By: Carissa Lovvorn
My heart ached each time I turned on the news during the past several weeks. The headlines were continually filled with violence, threats of treachery, and chaos that seem to bombard our children on a daily basis. It is hard to know exactly where to start when trying to make an impact on the negativity in this world. Who should I help? What should I do?
We each have our own abilities and strengths. We need to be a light to those in our midst by showing compassion to those around us even while facing adversity and the uncertainty of a seemingly dark world.
The Gospel of Mark declares that, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45 NKJV) Jesus provided us with a perfect standard of how to serve others. You see these examples when He healed the sick, fed the hungry, washed the disciples’ feet, and forgave our sins. Placing mankind ahead of Himself and making the ultimate sacrifice to create a path to salvation for us is an amazing testimony of His love. This is the type of commitment that we must embody as we move forward in serving others.
Jesus called His followers to serve one another. By doing so, we are showing Jesus’s love to the world. Jesus was also a huge advocate for the role of children in the Kingdom of God. The Bible repeatedly references Jesus’s heart for His youngest followers.
For the past several years, I have felt a calling to teach young children how to serve. On Saturday, September 14, my family and I hosted the first Tutus on a Mission service project where attendees packed snack bags for the Carpenters for Christ volunteers who will frame the current Limestone County Habitat for Humanity home. The tutu wearing girls learned about the two organizations and heard a corresponding Bible lesson.
At the core of Tutus on a Mission is this familiar Scripture, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) Encouraging a servant heart during childhood will not only help children become rooted in their faith, it will also make an impact on those that they serve. Thus, producing a circle that can ultimately change the culture that we live in. My hope is that these positive serving experiences will stay with the girls throughout their lives and plant a seed that will grow into a relationship with our Heavenly Father.
This was just the beginning of the unique service opportunities planned for the youngest in our community. I look forward to seeing how this ministry grows. For those of you who are blessed to be around young children, I challenge you to teach them compassion, to teach them to love, and to teach them to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Many blessings,
By: Carissa Lovvorn
Follow Tutus on a Mission on Facebook for more information.
December 20, 2024
