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So, what’s the big deal? You hear people promoting financial stewardship and budgeting classes… why does that apply to you? You are making ends meet, got a little savings, give to the church – why bother with all that? Is it really worth it? Let me tell you a true story…

Steve and Marie were your typical young couple living the American dream. They’d worked hard in school and both had good jobs. They had a car loan, an old owned vehicle, a few student loans, and were one year into a 30-year mortgage on their “fixer upper” house. They would describe themselves as “frugal”, but they could never resist a good deal…especially if they “needed” it for the house. Now they had a baby boy and Marie had stopped working to stay home. Being on one income was way more tight than they’d expected. Marie was the one who kept the check book, and the generous amount she put into savings at the beginning of the month was consistently being taken out at by the end – plus some. Their savings was dwindling and she was getting stressed. They had always regularly tithed to the church, but sometimes that was getting skipped to make ends meet.

Steve, ever the answer man, checked Dr. Google for help. He signed them up for a one-day class by True North Financial Ministries. Marie, who was not fond of change and was not thrilled to add budgeting to her duties, reluctantly went along. By the end of the day, they were both hooked. She and Steve went home, and within a month had a working budget.

Fast forward 12 years and 2 more kids. The car and student loans are paid off, and there is only 4 more years left on the mortgage. They’ve bought 3 vehicles with cash since they started budgeting, plus they are tithing 10% and giving beyond that. Their dreams are being funded AND they are content, closer to each other, and closer to the Lord than ever.

So, what happened? Did you spot the change? Was this an excellent example of human perseverance or was it something else? What you didn’t see in this story was what was going on in their hearts over those 12 years. With a big kick-start at the class and then gradual transformation, Steve and Marie’s hearts started lining up with God’s plans for them.

They realized that they (and we) are not owners but stewards of God’s resources. Thus, we GET to prayerfully and carefully use His money, talents, and time for His glory and His plans. And when we trust him, we get to see his faithfulness over and over!

Do you have a dream – something that God has laid on your heart to do? Likely money has at least a little part in that. Want to not only live for God on Sunday, but really trust God in in all parts of your life? Submit your spending to Him! You will never regret it!

Visit our Life Resources page to learn about True North Ministries and all the resources available through MCC to support you and your family.

I know our Lord knows, I know He is at work, and I have watched Him work in electrifying ways. But sadly, at times, I forget. Yet, He is so good to remind me again and again. Have you been there too?

As I see our Food Pantry ministry ebb and flow I try to remember when it flourished and how the Lord used this ministry to serve one woman in two distinct roles. I will call her Jance.

Jance had been blessed by the Food Pantry for years; she would come and I would take her downstairs and load her up with groceries. Sometimes she was jolly, sometimes cantankerous. But early one summer day she showed up and said she wanted to manage it. She knew that it needed some oversight and I was grateful.

The transition from partaker to dispenser was touching; she patiently sat through training, absorbing every word. Her pen ran out of ink as she took notes, she prayed, and asked really good questions.

The next week, she showed up at my desk and announced “I am going to be here on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 – 4. That’s when the Food Pantry will be open. I need copies of the intake forms, and I am going to make some calls. Does the phone downstairs work?”

I was stunned. “Yes, the phone works. But it’s pretty hit and miss when people come for food,” I warned, “I would hate for you to sit there.”

“Don’t worry, I have been praying. I know the Lord will send me people. Now, I need to make some calls. Is it open?”  I nodded and handed her the forms and a clip board. She cadged a few cookies and skipped off.

I prayed too. It was rare to get more than one family a month for the Food Pantry. But I forgot that we have a Lord that hears and desires to have His children serve.

At the end of the first day, Jance returned my clip board and handed me two neatly filled intake forms. “I had the best time!  This one was a couple on bikes that are heading to Canada. We had to pick kind of carefully. The other one was a single mother. I really like doing this! I like to hear their stories. I get to tell them about Jesus.”

