God is Good!

Have you ever participated in a VBS (vacation bible school) or some sort of kids-camp program at church?  Or maybe something your mission puts on for you?  Have you ever helped out in either of these functions?  Because if you have, then I have something to tell you.

What you are teaching your students, isn't just for them.  It's for you too.

This past summer I helped out in a VBS at my old home church in AZ.  It was Africa-themed, which was super exciting, and I had a blast.  I was on the worship team, and had spent a month and a half before it actually started learning all of the motions backwards.  (left-hand dominant)  When the big week came, it was one of the most insane, hilarious, fun, crazy, impactful, exhausting and enjoyable weeks of our entire furlough.  Every day had a different theme.  Such as:

• When life is unfair . . . God is Good!
• When life is scary . . . God is Good!
• When life changes . . . God is Good!
• When life is sad . . . God is Good!
• When life is good . . . God is Good!

There was a lot of things going on while I was helping out.  One day my helper didn't show up, and my row of 12 kids had no one to keep an eye on them while I was onstage leading worship.  This was not at all nerve-wracking.  (yes, I was being sarcastic there.  I was freaking out.  One of the othe leaders kept an eye on them for me)  One of my fellow worship team members was also with my group of kids, and she had two of the naughtiest boys.  Their mom blamed it all on her, and she fell apart one of the days.  I was bummed part of it because it was the last time I'd see most of the kids at that church for three years.  Through it all, God was Good.  He still is!  All the leaders kept marveling over and over how what we were teaching was supposed to be for the kids, but was hitting us just as hard if not harder than them.  Oh, it was cheesy.  It was goofy.  But for every single one of those topics I have a story to go with it about how God was still Good.  That's just how it works.  And I had one of those truths come back to me the other day.
I was running on nerves, (still am just a tad) and "When life is scary . . . God is Good!" popped into my head.  I laughed, and I lost my nervousness for a minute.  Even when life is scary, God is still Good!  He's still with me, he still cares.  Guys, that week God slapped me upside the head every.  Single.  Day.  Still does.
So, my point is: pay attention.  Whether its that story you are sharing in sunday school you've heard a million times, the cheesy song about not being afraid, or a goofy skit about Jesus saving you.  They get stuck in your brain, and they will show up again when you need them.  That's just how it works.
I'll never forget trying to get a little boy to laugh by calling him "Marge-lous."  (marvelous.  Marge was one of our characters that week)  I won't forget hugging my friend on the corner of a stage, while she cried because a mom blamed her for her boys bad behavior.  I'm never going to forget holding a fan so Mr. Balloon will get whipped around by life's changes.  😋 (yes, our demonstration that day was really that cheesy)  I'll never forget laughing with a friend because she was nervous about talking to the guy she had a crush on.
All of these things happened in one week.  They are some of my greatest memories of that church.  And they are each demonstrations of the idea that no matter what happens in our lives, God is still Good.  Hold on to that truth, darling!

-Ali