Serve as a Volunteer

A Penny for Your Thoughts

One night, I volunteered at a vocational and rehabilitation center for people with disabilities. A center where my dad received help decades ago.

During the night's activities, I invited the young adults to take hold of a penny, look at the printed year, and think of a significant life event which occurred during the year. The dates on their pennies all happened to align to their birth dates. One girl shared how she could not breathe well when she was born. The stories continued all holding a common theme; difficult births told to them by their mothers.

In listening to their stories, I affirmed how much God loved them and gave thanks for their courageous conversations and diverse abilities.

Glance at a penny. Look at the Year. What signifiant life are you courageous to tell?

If you cannot think of event, turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. Read slowly through the first eight verses pausing with a breath after each phrase. Perhaps one of the events the Spirit brings to mind is a time when you volunteered and moved your acts of service into moments of mission. May the Holy Spirit bring to mind courageous events in your faith journey that drew you close to God and to one another while reflecting on various seasons in your life.

For everything there is a season,

and a time for every matter under heaven:
 a time to be born,
  and a time to die;
  a time to plant,
  and a time to pluck up what is planted;
 a time to kill,
  and a time to heal;
  a time to break down,
  and a time to build up;

a time to weep,

and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn,

and a time to dance;

a time to throw away stones,

and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace,

and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek,

and a time to lose;

a time to keep,

and a time to throw away;

a time to tear,

and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence,

and a time to speak;

a time to love,

and a time to hate;

a time for war,

and a time for peace.

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