I was stunned; two random families in one day? Wow! And she had seized the opportunity for the gospel too!

Jance blossomed that summer. She made connections with farmers for fresh vegetables, with a duck owner for fresh eggs, and most of all, she was enveloped in being a blessing to other people.

The Lord didn’t forget her prayers; that was the busiest summer that the Food Pantry was in use.

But the biggest change wasn’t in the Food Pantry, it was in Jance! Instead of holding back and being sometimes befuddled, she was lucid and engaged. Instead of being isolated, she prayed with and for people. She remembered their names; and she was smiling.

Like so many things, it was for a season, and like all seasons, the leaves began to crisp, the faux-sunflowers began to crumble, and the mornings began to frost. Jance’s health declined with the waning warmth. She finally agreed to a co-leader, and then had to step away completely.

But I will never forget the year that God used the Food Pantry to transformation Jance’s heart, attitude and life!

We have had other volunteers since then, and they use some of Jance’s policies but right now, there is no one to manage and oversee the pantry. And the Lord no longer brings a lot of people to it. I find that I pray for those days, for another person to be called and blessed by this ministry. Would you be the one?

Vickie was one of MCC’s first volunteers at the Cedar Crest Farmer’s Market; she has a servant’s heart and deep understanding of how God loves each and every one of us. I interviewed Vickie a few weeks ago about her experience and got a profound lesson in how God loves each and every one us! I hope you will too.

When Vickie began serving at the Farmer’s Market in 2015 she didn’t know what God would do with people’s hearts as MCC volunteers brought water and shared conversation with the vendors.

But she saw God move in big ways!

“This smile, that hello, a bottle of water……God used everything,” she said. “God gave us so many little opportunities every week to share Jesus through the Farmer’s Market!”

She said she was personally amazed at what he did with, in and through her. God truly allowed the atmosphere of the church to bless everyone there; the vendors, volunteers and the shoppers, she said.

Although Vickie no longer attends MCC or even lives in the state of New Mexico, she took lessons from her time as a volunteer with the market and MCC that will last her a lifetime.

“All too often we broad-brush a group of people,” she said, “but the truth is we need to realize that they each have a name, a face and a life-journey and through this opportunity we get to step into that and walk alongside them. The hairs on their head are counted by God, just like ours! They are individuals, not just buyers or vendors and each one matters to God!”

What an essential reminder to each of us in a day that it is so easy, and common, to judge others.

In the Spring of 2016, Ellen felt like God was calling her to contribute something to the MCC family that had been her church home for just a year. 

Although she had attended both Catholic and Lutheran churches, she considered herself a new Christian.  After years as a nurse, always on-call, she didn’t feel like she was able to commit a huge amount of time to ministry, but she knew that she wanted to serve somehow.

And like He often does, God opened a door!

Ellen heard about the need for a volunteer at the Farmer’s Market held in MCC’s parking lot. She thought, “I love Mountain Christian Church, and like talking about tomatoes, so I thought it would be a good fit!”

She was a little nervous on her first day volunteering. She asked Pastor Frank, “Do I have to sing? Do I have to dance? What should I do? I’m not sure if I’m ready to be a witness for Christ yet!” Luckily, Frank’s response was that she just needed to be herself!

Isn’t that what God calls us to do; to be genuine, honest and available? As we allow relationships to grow, we find that by being available, we have the chance to share the Gospel.  

You see, the Farmer’s Market ministry isn’t about tomatoes, farmers or selling honey. It’s about building relationships, it’s about building community, and most importantly -- it’s about allowing God to use you when the time is right!

Each week before serving at the Farmer’s Market, Ellen lifts this prayer up to God, “Guide my hands, Lord. Lead me to those you want me to speak to. Holy Spirit, open my eyes and my ears that I would be aware of how you might use me today.”

What would happen if we each lifted up that prayer every day? Imagine the ways that God would use us; if we only made ourselves available.

