May 31, 2008. That will be a night to remember. We celebrated our 20th anniversary as a ministry and my 50th birthday. I decided the stars and planets would only align themselves like this once in my lifetime and so I decided to have a huge celebration.
My intention in having a community-wide celebration was to showcase the faithfulness of God. The theme of God's faithfulness has been the heartbeat of our ministry since its inception on May 31, 1988. The broad spectrum of creative arts has been only a vehicle to proclaim this message.
I gave the night an Oscar theme. We had a dazzling Master of Ceremonies, presented awards (The Saltys - given to those who had been salt and light to Salt & Light the last 20 years), had an Un-Vanity Fair party afterwards, and filled the night with 'clips' and 'moments' from the past. There were new songs and choirs and choreography and dramatic moments and several pictorial histories representing various aspects of the ministry. It was funny, touching, poignant and excellent in every way. There was even some spontaneity with a little 'roast'.
But there was one thing that completely took me by surprise. It was a moment that came well after the celebration was over and everyone had gone home. It came when the lights were dark and the fury of the storm's activities that day had subsided into the easy calm of night. In my attempt to honor God's faithfulness through this program, God had hidden a gift for me to open later. I got to see what I would have missed!
Have you ever seen the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life"? It's one of my favorites, starring my cousin (very distant, but still) Jimmy Stewart. In the movie, George Bailey gets to see what would have happened if he would have never been born. I experienced that. How many people get an opportunity like that this side of the Judgment Seat of Christ? If that sounds boastful, I didn't communicate it well. It was one of the most deeply humbling things that I've ever experienced and here's why. It all ties into a comment that a friend made to me after program during the party. Amid all the affirmation and encouragement, he says, "Well, if it wouldn't have been you, it would have been someone else." (You have to go back and read that again.) What a profound truth. You see, Salt & Light Ministries was never really my idea to begin with. It was God's idea. He called me to partner in His plan and He certainly equipped me for the task. But, if I would have said 'no' God's plan would not have been thwarted. Our service to God is part of our worship to him. Our approach to that service should always first be to find out what God is doing and how we can partner with Him to accomplish His will in serving others.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who struggles with questions like, "What am I doing - at 50?" "What is the point of my life?" "Does my life have any meaning, any purpose?" I'm not above asking those questions. I've struggled with my calling. Well, I can only pray that if you are serving God in any way, you could have a moment like I had on May 31, 2008. It was truly A Night to Remember.
To those who sent letters, pictures, cards, flowers, money, condolences - thank you for remembering us. Take a look at some of the highlights from the evening on the Anniversary Program page!
Love,
Jeff, Debbie, Benjamin, Samuel (and Melissa, too)