June 9, 2009 Feeding the 300! Real Life Story

Coordinating Thanksgiving Meal Volunteers!

It's been 3 years since I retired. As I was preparing to retire in early 2006, I learned about Life Journey Ministries. What caught my attention was a statement that Life Journey Ministries provided three, online sessions aimed at helping people going through life transitions to clarify God's purpose for their lives.

When people heard that I was retiring they began rubbing their hands together with glee that I would have more time to help them with projects that they had going. I was a bit fearful that I would over-commit my time as I went through the transition from working full-time to the volunteer work I desired to do in retirement. With a certain amount of fear I approached each offered opportunity to volunteer, trying to decide if it was the right one for me. In early January 2007, I joined the first Life Journey Ministries online group. The other participants were as far flung from me as North Carolina, Indiana, and Oregon. As the weeks went by, we bonded as a group. We had many discussions about how God communicates to us his purpose for our lives. In the second and third 10 week sessions we continued to work through exercises which helped each of us look at our dreams and our strengths and meditate on God's purpose for each of us.

Meanwhile, several churches in our area had gotten together and put on a community meal at Thanksgiving time. The purpose of this meal was to provide a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, cooked with love, for those who wanted one. After our success at hosting this meal in 2006, we began planning for 2007. What I was learning in the Life Journey Ministries sessions applied directly to my increased role in planning a meal for 2007.

During these sessions I began to identify the community as a vocational arena in which I wished to increase my involvement. I especially wanted to work in areas which would help people who were in need and/or homeless. I also began to recognize my desire to help others plug into areas where they could use their strengths to glorify the Lord. I took on the role of volunteer coordinator for the “Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving” meal.

As the Life Journey Ministries sessions continued, the online group supported me in prayer and encouraged me. I felt the Lord leading me and stretching me as I worked in this role. We were able to use over 170 volunteers to help prepare, set up, serve and cleanup a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. We fed over 270 people, all of whom left with a smile on their face and a sense that the group who hosted the meal cared about them.

We held our third annual "Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving" meal in 2008, I am continuing to seek the Lord's guidance as to how he would like to use me. I give God all the glory as I match people who want to do volunteer work up with opportunities as a result of this event.