My name is Austin Cartee. ?If you missed Aaron’s blog post two weeks ago, you can find it here?to learn a little more about me. This summer I am serving at The Church at Cherrydale in Greenville with the music and youth ministries. I have always been the type of person who packs his schedule so tight that it is impossible to REALLY accomplish anything. There is a great deal to be said about someone who is always willing to go, but is it really that great if you cannot serve well because you are so busy?
A man with much influence in my life recently told me that it is VERY important to serve with excellence and joy. That statement hit me like a ton of bricks! I love to serve everywhere, and until I heard Dan?s statement, I didn?t see the issue with that! I was having a conversation with a very close friend of mine and he asked how I was. I said ?I?m good, but I?m TIRED?. He asked me why I consistently responded that way, and I could not seem to come up with a reason. Philippians 2:13, which says, ?For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,? came to mind,?and I found my answer. I was not allowing God to work through me. I could not serve to the best of my ability because I was not doing it for God?s glory, or taking rest in the Father.
This summer I have taken the opportunity to dial back the number of areas I?m serving in, so that I can serve well in the community that is right outside my door. After the first two weeks of Summer LINK, I am still feeling very tired, HOWEVER, I can see how taking some things off of my schedule has increased my joy to serve. I am a work in progress, just like the rest of us, and can?t wait to see what God will do this summer.
(That is me on the drums with the rest of the worship team at TCC!)
