There are so many things that I love about Charlie 22 Outdoors. So many, that I can’t put them all into words. I couldn’t fit them into three paragraphs. The ministry has been blessed beyond anything we can imagine. Here we are in our 9th year. Here we are with over 100 opportunities this year for veterans to serve, or be served. Here we are with over 1000 being served this year alone. How amazing! Watching God work has been incredible. But one of the things that really sticks out to me, is the volunteers giving all they can. Doing so without seeking anything in return. This is biblical.
In the Bible, we read that God will see what we are doing because he knows our hearts. He knows why we do, what we do. There’s no hiding it. Not from him. We also read that as believers, we should be serving others. That’s part of our faith. Giving to others. Putting others above our “selves”. Serving them, to serve them. Not serving them, to serve our selves. If we do this, we will be rewarded by our Lord and Savior. I don’t know how. I don’t know when. But we will be rewarded. We will be blessed. It will be as God sees it. And I promise you this, it will be lasting. Something you will truly feel and treasure.
Years ago, when I began serving veterans, I went into it with the intention of giving back to them. Just trying to make their day better. Doing what I could to let them know that I love them for who they are. I had no idea how God was going to bless me in return. I’m not talking about any “outside” gain. I’m not talking about anything, anyone can see. It’s internal. Internally, I cannot tell you how much I was blessed. How much I am blessed now. I can’t measure it. I had no idea how God would fill my heart. Emotions that I felt, that I still feel today, are impossible for me to explain. So now here is the challenge I have for you today. I want you to find some place to serve others. Find some place to use your talents. We all have the capability to serve others. Find some place to put them above your self. Serve them, to simply serve them. Pray for wisdom and for God‘s guidance. Do this with a pure intentional heart. God will bless the entire process. He will bless everything about it. Because that’s what he does.
