This is Claire’s blog-writing debut! Something tells me, it won’t be her last… (Jen)
If you have heard any of the songs on Mercyme’s new “Generous Mr. Lovewell” album, I’m sure you have one or two that have touched you. The song “Generous Mr. Lovewell”, the namesake of the album, is my favorite. It talks about a character that wakes up every morning ready to do something that will help less fortunate people and glorify God. When Christians go and do work in Jesus’ name, praising Him and humbling themselves, that is them being, Mr. Lovewell. Being Lovewell is really “loving well”, in Jesus’ name.
Now that I have explained that part of the title, I’ll get on with the story. As we start to prepare for a life of living in God and giving Him praise, our family has tried our best to be the hands and feet of Jesus and try on God’s eyes to see the hungry and the broken and the opressed. Mom had been especially asking for this, as you saw in one of her previous posts, “Cheeseburgers and a cup of coffee.” She heard God telling her specifically to go and make lunches and hand them out to people who are hungry (whether physically or spiritually) in downtown Grand Rapids. Listening, she told Jake and I, and we also thought that it was a wonderful oppurtunity to show God to the opressed, and in this way especially, the hungry.
I myself was so excited, I couldn’t wait another day! But we decided to hold off until tomorrow, judging that it was already past lunchtime. The three of us went to Aldi to get some balogna, cheese, peanut butter, jelly, bread, apples and water bottles.
The next morning, we put one apple, one water bottle and one sandwich (of either PB + J or balogna + cheese) in each bag and packed them in boxes. On each bag we had written encouraging messages like, “God loves you” or “Peace”. Praying in faith over them, we packed the boxes full of a total of 30 lunches into a rather crowded wagon. We hoisted the heavy wagon up into the back of our minivan and were off!
Driving to downtown Grand Rapids, we kept our eyes open for people that looked like they could use something to eat. Our first costumer, an older man, accepted the lunch gratefully, and although he did not take up our offer of prayer, I prayed a prayer of protection silently over him, and when I turned back and saw him chewing his balogna and cheese sandwich, a feeling that God had fed that man with His spiritual food, that we all tremendously need, overcame me, and I could not wait to see who we would encounter next.
It happened to be an African-American woman, she had a pink handbag dangling from her arm and I couldn’t help thinking that that was her only prized possession. She also accepted it with gratitude and I had an almost unignorable urge to tell her that our simple lunch wagon, our efforts, we, did not matter in the least, that we were not the ones to be thanked. No! God, God was the one she should be thanking! HE deserves ALL glory and praise and honor, and in no way at all do we.
After this woman, we met up with two very likeable men by the names of Steve and Clarence. Them being the only ones who told us their names, I have a feeling God was illuminating them in a special way, we were to pay attention especially to the work He was doing through Steve and Clarence. I love them. I love them even though I have only met them once, briefly on the streets of Grand Rapids, because God first loved me.
As we passed more and more people that will remain in my memories, Lovewell’s lunch wagon seemed so small, a tiny act that is only one way that God is making His name more famous. And although we did something so simple today, I know in my heart of hearts that we truly were loving well, and I believe God, in all His glory and splendor and majesty, was glorified by the smiles of the homeless in Grand Rapids today when they saw “Lovewell’s lunch wagon”.
I’m so proud of you, Claire!! You and Jacob and your Dad and Mom are truly living out your faith. It’s so very exciting to see the Holy Spirit moving in you and thru you. Keep it up!! You are honoring the Lord!
Yeah God! Great post Claire – you’ve got such a gift for writing. Keep it up sweetie!
What a great way to show God’s love and you told it so eloquently too. Keep up the writing.
Merilyn DV (Your Grandma and Granpa P.friend)
Claire…you are an awesome writer! Your teacher(s) is/are doing a great job!!! It sounds like this was a very rewarding experience…..keep following God’s leading in your lives…he’s doing amazing things through your family!
What a beautiful thing to do! Just the way you tell it, we can see how much you loved helping all the “friends” you met that day. Claire, you are special.
thanks everyone so much! I loved writing this and doing lovewell’s lunch wagon was absolutely awesome!!!!
Thank you for sharing your experience and your heart with us. You are a fantastic writer! Wow!
Claire — ditto what Heidi said! Wow!!
Gabe and Heidi, I know it is a little late, but thanks!!
Next time we will need more sack lunches and maybe a bigger wagon!! Great day 🙂