Today....

Today...

I preached two services about the Samaritan Woman (John 4)....

I talked to a woman whose son suddenly died two months ago. I did not know about it... she said it was the first time she had been in church since it happened. She said it was hard to come...but the message of hope helped her....My heart broke for her...

I talked with a guy whose mom is in the hospital...He just lost his Dad last fall... she is going to be OK.

I talked with another woman who has been diagnosed with cancer in the last two weeks. She encouraged me, not the other way around...They stayed all morning to serve in the Welcome Center. Here they are dealing with this...and they are telling me how exciting it is to see the new families and to help them get to the places they are supposed to go....

I talked with some people visiting who have been wounded at their church. They just need a place to kind of hide and heal....I said we would be that for them...I doubt they are leaving their church, they just need some space....I hate it when any church has to go through this kind of stuff.... We have been there...I know what it is like...

I talked with a woman who is bringing her neighbors, even though she has been coming just a few weeks. She has a burden for her friends who are going through rough times right now... she believes she has found a place for them to get help....

I met with a room full of new people checking us out in Discovery class. 15 faces I had really never seen before. But they are coming, wanting to know about this church, about our ministry and how they can engage. Cool stuff....

I talked with a guy that said our staff is awesome. ( He is right.) We have a staff that is really "jelling" right now. We are not perfect, make lots of mistakes, but we love God and each other.

He is sharing with people about his church...but he was quick to say that it is his relatively new relationship with God that has changed his life. He has it right....

I was hugged by alot of people...

I was told by someone, "I really get alot out of the messages..." It's good to hear....

I got a new picture of Baby Grace. She melts my heart.

In the middle of all of this I am reminded that people have so much to deal with...health, broken relationships, economy, kids, grandkids, doubt, parents, co-workers, pregnancy, there is just so much....

I am thankful I get to do what I do...but I wonder "why me?" What do I have to offer these people? Then I remember my message... It is never my words that save people. It is never my efforts that really make the difference. It is Christ. It is His Spirit. It is His Word. People hang on to what is solid. Today, you can't trust others, government, the economy or any of that stuff... It gets to the point where our faith in God is what we really have. And it is the message we have to share. It is a lasting hope.

That was a big part of my message today... actually if I had been the only one to hear it today, it was a message I needed to hear... I needed to preach it to myself....

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