Awesome Sunday and Even Monday

We had great services in Kid's Inc. on Sunday morning! We had 60 in the children's department and five brand new kids to love. I preached the first part of a three part series on prayer and our first sermon was based on Matthew 18:18; I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven. Our Big Idea was "Jesus Gives Me Authority!" As I preached about the authority we have in Jesus name, I also taught how we cannot receive that authority until Jesus is totally in control of our lives and we have received Him as Lord and Savior. Seven children came to Christ that morning. I am praising God for each soul and humbly asking God to allow us to minister to more each week. We spent part of Saturday afternoon visiting some of our van kids in their homes and I saw first hand the suffering that these babies endure each day. I left there broken and overwhelmed at the needs but trusting the Lord to give us the time, manpower and resources to reach these kids. I am so blessed to have a team of people who have servants hearts and are open to me changing and tweaking things. Together, we are going to do our best to reach out to a cross section of kids in our county. I found my pastor in the Kid's Church area Sunday morning praying his heart out for the kid's services and I was so thankful for him taking time to come back to do that. We always pray together on Sunday mornings but usually in his office. I know his prayers made a huge difference.

The Lord was showing me this morning in prayer that the Giant Haystack is going to be the first slat in the bridge that we need to build into our own neighborhood. Our church is blessed to be located in a very nice section of the city. When you drive down the streets you see nice homes with new cars and all kinds of "toys" that the whole family enjoys. Their lives are seemingly perfect...they have what appears to be all they need. But they are as lost as those in that needy area of town. They may look happy on the outside but they have sin, dispare, loneliness, addictions and sadness just the same as anyone. God, please give me your creativeness and wisdom to know how to bridge the gaps and love all who need you!

Monday meetings are very exciting. No...really...I love Monday meetings. I'm NOT being sarcastic! It's a joy to go over all we need to do because our team is operating with like-mindedness and the attitude that we are working together. It's not the children's department vs the youth, or that "Big Church" is the most important. We are all supporting each other and it's fun to put our heads and hearts together for this vision for Union City! We pray together over each area and seek God's leading. It's great, too, that we can laugh together! We do know how to have fun and everyone is finding out all my quirky ways and have plenty to tease me about.