Joyfully Caring For God's Children

Two weeks ago there were revival meetings going on at our church in Alexandria VA. Evangelist Dwight Smith was preaching. During the week several different ladies were scheduled to be in nursery. On Thursday night, one of the ladies that was scheduled said that she would rather not be in the nursery. I volunteered to take her spot since I love being in the nursery as it is my desire to have children someday.

The lady that I volunteered to do nursery for looked at me like I had lost my mind. When I told her that I loved being around kids and being in the nursery, she still looked at me like I was crazy. This is an area that God has allowed me to be in since I was a young child. It is a very important ministry to the mom’s in the local church.

That lady ended up doing nursery that night. I was also still in the nursery because they needed extra help and the ladies in charge of our church nursery had already taken turns and been in there during the revival meetings. While I was playing with the kids the lady was observing my interaction with them and she said “Wow! You really do enjoy being around kids and being in the nursery”.

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
~ Colossians 3:23

I started working in the nursery at a young age with my pastor’s daughter, Kristi, who was just a bit younger than me. At my home church the mid week service is on Thursday evenings. For all of you mom’s out there before you have a heart attack that we were in the nursery when we were young, you must realize that most of the kids who were in the nursery during the midweek service at that time were our siblings and for a few years we rotated the mid week service every other week with my pastor’s wife.

I can remember only one accident that has occurred the whole time that I have been in the nursery and that was with my little sister, Sarah. She was probably 2 or 3 years old and the kids in the nursery were running around just like they do every service. As they rounded the corner to make another lap around the room Sarah fell. I don’t remember her crying but I do remember walking over to her and picking her up. When I lifted her into my arms I looked at her chin and noticed that it was split open. Very calmly I walked over and got a paper towel, held it to her chin and sent Kristi to go get my mom. Sarah ended up with stitches in her chin.

I can see your faces… some of you ladies are about to have a heart attack at the thought of your child getting hurt while not under your care. The questions and fingers of blame are running through your head. It’s their fault, they weren’t paying enough attention. Ladies with kids, accidents happen whether you are the one with them or not. I have a brother that fell down the basement stairs while my mom was home and watching him. Of course, with as many brothers as I have (twelve) that was probably impossible for that not to have happened eventually!

Ladies you may not enjoy being in the nursery or even want to be in there at all. You never know what the Lord is going to do in the service or what kind of stress the mother of a child is under. Working in the nursery and striving to provide a safe, clean environment for children during a service allows a mother to attend the service and allows the Holy Spirit to work in her life without her worrying about her child making noise and disrupting the service.

Don’t be afraid of the nursery. Don’t be afraid of the children. Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. Just jump right in and do your best for the children and for the parents!


Faithfully Serving,

Diane Cardot

*****

Author Info: Diane Cardot a godly army wife. She is a wonderful, supportive, and loving person and I am privileged each day to be able to call her my wife.