I just got home from what I thought was going to be just a normal evening but man was I caught off guard! Tonight wasn’t a night out with my girls, no. Tonight was my date night with Jesus! Ummmm… What is she even talking about right now? This is weird… A date with Jesus? How is that even possible? Right, this is what you’re thinking? Okay let me start from the beginning.
Tonight started out like any other “normal” night. I had plans to meet up with some of my girls and attend the second segment of this awesome conference together. This conference is being held by a christian university just a few minutes away from my house. I attended the first night of the conference last night and WOW, I have never felt more alive with the Holy Spirit than I did last night! The message was GREAT! The worship was GREAT! The company was GREAT! And the Holy Spirit was there!!! So after this incredible movement last night I was so pumped to return to the second segment of the conference tonight! The focus of tonights segment was missions. More specifically missions in Haiti. This university has been actively involved with missions in Haiti for 9 years now and tonight they were premiering a documentary that they created over the course of the past 9 years.
We arrive at the theatre to find a line of people literally overflowing onto the streets as we all anxiously wait for the doors to be opened! First of all, are you catching this? Here we are in downtown Lakeland, Florida with a line jam packed with people that are so passionate to learn more about the love of Jesus that we are LITERALLY overflowing onto the street. And this isn’t just any street, no, you could probably say its the busiest street in all of Lakeland, Florida Avenue. So you know there are people driving by that are curious as to what the big deal is, why are there so many people pilled up out here right now? It must be a pretty important event!
When the doors open we all begin to flush inside running to grab a seat! We were able to listen to testimony after testimony from these individuals who have served in Haiti over the past 9 years. We lifted up our hands and sang praises to God! Then we watched the video, Destination: Haiti, the documentary they created from all of their missions to Haiti. What an amazing work God is doing through these individuals. Individuals that God has called to leave their comfort zones because He has a greater plan for them! At the end of the video we wrapped up this segment in prayer.
Ok, that was good, I’m real glad I was able to attend this event and I’m so thankful that God has given me this chance to also go and serve in missions! I was truly moved by these individuals stories and I was even more pumped to get out there and serve the Lord on the World Race! Yay, what a great night with the girls, now lets go get some dinner and call it a night. Ha! So I thought… But God had a better plan for how my night was about to go down. It’s already been such a great night, how could there more???
So two of the girls and I decide we’ll walk to one of my favorite italian restaurants and grab a quick bite. As we’re walking up to the entrance outside, I see one of the owners, whom my family and I have known for years, just sitting at a table outside with a buddy. We say hello and I tell him I want to talk with him about something (that something being God’s calling for me to go on the World Race). But since he was with his friend I didn’t want to impose on them so I waited until after we ordered then I decided ok, time to impose, haha! So I walk back over to his table, where he is still talking with his buddy, and I just want to give him my mission card, which has my blog website and other little information about this mission for Christ on the World Race, and I wanted to ask him if he would allow me to bring in a fundraising box to leave on the counter by the register.
I get to the table, introduce myself to his friend, and begin sharing with them my mission God has called me on! Amidst this conversation I learn that his friend is a pastor! This is awesome but wait, where is this church he leads you might ask, I mean that was one of my first questions at least. He’s a pastor of a new church here in downtown Lakeland, IN A BAR! What?! A church in a bar??? Yep, they meet in a bar on Sunday mornings to share the Word of God! This is awesome! This just goes to show that God’s Word can be heard anywhere! Whether you’re in a sanctuary or a bar on Sunday morning, God is there! These two dudes were so supportive and encouraging! I ended up at least a half hour at their table talking about God and His work. And he told me he’d love to support my mission and he also told me he would love for me to leave a fundraiser box on the register at his restaurant. As if this conversation couldn’t have been more of a blessing, before I leave they ask if they can pray with me! AWESOME! Here I am, at this restaurant full of people, sitting here with the owner and his pastor, PRAYING! God was there, no doubt!
I finally return to the table with my girls and we enjoy our meal then we head to the park in the center of downtown just to sit and talk, simply hang out, THEN we were going home. Wrong again. God wasn’t done with our date, He had more planned. So we’re hanging out in the park when a quiet homeless man walks by and we smiled and told him, hello. He turns and says hello and begins walking towards us. Before we had time to say anything else, this man began to open up his heart to us and share his story and the first thing he said was, “I’m just trying to make this the best day ever.” We invited him to sit down with us at our little table.
