FLS loves people like God loves people.
Volunteers Steve and Keri were nearing the end of their intensive parenting years and wanted to find a ministry where they could really invest.
They had ties to FLS – Steve volunteered through work for a day and their son spent hours organizing the maintenance shed last summer – but they really found their niche when they subbed for some snowed-in volunteers and, “We just got hooked!”
What hooked them? “The KIDS! We just fell in love with the kids. There’s something really, really special about each one of them, and you see that pretty immediately. When you work with them, you see lots of potential, opportunity, and wonder. It was fun to let them be kids for a solid hour. And letting ME be kid for a solid hour wasn’t bad, either!” Steve said.
Keri also loves that time to have fun and engaging conversations. “When we ask, ‘What are some special qualities that God has given you?’ The kids start talking about each other, sharing ‘I see this strength in you’. That’s huge! It builds a lot of trust and it’s a great environment.
And despite whatever difficult situations that they come from, each of them has an incredible spirit, so much God-given potential. With volunteers who can pour in and tell them how much God loves them, there’s no telling how God is going to use each one of them!”
For Steve, one thing stood out: “It’s this little subtle thing, but you definitely know they are thankful you are there. The entitlement factor just is not there.”
Keri agrees and recalled their gratitude discussions at Thanksgiving: “The kids said simple stuff that we often take for granted.” One child said, “my room” and Steve asked, “Where’s your room? And the boy said, ‘It’s HERE’. The way he said ‘It’s HERE’ was really telling of the ministry that is going on at Family Life. They really appreciate what they have here.”
Steve and Keri have been great recruiters. They invited their church small group to invest time at FLS and they hope God puts it on the hearts of many.
Steve shares, “I like to tell a story from my son who volunteered here doing maintenance. When the summer was over, I asked, ‘So what’s your take-away?’ And he said: ‘They love people like God loves people.’ Could you get a better complement from the perspective of a 19-year-old boy, watching how this ministry goes about serving people? He said he’s seen some other ministries that only have a program; but ‘Family Life just opens their hands and tries to love people the way God would.’” Thanks, Spriggs! We see that you do, too.
Want to share your gifts like Steve and Keri? Visit here to volunteer or here to donate.
