10/16/06 UPDATE (ON 10/17!)

Trusting God is hard work! I would say church planting is hard work (which it is) but you can probably relate better in other ways. As I mentioned last week, we are faced with the harsh reality that we can make this work on our own, it has to be God's work. We can be trite and say that's always the case, but in reality, we can usually do something on our own. When things get tough, we just do what seems best to us and we have some way to alleviate the tension of the moment. Well, last week I found myself about to blow a gasket from stress (and I'm generally not a worrier). However, I emailed Curt (the pastor at Westside) on Monday about meeting and prayed every morning for God to bring about productive contacts. Each day passed and neither of those things took place. I found myself ready to run down the street screaming because there was nothing I could do.

Jacqueline took the boys to a gym time that they've arranged for the home schooling moms up here on Friday. When she came back, she said, "I've got news for you!" A lady had approached her at the gym time to find out what we were doing with church planting. She and her husband have started meeting in a "house church" that some missionaries to Afghanistan had started. They were uncomfortable not having the corporate part of worship, so they were still attending a mega-church in town. She had accepted Christ and been baptized at Westside when she was young, but was attending Trinity now (an inter-denominational mega-church in town). Anyway, the missionary couple started the group, but don't really plan to lead it and they aren't really sure they want to just have a house church. We're supposed to talk with them more about what they're doing and what we're doing. There may be some way to do both together . . . we'll see. Just pray for God's leading. J will be meeting with this group of ladies tonight (10/17)

Friday night, we went to see a couple (Brent and Michelle) who are in J's homeschooling network. They have three boys the same ages as ours - weird. We had a great time hanging out with them. They are a great couple and the boys got along great together. That was a blessing because J had been lamenting his lack of friends that morning.

While we were at their house, I got a call from Curt's (Westside pastor) secretary who apologized for not calling me back, she had misplaced the message. She set up lunch for us on Wednesday (10/18), so you can pray for that meeting tomorrow.

We were supposed to have dinner on Saturday with a couple who has expressed interest in helping (possibly). They are in the small group I'm leading on Thursday nights. However, L and A were ummmm, unable to keep anything down on Saturday, so we had to postpone it (maybe this saturday).

On the church attendance front, I got my time in this weekend. I went with Brent and Michelle to their church's Saturday night service. it was really good (and challenging). It seems like everywhere I go, the pastor preaches something that really whacks me in the nose. On Sunday, we went to Heartland Community Church (the movie theater church).

Sorry the post is late this week, I was out playing golf yesterday with a local pastor. I really needed the stress relief, so it was good. This morning, I went hiking/praying at a state park. People keep asking me what my strategy is for pulling together a core group. Most have planted a church before and say, "I had a few people to go with me, I can't imagine going somewhere that I don't know anyone." It's funny how it wasn't really a big deal for me (at the time). I tell them, I have no clue! Today, however, I decided on my strategy. I'm going to pray them out of the ground! (Actually WE are going to pray them out of the ground). I figure if God can send Peter to Cornelius, Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch, knit dry bones together, etc., this should not be a big deal. Besides, He's the one building His church.

PRAISES:
My brain didn't ooze out of my ear last week! - seriously, God sustained me.
The contacts that were made.
We had a great time with Brent and Michelle and family.
The sickness didn't last long.

PRAYER:
My meeting with Curt tomorrow. Pray that he'll feel led to help us out.
Wisdom for our meeting with people who have expressed an interest.
Opportunities to share the gospel with lost people.
The house search.
Wisdom. Lots and lots of wisdom.