“Ding dong. Ding dong.” This is the typical chime sound that you hear as you walk through the front door of Neighborhood Life House. It’s an ordinary sound. There’s nothing too special or unique about this chime. I’ve heard it so many times that it’s easy to go unnoticed, like white noise.
Last year, we had some school supplies and clothing dropped off at Life House as a donation. I let families in the neighborhood know so they could stop by and pick up what they needed for their children before school started. One of our elementary girls came to get a few things, and right after she walked through our front door, she said, “That is my most favorite sound in the whole wide world. Because that means I get to be at Life House, and Life House is home.”
This isn’t the first time I heard Life House referred to as “home” by a student. To many, Life House feels like home. We’re family. And this is a testament to the truth that God is our good Father and He is love, which unifies and binds us all together (Colossians 3:14). We often pray with our leadership team that everyone who walks through the doors of our building will feel the presence of Jesus because He is the One who leads this ministry and He is the reason why this ministry exists.
Hearing this young girl say those words stood out to me as a tangible expression of our frequent prayers. When she walks through our doors, she feels at home because this is a place where she learns more about Jesus and grows in her love for Him. God uses this ministry as a vessel for His glory – to bring people to experience the life-giving and life-changing presence of Jesus. Life House is “home” to many because we are all about The One who is Home: Jesus. He is the One who provides us with true security, belonging, and rest.
Since I heard her say those words, I’ve taken the time to notice the “ding dong” chime when the door has opened and closed at Life House. It’s no longer white noise to me because now it serves as a deeper symbol for the heart of this ministry. I try to remember to take the time to pray whenever I hear the chime – to pray that people will experience Jesus through every single part of Life House.
Neighborhood Life House is a Christ-centered non-profit organization in Joplin. Our mission is to build a strong community by empowering people to see who they can become with the help of God. 85% of neighbors aren’t connected to a church, and nearly 80% struggle with food insecurity.
To serve our community in and through the love of Jesus, we provide a safe place for elementary, middle, and high school students to spend time through afterschool programs with Bible lessons and meals.
To connect with families, we also host events. While we do get opportunities to connect each week with our neighbors, the ultimate reason we do what we do is to connect them to the love, grace, and healing power of Jesus.
So whenever you hear a doorbell or get a Ring notification on your phone, will you take a moment to pray for Neighborhood Life House? Will you pray that every person who gets connected to this ministry connects with Jesus? Prayer is the most powerful way we can partner with how the Lord is working. We are grateful for our Christ’s Church family. Your prayers, generosity, time, and overall support are making an eternal impact in the lives of many of our neighbors. Thank you for your prayers and for partnering with us as we point more brothers and sisters to our True Home.
Neighborhood Life House
Neighborhood Life House serves the Northwest Joplin area, a neighborhood rich in story and history. They work with members of the neighborhood to empower people to see who they can be with the help of God through mentoring, education, and physical and spiritual partnership.
