Karen’s Notes
Celebrating Six Years of Sharing from this Glory-Bound Lady
Volume 6 Number 20
Posting # 264 “The Heart of Serving”
May 17th, 2023

Thanks for stopping by “Karen’s Notes” today.

Some of the folks that follow this little publication every Wednesday are people that knew and loved Karen. Some folks have personal memories of various ways that Karen served the Lord throughout her teen years and adult life.

Others are folks that never met Karen personally but have often shared that as they read Karen’s Notes, they feel like they are chatting with an old friend that they’ve known and loved over their lifetime.

Here’s something that I want to tell you about Karen.
She loved to serve. Long before we graduated from high school together, she enjoyed teaching boys and girls the Word of God. Her parents opened their home, and out in her dad’s garage, she taught the neighborhood kids in an afternoon Bible school. She was also active serving in her local church.

Throughout her lifetime as a pastor’s wife as well as later the National JOY Club Director as a missionary with Baptist Church Planters, she simply wanted to serve. She never wanted to be in the spotlight, but that is exactly where the Lord put her. She never wanted to be a public speaker, but that is exactly what the Lord orchestrated.

As she yielded to the Lord, He started changing her and equipping her for the public speaking type ministries into which He launched her. She loved to serve, but in just a moment, in our closing segment, I’ll share a secret with you.

Look at this. I discovered this verse was underlined in her Bible, and I discovered a note she wrote about it in her Bible study journal. Guys, this is good for us as well.
“Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing” (Psalm 100:2).

“Serving the Lord with gladness is an attitude of the heart. As I serve there should be sweetness and sensitivity in my life if I am to count for Christ. I believe that Christ’s return is upon us. We belong to the King. I want to be found faithfully serving Him in my home, church and community.”

From this brief Bible study journal entry, she rightly concluded that service is indeed an attitude of the heart. Sweetness and sensitivity should be growing evidence of the Lord’s work within our lives. Yes, men, this is indeed good for us, too!

Let me tell you a secret about Karen.
She often spoke to groups of ladies.
She often spoke multiple sessions of ladies’ retreats.
She often spoke to groups of children’s workers regarding their JOY Clubs.

She loved doing this because the Lord had long ago put a love for serving in her heart. However! Let me share with you, perhaps for the first time, she had an absolutely favorite place to serve.

She loved caring for babies in the nursery.
She loved making food for men’s monthly breakfasts.
She loved teaching boys and girls.

But her very favorite place to serve was after the activity, out in the kitchen with a dish towel in hand and drying dishes with the church ladies. Some of you ladies will remember this.

How are you serving the Lord? What is your favorite place of service? Has the Lord helped you to take steps of serving that you couldn’t imagine? Serve Him joyfully. He truly is worthy.