102: Manifest presence

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A busy last few weeks! Vision Sunday - amazing celebration of 11 years for Coastal Community Church, staff training in Creating Culture of Discipleship in SC for a week, Ladies Retreat this past weekend, and beginning a new LU term with 40 students. All good stuff but I'm a bit tired. Tonight we go to Newport News for a state missions dinner where Lonnie will present a gift from SA to the VBGB. Whew...

I'm excited that I begin a new daytime Bible study tomorrow morning and meet with huddle for first time Wednesday night.

Bec and David came home for a short less than 24 hour visit but she said she just needed to get out of Lynchburg:) It's been stressful with school, rehab, and sport. Funny how they sometimes just need to re orbit back to home for a quick refueling.

Mike's team in preseason were Gold Medal Champions this past weekend!

Kelsey traveled with us to SC and is going to be an amazing part of the ministry staff as James' wife. She contributes so much.

Soooo, What's God been teaching me? Lots! But the main thought this morning is His manifest presence. His presence that shows his imprint in my life. Times that I am so close to him that I can see him working. Times that I am so close to him that he allows me to see him in my life. He is always with us...that is his character...but there are times we witness his manifest presence. And oh are those times sweet...and empowering.

Last week in SC several things happened. After a time of prayer for our time a Pastor from another church (Connecticut) Duan, said...he felt impressed to tell me that God would be revealing something new to me...an ability...gift...something..in me that I was not to be afraid of... Then as the conference was closing participants are standing in worship and the training team members come by to pray for us. I had been standing for a while and praying specifically about what we had learned, about our future in SA and also about something we had heard about at the training...Missional Communities...that go out in the neighborhood and serve. I felt very impressed then to go to a community...under-resourced near Glenwood...and begin ministering to the children there. Several scriptures hit home...that we are going to Samaria but God wants to train us here in our Jerusalem. Also, one morning in my time with the Lord this scripture was impressed on me~

So He said, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the Earth."
Zechariah 2:1

Back to the prayer time...as I was praying I was thinking, "God if this is all about me it is not what I want. I want to be on mission for you. I want to move forward where you want. If you want this MC then please confirm that for me...help me to see you" Well no one had come to pray for me so I said, "Lord, if you are there please have someone pray for me and know what it is that I am praying.." it was bold! But the Lord heard me. As soon as I was getting the words out...a hand was in the center of my back...Oh I even now have tears at the thought of that moment. A sweet voice began to pray for me and her prayers were my prayers...oh my...the manifest presence of the Lord came and touched me through this prayer. She didn't know me. We hadn't spoken during the conference. She knew though through the Holy Spirit that I needed the words of she was praying. "Mission.... peace....ability to move in a new direction..."

Lord, help me to communicate well what I sense you doing in my life. Thank you as I cried out you came close in a specific way to me.