Youth Leader: Luann

Name: Luann Purdy

Nickname: Epaphroditus (see Philippians 2.25-30 for why)

Years in RBC Youth Ministry: 1 year

Gifts: Baking, serving, cooking, leading choir, grilling, discipling, and she's good at making food

Evidences of Grace: It was harder for me to come up with cooking synonyms than with evidences of grace in Luann.

She serves and serves and serves. When Jesus talks about what discipleship is all about, He talks about denying yourself. He talks about not coming to be served, but to serve. He talks about following His example and counting others as more significant than yourself (see Phil. 2 again). These are things Luann knows, because she regularly puts these truths into practice.

When you see Luann at church (or maybe you don't see her, because while you are filling up your coffee and talking to your friends, she is serving), you see that she is denying herself and serving Jesus. You do not see her expecting to be served, waiting to be served, merely talking about serving, whining about other people who are not serving--no, you see her actually serving. You see her esteeming others as better than herself.

(Don't ask the question.)

(Seriously, don't ask the question.)

(You still want to ask the question?)

(Fine, but you were warned...)

How does Luann serve?

(cue: the floodgates)

Serving week in and week out in the youth ministry, caring for girls, loving girls, talking to girls about how their week was, encouraging them with the love of Jesus. Being a caring wife to one and a caring mom to four (actually, like a dozen, because there are always a lot of random kids at their house). Leading and ministering to the kids in Vertical Devotion. Making meals for families in the church. Caring for other couples in their small group. Thoughtfully putting together meals suggestions and buying groceries for youth leaders whose blood pressure runs high. Giving up nights and weekends to rest (which she's earned) to spend time building relationships and building up the body of Jesus. A dozen other ways which I don't know about because Luann is humble and doesn't brag.

In Luann, God's grace shines through in her humility and service to her Lord.