Christian Potpourri

We’ve been doing some serious praying lately, for jobs, for health, for loved ones near and far. There’s so much going on out there for so many people, and a lot of it isn’t good news. Some of it is downright awful.
I knew that I had been pretty emotion-less. I knew I had been steering clear of anything that would bring on tears, sad stories on TV, sweet and touching videos on YouTube or elsewhere. I didn’t realize how I had been ’steeling’ myself against what was really happening, in real life. So when the phone call came and it was an answered prayer, my relief came out in wet tears.When my daughter said she wanted to give God a hug for the answered prayer, I almost completely broke down, but not quite.
But I was moved. It’s one thing to be older like I am, and recognize God’s beauty and bounty. When you’re younger and haven’t been through the trenches, it’s easy to take the credit and think it’s all about you. She did not. Glory and praise were on her lips for the God who had seen her through; there’s a new maturity in her thinking, a wisdom and knowledge. She knows that prayers were answered.
I’m so happy for my girl…and I honestly don’t know which is bringing me the most joy…the job or her acknowledgment that this was God moving in her life.
There are a lot of things still hanging out there for friends and family that are not good.
But for now, today, I have sighed with relief and it feels pretty fine.
Thank you, Lord. Thank you.
Thank you for this answered prayer!

When it was time for prayer requests and praises at a recent Wednesday night prayer meeting, one of the church members, Ruth, asked if she could read two emails aloud to us.
Ruth had received the emails from her friend and her friend’s husband, Fred, who is a pastor in a town in Ohio. The emails pretty much tell the story and I have been given permission to print it in “Christian Potpourri”. What you read below is unedited. I have only changed the font to italic for readability purposes.
The first email Ruth read to us was a prayer request; the email that followed was a report on the prayer request.

“What I am writing to ask you all is for your prayers on Thursday 11/5 at 6 p.m.
Our church is bidding on a vacant elementary school building. The school system has had declining enrollment and consolidated the students into the other 2 schools in town.
The building was renovated 9 years ago and is beautiful. it consists of 20 classrooms, a gym, kitchen, cafeteria and offices.
Fred has had a vision for how it can be used to reach the people of Windham. Over and over this vision has been confirmed to the point of monies being given by The District office of the Christian and Missionary Alliance and their full verbal support. Our own church people are busting with excitement as to the possibilities and have volunteered their time and abilities to make the ministry work. Plus, we have already been receiving monies and pledges from the congregation in support of the project.
The name would be Renaissance Family Ministries.
The last big piece of the puzzle is the actual purchase of the building. The building and property is being auctioned first.
If we would get the building we know that God is moving in other incredible ways. We know that for it all to work out it must be a total God-thing. But we are ready and willing to be there for what He wants.”

That is the end of the first email.

Below is the second email.

Hello again everyone……WE GOT IT! It was an amazing night. What was amazing to begin with was that we had close to 50 people from the church there to support Fred and confirm their convictions about this new ministry venture. Then there was the fact that someone was there who could have out-bid us by quite a lot.
When he realized that Fred was one of the bidders, he stopped bidding, not wanting to bid against the church. Then there was the situation where Fred was about at his limit for bidding, and got down on his knees in prayer, followed by our church people either kneeling, bowing their heads, or laying hands on each other. People not from our group were snickering at the sight, but then….there was a thunderclap from out of nowhere, not just once, but twice! Then the auctioneer pointed to Fred and said, “SOLD”. There were such screams and cheering from our group, that I think we raised the roof of the gym about 5 feet. It was incredible. Fred had bid $190,000 and the auctioneer was milking the time and encouraging the other bidder to go higher. WOW!
Thank you all for praying. We are seeing God continue to work and provide. What more does God have in store for us? Love to all, Janna (Pastor Fred’s wife)”

The following is from the bottom of the email Ruth sent me when she confirmed that I would be allowed to re-print this story. Ruth wrote to me:

……..Mary, Janna called me today with more exciting news. They will get the final papers on the 29th of December. The whole community is excited. I learned that the building was appraised at 3 million dollars!
What a bargain! March 20, 2010 will be the dedication. So far the Library in the Village has asked to rent space; the police station is moving in too; the village offices will move there; a counseling service will rent space too; The police and Village offices will provide all the landscape and mowing tasks. Each of these will pay rent to the church. So again all financial needs are being met.
The church will begin holding AWANA Club in the fall. They will offer many other services. Oh yes, the Salvation Army in their town is also moving in to provide hot lunches and to have a small resale shop.

This is not the stuff of fiction, my dear friend. It really happened. In a town in Ohio.
It’s what happens when people pray and God moves.

Don’t imagine it.
Live it! And move into a New Year filled with the possibilities of what the Lord can…and will do.
Happy New Year!