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Easter 4 – Youth Sunday Lesson: Acts 4:5-12
May 3, 2009 Psalm 23
Hannah Valles Epistle: 1 John 3:16-24
St. James’ Church, Marietta Holy Gospel: John 10:11-18
About this time of year, six years ago, the twelve year old version of me was standing before this church, though it was not during a Sunday service, nor was it for the purpose of reading a lesson from the Bible. My mom, Kristen Adele Valles, a very devoted member and loving Sunday School teacher of this church, passed away in May of 2003. Her memorial service was held here a week after her passing, and despite the fact that it was so soon after her death, God gave me the strength to stand up before a crowd of people and reminisce on all the memories I had of her.
I have been told that I am a strong girl, that I have a bubbly personality, and a good heart. But I am not going to say that I have never had times of hardship, because I did. A twelve year old girl is at the stage in her life right before she starts to figure things out; it is the transitioning stage from young girl to young woman. Here is was, a girl who had to teach herself some things and become a little more independent at a younger age.
Today’s reading from John teaches us that Jesus gave up his life for us, and that we should love our brothers and sisters just as he loves us. God’s love can be seen through one another’s actions, and that is exactly what got me through these past six years of my life – the love of our Creator, rooted in the people of this very church.
Whenever I needed a mom to talk to, a female mentor, guidance from …., the mothers of my friends and the women of this church were with me every step of the way. Whether it was doing my hair and make-up before a homecoming dance, or finding the perfect prom dress, my mom’s love for me flowed through the hearts of the people around me. Just this past March was my high school prom, and there is one woman I could never thank enough for helping me prepare for it. Mary Jane Lovvorn devoted a whole Saturday to going prom dress hunting with me. Girls, I know you understand how stressful that can be, and I probably drove her so crazy that she had to go come at the end of the day and have a couple cold ones. But despite the exhausting experience, her selflessness and caring heart motivated her to drive me around all day, blasting the radio station that she knows I listen to.
I can never forget to mention all of the hard work and effort my dad puts in to make sure my brother and I are okay. Our well-being is his best interest. Now it is a known fact that there are some things that dads do not understand, and never will; it’s just the way they are wired. But I have never known a man to try so hard to be there for his daughter without a mother. He never hesitated talking in a high-pitched voice, and insisting that we talk about boys. Just recently, my friend Anna and I walked into my house to find my dad standing in the kitchen in his pajamas – with six pie crusts lined up along the counter, as well as a pile of apples from our tree in the backyard. It was like seeing the male version of Snow White standing in our kitchen. I am not saying that men cannot cook, but growing up, my mom was known for baking the homemade desserts and preparing our meals. When that role had to be passed on to my dad, he took it on without complaint and proved himself and exceptionally good chef.
It was difficult losing my mom at a young age, and sometimes I still have a hard time making decisions and feeling competent about certain tasks. But I would not be the person standing before you today without the support of this church. The reason why we feel obligated to help a person in need is because of the Holy Spirit that lives within us. You all saw that I was in need and your actions showed that you cared. We know that God lives in us because the Spirit He gave us lives in us.
So if you ever feel like you are worthless, or that you cannot make a difference in this world, know that you helped me get through one of the toughest phases of my life. I know what God’s love is because of the people sitting in this church, and that is something I am going to carry with me forever. So, thank you.
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