The following is a transcription of a devotional that my wife, Vicki Rowe gave to a woman’s group about her heart in reenacting the U.S. Christian Commission at Old Mahoning Baptist Church, Home, PA shortly after we had started reenacting -- probably about 1995 or 96. She is sharing with the women of that church, none of whom were reenactors, what we as a family were doing and why. I found her hand written notes of her testimony while going through old papers. Those of you who have been blessed by her at the tent will indeed see that she loved you guys and wanted to bless you in many ways. (Vicki went home to Heaven on March 3, 2016):
We all cherish photographs because they remind us of special people or events. Our heart also carries pictures of God’s faithful training in our lives. I asked God which snapshot from this past year to share with you.
Have you ever told God that you wanted to serve Him – that you were willing to do whatever He asked? When God answered and gave you a job to do, maybe the job was less than fun, maybe even something you were not good at – but He was asking you to depend on Him. Deep down inside, we all hope God will use our strong points, instead of exposing our weaknesses to other people.
To be painfully honest, I am afraid of grasshoppers – terrified of bees – dislike making buttonholes – feel sick at the smell of smoke – not good at avoiding stepping in the cow patties -- and my least favorite subject in school was history. Do you understand my sinking feeling when God chose to give my family a hobby of Civil War reenacting? When I married my husband 20+ years ago, I had no idea that we would eventually develop a hobby that include so many things I was afraid of.
I smiled at God’s sense of humor, and decided to keep my promise to serve Him in trying to be God’s hands, feet, and voice to this group of people. Last year was our first full year, and we chose 6-8 events to be involved in. We planned various acts of kindness that included baking food to share with the troops, helping cook over the open fire, sewing pouches with buttonholes, crocheting scrubbies, handing out samples of stamps/envelopes, and carrying many bucketfulls of water. We would come home both sore and tired – but God has been faithful to teach us many lessons.
This year the Mesopotamia [Ohio] event was one we worked hardest preparing for. Probably about 1500+ reenactors. We decided to take a week’s vacation so we could be there for the full 3 days. We spent a month doing without sleep so we could get everything done that God had laid on our hearts to do.
Saturday came – we actually made it there in one piece with projects just finished, wool outfits pressed and on the proper person, and did fairly well in being there on time in the morning. The kids and I worked on getting ready to carry the boxes in while my husband went to find our unit’s location. And could you believe it – it started pouring. Everything was soaked including the sewing projects we brought to share, our clothes, shoes. You cannot build a fire in pouring rain. I started telling God how discouraged I was – how I feared that the children would get sick from being cold and soaked. I felt God had neglected His duty to bless my obedience and smooth the way. After all, if we are doing God’s work, doesn’t He smooth the way and give good results?
But as I thought about why we were there – to show acts of kindness to the reenactors in hopes that God will soften their hearts to Him and draw some of them closer to Himself, what better way to show God’s love then to do it when things are difficult. Jesus did not come to earth, taking on human limitation, to offer Himself as sacrifice for our sins because it was easy to do. Jesus showed His kindness and love on the cross at Calvary under the harshest of circumstances.
Maybe God has asked you to serve Him in something that is fun to do – or maybe He has asked you to do a job that leaves you feeling bedraggled. Either way, He still asks the same question. “Who is the servant – Me or thee?” Are we going to allow God to use us even doing things that we are not good at? He is asking us to depend on Him.
That weekend at Mesopotamia through the rain and mud we offered God’s love to the reenactors – “God’s love is free! So is this soldier!” Through the grasshoppers and bees, amidst the cow patties, in spite of the rain we watched God use what little we could do to point reenactors to Him and His free love for them. Only God knows the results. Let God use you in all you do, the things you are good at and the things that you struggle to do, to point others to Him. Pass along the grace God’s given you to others so that they too may find God’s free grace.
Have you ever told God that you wanted to serve Him – that you were willing to do whatever He asked? When God answered and gave you a job to do, maybe the job was less than fun, maybe even something you were not good at – but He was asking you to depend on Him. Deep down inside, we all hope God will use our strong points, instead of exposing our weaknesses to other people.
To be painfully honest, I am afraid of grasshoppers – terrified of bees – dislike making buttonholes – feel sick at the smell of smoke – not good at avoiding stepping in the cow patties -- and my least favorite subject in school was history. Do you understand my sinking feeling when God chose to give my family a hobby of Civil War reenacting? When I married my husband 20+ years ago, I had no idea that we would eventually develop a hobby that include so many things I was afraid of.
I smiled at God’s sense of humor, and decided to keep my promise to serve Him in trying to be God’s hands, feet, and voice to this group of people. Last year was our first full year, and we chose 6-8 events to be involved in. We planned various acts of kindness that included baking food to share with the troops, helping cook over the open fire, sewing pouches with buttonholes, crocheting scrubbies, handing out samples of stamps/envelopes, and carrying many bucketfulls of water. We would come home both sore and tired – but God has been faithful to teach us many lessons.
This year the Mesopotamia [Ohio] event was one we worked hardest preparing for. Probably about 1500+ reenactors. We decided to take a week’s vacation so we could be there for the full 3 days. We spent a month doing without sleep so we could get everything done that God had laid on our hearts to do.
