an interesting way to spend a birthday

December 31, 2007 by Joel Miller.

many of you know that i turned 26 on december 29th. it has always been busy and crazy having a birthday in the same week as christmas, but it has come to be something i quite enjoy. but this birthday was unique…it didn’t feel like any other i’ve had.

when jay asked me if i’d help his small groups move some boxes and furniture from a storage unit to an apartment for a lady in the church, my initial reaction (in a whiny, fully sarcastic tone) was “but it’s my birthday”. but needless to say, i was happy to help. i’ve been on a break for the whole week and frankly, i was starting to get bored.

what we expected to be a 2 hour move turned into a 5 hour move, but it’s WHY we were doing it that made it so interesting. we were moving boxes for a lady from the church that has been blessed by the efforts of some tirelessly selfless people. she was homeless, due to some very bad circumstances and some bad decisions leading up. she was living in her car, trying to find a job and get her feet back on the ground. and she wasn’t getting very far on her own.

then, she started getting help. she was encouraged and listened to openly by members of our church. then, somebody found her a job. then, an apartment. THIS was the apartment we were moving her into. so box by box, we were helping a broken person find hope.

finding hope is really what we’re all about, so it was a pleasure in so many ways. the story isn’t over…we have more to do. if you’re from murray hill and you’re reading this, get ready because you might well be enlisted to do what you do best… but for me, what better way to spend a birthday–by giving rather than receiving? unintentionally, i realized that i have more than i could ever want, and that my time was best spent in a team effort to rebuild the life of somebody who has been beaten and broken by a cruel world.

in fact, it’s about the best birthday i can remember.

—–

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

-John 21:15 (NIV)

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