I received this encouraging text from Jan Lacher yesterday:
Last week, Michael’s team leader approached me and said that all the leadership in Connection (Connection is the Wednesday evening service) want Michael in his class no matter how noisy he is. I took him out at one point because he was extremely loud. She said that when I gave my little talk to the class in the fall in what to expect with Michael, to know that when he is loud, that is just Michael and to focus on their teacher all the more. And that is what those kids were doing-focusing on their teacher. The kids weren’t bothered at all with Michael’s loudness. The team had a meeting after that class and everyone agreed that they want Michael there.
Two great things I took away from this:
- Jan and Mark have kept showing up at church with Michael, investing not just in Michael but in all the people who interact with him at church. It isn’t easy to persevere like that.
- The adults have trusted God for ways to serve Michael and all the other children, and worked hard to include him. It isn’t easy to persevere like that, either.
But the result is wonderful! God has helped those children learn how to persevere through his noisiness because it means Michael gets to stay in his community of peers. He belongs.
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. (1 Peter 3:8 ESV)
What a simple, blessed, practical example of Christian charity.
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