A decade ago Grace Bergin had an idea. Inspired by the popular children’s book, Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand, the second-grader decided to say yes to doing something for others. Her goal? To raise money and benefit children in her community suffering from cancer and blood disorders. All by starting up a lemonade stand in her front yard.

In 2009, her first year, she raised $226 dollars. Grace proudly gave the proceeds to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. They used it to help offset travel costs for families traveling to and from treatment.

Even funkier is that this isn’t the only Grace’s Lemonade Stand run to help others.  Check out this other story, from a different Grace that lives right here in Ames, too.

Happy with her initial efforts, Grace decided to sell lemonade the next year as well. She wondered how much fundraising, through selling lemonade, might be possible.

Mary
The story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, also features an idea, and a rather crazy one at that. Mary, who was engaged, wasn’t too old in this text. Biblical scholars suggest she was in her early teens. People married earlier back then, so youth don’t get any ideas – keep yourselves out of trouble, there’s no rush ?.

The angel Gabriel came with news for teen Mary. She was to conceive a child, and was to name him Jesus. And this child, she was told, would be the Son of the most high God. Mary, who’d never been with a man before, couldn’t have been expecting this divine revelation.

The angel then gave even more unexpected news. Mary’s relative Elizabeth was also pregnant. And Elizabeth was pretty old for that; past childbearing years. She was likely in her 60s, possibly older.

Mary, as a person, didn’t stand out in a crown in any particular way.

She hailed from a small town called Nazareth. Population: about 2,000. Or a little bit larger than Gilbert Iowa. She was still living with her parents when the angel appeared. Just as many of our church youth do.

And not to harp on this too much, but women from this era had even less rights than they do today. Mary, as a young, unmarried woman had few legal benefits; no real power to draw from. And yet God used her, all the same.

What’s great about this story is it practically *begs* us to consider the nature of exactly who God can use in big, big ways. Because –

• If God used Mary, then we’re never too young.
• If God used Elizabeth, then we’re never too old.
• If God used a woman, to bring us salvation, your gender doesn’t matter.
• If God used someone, from a small town, your zip code doesn’t matter either.
• If God used someone, without an advanced degree, whelp, sorry all you PhDs ?

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From that I can only conclude this: God can use just about anyone. Regardless of age, gender, geography, or education. Anyone.

Grace
Thinking back to Grace Bergin, and her lemonade stand, how did she do with those fundraisers after that first year? In 2010 her efforts raised even more funds than before. In fact each year she set up her stand it earned a new record high.

The grocer Whole Foods heard about it, and donated all the lemonade for her stands. This helped her give even more money away.

Grace then learned about online fundraising; transforming a child’s front-lawn lemonade stand into a virtual fundraising enterprise. Donations poured in – pun intended – from all 50 states, and multiple countries too.

And before you know it Grace had raised an awful lot more than $236 to help young local cancer patients. A decade after the 2nd grader had begun, the now 17-year-old had collected an eye-popping $165,000 for her favorite charity.

All before graduating high school.

Reflecting back on her efforts, Grace said “I want to show other young people that they are never too young to make a difference.”

And make a difference she did.

Mary
Legend has it that Mary, the mother of Jesus, wasn’t the first person to be asked to be the God-bearer. Instead, Mary was the first person to say yes.

Think about that for a second. Imagine how many others Gabriel approached before Mary said yes.

Then imagine those responses.

Heck no!
Thanks, I’ll pass.
You must be nuts!

But Mary? She said yes to God. She said yes to helping transform this world, through a child. And the rest is, well, history.

It’s a reminder that God can use anyone. Regardless of age, gender, geography, or education.

Anyone.

We need only respond in the affirmative.

Close
So be like Grace. If you get an idea, to help others – from an unexpected place like a children’s book – go for it. God knows where you saying yes will lead.

Even better be like mother Mary. After hearing all the angel Gabriel told her that day – as shocking as it must have been – here’s how Mary responded:

Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me, according to your word.

When God calls, with a divine assignment to better this world that God so loves, as crazy as the assignment might sound, follow the lead of these two young women.

Simply say yes.