After at least an hour of conversing and listening to this man’s story, I loved this dude. I was so compelled by the Holy Spirit to help this man! He said asking for someone’s help is one of the hardest things for him to do because he’s a man and he has so much pride. Literally, he said that. Dude! God has called us as Christian’s to serve the Lord by serving one another out of love! Right there he already had the guts to come out and be honest about one of his heart struggles, pride. I know that’s hard to admit! My heart was filled with compassion for James! This was the Holy Spirit filling me up with an overwhelming amount of love to help James. All he asked was for $7 so that he could sleep inside at the local shelter tonight. He hadn’t slept in the shelter for 4 days. He hadn’t showered for 4 days. This local shelter downtown costs $7 a night for an individual to stay for one day and eat a few meals and shower.
Of course I wanted to give him $7! But I also wanted to help him get to this destination (and I had no cash on me). So I told James I would love to help him but I didn’t have the cash on me. But I told him I knew someone who would come up here right now and not only provide him with the $7 for the shelter but we would also give him a ride there. So I called up one of my best friends, Jamison. And mind you, it’s already 10:00 at night, I have no idea what Jamison is doing but as always, the Lord prevailed. Jamison answered his phone and within 20 seconds of his answer to my phone call he was in his car headed our way, with the $7! I’m not going to lie to y’all… I was really nervous that Jamison may not answer or may not be available, and since I had already told James I would help him with money and a ride, I didn’t want to let him down. But this is where I fell short, I forgot for a second that this was God’s plan, not mine. But as soon as Jamison told me he was on his way I quickly remembered that THIS WAS GOD! God had Jamison prepared and ready for this mission without him even knowing it!
While we waited for Jamison to arrive, we continued to talk with James and we asked him if he had any other needs. He spoke up right away that he would love to have a new pair of tennis shoes. After Jamison arrives we ask if we can pray for him. “YES! YES! Oh wow, YES,” he exclaimed. Right then, all four of us laid our hands on James and just prayed over him and for him in the name of Jesus! What an awesome privilege it was to meet James tonight. Oh what a true blessing he was to us tonight, that we were just able to love on him like Jesus loves on us each and every day!
Then we were off to take James to the shelter for the night. When we arrived at the shelter we shared a few more words with him and Jamison gave him a devotional book that he so conveniently had laying around in his car… Ummm not convenient, not coincidence, no, God put that book there in Jamison’s car because He knew that James would need it one day. We gave hugs to James and the funds for 3 nights worth in the shelter. I asked him if there was anything else that we could get for him and he said he would really love a backpack. We plan on going back to the shelter tomorrow afternoon to visit James and bring him some new shoes and a backpack. As we were saying goodbye James said, “Bless you, wow. Now you really have made this the best day ever.” That’s all the Lord’s work, my brother. What a blessing it is that God has given us the funds needed to help this homeless man, my friend, James.
After we left James, I went home, right? Wrong. God still wasn’t done here! Jamison and I decide to hit up some Dunkin’ Donuts for a little bit. I get in my car to head over there and I check my phone only to find a text message from a long lost friend that I hadn’t spoken with in years. The text was plain and simple, “GOD’S NOT DEAD!” I literally just starred at my phone wondering what to make of this. All of this that just went down tonight and then this completely random text from someone who I hadn’t spoken with in years, “GOD’S NOT DEAD!” WOW!!!! I couldn’t help but break down in tears right then! GOD WAS THERE!!!!!! I turned on my radio and “Mighty to Save” begins blasting out of my speakers! WHAT?! Seriously, God? AHHHH! What an amazing song of worship! And after tonight! Man, tears were rolling as I was screaming out the words and jamming with Jesus on my way to Dunkin’ Donuts!
Everyone needs compassion
A love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations
Saviour he can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
So take me as you find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything i believe in
Now I surrender
Shine your light and let the whole world see
We’re singing for the glory of the risen king Jesus
We get to Dunkin’, get some coffee, and what was intended to be maybe an hour turned into 3 hours, hanging out at Dunkin’ Donuts with my amazing brother in Christ, Jamison. We spent 3 hours just hanging out and praising God for all of the wonderful things He has been doing in our lives. So many blessing God has been pouring out in our lives, not just tonight but for a lifetime!
NOW, it was time for me to go home. OH WOW! WHAT A NIGHT!!! Tonight was by far the greatest date night I’ve ever had! I experienced such an overwhelming love from the Holy Spirit tonight, I can’t even explain it any better than by saying, GOD WAS THERE THROUGH EACH AND EVERY MOMENT OF ALL THESE AMAZING EVENTS TONIGHT! Literally, God was with me every second of this night, holding my hand, loving me, and romancing me on this incredible date night with Him! I praise you Lord for your overwhelming love and compassion and mercy that you show me every day! YOU ARE MIGHTY TO SAVE! God, I pray that you will continue to show me your light in each and every thing that I do!
Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. Luke 10:30-35
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you. Deuteronomy 16:17
