Yesterday was our first Sunday at the local elementary school, Joe K. Bryant. It was wet and cold. The first day that we could not have done children's ministry outside, God provided us with a new location. I love how God always has awesome timing.
I am thankful that God provided us with an inexpensive meeting place for our first year. When no real estate was available, God opened the doors for us to meet at the cheer gym. It was a great beginning, but as we have grown it has been more challenging to accommodate the needs of The Crossroads. So now God has provided us with a new place to meet that has huge potential for continued growth.
I love how God manages to work out all the details better than I ever could. He is really awesome at doing big stuff in ways I could not dream of. Who would guess that we would be allowed into a closed facility, at a greatly reduced (still slightly expensive for us) rate?
This week Shawn preached an encore presentation of "Chasing the Lion". It is an amazing sermon that encapsulates our dream and vision for chasing big stuff. It's based off a book by Mark Batterson, "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day." Be sure to listen online soon at www.welcometothecrossroads.com. This is probably one of my all time favorites.
On a personal note, I find it easy to get caught up in the ordinary. I love to dream big dreams, but I lack follow through. I have big dreams and great intentions, but the ordinary stuff of life consumes my time and energy until there is nothing left. I am not sure how to shift gears so that the kingdom stuff gets done. I have several items on my agenda that God specifically convicted me about doing, that I seem to never find the time to get done.
During the worship service, it was cool to see how much better our acoustics are at the school. I loved the set-up, with the easy to see screen and the raised stage. As I stood watching people worship in that cafeteria for the first time ever, hands lifted high for the first time ever in that facility, I dreamed about and looked forward to the days to come.
Today it was humbling to walk the halls and hear the teachers that I work with express their joy and excitement that we are being allowed to meet at the school. It was beautiful to hear my head janitor express how glad he is that we have facilities to use and ask what else needed to be done to help us on Sunday mornings. I was touched when I logged onto the school's homepage and realized that The Crossroads is listed there as a calendared event (free advertising for every teacher, every parent, and every student that logs on). I cannot grasp how God would allow me to be a part of anything this unbelievably awesome, but I sure am glad He is!
Continue to pray for us in the following ways:
*That we and our members would be protected from Satan. It has been many, many years since I have been involved in warfare like this. He's attacked our health, our finances, our kids, our marriage, and my eating disorder is harder to fight than it's been since I was a young girl. It's tough being engaged in constant battle and having to be vigilant against the enemy, but also exciting that Satan is concerned about what's going on at The Crossroads. We must be headed toward big stuff.
*That we would find the time and energy necessary to minister to our community. To love them with abandon and passion. And to still have the time and energy left to love our family.
*That God would continue to bless the Crossroads financially. We are stretching to go into the new location and are expecting God to bless that faith. We are also anxious to be able to pay Worship Dude a salary that would allow him more freedom and flexibility to pursue his calling.
I appreciate those of you who continually pray for our family in this adventure we're on. I know many of you have shared with me how God has moved in your heart to drop everything and pray for us during moments of our greatest need. Thank you. I can't express how much that means to me, or how great the results are from your prayers. May God rain down his blessings on you and your family as well.
Love,
LaRissa
No comments:
Post a Comment