Go Beyond

On Sunday, March 6, we will close the doors to the church and go into our community to be the church. This will be Kingsland’s Fourth Annual Caring for Katy initiative — my favorite Sunday of the year. Caring for Katy is the day when Kingsland members invade our community en masse — demonstrating God’s love to others in practical ways. Kingsland members will serve single moms, widows, families in need, local assistance ministries, in area hospitals and clinics, in public schools, at the YMCA Day Camp and more. Jon Davis, our Missions Ministry Associate, has worked with our small groups to coordinate more than 100 service projects in more an 50 geographical locations around our community. We will invest approximately $100,000.00 in meeting needs and serving the people who call Katy home.

On the three days prior to the big day, Jon and I live at Lowe’s. We spend those days purchasing materials for the various projects. One of the things we budget for is blessing folks who happen to be at Lowe’s when we are at the cash register paying for supplies for our respective small group projects. We enjoy blessing folks who are in queue to pay for their purchase. We simply approach them and tell them that the Lord would like to bless them. The most common reaction is wide-eyed disbelief. When people ask us why, we tell them that we love God and love people. And we also share with them about Caring for Katy.

Yesterday, a man and his special needs son could not contain their gratitude. Another fellow and his friend said, “Wow. This is amazing. We were not sure we had enough money to pay for for these supplies.” A lady who was shopping with her elderly mother gave me a hug and talked about how much they needed the supplies for some repairs. Another man who had just a few items said that he had been struggling to buy groceries. Several people gave us their names and asked why the people of Kingsland would exhibit such kindness to total strangers. One cashier, a man originally from New Delhi, India said, “I have worked at Lowe’s for eight years and I have never known anyone to do such a nice thing for people they do not know.” Jon and I then spent some time talking with him about how we are motivated to love others because God loves us.

In a few hours the people of Kingsland will head into the highways and byways of our community to be Jesus with skin on and have wonderful experiences serving others. There is no greater high than allowing God to work through us to meet the needs of others. I am grateful for the highs that Jon and I have already experienced at Lowe’s in preparation for Caring for Katy. We are more excited than ever about how God will use this bold initiative to make His name famous in our community.