ALL IN - Terrie Chevaillier

Work willingly at whatever you do,
 as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
Colosians 3:23

If your kids are heading to Sky Ranch for camp this summer they will encounter the theme ALL IN!  It caused me to think a bit about what they might learn as they focus for one week, unplugged, and in the company of peers and godly mentors as they seek to know what it means to be ALL IN.  Should I start praying for them to learn this truth?  Maybe pray that they would come home from camp and start living this truth to be ALL IN as a fully devoted follower of Christ?

I will pray these things for them, but where I was really led was to pray them for myself.  It caused me to think if they spend an entire week learning this, how can I, as an influence in my home, model an ALL IN walk starting now and when they come home from camp?

Work willingly- at whatever I do?  Working inside and outside of the home with a willing and loving servant’s heart.  All In as I start my day in the Word before telling others what to do- in my home and outside of my home.  All in as I pray daily for my kids, my spouse, my friends, my church, Sky Ranch, and willingly wherever God leads me to pray.  All in as I say “NO” to things I have freedom to do but might cause my children to stumble.  All in as I use my words to build others up- refrain from gossip.  Willingly speak encouraging words when the name of another person comes up that brings up unpleasant or thoughts.   All in as I seek to model a servants heart inside and outside of our home.

It kind of changes everything when you realize you don’t have to do all of the above for people.  When we work willingly as unto the LORD others see we are ALL IN!  How?  Because when you are freed up from pleasing people, it seems to just all work a whole lot better and your life becomes a life of service to the Lord and not to the world.  To a watching home and world- this kind of ALL IN looks different.  Allusive?  Perhaps peaceful and at restful.  Working willingly at whatever.  ALL IN!

My kids are getting to that age where they seem to be learning more from my walk than my talk!  Can anyone else relate?  I guess this principal could have always been at work in their lives, but it appears to be key as they are in the teen age and college years.

So, I will pray for myself to be ALL IN as I send them off to Sky Ranch this summer to learn this truth as well.  My guess is -I will get to learn some things from them when they get home.  From past experience, the things I learn from them are life changing for myself.