Better to serve than to be served.

I woke up like I do most nights at about 4 AM. As I lay there I began my routine of thinking about how many things I have going. So many challenges and responsibilities seemed a bit overwhelming. A thought came to me just for a second. Wouldn't it be nice to not have all these things weighing on me? Maybe I could just start backing out bit by bit from some or most of those roles I have. I could 'slow things down' and still be serving God.

But something began stirring in my mind at the thought of 'slowing down and thinking of myself'.

The value of your life is priceless before God. We are so intricately woven together that science is baffled at our complexity. To say we came together by chance is becoming a more absurd argument each time new complexities about us are discovered. That requires way more 'faith' than to believe God is real and he made us for a purpose.

The Apostle Paul really laid it out for us in his letter to the Philippian church.

Phil. 2:3-5  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 

To the degree we feel like life owes us something and that others should just be there to serve our wants and needs, we will live frustrated, shortsighted and incomplete lives. God put each one of us here so we can learn to selflessly serve others, expecting nothing in return. The crazy thing about pursuing 'happiness' in a self seeking way is that it will always elude us.

So as I lay there in bed, another thought came to mind. I realized how dumb my first though was! To live for myself is just a silly idea. We have been serving in YWAM for 30 years now. Our ministry is completely voluntary. There are no salaries, retirement funds, pensions, or health insurance plans for us.  We have the privilege of serving others for the rest of our lives. I will happily put in my 50 hour weeks for as long as God and my body will allow it. For from being a burdensome thought, It is a LIBERATING one! What an awesome privilege it is to serve our loving God by serving the needs of others. We are so blessed and encouraged! We want to keep doing it for as long as we live!

It's our prayer that you too would choose this path of service to God and to your neighbor.  God's heart for each of us is to live an incredible and fully meaningful life in Him. He has given us the example of his son, the presence of the Holy Spirit and His road map, the Bible to help us make this happen. If your don't feel like you're there right now it's never too late. Give him the wheel and let him lead you on the adventure of a lifetime.

The old American dream used to be work hard til you get rich and then live out your days in self centred pursuit of happiness. The new American dream should be 'Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.'

We pray that this is you dream today. You will not be disappointed as life unfolds into the adventure it was meant to be. May he fulfill all the desires of your heart as you seek to please him.

Peace, Mitch, Juliette, Nathan, Cole', Jessica, Tristan, Janelle, Michaela, and Katrina Anderson