When Actions Speak

Earlier this year, a group of leaders in the Young Adult ministry decided to make serving others a more consistent part of their lives. With this priority in mind, Matthew (pictured center) traveled to central Texas, alongside other HP Pres volunteers, to help restore and repair three properties that had been damaged by the floods this past summer. He shares that the trip was, “a reminder of the importance of placing God at the center of all things.”

In an atmosphere of great loss, Matthew and the other volunteers let their actions speak for them. Sharing God’s love in tangible ways and hearing stories of people’s grief, Matthew felt the impact of what serving others can do. He shares, “It’s so easy for us to get caught up in the good and beautiful things in our life and forget that everything can be washed away in an instant. The only thing that remains through all of it is God.”

Matthew has a heart for people who have experienced loss from catastrophic events like the Hill country floods. Spending his high school years in a coastal Florida town, he’s seen the damage that floodwaters can do to a community. Helping people rebuild and repair their property felt like a natural way for him to serve others. By making service a part of his daily life, he noticed the ways God had already been at work, and how He invites us all to take part in bringing healing and love to the world. 

The two days of service were a small commitment in comparison to the lasting impact those days will have for the volunteers and the people whose property was repaired. Matthew was encouraged by the faith of those who had lost so much in the floods. He and the other volunteers helped them restore what was physically broken, but they offered Matthew an important reminder in return – “We cling to God in the good and bad times because he is there with us through it all.” 

You can take the first step in making service a part of your regular life by visiting hppres.org/serve-our-city.