In the end, Ellen said that it was the Farmer’s Market Ministry that has grown her as a Christian……not the other way around!

It’s easy to enter into a new endeavor thinking we are going to completely rework it, rebuild it, or change it; and then before you know it, it transforms you! That’s God’s work in us.

Look for Ellen, and other MCC volunteers, at the Cedar Crest Farmer's Market beginning June 7th in the MCC parking lot!

One of the greatest privileges in this life is watching God’s pursuit of someone.

Mandy seemed too cool for VBS.  She was just visiting for the summer, living with her grandma who happened to be the neighbor of a family that attend Mountain Christian Church.  The kids in the family had spent quite a bit of time with Mandy and had invited her to join them for Mountain’s VBS. 

Things didn’t exactly go off without a hitch.  On Day 1, Mandy seemed overwhelmed by all the music and dancing (and possibly, all the adults pretending to be spies), preferring to stand in the back and watch. 

On Day 2, she wouldn’t even participate in the games. 

On Day 3, I asked all the volunteers to pray for her; and on that day, she participated only in the craft time…and loved it.  While creating something, Mandy opened up to me about her love for art.  Suddenly, she couldn’t stop talking. 

On Day 4, I caught Mandy dancing and singing along during music time. 

And on Day 5….

On Day 5, we had an excellent Bible teaching about how the Holy Spirit comes to live in our hearts and fill our lives.  We’d spent the previous 4 days walking through the gospel, step by step.  The teaching for Day 5 was the culmination of it all.  Afterward, while we were walking down to game time at the basketball court, Mandy asked about the lyrics to a song we’d been singing all week:

“God is the real deal…not a figure on the wall”

“What does that mean?” she asked.  “How is God different from Buddha or saints or anything else?”

I about jumped out of my skin, I was so excited.  We spend so much time telling kids stuff. She was asking.

What ensued was one of the best conversations I’ve ever had with anyone about who God really is, why He is different from all other gods, and how having a relationship with Him is possible.  Yeah—I told her how much He loved her too.

During snack time, I asked Mandy if she’d ever read anything out of the Bible.  She said she didn’t own one, as she’d only been to church a few times.  She was pretty thrilled as I set out a number of Bibles for her to choose from to take home for her very own. 

We talked over the importance of seeking God in His word, as He has revealed so much of Himself on those pages.  I wrote a little note on the inside cover and gave her a few suggestions on where to start.  Her ride arrived shortly after, but when she was almost out the door, she turned back around and ran to give me a huge bear hug.

The woman who drove Mandy home that day said that she’d spent her time in the car asking the other kids about their favorite Bible verses so that she could look them up and mark them in her Bible.

I don’t know where Mandy is now or what she is doing; but I do know that God was after her that week. 

It struck me that every piece of the VBS program…the music, the crafts, the teaching, the games, the snacks, the donated Bibles, those who invited her, and those who drove her, were all used by God to draw her heart to His own.  Every single volunteer had a hand in God’s pursuit of Mandy and 80 other kids that year. 

Could there be a greater privilege than to be used by our heavenly Father to open a child’s eyes to the truth?

Now, I must fully disclose all the facts: VBS is work.  VBS costs.  If you are to lend a hand in any capacity for VBS, you will sacrifice time or money or energy or sanity all of these and more. 

However, the transformation that is wrought during that week (and don’t think that I’m just referring to the kids) is so much greater than the cost that it is not worthy of comparison with it. 

And I’ve said nothing of the parents we serve and the ways in which entire families are impacted that week.  Have I told you about my friend who only started coming to Mountain Christian Church because her son attended VBS? 

How we had the privilege of witnessing her coming to accept Jesus as her savior months before she passed away?  Well…a story for another time. 

Would you prayerfully consider being a part of VBS this July?  Come experience the privilege of being a part of God’s pursuit of these precious kids in our community! 

I can say this with confidence: you’ll never be the same!

Visit our VBS page to learn about how you can get involved!