Halloween has never been my favorite holiday. Growing up on the farm, trick-or-treating meant bundling up in thick coats over costumes and hopping in and out of a cold car. I loved the candy, sure, but the whole thing never made much sense to me.
As a father, I've warmed up to Halloween a little — but the focus on witches, ghouls, and all things scary still bothers me. Thankfully, my children have often chosen costumes that reflect brighter, more wholesome characters.
This year, though, was different. I started looking forward to Halloween all the way back in June — planning, preparing, strategizing. It was going to be a Halloween like no other.
🎈 The Dream: Turning Halloween Into a Mission
Every summer, our neighborhood hosts a big garage sale. My son Parker and I usually run a small food stand — lemonade, coffee, cookies. Last year, we took it up a notch: we added a grill and donated the proceeds to a family whose son has autism. The joy we saw inspired us to think bigger.
This year, the idea struck: let’s turn Halloween into a fundraiser too.
We planned a full-blown event — hot dogs, bratwursts, haunted hamburgers, chilling chili — with lights, music, flyers, and a neighborhood candy stop. Everything lined up perfectly: food sponsors, volunteers, even perfect weather.
I was convinced this would be a night to remember. And it was... just not the way I expected.
🕯️ The Reality: Sometimes Plans Don’t Go Our Way
As night fell, the neighborhood felt quieter than usual. We had some trick-or-treaters, a few sales, a lot of hope. But the "big rush" we dreamed of never came.
By the end of the night, we had made just $32. Before expenses.
I was crushed. Discouraged doesn’t even cover it. It took me until Sunday to even begin to shake off the disappointment. My goal had been $300. We hadn’t even made a dent.
✨ God’s Lesson: Faithfulness Matters More Than Success
It wasn’t until I stopped sulking and started reflecting that I realized the truth:
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We had built deeper relationships with our neighbors.
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We taught our kids that love is shown not just through money, but through action.
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We had fun together.
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And yes, we still made a difference — $32 that will bless the Autism Unit at Riley Children's Hospital.
More importantly, God reminded me that our value doesn’t come from how “successful” our efforts seem on paper. It comes from our faithfulness.
In Luke 16:10, Jesus teaches, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” That night, we were entrusted with a little — and I believe we were faithful with it.
🛤️ Moving Forward: Trust the Harvest You Can’t See
Maybe you're carrying some discouragement too — from a plan that fell apart, a goal you didn’t reach, a hope that feels a little bruised.
Let me gently remind you:
Reflection is where growth happens.
Disappointment is just an invitation to trust deeper.
God is always working — even when the harvest looks smaller than you expected.
Lift your head. Smile. Trust that what feels small to you is never small in God's kingdom.
I don’t know what next Halloween will bring, but I already know one thing: it won’t be measured by dollars. It'll be measured by love.
And that's a success story worth telling.
🌟 Reflect and Share:
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What "small" success has God used in your life recently?
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How can you use setbacks as opportunities to build faith?
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Who might need your encouragement this week?
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