This fall, I attended a funeral of a woman who had an impact on my life and on countless other lives. Lyleen Stewart was a Christian, a minister, a nurse, a Harvest Supporter and the puppet director.
It was’t just any puppet ministry. It was a high class puppet ministry, involving Jr. and Senior High Students. When I was in high school, we would do puppet musicals, travel to other churches, and even took the puppets on tour when our student ministry went to Hawaii when I was in 10th grade.
About 50 “retired” puppeteers even did a couple puppet songs during Lyleen’s funeral.
She faithfully ran the puppet ministry – week in and week out – for approximately 44 years. Puppets is among the top things she was known for. Yet, it dawned on me at the funeral, she didn’t even begin the puppet ministry until her early 40’s!
This insight has come to mind this fall as I have shared this story with people. I’m in my early 40’s and I just wonder what may be beginning in my life that would have that kind of impact on people. What if the thing I’m most known for in life hasn’t even begun yet?
For each of us, today is a new day. A new opportunity to begin anew. From today forward, we can be faithful in the small things, begin the new thing God is calling us to, remain committed to those areas of life God has us in. We may never know the power of that simple obedience.
Thanks to Lyleen for all the memories, the porch talks at camp, for your faithful support of me and Harvest Ministry and for your faithfulness in following Christ. Also, thanks for the puppets you gave to my daughter and I that we have used, with a homemade stage, to teach chapel for kids in the church preschool! So much fun.
OTHER POSTS…
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The four steps needed to begin a new ministry
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