Friday morning church in the Rain...

I could sense the rain in the air when I woke up this morning. It doesn't rain much here in the desert so we can tell when it is about to.

It never dawned on me to not get to the park for the service. It never dawned on any of us. It is as normal to be there as anywhere else. No matter what the weather is.

Last week it was so cold. The wind blew hard. Connie's hot soup brought smiles to every one's faces. We served turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy.

This week no one anticipated the rain so a barbecue was planned. By the time we got to the park it had been raining for quite awhile. Which is also unusual for the desert. Usually the rain is done in a couple of hours. Too late to plan anything else we started the fire, good and hot so the rain wouldn't put it out. Pastor Dave gathered everyone together to start the teaching. One of the men asked if he could open in prayer. Pastor said yes so he prayed. He thanked God for all that he had, how he had so much. And in reality he still lives better than most of the rest of the world.

Pastor shared the Word, and by the time the food was ready we all looked pretty much the same...wet and cold. One of the men asked if we had gloves. I had just stopped into Big Lots before I came to the park. I had picked up some gloves real cheap and had about 6 pair on me. It was so good to be prepared for his request. The gloves fit beautifully. He smiled and so did I. Some of the men remarked that they didn't think we would come today because of the weather. I heard Jimmy say that we would always be there every Friday no matter what. It was good, this rainy, cold day today. It was so good. We were all so grateful to be together. We have become community. God is knitting us together in love. There is being established trust and respect.

Today was the best Friday-morning-church-in-the-park since I began last February.I am so blessed of God to be able to be a part of this. I love being out where He is moving.

Tomorrow we go to the apartments to serve dinner and presents to the families there. This will be my first visit there. I am very excited to see what the Lord would have me do here. Being back at the church where I spent most of my born again years is good.

It has been a very 'alive' day...very alive is exactly how I feel right now. I am in a different kind of expression of worship...doing what He would have me do for the Kingdom. There is melody in my heart.

Thankful

I am so thankful that we serve a God Who is ever patient, ever merciful, and ever loving toward the likes of us, the foolish things of this world. May He use us as He wishes: to serve, to bow, to speak, to heal, to give, to worship, to reap and to sow, for Him and Him only.

May you all find your places in Him today...

Love you all,
Linda

update...

It is 6:20 am...the morning of the evening when we will be serving our homeless community their Thanksgiving dinner. It is a grand affair at the Convention Center. Many have stepped up to the plate to buy and cook the food needed. Many will be serving. I am blessed beyond measure to be able to be a part of this.

Friday morning at the Church-in-the-Park service one of the gentlemen gave his heart to the Lord. There was such joy and celebration, hootin' and a hollerin' from everyone there. It was a good morning...

I have been asked to be a part of another event at one of the lower income apartment complexes here. That will be on December 1st. Dinner and gifts for the children. I have not been over there yet but I have a feeling the Lord is ready to move... (pray: we need toys for the children...)

December 18th we will have Christmas at our Friday morning gathering. We are gathering the funds to buy backpacks for our group. We will fill them with some necessary items such as: socks, underwear, beanies, gloves, deodorant, toothbrushes, soap, a bible, and homemade cookies. I know that this will be a precious time. I can't think of a better way to spend my time.

Oh, by the way, thank you for your prayers, (thank you Nate and Happy). I have met with the pastors of the Church I attended for twenty years. It is the church I "grew up" in (I was saved at the ripe young age of 26). I attended some of their services while I have been church-less along with some of the other churches in the community. They were all awesome. As you know I have been forcing myself to be quiet inside that I would hear the leading of the Lord. I am convinced that this is where He would have me to be and that I will be venturing into new areas, the apartment complex is one of them.

It is worth being quiet to hear His Voice...it is worth being patient. Nate, you mentioned that I have a deliberateness to what I do. I have never thought about that but you are right, I do. It has been such a remarkable joy to deliberately follow Jesus, to take my cues from Him and walk not according to my own understanding (intellect) but by His leading. To be in His Presence is the safest, most comforting and peaceful place I could ever be. So, I am learning this walk as I go...deliberately doing what I hear Him call me to do.

Gotta go now...pray for us that many will be Born Again today!!!!

W W Jesus Say to Me

Thanks Heather for including me in this one.

I've thought about this over and over and I always come back to this: I think He would say what I always hear Him say at the beginning of every conversation we have.

I think He would whisper, "Shhhhhh..." ever so gently.

and now, once again, I tag:
Shaun
Bekah
Happy

WWJDWTC

As far as what I think Jesus would do with the church today: I truly believe that He would fan the flame no matter how faint a flicker it seemed to be. He is in the Kingdom business and promised He would in no way cast us off. I do not know a church anywhere that meets all my needs. This is not a complaint. This is a blessing. My needs, my hunger will never be satisfied by the church I choose to go to...whether I choose to worship in a mega church or in a home church with close friends. That is not where my hunger will be satisfied. If I look at Jesus' life and listen to what it was that caused his appetite to be satisfied it was NOT being with the disciples in fellowship, (although that must have been a precious time for all involved). His hunger was satisfied when He talked to the woman at the well. Why? Because He was doing the will of His Father. It wasn't what the Father would do for Him but what He would do for the Father that satisfied Him.

This is crazy...we have it backwards, we still believe that 'the church' is an entity apart from us ...We, the church, the called out ones, are the ones who must live the way God directs us. yes, there are things wrong with the church today. When has there not been. God uses the willing, not the perfect.

So He will not cause the flicker of a flame to go out or the reed to break. He is here to save.
Out there somewhere is a woman or a man waiting by a well not even aware of his or her own need until a word is spoken into their heart. I want to be ready to be the one to speak the word. Don't you?

Remember, we are the church. The church is not them, it is us and if we think we know how a church should be then we should be it, don't you think?
I am responsible for doing the will of the Father. You are responsible for doing the will of the Father. We are the church. He will keep the flame burning with His breath. This church is a living breathing organism and He will keep us alive ... To God be the glory forever and ever, amen!