Did You Know You’re On a List?
The year was 1994. I happened to be 8 years old, and my Awana Chums group (currently known as T&T) had just earned an ice cream party for all we had learned up to that point in the year.
Our commander (currently known as Awana Ministry Director), Mr. Chris, hosted the party for us, and I can still feel the joy and pride of being celebrated for all the work we had done! After the party, I ran and hugged Mr. Chris and thanked him for all he had done. I needed him to know how grateful I was that he would spend money on our little Chums group. The following week, Mr. Chris sent me a thank you card for the gratitude that I had shown. He shared with me that on that night, I had been the only one to say thank you. I didn’t know that I was the only one–I just knew I needed to let him know how much his investment into us meant.
Fast forward to February 2020–I stumbled upon this thank you card in a few of my keepsakes, mixed together with other important things that marked my childhood and the people that impacted me. Mr. Chris wasn’t alone in his impact. There was Miss Tina, Miss Elizabeth, and Pastor Dave. Uncle Jack and Aunt Teresa. Mrs. Barnes. Mr. Branham. The Cox’s. My path to discipleship was flooded with people who chose to love me radically–to point me to Jesus, to walk alongside me as I asked my questions and learned more about my Creator.
As a children’s ministry leader, you’ve made that same choice: to radically love the kids God has called you to lead. To learn with. To disciple. Many of the children you’ve chosen to love have a list of people who have impacted them, and it includes YOUR name.
There are 4.8 million children around the world that have this same list. A list of leaders who said yes–to love, to sacrifice, to lead, to disciple. Leaders who chose to draw in close to their Father, and invited a child to do the same.
My point, however, isn’t about the number of kids that are influenced. My point is the list. The leaders, like you, who have impacted and influenced a child for the sake of the Gospel. Passionate, sacrificial, and committed leaders who say yes to child discipleship on a daily basis. There were 426,612 leaders trained in their local church through Awana this year. You are represented in that number, alongside hundreds of thousands of leaders across 124 countries around the world.
Thank you for the big moments of impact to the small moments, and every second in between. For the cards that you send, and the radical love that you give. For the ice cream parties that you host, and the way you open the Bible for our plaguing questions. For serving alongside 426,000+ other leaders and saying yes to discipleship.
Most of all–thank you for sitting at the feet of our Father and inviting children to come with you.
Was there an adult who made a positive impact in your life? Share your story with Melanie at stories@awana.org.
Melanie Hester is the Partner Communications Specialist at Awana. She grew up serving the church and finds it a privilege to continue doing that through both her career and as the 4’s and 5’s teacher at her local church. She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and desires to always be in a learning mindset. She is a wife and mom, a lover of craft coffee, and an avid shopper at Trader Joe’s.
