Vacation Bible School (VBS) is an opportunity for God to use Citylight Church to make Jesus real to kids through a fun week in June each year. Kids invite their friends and neighbors to come hear and learn about Jesus and His love for them. It takes hundreds of people to come together and make VBS happen. One volunteer teacher was Jen Carlson. Jen loves kids and Jesus. When Jen filled out the volunteer form, she recalled second guessing herself.
“I remember thinking that there was no reason I should be participating in VBS,” Jen conessed. “It’s in the middle of baseball season and I am running a business. I had to take time off work, and I didn’t feel like I had enough in place to feel good to just leave each morning for a whole week.”
However, that very first morning of VBS, all those thoughts Jen had were quickly erased from her mind and replaced with the most beautiful and glorious thoughts. She witnessed in the first hour the power of the Holy Spirit moving and redeeming children and adults, especially in her. And not just that first morning, but every morning. God took all her words away and replaced in her new ones.
“It was at first just random ... But not for God,” Jen exclaimed. “God put words in my mouth that first Monday morning. I began with scripture with the first group of kids. I shared with them the fact that scripture is the word of God and that it is found in the Bible. I said to them that we were going to open it up and read it. I then asked that first group of kids “If this is the first time you have read the Bible, raise your hand.” Kids started to raise their hands ... And then the other kids in the group started to clap for them. There was applause from everyone. Enormous applause! It took my breath away. The kids started this. I didn’t start this. It was so beautiful. And it happened with every group that morning. We asked the same question and each time kids raised their hands and others applauded for them. There were six groups that day, and it happened every time with every group.”
God gave Jen a glimpse of what he was about to do that entire week in every child but also in her. Jen saw over and over children excited about scripture and wanting to memorize it. God reminded Jen the truth about himself and who she is in Christ.
“Seeing this happen ignited my own desire for scripture and reminded me of the God who loves me,” Jen shared. “We take it for granted as adults. To see this through a child’s eyes and that I am just like them. I too am for God ... And just like those kids were. I am so grateful to be a child of God. I am so humbled to have had experienced a week like that. I needed VBS just as much as they did, and probably more. I needed to be like them. To be the child with our Father God. I needed to applaud scripture like those children did and the accomplishments of my fellow Christians. I want to celebrate God and all the time.”
As Christians, it’s so easy to take our eyes off God and to forget the amazing work he has done, is doing, and will do. Jen said,
"It's so easy to gloss over what God is doing and not take time to reflect. So, announce it and claim it and give him the glory for it! It helps me to remember what God is doing in all the other areas. Life is so busy and because of that, I’m not good at that. I want to celebrate God and all the time now. Otherwise, why am I here? What’s the point?”
Today, Jen is still celebrating God and what he did and continues to do. One other thing God did for Jen during VBS, was show her that he’s in control and a bigger faith. The first day of VBS the State sent unannounced an inspector to her business for the very first time since she opened it. Jen was nervous and stressed.
“When I got back, the State inspector was leaving my business,” Jen described. “Everyone was praying, even at VBS. I got to share with the inspector that I had taken off work to help at my church’s VBS. She said “You were at a VBS? I am so glad you took time off for that.” I was surprised. It was so great. I did not expect that. We passed with flying colors too. God taught me that I can be gone, that I have a great crew, and to have more faith in my coworkers. It increased my faith in my work life. God blessed me in my work life and took care of it. He always has me. Even when I was terrified. It was an extra blessing that week. God did a lot for me that week ... and I know he did that 300 times more with all the other kids and volunteers at VBS. I can’t wait to see everyone and know how prayers were answered this past year.”
Last year, during the second week of June, it was as if life stopped for a few hours each day. VBS brought people of all ages together and all for the Lord. God gave Jen new eyes to see everything is connected to and for the purpose of God’s glory. She saw scripture come to life with kids and with volunteers. She saw God’s word change lives. She was even given a greater understanding of who God is, her identity in Christ, and a glimpse of the glory to come when she can see everything. She will never forget it and is excited to volunteer again at this year’s VBS where she will be the first this time to applaud others reading God’s word. It’s a week that Jen now describes as “The world stops and all you think and do is about God.”
Join Jen and our church at this year’s VBS June 9-13th. There is an opportunity for you and our whole church body to use their gifts. If you love kids, or decorating, or even getting creative and crafting at home, join us! If you can prep snacks or donate food, or build props or support volunteers ... The sky is the limit! There is a place for everyone. Volunteers who are 6th grade or older can sign up here >>> citylightomaha.org/vbs.