Sometimes I work and I’m not sure that what I’m doing is making a difference. I’ve asked people not to pray that God would bless what we are doing but that we would do what God would bless. That prayer request has created more work than I anticipated. The reason is because God works in and through troubled people and so I have been overwhelmed with requests for help. And in all the helping I wonder if this is making a dint in any of the problems or the people.

Cody Taylor’s family is one such instance. Cody is 8 years old and we’ve taken his family and their home as a special project for us. He has a sister that is a senior in high school and we are raising money to help make her senior year a very special one. She needs everything from clothes to a class ring to help preparing for college. Along with her is her sister who is 16 and has a four month old baby. Then there is Cody and all that goes along with an 8 year old. And don’t forget the house. They just moved into a new place and we’ve been trying to help them clean up the yard. In two days of work the students and I carried off over 200 old worn-out tires that were full of water and mosquitoes. We disposed of three trailor loads of garbage and metal and wood. The students and I are pouring our hearts out.

Wednesday night at Pauline is “family church” this month. All age groups meet in the worship center and we have a contemporary worship time that really reaches out to the entire church family. At the end of the worship time, Cody grabbed Richard Eberle, one of our interns, and asked him to go to the altar to pray. Richard walked down with Cody, knelt down and began to pray for Cody. That’s when Cody stopped him. He said, “Richard, I just want you to be here, I’m going to pray.” And then Cody started pouring his heart out. Richard said that he started by thanking God for this church and these people who care about he and his family and who feed him good food and clean up his yard. Then Cody started praying for Dakota, his four month old nephew. He prayed that Dakota would come to Pauline when he got older. He prayed that Dakota would give his heart to Jesus and follow him like he was doing. Richard was floored. He was hardly able to compose himself when he found me and started relating the story.

It’s amazing how God works in and through people. He’s working through us to encourage an eight year old to help lead his family to a closer relationship with Him. He’s creating a little evangelist. He’s doing that because people are precious to Him. They always have been. Jesus has always wanted to fill his lap with children. God will always bless us when we work with and for His kids. All men are treasured by God. Especially those in need. “Whatever you do for the least of these, my brothers, you’ve done unto me.”

Father, help us to do only what you would bless. Help us to fill our laps with your children.