“Mud Matters…” Devotional

[This is part of the devotional I delivered to several of our Regional Trainings in 2017.

The video is not available yet, but I will add the link to it once it has been edited.]

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Psalm 40:2.   

This is one of the verses I recently shared as a Devotional thought at our Regional Trainings. It is an insight into the world of helping Foster Children.  Many of our Campers and Mentor Kids have been pushed into mud pits of abuse and neglect, they have been slimed with shame and pain.  Our job is to help them out of the slimy, muddy pit of despair, and set their feet upon a solid rock of hope and faith.  But in order to help them out of the pit, we must be willing to get into the pit with them and get muddy too!  

We must be willing to sacrifice our clothes and looks, and climb into a pit of pain on behalf of the children we serve.  The mud that matters is not real mud of course, but figuratively it’s the mud of words when a camper who is angry at the world yells, “You’re the worst Counselor ever”.   The mud we encounter can be physical.   We have literally had adult volunteers get kicked, spit on and hit with sticks; it’s a physical form of getting muddy for kids.  Mud is always emotional.  We have had countless volunteers over the years who have had broken hearts for the kids they minister to.  

Sometimes the emotional pain is caused by the children, sometimes by the guardians, and sometimes by the system that is struggling to serve them all.  Volunteers get mud splattered on them from a variety of sources and styles.  But each time they crawl down into the muddy pit, it’s a moment that tells that child, we care, we know what you are going through, and we are willing to get mud on us as we lift you up and set your feet on solid ground.  

Getting muddy gives us our BEST opportunities to make a connection with kids to share our hope and faith.  We are so thankful for all our volunteers who have gotten muddy for the kids over the years.  

Maybe you, too, have gotten muddy in ministry trying to help someone else.  It comes with the territory of ministry.  

Here are three insights about getting muddy in ministry when helping someone: 
1-Accept the Mud. 
2-Embrace the Mud. 
3-The Mud is not personal.  

We don't really want to get muddy, but getting muddy means we have lifted someone out of a pit and set their feet on solid ground.  













As Lizette, a former camper from Bakersfield told us, “without camp, I would not be the person I am today.”