Amazed by the power of a love that God deeply planted in the hearts of one people for another...
My Daddy shared that what amazed him the most was how quickly it happened.
it happened last year
and it's as if we had never been apart
Oh, God how great You are
...and how grateful we are
After a thirteen hour drive from Georgia, the Waco Baptist Church bus pulled in during Saturday night worship. We could hardly remain in our seats. Pastor Ricky said he was so thankful to arrive in time to be able to end "Day 1" with worship.
For eight beautiful days, each day ended that very same way.
Summer ministry trip...yes.
So much more...yes.
Day times found some of us walking the streets doing door-to-door prayer...just getting out and about the community and praying with people. Some said they "didn't need prayer?", some told us about heartaches with tears in their eyes, some, perhaps heard the gospel for the first time. It was a blessing.
Daytime also meant construction.
That's my Daddy in the big hat...or as Faith calls it, his "summer hat".
That's my hubby, second one in from the left.
It meant that boys got a chance to try their hand at construction with the men.
And boys...especially my Christian...loved it.
there was witnessing Dakota's baptism...
and night brought beautiful worship time...and time of pouring out our hearts, often through tears, to our great God together.
What an indescribable blessing to lead worship with my boys.
I am eternally grateful.
Pastor Ricky...the epitome of a Southern Baptist preacher. Oh, how we love him.
Thank you, God, for giving us the privilege of knowing him.
Mr. Jami. Our very own Mr. Jami. How to describe him...
I am convinced he gets up every morning and says, "Who can I serve today, Lord?"
He lavishes love on everyone around him, he serves far beyond what his physical body can tolerate, and he pours his offering at the feet of Jesus. We learn so much about loving and serving others, simply by witnessing the way in which he lives his life.
My Daddy.
My daddy loves people well.
Each person means something to him.
When I see him head out to retrieve someone who feels lost...
or see a smile light up his face at the victory of a lost soul that's now found...
or hear him say, "just one life, even if we reach just one life," even when he's tired...
I am so thankful to be his daughter.
Oh, God thank you for my good Daddy.
and my sweet Mommy
And..These Southern Belles. Oh I know it's a sin to covet...but that accent is just so beautiful and endearing.
Bless their hearts, they cannot fathom how we survive up here without bacon grease and collards.
Stephanie, Susan, Robin, Marti...we know beyond any doubt that this was God's plan before time began. God intended that we would forever leave a fragment of our hearts with each other. I love you.
Thomas, you know we love you. What an honor to have you in our lives. Your heart is beautiful.
We learned that Pastor Phil can dance...
and that kids are awesome worship leaders
We learned that kids (teens) left to their own vices sometimes do things like climb out on church billboards which are perched above cliffs overhanging a highway. We learned that they sit in a nice straight row across the front of the billboard and take photos of the beautiful sunset and discuss the system of "tuck and roll" that they will use should they happen to plummet.
We learned that Yankee mothers handle these situations more calmly than Confederate mothers do.
Sadly, there is no photo of "teens on the billboard"...happily, they all lived to tell the tale.
"It's not a cliff, Mother! You really should sit there! There's an EPIC view!" said one of my resident billboard sitters who shall remain nameless to protect his
Boys
Matthew, Mitchell, Christian, David, Jacob
...and girls
Dakota, Giovana, Kelli, Gracie
...and so it was...
Submerged in worship that we never wanted to end.
In prayer for boldness to do what He calls us to do.
A passion for the lost
A love for one another
And madly in love with a God who loves us so indescribably well.
So, now, I'm resurfacing.
We all are.
But, Father, let our first breath at the surface draw in fresh beauty, and breathe out grace and passion upon the lost all around us. Show us your power, and give us eyes to continue to see the hurting...and to see them ever-increasingly.
Let us not resurface the same.
But changed.
Merciful Father, You are everything.
Beautiful friends from Waco, we love you.
Sincerely,
My Heart
