Last Sunday we passed around a sign-up sheet to help provide meals for a young mom in our church who just had another little one. One of the ladies that signed up is a young mom and is relatively new to our church. When I thanked her for helping with this ministry she said, “Oh, when I had my boys we were blessed with so many people that brought us meals. It was such a help to me that I said then that I would always try to provide meals for new mothers.”
That really struck a cord in my heart. Here is a young mom doing something to be a blessing to another mom because she knows what a help that can be!
We are all to be giving, and giving liberally or generously. This Proverbs goes on to say that when you are a blessing to others you receive a blessing. I know that this young mom stays home with her boys and that keeps her busy all day, but she has found a way to reach out. How needy that is. Home can turn into a prison where you simply care for your own family and fail to realize that there are things you can do, even as a young mom, to be a blessing to others and serve the Lord. Our families are our first priority (after spending time with the Lord), but often we don’t see beyond them to other ways we could be serving, even while in the busy days of motherhood.
Just last night I saw two other examples. One mom of four came to our CARE ministry (visitation/outreach) with her three older children while Dad stayed at home with their one year-old who was getting over a virus. This mom wanted an opportunity to reach out, so after work, Dad came home, they had supper, then she brought the children to CARE. What teamwork!
I was talking to another one of the young moms in our church about our upcoming VBS and she said, “Can I help make refreshments for it?” She, too, is a stay-at-home mom who is looking for a way to serve others outside her home.
Could I also suggest:
- Ask your pastor if he has anyone that needs a card or phone call
- Invite an unsaved lady in your home for coffee
- Serve in your church nursery
- If your husband serves in a ministry at your church, help him with it. One young mom in our church provides muffins or coffee cake each Sunday that her husband substitute teaches their Sunday School class. She’s helping him minister to those members!
- Mentor one of the teen girls in your church
- Ask your pastor’s wife and other staff member’s wives how you can pray for them, then write them a note telling them you are praying. I have a bunch of women that do this for me, and I can’t tell you what a blessing it is!
Let me encourage you young moms to make your family your first priority, but then don’t think you’ve done all you need to do. There’s a world outside your backyard that needs Christ’s love – saved and unsaved alike. What could you be doing to share His love?
With thanks for the amazing young moms at BCBC,
RefreshHer 
I am not sure I like the blog today. I understand from your comments to state that the church passed around a sign up paper to help a new mother with meals after just giving birth. Has the church also passed around sign up sheets to help other church members who may be ill, discouraged, troubled, etc. and may have missed one or two Sundays or even more? Where is the concern for these people. Has your Care ministry helped these people? I guess the reason it bothers me is I do not recall the church doing this for everyone….just the ones they CHOOSE to help….which in my opinion makes you and others hypocrits. I think all people should be helped, not just certain ones and I think all should be recognized, not just certain ones. If I were to go to your church and start asking around, would all the members feel as though they were treated the same?
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While it is certainly our desire to reach out to all who have needs, I am sure there are many that we have missed. It's not that we are choosing, or being partial; we are human with limitated understanding of everyone's needs.
The church is made up of a body as well individual members. Where a group may have missed someone, this is where the Lord calls individuals to step up and reach out – the point of my post today. Christ is the only One who knows all and able to fulfill all.
We, the Body, are but His servants, seeking to show His love. I'm sorry that you feel overlooked. Sometimes one's needs need to be vocalized in a loving way so they can then be ministered to. I trust that God is using you to be the missing link.
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Oops – meant “limited” instead of “limitated”!
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I never said I was overlooked…..I have noticed others in the church that have been out and nobody passed around a paper to sign up for meals for them. If I notice the people are not there, I know the Pastor has noticed. I was just wondering why you choose to help some when you don't others and why you put some people on pedastals and not others. That's what I feel this blog has done. We need to help everyone in need.
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anonymous….what have YOU done to help other church members who may be ill, discouraged, troubled, etc. and may have missed one or two Sundays or even more? It's not only the pastor's responsbility to help those people. You are the church.
I am confident this blog isn't written so that people will “like it.” It is written so that the Truth of the Word can be applied to your everyday life.
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Instead of remaining anonymous,I would like to help clear up this matter, so please email me at bcbcpastor@comcast.net with your contact information. I will call you asap.
Thank you so much.
Pastor Cunningham
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Comments aren't intended for people to like either. Yes, the Pastor is not the only one that needs to do this, we all should be doing this. It IS the Pastor who suggested doing the sign up sheet for that particular family, so my question is again, why does HE choose to reach out to the congregation to help some and not others? And by the way, I send out cards, make phone calls.
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This comment has been removed by the author.
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Once again, I am asking for “anonymous” to contact me via email so I can clear up any misunderstanding. Thank you. Until then, any more comments are not necessary. Matthew 18:15 will clear up this whole matter is obeyed.
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One last clarification,I'm not sure why the pastor is getting “blamed” for the sign-up sheet. I made it up for our Sunday school class. Point the finger at me. š
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This blog is meant to be refreshing and uplifting. I have always found it to be that! It troubles me a great deal to hear the negativity. Taking care of the needy in the church is the responsibility of every member of the church.
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Thanks for the reminder. Although I am not a young mother, I find as an older Christian I get too caught up in my work and do not always look around for folks hurting in our church. Your blog is such an encouragement in my life and I'm thankful for your faithful to point us to the Lord. In my busy day, reading this blog is one way I look forward to redirecting my thought to things eternal.
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I appreciate your encouragement.
Thou art good and doest good, teach me thy statutes. Ps. 119:68
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Well, as a young mom I am thankful for this post! I'm thankful for the reminder that we need to be aware of those around us. It is so easy to get distracted by the things that need to be done at your house or that are going on in your family and I need to be reminded of this. I am blessed by being able to participate in the care ministry, VBS, the nursery at church and helping out my fellow Sunday School classmates. And I am blessed with a loving and caring Pastor and his wife!
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Denise, thank you for your blogs. I am blessed every time I read it. Thank you for encouraging us to take the time to help others. I am sorry if anonymous feels like some are left out. I know with out a doubt that it is not on purpose. People need to let us know when there is a need. We can't do anything if we don't know. Thank you again for always pointing us to Christ.
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I am sad to say that Anonymous has not contacted me today. A reminder for us all, “the heart of every issue is an issue of the heart.” I remain ready to hear from Anonymous and to help clear up any misunderstanding.
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Thanks for the post! As always it was encouraging! I've been encouraging my friends to read too! š
Tami
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