Freak(s) of the Week

Well, I know it's been a while since my last installment of "Freak of the Week," but the Gill family just stood out to me over the weekend. Why over the weekend you ask? The whole family - Andy, Miranda, and little Andy (the unofficial WAVES Mascot) - came and stayed for the WAVES Lock-in. I believe that at some point they laid Little Andy down in the Nursery or Jeremiah's office. For some people, that right there - staying up all night with 24 teenagers - qualifies them for "Freak of the Month" or "Freak of the Year" status, or just plain crazy.

And that's what they are - crazy about Jesus! They love the Lord, they love the church, they love the students, they love people, and it shows! They both serve on Jeremiah's Student Ministry Team and do whatever is needed - set up, break down, small groups, worship, teaching, chaperone, and more. Miranda is on the Praise and Worship Team, serves in Promiseland, and they are both highly committed to our Small Group Ministry. But for me, the thing that stands out about them is their contagious faith. They are interceding, investing, inviting, and including FREAKS! And it's not simply because Andy is an Air Force Recruiter and it comes natural to them. They just get it. They pray for people, build relationships, invite and bring tons of people to church, and then they reach out to anyone and everyone here and invite them to their small group and into their lives.

Being a military family they are used to putting down roots and then eventually pulling them up (don't worry - they're still here for a while). And being a church in a military town we are used to people coming and going. It's never easy - but when you have people like the Gill's who truly understand the "bloom where you're planted" principle, the garden we share is so much more beautiful!