Day #21 – Tulsa Summer Camp Director’s Journal – Hope Chitwood

Tulsa Christian summer camp is so much fun!

I spoke at my church services this past weekend about offering and I thought I’d share the story with you…

About a year ago, Pastor Rick asked me to speak about offering so I figure it’s about time. Haha 🙂 When he first asked me, my immediate response was “YES!”, thinking ‘I LOVE microphones and I LOVE being in front of crowds!’ about ten seconds after I agreed to it I thought “what the heck am I going to tell everyone?!”  By the time I got outside the door of the church, the Lord had given me exactly what He wanted me to share. So I have a simple story for you.

A couple years ago, I was in Stillwater volunteering at the Special Olympics Summer Games. Hundreds of athletes were competing. My sorority sisters and I were in the arts and crafts booth. We were given several craft options to help the athletes make. There was…well honestly I don’t remember any of them but one- a lantern. Idk who picked that out. Probably someone who has never worked with kids. Who would want to make a paper lantern with no fire? After about an hour of no one picking my lantern craft, I became a little bored and decided to wear it on my head… It was a hot commodity then! (see photo) EVERYONE wanted a hat. We started getting really creative and fitting them to people’s heads and adding shark cutouts. I was collecting all of the scrap pieces and playing with them.

I was helping one athlete make this awesome hat and he said something about the scrap pieces of paper in my hand and being the statue of liberty… So I taped them together, added red yarn, and handed him a pretty sweet looking construction paper torch.

I can’t tell you how happy this kid was after that. His face lit up and he had the biggest smile on his face. It was like he had just been given a new car or something. It made his day.

All I did was give him the scrap papers I had in my hands. He left the arts and crafts booth and I went on helping others. A little later it hit me–that’s what the Lord calls us to do–give what we have; nothing more, nothing less. You might be thinking “anyone can give their scraps” and that’s true. But in that moment, it was more than scraps. It was all I had to give.

Everyone in this room has something to give- some may have money or time or special skills to offer. But there’s one thing every single person has and that’s their heart. And that is really what He’s after. The greatest offering you can give is your whole heart.

2 Cor 8:12 says “whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. Give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.”

When you do, it affects the way you live your life. It’s not about you or what your giving. It’s about the heart you’re giving from.

By rongriffin