The Cheeseburger Ministry

"I need 175 double-cheeseburgers, please!"

"Did you say 175 double-cheeseburgers?"

"Yes! My husband is a Chaplain in the Army and he would like to purchase 175 double-cheeseburgers for his Soldiers out in the field."

"OK..."

(Coming from the back after the cashier rung the order up)..."Is this for real?? 175 double-cheeseburgers??!! Oh my..."

On Monday, my husband wanted to take double-cheeseburgers into the field again for his Soldiers. I absolutely love this ministry opportunity!! It made me think about the story in the bible when Jesus fed the 5,000. I was thinking about how the disciples must have felt to minister alongside Jesus when he turned the five loaves and two fishes into overflowing baskets of bread and fish. It must have melted their hearts not only to see Jesus perform that miracle, but to see the joy on the people's faces when they handed it all out. Jesus taught them (and us) a lesson about meeting the physical needs of people, as well as the spiritual.

When we later arrived back at McDonald's that afternoon, they didn't have them all in the cooler like I asked, so my daughter and I offered to do that while they continued to finish the order. There was a moment when I thought, "I wonder what impact this will have on those Soldiers and how God will use it to speak to their hearts," just as I had the last time we did this. It's such a fun ministry! The kids and I love being able to take care of the ordering and all for my husband, and then we hand them over (since we can't go into the field) and pray God will bless the Soldiers through it, and then my husband and his assistant deliver them. This time, though, we were blessed to be able to see one of the Soldier's reaction.

While loading the large cooler in my husband's Humvee, and chatting about the fact that the manager added another 20 double-cheeseburgers, one of his Soldiers in the back smiled and asked, "Sir, am I authorized one of those?" My husband quickly pulled one out and tossed it to him. It was so cool to see the expression on his face! You would have thought he was being handed a hundred dollars. I think that was a blessing from the Lord for me and the kids to see! We can hardly wait to do it again!

It's funny how God works. I was just about to publish this when my husband called to tell me he had over 20 Soldiers come to him today and thank him for looking out for them. I'm not sure who is blessed more though, us or them.