God Provides More Than We Imagine

I never cease to be amazed by what God can do when His people respond. Feeding over 100 homeless teens started as a simple goal, but it became something much bigger than I could have planned.

Checking Every Box

After the first call to action, our congregation jumped in with both feet. Boxes piled up quickly in the hallway outside the church office. My job was content control. I opened each box to make sure all the food was non-perishable. I checked envelopes for notes and cards, removing any cash and placing those gifts into our youth outreach fund. We had explained this beforehand, but I get it, sometimes our hearts take over. That’s okay.

Each box had to be packed neatly and securely. By the end of the first week, we were halfway to our goal. Small groups started hosting box-filling nights. Some people even took extra box lists and shared them with friends, family, and coworkers. Before long, boxes were arriving from people who didn’t even attend our church.

Overwhelmed By Generosity

I called the Homeless Teen Liaison to update her. She was overjoyed.

But then she asked, “What are we going to do with all the extra boxes?”

I laughed and said, “We might have to cut people off!”

By the next Sunday, I made an announcement:

“Thank you for your incredible generosity! We’re just under 100 Homeless Teen Boxes, but more are arriving every day. Please remember, we need to transport all of these to the schools by the end of the week.”

It hit me right then. I had completely overlooked transportation. How was I going to move all those boxes?

God Provides Every Detail

As soon as the service ended, the owner of the glass shop down the street and one of his employees approached me. “Need help transporting boxes?” he asked. I couldn’t believe it! We arranged for pick-up that week with their cube van, with plenty of room for everything.

When the day came, their employees and I loaded every box. The Liaison had arranged storage at a central middle school for distribution. I knew a few more boxes would arrive, but I could handle those in my own vehicle.

Blessings Beyond the Boxes

As school closed that week, over 100 homeless teens received a Christmas gift that showed someone cared. The extra boxes went to struggling families the Liaison knew personally. But the real gift was in the notes and cards tucked into those boxes. Almost every note included words of encouragement and explained the Gospel.

Feeding over 100 homeless teens showed me that even small words of kindness can plant seeds. I don’t know if any of those teens accepted Christ, but that’s not up to me. I’m called to care for others and plant seeds along the way. God takes care of the rest.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9, ESV)

Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts

• What was the last ministry project you were part of?
• What role or responsibility did you hold in that project?
• How did you see God show up in ways you didn’t expect?