Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12, 

Devotion

Many years ago, I said “yes” to being an aid to a young lady with Down syndrome. I didn’t really know what I was doing. All I knew was that I was just reconnecting with a family I had known from years past. Saying yes to hanging out a few times a week took me to several places with her, and one of those was WINGS: A Special Needs Community. I ended up working at WINGS for several years. Four years later, I became a mom to a baby girl with Down syndrome. Saying yes just a few years earlier led to a place I needed–a place of unexpected community with other families as I learned to advocate for my own child with special needs.

As a pastor, I get to see the fruit of obedience when people simply say yes–yes to serving in a ministry, yes to helping out once or twice to meet a need, yes to attending a Bible study once a week. The list goes on. I see the unexpected community that surrounds them as a result of that simple yes. When times get hard, I’ve seen how that community surrounds and walks with them during the unknown. When we are willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we get to experience, first hand, the community of believers that seek his will. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:12, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” We need each other and we are made to be in community with other believers. You are part of the body of Christ! I pray we don’t take that for granted.

One of my favorite examples of community is the Teen 2 Teen group with Autism Oklahoma. This group of teens with autism meets at Crossings Edmond once a month to simply hang out, meet new friends, and make new connections. It seems like a simple task, but can be nothing but terrifying for some. It’s an exciting opportunity for these teens to walk by faith and grow in their confidence–from simply saying yes, even when they want to say no. Don’t we all feel that way sometimes? One of the young ladies in our Teen 2 Teen group now comes to the Student Ministry on Wednesday nights. Saying yes to meeting new friends led her to making a whole new family of friends on Wednesdays–she found her unexpected community!

My daughter is now seven years old, and saying yes many years ago has led our family to meet and be a part of several communities! My husband has had a chance to be on the board of the Down Syndrome Association, I’ve had the opportunity to host the Tim Tebow Night to Shine Prom, and, greatest of all, we’ve been able to watch our daughter flourish within her own communities!

Jesus is always in the unexpected! He’s always doing unexpected things and using unexpected people. I pray this encourages you to take a look at what it means for you to say yes. Step out of your comfort zone to follow where God is leading you. Your community is waiting!

Kari Holder

Nursery and Early Childhood Pastor

Resources:

• Sermon “Building a Life that Matters”
• Learn more about Autism Oklahoma
• “Make Room” Crossings Venue Worship