Opportunity

Speaking in front of a crowd can be quite intimidating. Admit it, have you ever done a book report or had to explain something, let’s say, to your parents, and you weren’t sure what you were going to say?

Sometimes, I do feel that way, but not Sunday, when I spoke to the women of the First Baptist Church of Monticello.
Oh sure, I figured that I would talk too fast, or even say too much, but I definitely knew what I wanted to share with this group of ladies.

First, I must tell you that I was embraced with such a warm welcome. The lunch was perfect, and the company couldn’t have been better.

Mrs. Nancy Lynch asked me to share about the Sunrise Thrift Store and the Jasper County Community Food Bank; Jehan El-Jourbagy was asked to speak about the Jasper County Mentor Program, and Meagan Roberts shared with us about her missions trip to Honduras this summer.

The theme of the meeting was ‘volunteering in our own backyard.’ I am so happy that youth groups are still traveling and making a lasting difference in the lives of people that they come in contact with in other towns, states, and even countries. God gives us different opportunities to share Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. That is awesome.

I believe that for those of us setting out to share the love of Christ, we are making a difference for the people who we come in contact with, but also, that they are impacting us in ways that we may never know.

I heard Jehan say that there are 20 children waiting for mentors and of that 20, 15 are boys. Men, and women, now is your time to stand up and fight for our young men and ladies in this community. These boys and girls will be men and women here, in Monticello, one short day and they will have families (and could be making decisions for us in our older years).

I’m sure that not many men read this column when I am writing. But ladies, you and some of your husbands have 30 minutes to an hour a week that you or they could spare to make a lasting difference in our community…consider it ‘ministry in our own backyard.’
There are opportunities here in Monticello; sometimes you have to look to find the thing that makes you feel like you’re doing something significant, but in the book of Ecclesiastes, King Soloman tells us that unless we are doing work for the glory of the Lord, it is merely grasping at the wind and all is done in vanity.

So please pray where The Lord will lead you to serve. We do have ministry going on, for instance:

• ML&J is a fantastic ministry to get involved with. This foundation gives children school supplies and coats every year. They even gave away school shoes this year.

• Lynn Jordan has a prayer breakfast and speaker for the teenagers of our community every Friday at 7 a.m.

• The mentor program needs mentors for children, who are excited about learning and being encouraged.

• Jasper County Food Bank needs volunteers the fourth Thursday of the month to distribute free, nutritious food to families and seniors.

• Sunrise Gifts and Thrift needs volunteers for many different areas of ministry.

There are more, I know there are, so I would like for you to send me an email at jasontcam@bellsouth.net if there are things that you know of where volunteers are needed and welcomed.

I will put it in my next column. It is important that we are an informed city. Monticello, we are a loving community, let us work together to show it.

Peace and love,
Cheryl