blessings @ the friendship kitchen

had an incredible weekend! saturday morning was our flock's turn to serve at the "friendship kitchen" (our local soup kitchen). i can't tell you how fun it was to see the body of Christ at work! some had prepared food, some were serving, some were doing dishes, some were just talking with people...each using their gifts and serving as a collective body to minister to people! praise God!

i was personally blessed by all the people i was able to talk to. you know, sometimes you reach out to people and try to give a listening ear and it's hard not to just feel sorry for them. it's also hard for me to see potential in their lives. what a horrible thought...i'm completely ashamed of it! i wish i had better faith and vision. and i wish i could see God's perspective. my criteria that i usually look for in people to see their potential for effective ministry is so worldly. forgive me, LORD! they are people. and they have stories. sometimes those stories are tragic. sometimes you can visually see the trail of sinful habits and consequences they have/are living with. i have a story. and it's no different. i am a recipient of the grace of God! LORD, teach me to share that hope in your grace. let me be a trophy of grace! keep my heart close to You, daily reminded of your mercy and grace!

i was touched by their stories. because they're human like mine...they're not just "the poor people". they are people. and some of them are hurting, and they need God to work in their lives. maybe He was using me. some of them are being used of God to minister to others! LORD, give me the clarity to see how You are working. that you don't just work through the sophisticated and the seemingly-have-it-all-together, middle class Christians. You work through broken vessels...trophies of Your grace!

then i was touched in our flock meeting last night by the excitement from all our flock members because of the chance to serve together. it was encouraging to see how each of us are wired and gifted differently by God, and how He can use us as we serve together.

so i hope we were a blessing to those we served @ the friendship kitchen...because i was certainly blessed by them and by our flock. thank You, LORD!