Saturday came – we actually made it there in one piece with projects just finished, wool outfits pressed and on the proper person, and did fairly well in being there on time in the morning. The kids and I worked on getting ready to carry the boxes in while my husband went to find our unit’s location. And could you believe it – it started pouring. Everything was soaked including the sewing projects we brought to share, our clothes, shoes. You cannot build a fire in pouring rain. I started telling God how discouraged I was – how I feared that the children would get sick from being cold and soaked. I felt God had neglected His duty to bless my obedience and smooth the way. After all, if we are doing God’s work, doesn’t He smooth the way and give good results?
But as I thought about why we were there – to show acts of kindness to the reenactors in hopes that God will soften their hearts to Him and draw some of them closer to Himself, what better way to show God’s love then to do it when things are difficult. Jesus did not come to earth, taking on human limitation, to offer Himself as sacrifice for our sins because it was easy to do. Jesus showed His kindness and love on the cross at Calvary under the harshest of circumstances.
Maybe God has asked you to serve Him in something that is fun to do – or maybe He has asked you to do a job that leaves you feeling bedraggled. Either way, He still asks the same question. “Who is the servant – Me or thee?” Are we going to allow God to use us even doing things that we are not good at? He is asking us to depend on Him.
That weekend at Mesopotamia through the rain and mud we offered God’s love to the reenactors – “God’s love is free! So is this soldier!” Through the grasshoppers and bees, amidst the cow patties, in spite of the rain we watched God use what little we could do to point reenactors to Him and His free love for them. Only God knows the results. Let God use you in all you do, the things you are good at and the things that you struggle to do, to point others to Him. Pass along the grace God’s given you to others so that they too may find God’s free grace.
Some of my reflections on her commitment to passing along God’s love to other through reenacting:
When I first expressed interest in doing Civil War reenacting, Vicki asked if we could do it as a family. I said yes, the unit is family friendly. So, she said she wanted to be involved. Of course, she fed our unit with goodies at the early events we attended. Then when we learned about the U.S Christian Commission, I remember her saying that we should portray them because it would allow us to offer food and drink to others beyond our unit. Feed the unit or feed the whole reenactment? OK why not.
She also sewed things like small pouches & housewives kits, drawstring bags we filled with things like packets of salt & sugar & matches, and handkerchiefs to put out on the gift table at our tent along with the stationery kits & tracts I would put out.
As we reenacted over the years, she actually came to enjoy history.
At the event that she cites, I do remember that among the large assortment of cookies and baked goods were six banana boxes full of pumpkin bread loaves. At that time, we didn’t have a tent, so we used our unit’s storage tent to keep things, and would throughout the day fill up trays with goodies and walk around among the encampment along with lemonade in porcelain pots saying “US Christian Commission. God’s love is free and so is this”.
So, in the above talk which Vicki is sharing with the ladies at the church about why she is working so hard at a challenging opportunity the Lord has asked her to do -- what is her motivation? It is not fame or fortune. It is to be a small part in pointing others to Jesus. It is to bless others in Jesus’ name. Serving Him is our way of saying “Thank you Jesus for doing on the cross what we could never do ourselves – atone for our sin.” God’s love is free! God’s love is not for sale! It is not “church” or “rituals” or “money” or “good deeds” which saves us from judgement for our sins. It is believing in our hearts that we are forgiven by grace – undeserved love – that Jesus showed on the cross. Do not be a Pharisees who pridefully thinks that by keeping the laws then God will then owe you forgiveness & heaven. Come as the thief on the cross who admits "I really do deserve punishment" yet cry out to Jesus for mercy “remember me Lord”.
She also sewed things like small pouches & housewives kits, drawstring bags we filled with things like packets of salt & sugar & matches, and handkerchiefs to put out on the gift table at our tent along with the stationery kits & tracts I would put out.
As we reenacted over the years, she actually came to enjoy history.
At the event that she cites, I do remember that among the large assortment of cookies and baked goods were six banana boxes full of pumpkin bread loaves. At that time, we didn’t have a tent, so we used our unit’s storage tent to keep things, and would throughout the day fill up trays with goodies and walk around among the encampment along with lemonade in porcelain pots saying “US Christian Commission. God’s love is free and so is this”.
So, in the above talk which Vicki is sharing with the ladies at the church about why she is working so hard at a challenging opportunity the Lord has asked her to do -- what is her motivation? It is not fame or fortune. It is to be a small part in pointing others to Jesus. It is to bless others in Jesus’ name. Serving Him is our way of saying “Thank you Jesus for doing on the cross what we could never do ourselves – atone for our sin.” God’s love is free! God’s love is not for sale! It is not “church” or “rituals” or “money” or “good deeds” which saves us from judgement for our sins. It is believing in our hearts that we are forgiven by grace – undeserved love – that Jesus showed on the cross. Do not be a Pharisees who pridefully thinks that by keeping the laws then God will then owe you forgiveness & heaven. Come as the thief on the cross who admits "I really do deserve punishment" yet cry out to Jesus for mercy “remember me Lord”.
Vicki wants to welcome you at the tent in Heaven with a hug and some special delicious goodies saying “God’s love is free! Welcome Home! Come on in!” Put your faith in Jesus alone.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV
God bless,
Glenn Rowe
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