At summer camp our son Jo took a pottery class, made a coffee mug, and with a big smile presented it to his mommy. This hand-crafted masterpiece now sits in our kitchen. I don’t think Jo would mind if I explain that his piece of art would probably never be stocked by Walmart. The texture is rough. It appears imbalanced and oddly deformed. Yet it’s the most cherished artifact in the entire kitchen! How can something be so imperfect yet so valuable? 

Because it was made with Meraki.

Meraki is a modern Greek word. Meraki means putting your soul into an activity. Paul wrote in Colossians, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord …” This year, our theme throughout Mustard Seed ministries is Meraki. All Mustard Seed teachers are united in our quest to serve God with generous hearts. We teach not just from notes, but from the core of our being. Our work is our calling; a sacrifice of love, offered as a gift to our Lord.

I recently had the privilege of traveling with my friend Craig Jeffrey in North America on behalf of Mustard Seed. Everywhere we went, we encountered Meraki. We were inspired by supporters of Mustard Seed who are living with full and generous hearts. You opened the doors of your homes. You invited us into the pulpits of your churches. You invited us to share about Mustard Seed with your office coworkers. You asked insightful questions. Your love for God was radiant. You took the time to be with us, to sit together and learn about what God is doing through Christian schools, children’s homes and youth ministries in Southeast Asia. I have returned home feeling that I received far more than I gave.

Thank you!