "Love Week".  It was a  youth mission trip that exceeded all expectations!!

On July 5, I traveled with our team (my wife, Lori; children, Sam & Grace; and a team that included Kayla Lane, Ruth Zeigler, Tiffany Miller, Steven O'Brien, Braden Walker (my nephew), Stuart Moore and Parker Snyder.  We teamed up with The Well EMC in their "Love Week" outreach to their community of Grafton WV.  After worshiping with them on Sunday and enjoying the splendor of Valley Falls, we turned our focus to serving during the week at the Simpson house (fire reclamation),  the Bread of Life Mission (remodel the dining room & clean the kitchen) and a blood drive.  An unexpected opportunity to serve came about, when a severe thunderstorm blew through the Tygart River Valley Tuesday evening.  That night we became a storm damage cleanup team.  In the end it was a great week with a great team and one that has left a lasting impression on me.

I want to take a few moments to reflect on some life lessons learned and confirmed during the Love Week:

• The importance of listening.  On Sunday, I had the privilege of kicking off the week and the message series on LOVE by talking about listening and its importance in serving God and others (you can listen to the message at  The Well's website).  The people of The Well and my team demonstrated this well (no pun intended). Particularly, The Well listened to its community.  They saw its hurts, its needs and its hopes.  This drove the projects that were selected.  They also dreamed big...two projects, a big renovation of a nearby playground and a wheelchair ramp had to move off the list for the week due to various circumstances.  Don't worry the passion and commitment to these projects is there to finish them in the very near future.
• Lesson: The size of the impact is not measured by the size of the project but by the connection you make to the deepest of needs and desires.  The project at the mission not only brought a clean and brighter look but communicated to the people a greater sense of value as individuals.  In choosing this project, The Well saw not only the need for an updated dining room but the need to be loved and to be treated well regardless of one's story or social status.
• Unexpected opportunities.  Tuesday was a long, hard day of work for everyone.  A severe storm rolled in as we were returning to The Well's downtown campus for dinner.  Our Simpson house team was trying to dodge falling trees and raindrops as they made their way into town.  The nerves of some were frayed.  The storm ripped off a large sheet of tin from the roof of one of the businesses on main street.  Three of us joined the city manager, a policeman and building owner to remove the debris from the street.  After dinner, several of us returned to assist the owner in dismantling the wood supports and cutting the sheet into sections so he could haul it away.  After returning to the church, we got word that one of their own had several trees down on her property.  Our team did not hesitate to answer the call.  We spent the next 3 hours assisting in cutting, hauling and piling the branches.  It was sweaty, exhausting work after a long day.  However, the satisfaction of showing love to our new friend in a time of need was worth time and energy expended.
• Lesson: Always be looking for unexpected opportunities to show the love of God especially, when its not convenient.  The moments when you are exhausted and wanting to do something for yourself may very well be the moment you will need to answer the call to love and to serve. Rely on God's leading and His strength to do the amazing.
• Be Generous.  Too many of us, myself included, confuse stewardship with "pinching pennies".  Yet, we serve a generous and extravagant God!  The people of The Well demonstrated generosity. (By the way, generosity is not an excuse for foolishness.  Stewardship is really about being extremely generous with what God has blessed you in the way that He has directed you to glorify Him.).  First, they made us feel so welcome.  They stocked "our home" at the North Pike Campus (the small building where the church was launched several years ago) with lots of food and drinks for breakfast and snacks.  They fed us lots and lost of great food and desserts at lunch and dinner.  They made a welcome banner just for us on the platform and they were generous with their kinds words, smiles, encouragement and hugs.  Second, they were generous in their serving.  Again, using the mission project as an example, the project went above and beyond what many would say was necessary (except God).  It wasn't just a clean-up, touch-up type of job.  They made the room special for a group of people who don't get to experience a whole lot of special in their life.  After, the "demolition" and removal of the old, we got busy putting up drywall, painting the room in a mix of cool colors, putting down wood laminate and adding new light fixtures.  The end result was a warm, comfortable, welcoming place for the people to gather for conversation (something they begin doing every day at 3pm) and to enjoy a meal together.  By the comments and the smiles they were very appreciative of the extra effort to brighten their dining place.

• Lesson: When serving don't look to do just the minimum but exceed expectations.  Allow yourself to be stretched to make a significant and lasting impact of love.

Love Week was a very special week.  One that my team and I will long remember.  I pray the lessons will stick with me even longer as the memories may fade.  I am grateful for my friend, Pastor Micah for inviting us to join in their efforts and for God calling us to do it and for the team He put together.  It was a week that far exceeded my expectations!  For that, all of us have been extremely blessed!