Dear Friends,
I love receiving personal letters and cards, and over the years I
have saved many of them. A lot of them are stashed in the front of my bible, my
own little personal repository of treasured expressions of other’s love and
appreciation.
I suspect it was my fondness for receiving such cherished gifts
that led me in developing my own letter writing ministry. If I was blessed by
such personal expressions of love, why not share that love with others, and so
began my Calvary Chapel Academy Tootsie Pop ministry.
I was the first athletic director and chaplain for Calvary
Christian Academy, a new school started by Calvary Chapel in Fort Lauderdale,
Fl. As I commenced my new ministry, I decided I would write a personal
handwritten note to each student on his or her birthday. The school began with
only 200 students in grades K-4, and so this seemed like a manageable
undertaking. Prior to writing my birthday letter, and unbeknownst to the
student, I would contact the student’s teacher requesting information on the
child. I was looking for something positive about the child that I could affirm
in my personal note. It might be a successful athletic accomplishment, a
significant behavior improvement, some kind and loving act, or perhaps from
academic achievement.
On the student’s special day, I would walk into the classroom, and
all teaching would suddenly stop. I would walk over to the student, put my arm
around him/her and publicly affirm them for the special achievement which I had
also noted in my letter.
They were always amazed by my ability to pinpoint their specific
act or accomplishment, never knowing that the information received had
previously come from their teacher. Watching their surprise as I affirmed them
for their accomplishment was something I will never forget.
I can’t tell you the amazing responses I received from both
parents and students alike over the years. I continued the tradition as the
school grew through high school, and only when the student enrollment reached 1,000,
was I forced by time restraints to give up this ministry. In over 50 years of
ministry, I doubt I have ever done anything that has had a greater impact than
this ministry. Even after I left the school, I would frequently have students
and parents express how much they appreciated my notes and my Tootsie Pop
encouragement ministry. Many would tell me they still retained those notes.
Why do I share this story? It is simply to point out that if we
ask God to reveal how we can encourage others, He will show us countless ways.
And those ways may be unusual and creative and yes, even unforgettable, just
like a ‘magical’ note and a Tootsie Pop in the hands of a young student.
Paul writes in 1 Thess. 5:11 that we are “to encourage one another
and build each other up,” so let’s get busy doing just that. And as you do, why
not share with me any unusual ways you have found in encouraging others.
Yours in faith and friendship,
No comments:
Post a Comment