When I reflected on what I celebrated this week it revolved around the fact that I’m in love with this city. I’m in love with Kansas City, what isn’t there to love about it? This week I got to see some beautiful art when I went to a play with a dear friend, I got to sit on the patio of coffee shop and read a book that was written by a local author, I got to go to Legoland with family friends and be silly. And I discovered one of the things I love most about living in this city is that it gives me opportunities to serve. This week, I’ve been mindful of how much joy I get out of serving.
Living in Kansas City provides us with so many opportunities to serve and give. It provides us with so many chances to help people who are hurting. It gives us the opportunity to find joy in helping at Harvesters, or by serving at Micah Ministry, or by doing any number of things that can serve our community. I often think that life should be nothing but happy times and smiles. But that is not the message of the God that we follow. We hear of a God that looks at a terrible event, the crucifixion, and doesn’t stop it but allows for life to come from it. I’m not saying we should all thank God for our suffering, but know that God is love…and love will win. Terrible things might happen, this doesn’t mean that our God has abandoned us. The existence of poverty, pain, and all other evils isn’t proof that there isn’t a God. The fact that people gather to bring life out of this existence is proof enough for me that there is a God of love out there. The fact that we can find joy in theatre, and find joy in helping someone find life in their painful situation is worth celebrating.
