“To be in the lobby before church & catch the eye of one of the sweet toddlers & hear them enthusiastically yell “Miss Amanda” while running towards me & throwing their arms around my neck, well the feeling is indescribable. And this is why I continue to serve…” – Amanda Ballou
Meet Amanda! She is our Team Leader for our nursery and toddler area! She loves on our sweet GH babies and toddlers and make sure everything is running smoothly, safe, and FUN for these kiddos! She serves sacrificially and loves people so well! Our volunteers are incredibly blessed by her leadership! Thank you for being such a HUGE part our our GH Children’s Team Amanda!
Hear a little bit of Amanda’s story about how Children’s Ministry became such an important part of who she is, how she loves to spend time with God!
I first got involved in GH Kids about 3 years ago when I started volunteering in the nursery. I was captivated & hooked on day one. These kids, they captured my heart with their sweet spirits, infectious laughter & joy. Their energy is contagious & being able to get down on the floor and interact with them as they explore, play & learn is a true privilege. As I continued to volunteer & serve in the nursery the kids came to know me and recognize me outside of the nursery setting. To be in the lobby before church & catch the eye of one of the sweet toddlers & hear them enthusiastically yell “Miss Amanda” while running towards me & throwing their arms around my neck, well the feeling is indescribable. And this is why I continue to serve. I have had the privilege of watching several mothers in the church go through their pregnancy: then to be able to be there when those sweet babies came into the nursery and to love on them and watch them grow week after week. These kids, these babies, these toddlers are my heart & my passion! They bring such joy with their excited energy. I love watching their sweet personalities develop as the grow from infant to toddlers. The day they graduate from the toddler room & move up into the preschool room is such a bittersweet day. I miss them when they are no longer part of my Sunday’s, but I love watching them grow and learn about this Jesus who impacts their lives in amazing ways. These sweet kids are the future & I am humbled and beyond blessed to be able to a small part of their journey.
In addition to my personal prayer & devotional time, my favorite way to spend time with God is when I am interacting with the women of Grace Hills. These brave women are running after Christ with an amazing fierceness and living out their faith boldly every day. They love BIG when they walk beside me and accept my messy, broken parts. I was saved at a very early age and grew up in church, but these women teach me & show me what Christ’s love & God’s word is all about and how to apply it in my daily life! “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” – Proverbs 27:17
When asked what my favorite scripture was, I was unable to pick just one. I use so many different ones throughout my day as I navigate through this thing called life….. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9
“But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
These scriptures are my go to when I need to be reminded (which is daily) that it is only by the grace of God that I am forgiven, have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and it is only through His strength that I have the ability to do anything! My God is BIG and He is constantly showing up in BIG ways in my life.
Want to get involved in kids ministry? Start here!
