Give God’s love by sharing it… He did!

For God so loved the world, that He gave, His one and only Son… John 3:16a

Just about every Tuesday, David* heads to the science room during his lunch period. Sometimes, even before he steps through the door, he is greeted with high fives and enthusiastic hellos from the Ansonia Campus Life Leaders who are glad to see him and eager to let him know he matters. Amidst conversation, David heads through the hastily assembled lunch line and fills his plate with a home-cooked meal that an amazing team of volunteers prepared especially for him and his peers. Finally, David takes a seat at one of the classroom tables and interacts about life and faith as he feasts on the delicious meal. As the bell rings and David heads on to his next class, both his body and his soul have been enriched. …And yet it soon became known these aren’t David’s only needs.

David and his father have been living in a shelter. As their living situation might indicate, money has been tight for David’s dad and it’s been challenging to meet even their basic needs. As fall turned to winter, David was coming to school without warm enough clothes to shield him from the cold. That’s when the volunteer “home cooking team” demonstrated that loving with Jesus’ love means being moved to do “more” when we see people in need.

Just before Christmas, several of the “home cooking” volunteers went shopping to purchase David a winter coat, two sweatshirts, gloves, and a Rural King gift card. And they didn’t stop there; they bought some warm clothes for David’s father as well. Then, one of the “home cooking” volunteers and a ministry leader met up with David and his father at the bowling alley to deliver the gifts. The smiles on both of their faces revealed how much of a blessing these gifts were to them. Now, David heads to the science room almost every Tuesday wearing his new winter coat.

This story isn’t about spotlighting people. David’s real name will stay a secret and the “home cooking team” will remain anonymous as well. Instead, this story is about highlighting God’s love. It’s a love that motivated people who were already giving, to give even more to someone in need. It’s a love that hit its mark and brightened the faces of those who received it. And I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe the gesture will make the interactions about God at the lunch table just a little easier to digest along with the home cooked meal. It’s a love lavished on people that attracts them to Christ. And that shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, that’s what God’s love does!

*name has been changed to maintain confidentiality.

YFC has chapters impacting thousands of communities across the nation that seek out and serve youth from all walks of life. Many teens are silently struggling through a variety of challenging issues—and now they see the living power of a loving God. YFC encourages staff and volunteers to be good news while also sharing the stories of the Good News of Jesus. It involves building relationships through the ups and downs of everyday life in order to lead people to Christ.