Connecting People to People and People to God

Peru Trip (and I'm back)

Ok, I'm back.  Hopefully not just from Peru but to be a little more active here on the blog.  I enjoy writing and often these posts are more beneficial for me than I'm sure they are for anyone else.  

July 15-24  Myself and six others from The Bridge went to Peru to join another church's team of six to build houses, host children's clubs and lead evening neighborhood community worship services.  I knew going into this trip I would be stretched.  I went in with only the expectation that God would use us mightily and that our ministry would be fruitful.  Physically I knew I would be building houses and preaching.  

My second to last night in Peru during a worship service I began to write down the answers to these questions.  What will change in my heart as a result of this trip to Peru?  What will stick?

• I have seen poverty like never before. 
• I have seen results and responses to my preaching like never before.
• I have seen prepared people use their gifts beyond what they thought possible.
• I saw God move.
• I saw first hand that poverty is spiritual oppression.
• I felt my heart break.
• I saw and participated in great worship.
• I realized (again) that God speaks other languages.
• I saw great joy even in financial distress.
• I saw beautiful people with dark brown skin.
• I learned how to greet a brother and sister in Christ.
• I learned to relax with time.
• God confirmed that I should almost always call for a response.  (Even when I think the sermon sucked and that no human with hearing could ever glean anything from it.)
• I preached poorly and God called men and women to Himself for salvation.
• I preached well and God called men and women to Himself for salvation.
• I was reminded that His power is perfected in weakness.
• I saw beautiful children.
• I prayed for that little boy that he would one day be a great leader in the church.
• I prayed with my friend Bob that a crippled woman would walk.
• I cried for the need I saw.
• I gave the greatest gift I have ever given, a house.
• I experienced the greatest worship in a dirty, run down building.
• I saw people weep when they were prayed for, even when the prayer was in a language they didn't understand.
• A man called me beautiful... and it didn't bother me.
• Goodbyes can be beautiful.
• When God returns to center it's not comfortable but it's always peaceful. 

 You can view my daily pictures here.

Where to?

Um...ok, God.  Where to now?  But not so much "where to" as it is "oh, that again."  

Perspective.  I need it.  I get it from God.  I often forget it and have to go back and ask God to give it again.  Sometimes he gives it without my asking or when my asking is weak.  He's generous like that.  He loves me like that.  

My heart tells me that there is a movement of God waiting to happen in Hampton Roads, the area I call home.  My heart tells me that there is a movement of God that is happening and waiting to spread throughout the United Stages.  My head tells me God is going to call his men and women in their cities and towns to be an instrument in fueling the fire.  Our economic climate is setting the stage for this movement.  Our mistrust or jadedness with government is setting he stage for this movement.  There are fewer and fewer places to turn, things to find to fill the void that our Lord God seeks to fill in the hearts of every man, woman and child.  

I hear about places where this movement of God is happening.  I don't plan on getting the ingredients ready to brew up the recipe but I plan on standing ready with the band of believers that God has entrusted me to pastor.  

Wow.  So how's that for perspective.  I wasn't expecting that.

So, it's no so much "where to" as it is I needed to peek out of the trench for a few minutes, get a little perspective...