By: Lauren Blodgett, Lifeway Kids
As a child, I didn’t always look forward to going to church on Sundays; I’ve never been a morning person. I didn’t particularly enjoy waking up early on the weekend. Struggling to pull up my white tights to pair with the uncomfortable black patent leather Mary Janes that were only broken in once I had already outgrown them. Hearing the frustration of my older sister as she must get into the bathroom to put on her thick eyeliner that was all the rage in 2008. But after the hustle and bustle, the struggle to rub the sleep out of my eyes, and the trek down the steep stairs to that musty old church basement, I got to see Ms. Robison.
We didn’t have a Smart Board, an iPad, or curriculum specifically and thoughtfully created to engage restless children. Ms. Robison didn’t need any of that. Sitting around a speckled white plastic table in those worn-down metal chairs, she engaged us through her dynamic character and passion for teaching youth. She would don superfluous amounts of jewelry, bat her eyelashes, and cool herself with a fan as she spoke in an animated voice carefully wooing Samson into revealing his secret to her. “Ooh, Samson, look at those big muscles! Look at how powerful you are! You must go to the gym every day. Tell me, which protein powder do you take? Is that the secret to your strength?” Well, perhaps she didn’t talk about protein powder, but you get the gist.
My strongest and most powerful memories of Sundays are not about which curriculum my church utilized; or if that dusty basement was decorated enough. They are about Ms. Robison, a woman who just happened to volunteer to teach children. As you navigate the highs and lows of ministry in the new year, be encouraged by this story. Kids will remember you; you make the difference in their faith journey and in their lives. Your work matters.
Lauren Blodgett is a Marketing Strategist for Lifeway Kids.