Ministry of the Month

 "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." -Jesus, Matthew 25:40

As a stay-at-home mom, I've often struggled with my "role" in ministry. At 15, I surrendered to Christian work, and that's taken on different forms over the past 15 years. I spent my latter teens through my 20s taking mission trips all over the world (Latin America, Great Britain, Africa, China, United States, Canada) and even spent a year in Costa Rica. 

But I can't do that as a mom of young children. Sure, the opportunity may present itself at some point, but I can't leave a nursing infant at home to fend for herself. I strongly feel that my girls--and any future children--are my little disciples/my little mission field at this point in my life. And my time home with them will go all too fast. 

And, honestly, ministering to my own has been harder--more challenging--than ministering to others around the world. We are  our worst at home. I'm not always patient; my words are not always kind. A good friend told me the other day that she believes the Scripture that says women will be "saved through childbirth" (I Tim. 2:15) indeed extends to the years when our children are youngest and need the most attention. 

No, our literal salvation doesn't come through them, but surely the Lord uses them in our sanctification process! Oh, how He's shown my heart chock full of dross the past few years!

All that said, I still wonder how I can serve Jesus through serving others from home. 

And, in very recent days, I feel God's given me an answer: WRITE. 

I've been writing for Carolina Weekly for about a year and a half now, and, again and again, "God stories" are literally placed in my lap. 

I'd like The Humbled Homemaker to become a place to extend some of those stories. And I'd like to feature one ministry per month. 

The "ministry" may not necessarily be a Christian organization, but it will be a non-profit or charity of some sort that fits into our biblical mandate of serving others like Jesus served. 

I want to invite The Humbled Homemaker readers to pray for each particular ministry for the month that it's featured. And I'll include ways in which those able can get involved if they feel called to take more action. 

The first "ministry of the month" will be Cookies for Kids' Cancer. I wrote about them last week here. 

Be on the lookout for my post on Cookies tomorrow, and I welcome your suggestions for future "ministry of the month" features. 

How do you minister to others?