As we wrap up another incredible week of Rainforest Falls VBS, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude. This week, more than 100 children filled our church with laughter, excitement, worship, and learning. Alongside them were over 50 amazing volunteers who gave their time, energy, and hearts to make this week possible.
As I watched children sing, play games, create crafts, participate in experiments, memorize Scripture, and hear about Jesus, I was reminded of Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13). In this parable, a farmer scatters seed generously, trusting that some will fall on good soil and produce an abundant harvest.
Vacation Bible School often feels a lot like that.
Throughout the week, we planted seeds. Every Bible lesson taught, every conversation shared, every encouraging word spoken, every hug given, every song sung, and every prayer prayed was a seed scattered into the hearts of children.The beautiful thing about planting seeds is that we don’t always get to see what happens next.
Some of the seeds planted this week may take years to grow. A child may remember a Bible story when facing a difficult decision as a teenager. A verse learned during VBS may come to mind during a hard season of life. A simple act of kindness from a volunteer may help a child understand the love of Jesus in a deeper way. We may never see those blooms this side of heaven.
But some seeds we do get to watch grow.
We see them when children eagerly return each week wanting to learn more about Jesus. We see them when kids begin praying out loud for the first time. We see them when friendships are formed, when questions are asked, when Scripture is memorized, and when children begin taking their own steps of faith.
Both kinds of growth matter.
The farmer in Jesus’ parable wasn’t responsible for making the seed grow. His job was to faithfully scatter it. In the same way, our responsibility is to faithfully share God’s love and truth. God is the One who brings the growth.
Thank you to every volunteer who helped plant seeds this week. Thank you to every parent who entrusted us with your children. And thank you to our church family for your prayers and support.
As Rainforest Falls comes to a close, we celebrate what God has already done, and we look forward with anticipation to what He will continue to do in the lives of these children for years to come.
“Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” — 1 Corinthians 3:7