Not long ago, my hubby and I were feeling like we should host a small ACF Life Group in the valley. There weren’t a ton of options out this way for folks to get involved, and we felt we could serve in this area. This meant opening our home each week for strangers - *gasp* -and possibly make some kind of meal for X number of people (sounds biblical). This also meant the house should be clean, despite the bathroom habits of an 11-year-old boy and two teenage girls. (No one tell them I’m writing about this!)

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We felt up to the challenge, and although we were just coming out of a hard season ourselves, we knew there were so many people that needed a place to feel safe to explore their faith, a place to ask questions and get biblical answers. We hoped we could create this kind of space.

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Once group started, some weeks everyone showed up, there was a lively discussion, and funny stories about the day or jokes were shared. There were a lot of laughs on those nights. Sometimes members shared very intimate things about their lives, confessions and failures. We all cried together and supported one another in difficult times. I couldn’t believe the atmosphere that God’s Spirit created in our home, that he had included us in these holy moments where people fleshed out past experiences or present ones. It was such a privilege on those nights! We had made ourselves available, and he proved himself faithful...again and again.

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It was on a night like this that a member of the group, Kelsey, talked about her desires to submit to the King, Jesus. She also talked about feelings of unworthiness and not being sure she was good enough to really belong to him. The group was loving and each one talked about how they had had these same feelings at some point in their journey to Christ, but the truth is that none of us is worthy! (Rom. 3:23). She left that night still undecided, but she had gotten some wisdom to chew on and knew she had our support if she needed anything, which meant a lot to her.

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You see, Kelsey had been going through some tough things in life. She is a single mom, working a full-time job in the medical field. She had a surgical procedure that went wrong, when she contracted an infection that almost took her life. She was hospitalized for several weeks, and although she has awesome and supportive parents that were able to care for the children, it still meant the world to know people were praying and that there would be a few meals in the freezer when she got home.  

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Kelsy’s oldest daughter was diagnosed with Type I diabetes not long after her health struggles were resolved. Teaching her young child how to navigate all the eating changes and monitoring, while also entering a new school year, sounded like a monumental task to say the least! Kelsey seemed to really appreciate the group's listening ear during this time, and it was good for the rest of the group to consider the challenges of others rather than being focused on self.

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Some weeks people were busy or burned out with the busyness of life and almost no one showed. I sometimes felt cheated for not getting to be a part of his work. But the house cleaned, and dinner prepared, our family would sit down and have an unexpected night together, just the five of us around the table.

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It was on a night like this that our son, Daniel, made a commitment to Christ and the decision to get baptized! He knew he wasn't perfect, but knew the One to go to when he wasn't (1 John 1:9). What a joy to see your children's hearts want to please Jesus!  

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Group or no group, with or without me, God was on the move!

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Not long after this night there was an opportunity for baptism at ACF. I was worried that my shy, quiet boy, would be frightened and change his mind at the last minute. To my surprise, nervousness played little part in that night, a miracle in and of itself! Standing at my chair with my friend Kelsey, my boy sat in the front row not too far away with Dad, a big smile on his face, waiting for his turn to go up on stage. The worship team was playing and people went up to get dunked in the tank and show in public the inner decisions they had made to follow Jesus.

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Just before Daniel went up, I noticed Kelsey was gone. I wasn’t sure where she went. Did she feel defeated having not made her decision for Christ yet? Did something make her emotional, and she had to leave, not feeling good enough to be called his daughter?

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I watched and celebrated as my husband brought Daniel up out of the water, knowing he was now sealed with the Spirit, forever the property of Jesus! What a moment! He came down the stairs dripping with a grin, and I hugged him, feeling the cold of the water soak my clothes. But the cold melted away as I looked and saw Kelsey with a “Decided” T-shirt on - the garb of followers about to get baptized! That’s where she had gone, to get ready to get dunked!!! She had made her decision!

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And oh, the smile! Triumphantly she came down the stairs, dripping with water, hair slicked back, you could never misinterpret the smile! Pure triumph, triumph over the fears, over the lies. She had triumphed over the hardships of the past year. Her strength was now in the Lord!

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Our family would never have known Kelsey if it hadn’t been for God calling us to serve in the area of Groups. We would not have the privilege of being a part of Kelsey’s story. We would not have seen how God worked in her life. We would have missed a friend. We would have missed a miracle.  

Explore the ministry and serve opportunities that are available at ACF, get connected! You are needed! You are wanted!  

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The gospel message of Jesus will move forward, more Life Groups will form, more “Kelseys” will feel the belonging, more “Jinnifers” will watch in awe as God moves. But will you choose to be there to participate in it? I pray you do!