Serving Others With This!?

If you saw my last post, Love Chooses From An Empty Plate, then you know for a time over 5 years ago, I had a hard time.  This is what the storm was about that I mention up above in my intro.  But God is so good, He didn't leave me there.  He used many things and people to help me come out of the funk I was in and this. . .

is one of those things He used.  Can you tell what it is?  :)

It's VERY delicious!

Homemade chicken salad.

How you may ask, did He use this to bring me out of my funk?

A friend, one of my angels at the time, dragged me, yes dragged me to our church to become involved in the lunch/hospital ministry.  There is a different team of people that show up in the church kitchen every Thursday morning and make chicken salad sandwiches,

bag them, and deposit them into these. . .

white lunch bags. Along with the sandwiches, these go in. . .

and these. . .

and these. . .

The bags are folded and a note stapled to the outside. . .

and then all the lunch bags are loaded into these Prime Timer tote bags. . .

Let me just say, I'm not a Prime Timer yet, but they let me come on board.  They have SO much fun!

We leave the church kitchen with totes slung over our shoulders and we head to the two hospitals in our town.  We hit the ICU room first and deliver the goods to the family of patients. Then we go looking for family sitting in the patients rooms. They sit there most of the day, worrying about their loved ones, not wanting to miss phone calls from the doctors, waiting for a loved one to get out of surgery, and so they don't eat a lot of the time.  This is our ministry to feed them and offer prayer for them and their loved ones.  I have met and prayed with so many neat, wonderful people and they are ALL SO appreciative of the food and the visit.

It did my hurting heart SO good to get out of my little pity party and go serve others, to offer love and compassion to others who needed it in their time of hurt.  And God used this to help heal my hurt.  Isn't that just like God?  To get one outside of herself, to remove the focus off of muah and focus on others, to be put into the company of others who are needing a visit, some food, and a hug and a prayer.  I leave the hospitals every time feeling renewed and good and alive with a smile on my face.  Healing was happening and it felt so good!

Like I said, this began 7 years ago and I am still serving sandwiches.  Three years ago, God led me to start the Blanket Ministry for the homeless.  Another huge blessing to me.

There is just nothing quite like serving others and showing the love of Christ to those in need. . .no matter what that need is.

I share this to encourage if anyone is out there, hurting in their heart, I believe one of the best ways to heal is to go serve someone, to focus on others, to love on others.  Healing and love will go full circle.

Try it!  I dare you!

;)