I often think about the disciples who walked with Jesus as well as the people who were on the earth at the time He came incarnate. Jesus purposefully positioned himself in places and circumstances where the gospel could be preached boldly and where He could be used to advance His Fathers kingdom on earth. I thought about these things and much more as we encountered one of the most draining days (for me) I believe in ministry. A late night text message to me from a young girl in our hood expresses worry over her mom who is in pain at home due to pancreatic cancer. Her family contacts me to come get her.(the daughter) She graduated from the 5th grade the next day while her mom was admitted to ICU. After an amazing week of celebrating our 2nd annual purity study, reality hit very quickly. The reality that there is still so much to be done to spread the message of the gospel and abstinence. A 15 yr. old high school freshman who I use to have bible study with, was admitted into the same hospital that day to give birth to her first child. Delivery went well, but this young girls body was wore out due to labor. She was very sick afterwards. Both she and the baby are doing well today. Later that same day, a 15 yr. old boy who is apart of our after school program was hit by a speeding car outside of the middle school next to our ministry building. He suffered serious injuries. He is having problems breathing. Due to the fear of his lungs collapsing, doctors rushed him to a Children's Hospital an hour away from us. Please pray for his recovery. Pray as well for all the kids who are hurting and scared due to what has happen to their friend. Pray also for the 18yr old driver of the car.
As difficult as this all may have been on our community, we saw God behind the scenes. I watched the Lord love on people through HIS church. My prayer throughout that day and even now is that the gospel would go forth and we, Christ disciples would preach it with boldness. Please pray for this as well. I'm so thankful God positioned us to be Jesus hands and feet among the hurting and discouraged that day. This post, our ministry, is not the big picture of things. The gospel being spread to the ends of the earth is the BIG PICTURE, and I saw God making that happen in a small hospital in Montgomery, AL. Its in times like these that the church is called to show up in the lives of others and proclaim the message of HOPE to those hurting. Let's thank the Lord for showing up in our lives during those difficult times as well.
