Let your light so shine
The following story has nothing to do with me. I was just there. The glory belongs to God.
A friend of mine and I have been having coffee together for a few weeks now. My friend recently made his way back to God, and because God can use anybody for anything, I was a part of that story just by being me.
I've been watching God move mightily in my friend's life. His stories are his to tell, not mine. I've just been able to see part of it and I'm grateful to have him as a friend. Anyway, sometimes things change in life, and opportunities to do ministry change with it.
My coach, mentor, and close, close friend, Pastor Karl and I started doing a Bible study at the Rescue Mission in Ogden. A few months ago, it became evident to me that a change needed to be made in the structure of the way other people along with us were doing Bible study there. On the upside, my friend, who is also the chaplain at the Mission will bring some (I think anyway) needed continuity to this vital part of the New Life Program and it will continue to be a blessing to those in attendance. That change brings with it an end of an opportunity for me and others to be a part of it on a regular basis and while I'll miss being a part of that community, I know it's to God's glory that he let me be a part of it in the first place.
It was there, I came face-to-face with having to love an enemy. It was also there that I had to learn do deal with people who have hurt me deeply for no reason I could ever understand because I had to deal with someone who hurt me deeply for no reason I can understand. God is in the forgiveness business, and He expects us to be as well. It was at the Mission I got to experience giving that forgiveness first hand.
Anyway, the gist of this part of the story is that when we started the Bible study at the invitation of someone in the program, Karl and I were looking for an opportunity to do some men's ministry. Coffee with my friend has turned into doing men's ministry at coffee with my friend.
He invited a co-worker last week. He brought someone from his church today. His co-worker showed up, and so did another co-worker of his. We usually meet at 9:30, but changed it this week to eight so I could go help with church cleanup. Church cleanup got cancelled and I had to pass up breakfast because I wasn't going to try to re-re-arrange my schedule on short notice.
Iron sharpens iron, and the friend Kevin brought is a retired pastor. I am bad with names, it will take me a week or two to remember his, but he was outstanding at making sure we had a focus on what this little group should be, and all of a sudden it was more than just guys having coffee. We somehow changed into a little men's ministry. Kevin's other co-worker I think didn't quite know what to make of all this stuff; guys talking about being accountable, how they were doing spiritually, talking about prayer requests, and the like among conversations about interests, fishing, and stuff.
It was fascinating. And it was something to really be a part of.
Having coffee was my friend's idea. I picked the place. The rest, well, God is on the move. The long and short is that as we move from thing to thing, God is there, using past experiences (like getting to meet some pretty experienced men in ministry) to help develop something pretty exciting. I'm really excited to see where this is going.
A friend of mine and I have been having coffee together for a few weeks now. My friend recently made his way back to God, and because God can use anybody for anything, I was a part of that story just by being me.
I've been watching God move mightily in my friend's life. His stories are his to tell, not mine. I've just been able to see part of it and I'm grateful to have him as a friend. Anyway, sometimes things change in life, and opportunities to do ministry change with it.
My coach, mentor, and close, close friend, Pastor Karl and I started doing a Bible study at the Rescue Mission in Ogden. A few months ago, it became evident to me that a change needed to be made in the structure of the way other people along with us were doing Bible study there. On the upside, my friend, who is also the chaplain at the Mission will bring some (I think anyway) needed continuity to this vital part of the New Life Program and it will continue to be a blessing to those in attendance. That change brings with it an end of an opportunity for me and others to be a part of it on a regular basis and while I'll miss being a part of that community, I know it's to God's glory that he let me be a part of it in the first place.
It was there, I came face-to-face with having to love an enemy. It was also there that I had to learn do deal with people who have hurt me deeply for no reason I could ever understand because I had to deal with someone who hurt me deeply for no reason I can understand. God is in the forgiveness business, and He expects us to be as well. It was at the Mission I got to experience giving that forgiveness first hand.
Anyway, the gist of this part of the story is that when we started the Bible study at the invitation of someone in the program, Karl and I were looking for an opportunity to do some men's ministry. Coffee with my friend has turned into doing men's ministry at coffee with my friend.
He invited a co-worker last week. He brought someone from his church today. His co-worker showed up, and so did another co-worker of his. We usually meet at 9:30, but changed it this week to eight so I could go help with church cleanup. Church cleanup got cancelled and I had to pass up breakfast because I wasn't going to try to re-re-arrange my schedule on short notice.
Iron sharpens iron, and the friend Kevin brought is a retired pastor. I am bad with names, it will take me a week or two to remember his, but he was outstanding at making sure we had a focus on what this little group should be, and all of a sudden it was more than just guys having coffee. We somehow changed into a little men's ministry. Kevin's other co-worker I think didn't quite know what to make of all this stuff; guys talking about being accountable, how they were doing spiritually, talking about prayer requests, and the like among conversations about interests, fishing, and stuff.
It was fascinating. And it was something to really be a part of.
Having coffee was my friend's idea. I picked the place. The rest, well, God is on the move. The long and short is that as we move from thing to thing, God is there, using past experiences (like getting to meet some pretty experienced men in ministry) to help develop something pretty exciting. I'm really excited to see where this is going.
ain't it fun when God shows up and shows off! (and by the way, you're always welcome to join me for the morning study)
ReplyDelete