last night was an odd night for me…mandy is headin out today to join her nnu girls on a 3 day party at the beach (crew, when we doin that again?!). so they all rolled in last night, I did what I like to do when company is there…I bbq’d…broke out the arthur bryant’s sauce and did it up right. we all ate, talked for a while, and then they wanted to see the church building.
now many of you know me, and know I’m all about church without walls…but if there is a building, we can figure out a good way to use it. but our hope is to use it missionally…not for the church’s sake, not to focus inward but to reach outward. so we went over there, and when we entered the sanctuary, I gave the brief history of the building and then began to share the vision mandy, celina and I had been sharing with one another. as I shared, I was overcome by the presence of something supremely powerful, far more than any of us in the room. understand something, I’m the first to say there is no boogie man, i’m very hesitant to give satan too much credit for anything, and I’m very hesitant to say I felt God’s presence…but let me tell you something…God was in that room last night, there’s no doubt about it…kinda freaked me out a bit :) .
As we left the church and drove the girls through New Columbia, the government housing projects by our house that was re-done recently, there were kids out, people on the bball courts, people sittin at the picnic benches in the park and instantly, out of nowhere and for no reason…i was overcome with emotion. Now, I cry, I’m not afraid to say I cry…but I’ve never started crying for no reason. Tears began to drip down my cheeks as I looked around at the people and this neighborhood…and I could feel a real and true passion and love for this community…beyond the heady understanding of this is what I’m supposed to do. This was the real I CARE about these people from some place deep down that we can only go once in a while, and its often a place that shows up when we can’t explain it. We can’t conjure it up on our own power…that type of emotion that type of passion often surprises us…and in those moments…we know it’s real…
…we know He’s real, and we know He is here…Lord I pray to follow your path endlessly and I pray the gut-emotions would be fed by your love, by being rooted and established in your love…
2 comments:
This is a beautiful description of God laying something on your heart in such a real way. I'm blessed to know this feeling you are writing about. It's an amazing gift, isn't it? Thanks for sharing your life with us through your blog. It's inspiring.
Yes, Nick. My own heart leapt when you shared your vision with us that night. Truly, in your humility He will shine through your service to that community. Praying for you guys.
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