Be Interruptible & Practice Hospitality

Chris and Omar, one of the students who was on campus some of the summer

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

I've taken great comfort from these verses, and all of Romans 12, as we've sought to serve the Lord from inside the walls at RGBI this summer. One of the ways we've been able to use our gifts is by serving some of the students who have chosen to stay on campus for most of their summer vacation. The married students have apartments and kitchens, but two guys were staying in the dorms. The dining hall is closed and they don't have cars, so they were really stuck on campus. We enjoyed inviting them over to share big dinners and time in our living room, encouraging one another in the Lord, just like it says in Romans 12:13.

At the end of the semester, we spent a weekend serving at a church in Big Wells, a small town outside of Laredo. The church was between pastors and always in need of preaching pastors on the weekends, so we were asked to go. Chris prepared a message about how the Lord doesn't work on our schedule, but His own, so we should "be interruptible." A couple times, we've been able to practice this by being available to open the pantry (a food dispensary) on the campus, take a student to the bank or the store, or fill in for a pastor.

We're so thankful for these opportunities to serve this summer and look forward to how God will interrupt our plans while we are on the road in July. May we be interruptible!