Jumping for Joy

For almost a year now, I have been working with the Special Needs ministry at Grace Church on Pelham Road. The Special Needs ministry is actually what brought me to Grace- in the summer of 2011, when I had first moved to Greenville, I worked at the Project Hope Foundation. We provided ABA therapy and other services to children with Autism in the upstate. While working with one family, they described to me their five year journey to finding a church that provided what they needed for their little boy so that he and they could both enjoy services.  This floored me! I had never thought about what it must be like to be a special needs parents and not be able to truly worship because you had nowhere for  your child to go! The Lord really laid this on my heart as I began praying about where to find a church home in Greenville. 

I had been visiting a few churches in Greenville, including Grace during the summer and during the fall, I started attending the singles ministry at Grace, Seven32. I was starting to think Grace was the where God was calling me but I wasn't quite sure. That all changed on a Thursday night. Chris McGowan, our pastor to guests, came to speak on prayer. While speaking on this, he began to tell us about his son who has a rare genetic condition and how he and his wife really learned how to pray during that time. With my degree in Genetics, I was immediately caught up with his story and wanted to learn more about it! But then, he proceeded to continue with his story and how his wife started the special needs ministry at our church. Being a special ed teacher, Emily was floored as well at how many families she worked with didn't go to church because they didn't feel welome! She knew at Grace that we could welcome those families! After she had started the ministry, she had her son and now gets the benefit of the ministry for him!  My eyes almost bugged out of my head when he said that, and I immediately thought, "ok God, Grace is where you want me!" As soon as Seven32 was over, I was immediately asking everyone, "What was the speaker's name again? How can I get in contact with him?" I finally got the information I needed and rapidly went about contacting him! Chris connected me with his wife, Emily, who said I was an answer to their prayers and I've been with the Special Needs ministry ever since! 

I can truly say that working with the Special Needs ministry has changed my life for the better! Working with these children has been an absolute blessing. I get to see God's love being presented to these children while allowing their parents to worship without worry for their children. There is nothing like hearing "I've never been able to see an entire service before" or  "it means so much that my child is having the same opportunity as everyone to learn about God!"

With all that being said, I am writing today about my sweet girl Danielle. Danielle was one of the first kids I got to "hang out" with during my time with the Special Needs Ministry. We have had some great times together, from Fusion, to a day at the Fusion retreat, to most recently, her baptism. 

" For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free- and all were made to drink of one Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12: 13

I picked up Danielle last Sunday to take her to church and the first thing she said was "I'm getting baptized! I'm getting baptized!" Danielle was so excited! I think she told me 5 times in a 15 minute car ride! And then she asked me to come to her baptism. My heart broke a little when she asked that because I was serving during the second service and wouldn't be able to see her being baptized. The Lord had other plans for me though, both the children I was shadowing ending up not staying the entire service so I was able to get into second service to see Danielle be baptized. 

When Danielle was walking down to the baptismal pool, my heart was just overwhelmed with joy! I've seen the growth she has experienced over the last year due to Fusion and her family and was so excited for her to make a public declaration of her faith! As she stepped into that pool, tears of joy started streaming down my face. It meant so much to me to be used by God in her life and see it come to fruition on Sunday. 

And in typical Danielle fashion, when she came up out of that water, she came up excited! She could not stop cheering and jumping and hugging the pastor who baptized her!  Danielle's excitement out of the water was a reminder of how excited we should be for the Lord. She was so excited to share her love for the Lord and it bursts from her! 

"Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven..." 

Luke 6: 23

She reminded me, not only how I've played a role in her life, but how she played a role in my life. My joy for the Lord grows whenever I am with her.

"I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing."

John 15: 11

Running With Friends So They Can Have Some

This past weekend, I got to be a part of a wonderful thing called the Hope Relay! The Hope Relay is a relay race sponsored by the Project Hope Foundation, which serves children with Autism in the upstate.  

The Project Hope Foundation holds a special place in my heart because it's where I met my boys. While working there, I had the privilege of spending time with two precious little boys who have autism.  Bo could be my own child with his blonde hair and bright blue eyes. I like to call him my little cuddle monster because he's always giving my kisses or asking for tickles! And then there's Preston, with his great big smile and wild and crazy hair.  

I could not have been more blessed when it came to working not only with the boys but their families as well. Their families took me into their homes, prayed for me, encouraged me, and truly blessed my life. The joy brought to me by both the boys and their families was why I ran this weekend. 

Autism is now said to affect 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys.  Autism is a developmental disorder which affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. The Project Hope Foundation provides a wide range of services that supports the full spectrum of the autism community and at the Hope Relay, 

We run with our friends…so that children with autism can have some.

The Hope Relay consists of two races, the Hope 20 and the Hope 47. Runners form a relay team and run 1 leg each ( Hope 20) or run 2 legs each ( Hope 47) through the scenic roads of Tigerville, SC.  I had the privilege of running with four awesome ladies- Ashley Kinser, Katie Henson, Kristen Hatfield, and Irene Mortera. And of course, we couldn't have going anywhere without our awesome driver, Katie Horner, who "did the whole race, accelerating at some places, slowing down at others, and made a few turns!" 

Together we made up 4 Tigers and a Hokie and completed the Hope 20! We were awesome and placed third in our division with a time of 3:16:03!

Running in the Hope Relay was such a blast and it was great to do something fun for something that means so much to me.  I can't wait to do it next year on November 16, 2013! As of now, the goal for next year is to run the Hope 20 all by myself!

For more information on the Hope Relay and why we run, check out www.hoperelay.org