The summer has officially hit and with the awesome weather, it brings hoards of hungry people to our lines... homeless or not. We all try to look at it from the perspective of planting as many seeds as possible. We would never turn anyone away because of how well they are dressed, because the truth is... everybody needs to hear about Jesus!
The unfortunate thing about the larger gatherings, is that it's more likely that we would run out of food before everybody gets something to eat. It is our custom to start the evening in prayer and ask for GOD's blessing. We ask for Him to multiply the meals, and for the most part... He does just that. This week He had others plans...
Amanda and I were so blessed to see so many of our family from church come out to support and serve with us tonight. We had an additional 9 people help give a hand, not counting our regular team that consists between 7-10 of us! Each of us have different gifts to bring to forth. That's the beauty of GOD's design for us as individuals... no two people are exactly alike. We all see things under the same Light (Jesus Christ), but from different angles & vantage points. Some of us sense things that others don't see and vice verse.
Enough about us though..... "not to us, but to His name be the glory!"
We kicked off the mid-afternoon Bible study today at 1pm. It was a success! I had the privilege of spending an uninterrupted hour with Sid. It was really sweet to have that time, to help build him up in the Word, and to be of encouragement to him, and to pray for him.
GOD is continuously teaching me how to see things as He sees them, and not so much as to how I see them. It's not about numbers. I am 100% happy that 1 person came to the first study this week. I was totally blessed, because I was just obedient to the call that He had laid before me.
His love was present when I returned a few hours later.
We witnessed how GOD touched the heart of a regular, who usually is somewhat of a problem, and how that man served one of his peers. We witnessed the power of Him, as we stood and listened to Pockets share that he's been sober since last Saturday, where he met with the people for his SSI. We heard the gratitude in the voices of those that spoke as they humbly passed down the line... and we even saw them as some held back their tears.
For me, to be a part of something that has such a positive impact in some one's life... it blows my mind! Over the time, we've had people we've long since seen, come back just to say thank you for helping them during their hard times... Several have moved on, gotten jobs, are off the streets, sober, going to church or bible studies.
I'm often reminded by family from church, of the impact that my life has on those serving next to me. Knowing for myself, of that which I was delivered from... I can sit here and testify that Jesus Christ is alive and well and living inside of me. My own life has been impacted by those I serve with. I am very encouraged to see how GOD uses people for His kingdom and feel very honored to be a witness of that.
As long as it's in His plan, we will continue to come back week after week, to be used by Him, to pour out His love on the needy, less-loved, house-less, and lost people of Pacific Beach.
