A Week of Serendipties...

It was a hot and sticky day. Summer seemed to have arrived early. We parked outside the First Baptist Church of McDonough, flipped on our generator and let the air conditioning flow. Aaaah!

I was on the phone with a friend when a gentleman waved at me and made his way to the RV. I excused myself from the call and met Tom who is the Director of Facilities at FBC. I thought he was going to ask us to move. Instead he offered us the hand of friendship, a tour of the church and an introduction to Dr. Charles Thomas, the senior pastor. Pastor Charles invited us into his office and then surprised us with an invitation to return and present Zacchaeus at their mid-week service! We were delighted and agreed to drive back! Pastors many times are planners and we don't often get a spontaneous invitation like this. It's encouraging when you meet someone who embraces you and your gifts.

As we continued walking, we landed in Conyers home to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. What a lovely, peaceful place. We wandered the grounds for several hours and then joined the monks for Vespers (evening prayers). Their day is divided into prayer, work and reading...perhaps a lifestyle we could all benefit from.

After returning to share Luke 19:1-10 in McDonough, we were on Rt 20 heading northeast. Traffic was fast and furious. It reminded us of California, except traffic in Georgia moves! I was ahead of Lucy and found a Waffle House restaurant parking lot for her to pull into. As I was watching for her to approach, I stood on the corner and blessed the cars and trucks as they passed. A gentleman saw me and thought I was a Buddhist monk.

He came offer to share the Gospel with me but then he saw the cross that I wear and looking a bit bit perplexed, he said, "What...what's going on?" I shared what we were doing and why and gave him a Zacchaeus DVD. He said he was going to call his pastor. He took out his phone and said...."Wait a minute, I am the pastor!" We laughed and at that moment Pastor Matt Murphy of Greater Love Church in Covington, Georgia and I became friends!

Just about then Lucy pulled up in the Christ-mobile and the three of us sat and laughed and prayed together. Pastor Matt invited us to pray about coming to speak at their Sunday evening service. Wow! Another unexpected opportunity to share our gifts! Whenever God gives us opportunity, we say "YES!"

We continued on to Lawrenceville and located Atlanta's International House of Prayer. Here they praise God twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with live music! As soon as stepped into the Prayer Room, we cried, but they were beautiful tears. It felt like we were home. After spending several hours there, we decided to take Saturday off and hang around the prayer room the entire weekend before driving back to Greater Love Church.

Zacchaeus was received very well. This church family reminded us our home church, Southwest Community, in Olathe, KS. It was a small church overflowing with hospitality and love. We went out for a meal with them after service and didn't want it to end. Thunder storms were forecast for the wee hours of Monday morning so they let us hook up to water and electric for the night. So here we sit....warm, safe and dry. Blessed by God all week long and looking forward to another week of traveling with the Lord.

Father, we have done nothing to merit your favor yet you pour Your grace upon us day after day. You love us because Love is who You are. We thank You, Timeless One, for Your hand upon our life; for new friends each week, for Your attention to the little things.