It's all ministry

 My husband and I had a really good conversation about "ministry."

He is a gifted teacher and I love to encourage.

However, with Isaac's health and disability related concerns being how they are lately, we find it difficult to even attend church. We can't serve.

Are you mad at us LORD?

Are we walking in our calling?

How can we serve you when autism and Isaac's needs are such a big part of our lives?
The LORD reminds me often "it is all ministry"

As I brush Isaac's teeth, help him get dressed for the day, pack his lunch, help him put on deodrant and all the steps of "getting dressed" as a 16 year old autistic young man, it's all ministry.

It does not feel like ministry at all.

There are no verses involved. There are no churches approving these tasks and assignments. 

Yet it truly is ministry.

Chuck and I are living examples of a "shift."

We used to record a podcast and talk about the Bible and encourage ourselves in the LORD at church and through small group studies too. We loved it! 

Now, we wake up at 5am or 5:30am and read our Bibles, (mostly quietly) then a pause to pray together and share a thought or two, and boom 6am, Isaac is awake. Our minds, lives and attention shifts to Isaac and his needs.

Ministry is super important but I think we forget what ministry means. We often think "the ministry" (serving in church or around God's people) is different than "ministry" whereby we serve at home, we serve our families, our community and it may not be under the umbrella of the church.

We want so badly to "do more" for the LORD. I blame this pressure-performance drive on the American culture and society always wanting you to "go big or go home."

Ministry can be quiet like ironing a shirt for your child or spouse, or giving a bottled water to someone, mailing a note of encouragement, praying over your child or loved one when they sleep. Ministry is weeping in the car because the worship song reminded you all over again how Good and Kind and Loving and Gracious Jesus is. 

Ministry is every where. Now, I am not being silly obviously brushing your own teeth, or tying your shoes may not be ministry per se but the Word says, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17

As a special needs mom, I know that serving Isaac is ministry and it is valuable to the LORD and certainly valuable to Isaac and our whole family.

But let's be real- sometimes our day to day tasks do not "feel" like ministry.

If you serve at a counter at church, or volunteer to open your home for a church event, you have a big smile and know that you are serving the LORD and He is pleased (if your motives are pure, of course).

However, the day to day tasks, the unnoticed tasks like picking up medication for a loved one, opening the door for an elderly person, smiling at someone who you can tell had a hard day, giving a compliment, etc. these are ways we can serve the LORD. 

The behind the scenes tasks of life do not go unnoticed to the LORD.

We see this in the Gospel. I love the moment when Jesus said He saw Nathanael still under the fig tree (John 1:48) or when Hagar calls God "El Roi" the God who sees. 

God sees you. The LORD Ominpotent, Ominscient sees you and sees me in our day to day tasks. I think one day in heaven we will be surprised at the LORD in how many times He smiled at us when we did the lowly tasks no one else wanted to do.

Jesus washed feet, loved on the outcasts and did many mundane tasks while He was here on earth. May we not get caught up in one "certain type" of ministry but realize- our whole life, our mornings and nights and moments in between can be ministry if we do them unto the LORD.

Be encouraged!