Outcome from Serving

Some people ask me about the connection between the oil change outreach and the death of my two sisters. I wouldn't say that the death of my two sisters was the only motivating factor in starting the oil change outreach. Helping me deal with grief from their deaths was certainly an unintended outcome, and I’m grateful to God for that. But I do think that anytime we're able to lift our attention to people and situations outside ourselves - that this is often one of the results of an outward focus. What the death of my sisters did prompt me (and my wife) to do was to start looking at the difficulties and trying circumstances often forced upon single moms. We empathized with single moms to a greater degree after the death of my sisters. When I think of these single moms, meet them on outreach day, and learn of their hardships; I'm often drawn to think of these single moms in light of my two sisters, Sandra & Casey, and wonder, "What would I do, if they were my sister?" Of course I would want to help them... I would want to change their oil...I would want to change out a faulty light fixture in their home, or mow their lawn, etc. So yes, I believe the deaths of my sisters have put a more compassionate face on the oil change outreach.