VBS Day 1

Day 1 of Willie's Redneck Rodeo VBS is in the books! The first day of VBS comes with lots of stresses and concerns. You never know how many children will show up so you never know how many to plan for. As usual, Allison & the crew adjusted and handled the children. God blessed us with a huge attendance. Now before I start sprouting off numbers let me say numbers aren't important but on the flip side they are. I know.. Confused Kristi! We want kids at VBS & if there is 10 kids, then we will love on ten kids, teach them  about Jesus the same way. The point is teaching about Jesus!! Now on the flip side of that I want to teach as many kids as possible so I want to see the room packed out! Boy did God pack the room out! So many people came for supper we didn't have room for all of them to sit & eat!! Let me give last yrs general numbers. Each night we were about 100 which was roughly 60 kids & 40 adults. So I think you can imagine that we were blown away to see 75 kids come through the doors and 65 youth and adult volunteers totaling 140 people!!!!! The kitchen crew was slinging hot dogs like it was nobodies business!!! They even had to break  down and fry some in a skillet to get them out to folks!  It was crazy goodness!!

Now ,  I didn't get to see the music, games, skits or crafts because I taught last night. I get to experience the fun tonight! I wanted briefly tell you about my lesson. I taught the parable the Sower and the seed. I feel like each year God gives me the lesson I need. Many times, I'll say," if we can just plant the seed," or if we can get them thru the doors and plant the seed, God will handle the rest." Of course, I told the kids the seed is like a pretend seed and we stick it in their brains & hearts, as they learn more about Jesus the seed grows. It is all about the seed! You can't grow a garden without planting seeds and you can't grow God's kingdom without planting seeds. At the end of the church year, a questionnaire comes to June asking church questions. It asks about attendance, numbers of those who joined the church, numbers of how many saved, VBS questions..  All kinds of "number" questions. I know the ultimate goal is to have children and adults saved but you have to start from somewhere and that is the seed. For those first timers with us at VBS, I think you'll see our VBS is a little different from many other churches. We don't push getting saved. We teach, we love, we feed, we work on building relationships, getting to know the kids & the adults who bring the kids. We plant the seed! If it leads to salvation then Hallelujah  but if it doesn't this week we know the seed was planted & God is working on that person. I hope this makes sense. 

Continue to pray for the VBS workers and Allison. Pray for the children who come thru our doors. Pray for the children's parents too. Pray the seed has been planted and now that it will grow. 

VBS workers, I know you are tired this morning & it was only day 1. I pray for a God to give you added strength this week, a little extra something in each step. I pray God gives you extra patience because we all know it gets a little hectic & frustrating sometimes. I pray God gives you extra love to lavish on the children and the words needed to strike up conversations with the parents. As we go thru this week and see amazing things God is doing at VBS  the 
devil will work extra hard to take us down. Don't let him! Stand firm against negativity, be in prayer!  It is going to be a blessed week!!! I am excited to see the week unfold and see the work God is doing!