Share God's Love and Serve Others

Hello my sisters and brothers in Christ,

I pray you and yours are doing well. I've been blessed and highly favored, to God be the glory. This past Friday (February 19th) morning, I served breakfast at So Others Might Eat (SOME) along with other volunteers in the dining room. I have been volunteering at SOME for the past four years. SOME is an interfaith, community-based organization that helps the poor and homeless of our nation's capital, District of Columbia. SOME tries to meet the immediate daily needs of the people by providing food, clothing, and health care; they break the cycle of homelessness by offering services, such as affordable housing, job training, addiction treatment, and counseling, to the poor, the elderly and individuals with mental illness. As children of God, we must be a representation of Christ and love everyone. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).

Since I was in high school, I've been very passionate about volunteering and giving back to my community in whatever small or large way I can through service. My introduction to service was when I was in high school and in my county in Maryland, students were required to graduate with 60 hours of student service learning (SSL) hours upon graduation and God blessed me with a wonderful service opportunity that changed my life. I volunteered on summer holidays as a camp counselor for a camp dedicated to children with autism. Prior to volunteering at this camp, I knew nothing about autism. This was a great learning experience, and even though I served as a leader at this camp, I learned so much more from the kids. Now, I am very passionate about autism awareness as well as giving back to communities with my time, attention, and prayers. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Service was the top reason why I decided to do pageants years later and made that part of my personal platform as I served for the first time as a titleholder as Miss Sierra Leone USA 2012 with the platform of advocating for SHERO (Service, Health, Education, Rights, Opportunities). Even though my platform as Miss Earth Maryland 2015 was focused on advocating for a sustainable future in the mining industry, I still made service a priority as a titleholder. During both reigns, I served at SOME.

Since February is seen as the month of love, I highly recommend we not only share love with those in our circles but also to those outside our circles. We serve a God that gives us joy and an abundance of love. Therefore, we must be Christ-like and do that to all. Remember that Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).

God bless you.

Jesus loves you.

Restored woman living for God's Glory,
Ruby B. Johnson.

Have you gotten right with the Lord? Have you given your heart to God? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal savior? If you die today, will you make it to Heaven? If no or you are unsure, do not waste anymore time and receive salvation now.