"Instead of thinking about the trendy item I’d love to buy,...I think about the generosity of others, spending the money God has blessed them with to bless the lives of the children and families Gateway Woods serves."

From the first cup of coffee in the food tent to the last dish of chocolate ice cream, the first Saturday of August is always a day of joy, laughter, community, generosity, and the Lord’s constant faithfulness.

As a kid growing up in Leo, “Gateway summer” was filled with an influx of summer volunteers, new friends, and the constant anticipation of what you’d buy at Kids Korner. But for many years, I was somehow unaware of the men and women who spent countless hours, late nights, and incredibly long days dedicated to the planning, preparation, and smooth running of the Auction. Individuals who loved the Lord and had seen firsthand how people’s lives are changed by God through the work and services that Gateway Woods provides.

In 2019, I was asked to volunteer in the Gateway gym during the week leading up to the sale. The gym is used to store, organize, tag, and retag thousands of items that are displayed and sold during the sale. That’s where I started working with some of the most incredible women, who I now get to call my treasured friends. The men and women responsible for making the Auction happen take time away from their families, their jobs, and any semblance of a normal sleep schedule—or moderate caffeine consumption—to plan, organize, and coordinate every detail that must be executed on that (hopefully sunny) Saturday. We’ve laughed so hard we’ve fallen to the ground, and at times we may have even shed a relieved tear or two when a missing item is found under some table.

During a prayer meeting, a friend of mine asked the Lord to supply these men and women with supernatural energy for His purpose. It’s a prayer I come back to on fairly frequent occasions during Auction season.

Even as I’ve moved away, the Lord has blessed me by allowing me to return home to Leo for one of my favorite weeks of the year. Now, when I think about the first Saturday of August, it’s less about what I’ll buy, who I’ll see, or the trendy new items that will be on display. I think of the memories I’ll make in the days leading up to the sale, and the friendships I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t been asked to help out six years ago.

Instead of thinking about the trendy item I’d love to buy, I think about the item that somehow went missing under our noses. But more importantly, I think about the generosity of others, spending the money God has blessed them with to bless the lives of the children and families Gateway Woods serves.

So once again this year, we pray for supernatural energy and God’s continued faithfulness to Gateway Woods.