Redefine Success

In Her Own Words · Midweek Kids Ministry

I Finally Said Yes — and It Changed Everything

By Danielle Dahlem · Midweek Kids Team Volunteer

I'll be honest with you — I said no for a long time. I was asked to serve on the Wednesday night kids team three or four times before I finally said yes. Each time, I prayed about it and asked God to use me where I was needed. But I kept hesitating. I wasn't sure I was the right person. I wasn't sure I could show up the way these kids deserved.

What changed my mind was thinking about my son Hunter. Watching everything he learned and absorbed between Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights — watching that foundation being laid in his life — made me want to be a part of building that same foundation for other kids. That was the moment I stopped waiting and said yes.

"I was scared I couldn't be used the way I needed to be — but after praying and saying yes, I was so wrong."

Walking into the unknown

Going into Wednesday nights, I knew it was going to be loud and a little crazy — but rewarding. When I started serving, Bethany was just beginning to lead, and honestly, it felt like an adjustment for everyone, including the kids. The structure was still taking shape. But even through all the noise and energy, something real was happening every single week.

From story time to crafts to dinner, I watched relationships form. I watched God move. The station-based setup — similar to what we do during VBS — gives kids a full evening of connection and learning, and it works. What started as something new for all of us has become something I look forward to every week.

What these kids already know

If you had told me before I started how much these kids already know, I'm not sure I would have believed you. But every week I get to serve, I am blown away. During story time and crafts, when we ask questions, these kids answer — and they answer with a depth and sincerity that warms my heart every single time.

One Wednesday stands out more than most. We talked about prayer — what it is, what it means, and how to do it. We made a craft that gave the kids ideas for what and who to pray about. As an adult, I know that's something most of us struggle with at some point in our lives. But sitting with those kids, listening to them talk openly about who they pray for, what they bring to God — it reminded me of something I needed to hear.

God doesn't need a perfect prayer. He just wants me to pray. Those kids reminded me of that. I came to pour into them, and they poured right back into me.

"Getting to watch these kids grow in their faith, accept God as their Savior, and get baptized — I am so glad I get to be a part of this."

The table where it happens

Dinner is my favorite part of Wednesday nights — and it has nothing to do with the food. It is the time when kids open up. They tell me about their days, the things they are facing, the questions they are carrying around. That table is where real relationships get built, and I get to be a part of that. I get to be someone outside of their home who genuinely wants them to know Christ.

We laugh a lot at dinner. We laugh a lot all night, honestly. But in between the laughter, something sacred happens too. Watching these kids grow week after week — seeing them take steps in their faith, accept God as their Savior, get baptized — that is more rewarding than I ever could have imagined when I first walked through the door.

How serving has changed me

I came onto this team asking whether I was the right person for it. What I found is that serving has made me a better version of myself. Knowing these kids are looking up to me, watching how I live and carry my faith, has pushed me to be more consistent — more intentional in my time in the Word, in my prayer life, in the way I show up each day.

I ask myself: if I am not living how Christ expects me to, how can I be an example to these kids on Wednesday nights? That question has become an anchor for me. I was brought out of my comfort zone, and I am so grateful for it. In many ways, I came to help build a foundation for other kids — the same kind of foundation I watched Hunter build — and God used the whole thing to build something in me too.

"It has been the most rewarding decision. Getting to watch these kids each week has brought so much joy — and it has made me stronger in my walk with God."

Come on — we'd love to have you

If you are on the fence about serving, I want you to know: I felt the exact same way. I was hesitant. I questioned whether I was enough. And I was wrong. The moment I said yes, God showed me exactly how He could use me — and He has been doing it every Wednesday night since.

Come visit on a Wednesday night. See what it looks like. Come shadow me if you want — I mean that. There are kids showing up every week who need someone to look up to, someone to ask about their day, someone to show them what a life of faith looks like in real time. The team has room. And if my story tells you anything, it's that God doesn't need you to have it all figured out before you show up. He just needs you to say yes.

The Midweek Kids Team meets Wednesday evenings. To learn more about serving, reach out to your church's children's ministry office.