Sunday, September 20, 2009

GO!

Here we are! We have officially launched as a church and we are set-out as a community on a tangible 'Love-Mission'. In week one of our journal we will begin to see simple acts of love that we need to demonstrate to our neighbors and friends.
This week's missions:

Living Water take a bottle of water to a neighbor working in their yard.

Shirt off your back: Give someone an article of clothing or possession they have told you they liked.

Volunteer: -at a para-church ministry.

Buy a coffee: -at a coffee shop for the person in front of you at a coffee shop.

Pray: -for seven neighbors on your block... even if you don't know their names.


In the comment section below, begin to tell your stories... win or lose!

7 comments:

  1. To take part in such a spirit driven event we must pray, so I start there.
    Dear Heavenly Father prepare our hearts and minds for the blessing of the Love Mission. Help us get out of the way of what we normally do and let Your Will be done. Lord I ask for your protection from Satan's attacks and guard us against the worldly, the I'm too busy, the I had no time today, the back burner. Heavenly Father be with us each step of the way, I ask that you blow us away with Your Presence in the action. Show us things we never imagined with this action. It's exactly that Father, an action we have made it into a come and see when is was always intended to be a go and find. Lord hear this prayer. In Jesus name Amen.

    As I look over the challenges for this week I ask God, where to? I feel a bit of guilt, sorry I know that's what were not suppose to do but I remember back to a time when I didn't know Jesus, but I felt his prod his prompt to do what He saw fit and yet, my choice NOTHING! I belonged to organization in college that prided themselves on service, but rarely did it. I remember a representative from the district office stopping in for the weekend and during our meeting our service coordinator rifled off three to four service projects that were coming up. I was amazed, I thought to myself alright here we go, only to find out that they were all false statements, a false front to impress the district rep.
    I look back and feel ashamed. Again this isn't a place of guilt this is a prompting from the Lord saying, I forgive you and there is a place for repentance. So here goes nothing, I'm signing up at the local rescue mission. Lord, here is my heart do with it as you see fit.
    P.S. be prepared to do anyone of the challenges at anytime, we may have our hearts set on buying a coffee and all of a sudden you will be prompted to volunteer.

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  2. amen matt. I know today I missed out on an opportunity... I didn't realize it until later in the day and God nudged me a little bit and reminded me... tomorrow is another day and I know the Lord will provide me a chance to make up the difference!! He is faithful!

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  3. Yesterday at the dinner table we prayed as a family for our neighbors; asking God to open our hearts to His prompting on how He wants to use us as vessels for hope. Tana and I targeted certain neighbors that we have meet and not had a deeper conservation with yet. It felt like the right thing to do, get us prepared for what will come. Funny thing, our son Merrick is always very inquisitive and quickly asks after the prayer, "do you have to pray for our neighbors all the time now?" Tana and I got a quick laugh and we got an opportunity to talk truth to him.
    Thank you Lord for this day, teach and mold me, have Your will be done. And yes Lord, have me pray for others everyday. Amen

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  4. I have been encouraged with other stories I've been hearing from people withing our church too and I hope they will post here! This has stirred up so much discussion and dialogue on how we can creatively love people...

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  5. It has been pretty easy up to this point I think. I desperately need God's help when it comes to my neighbors. I am a name forgetter and a selfish man. So God I ask for your boldness and humility. I ask you also to wipe away those years of smoking pot, because its killing my name abilities. Just a hint for those of you struggling with certain love missions. Improvise! Let God teach you a different way if the first way was not possible. Also let some of them become habits. With the "living water" act of love, I decided, "why can't I get water for my players more often?

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  6. Well,
    things are going o.k. I was able to buy a coffee for a patron at a McDonald's. It's so weird how I can get in the way of this Love Mission. I kept saying to myself, this challenge doesn't seem too hard but what the heck is holding me back, and then there is a quick feeling of; check another one off the list. NOT GOOD! Then it happened I stopped into a McDonald's and bought a coffee for the next person that would eventually be in line. The clerk and manager looked at me with a strange look, but a compassionate one. I felt the need to give a quick testimony to the employees but dropped the ball there, then I left trying to be humble. I noticed an older gentlemen who would probably receive the gift and I then felt great. Like a soft short whisper I felt, it not necessarily the act, it's the fact that I want your spiritual antenna up and I what you to hear the calling : ) Thank you Lord for your teachings and lessons. As I drove to my meeting location I felt good, I conquered my fear and did a simple act in the name of Jesus. That's what its all about!

    As a got home I tried to dump all the baggage that I collected throughout the day and once again tried to be prepared to hear the Lord's calling. As I pulled up to my house I saw Bill, a neighbor who I've been prayer over. I stopped and talked with him awhile and by the end of the conversation he asked me to hang out Sunday morning to go scouting for the upcoming hunting season. So guys please pray for me that his relationship would be fruitful.

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  7. I attempted to buy a gentlemen his fountain drink at Wesco yesterday only to find out he filled it up with water which is FREE! haha...

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