My dear Reader,

I’m new. You might have noticed that my name has now replaced Connie Meyer’s after the word “by.” You might notice that these words sound different than the writer you have known for so many years.

So let me introduce myself. My name is Tricia. My parents are Don and Maureen. I have three brothers, a sister-in-law, and one nephew. I have been going to Byron Center Protestant Reformed church for almost fifteen years.

I have never written an article for Beacon Lights before. I have never even submitted an article to Beacon Lights before. When I was in eighth grade, not that much older than many of you, I was told by a teacher that I should send the paper I’d written to Beacon Lights. He was the first of many teachers who told me the same thing.

But I never did.

Do you want to know why? I never sent in any articles because I was too scared. I was too scared about what other people would think about me or say about me behind my back. Have you ever been scared like that? Have you ever not done something that you should because you were too scared of what other people would think about you?

Maybe it was that kid sitting all alone on the school playground. Did you ignore them because you were too scared about what the popular kids would say if you spoke to that kid? Maybe it was a question the teacher asked in history class. Did you hide in your seat and pretend you didn’t know the answer because you were scared the other kids would call you a know-it-all?

We are so afraid of what other people will think of us that we forget the one whose thoughts really matter. We should be thinking about what God thinks of us. The teasing of other people does not matter when God is pleased with our actions.

I finally gathered my courage after all these years. I volunteered to write the Little Lights and concentrate on using the gifts God has given me instead of hiding them because I fear what people will think about me.

As you start Sunday school and enjoy your summer this month, remember to think about pleasing God rather than people. What can you do that will use your gifts to please God? God has given us all gifts. Use them for him! Color that beautiful picture with your crayons for him! Learn your Sunday School Bible verse for him! Don’t worry about what the other kids will think when you know your memory verse so well. Don’t fear them. Fear God!

Sincerely,

Tricia Mingerink