COMMUNITY

 

This is what a true Godly community looks like!  On Saturday we had an event to help a family in need of financial support for the future medical needs. For weeks we met and planned this event.  People volunteered endless hours and days to go around to businesses.  People volunteered their gifting's to make this a reality.  People gave from their hearts and their wallets.  It was heart warming yet very humbling to be a part of.  As I watched this all start to come together I was truly seeing what could happen when we all unite for a common cause.  It wasn't just our church body, it was friends, neighbors and family members who joined together to try to meet the needs of this family.  This is what a truly Godly community looks like.

Before the event began we gathered around the family and prayed over them.  There was not a dry eye in the place.  It was awesome, radical and life changing for me because at that very moment when I snapped these photos, I saw the glory of God present in that American Legion Hall.  I saw God's amazing love present with us as we prayed.  As we joined hands together there was only love.

Volunteers from all over worked wherever needed.  We had some last minute changes in volunteer needs because of sicknesses, but everyone stepped up and stepped in.  "I'll go where ever I'm needed" was repeated over and over and over by every volunteer.  There was one guy who washed dishes all night and yes his hands were wrinkled up prunes by the time the night was over.  But we heard no complaints, no grumbling, no whining.  Everyone just loved on this family and gave with grateful hearts.  It was beautiful.

I saw God show up in ways I never imagined.  I saw financial blessings for this family, I saw one friend fly in from Florida just to be there for them, I saw so many God moments I was amazed.  Why am I always amazed by God's special encounters?  You'd think I'd be used to it by now but I'm not.  I never want to take God's special moments for granted because they are always such a powerful blessing to me.  God moments, God encounters happen for me when I totally surrender myself.  When I raise my hands in praise during worship, the tears flow from my eyes because I know He is there with me.  When I pray every night before I go to sleep, I have peace because I know He is there.  Even in the stress of a diagnosis I don't want to hear about my son, God is with me giving me His strength, His power and His peace.  I know this is true for this family too. 

Community that gathers together to help others in crisis...God is there!