Continued Cleanup!

(Picture of Dollar General Store)

Little tough getting going after a strenuous and exhausting day yesterday. But once I started moving forward I discovered many signposts of God's activity along today's journey.

Thanks Lord for the many people you placed in my path today. Calls and visits from many local and out of town pastors was encouraging. Calls from many other Christians who also offered prayers for us was uplifting. People letting us know that our church and community has been placed on their church's prayer list is powerful. You begin to understand the vast and wonderful family of God that you belong to and are part of. Trying to juggle all the responsibilities of a church in crisis is overwhelming, but then another wind of encouragement comes in to lift my sails. Lord, you know my strengths and limitations. You know me from the inside out. You cover me with your wings. You shield me from the whisperings of the attacker. You protect me with your love.

We found a place to worship in on Sunday's. We will be moving to a one service format per week for the near future. Thanks Lord for going before us to secure a convenient and accessible location. Another gracious provision that you've bestowed upon us Lord!

We've also brought in the services of a cleaning and restoration company to speed up the process of our total church renovation project. It appears more complex than I had first thought. More than likely all carpet will be removed and disposed of. Drywall will also be removed and taken out from about 4 feet from off the ground. The entire basement will require extreme measures to allow us back in for ministry and movement. In a word...patience! Getting things back to normal will require patience from every member of our congregation. Getting our church back to normal operations will not be in the short term. It will take time...lots of time. Will we succeed? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT...we will climb this mountain with God leading us forward...the Holy Spirit empowering us...our brothers and sisters walking beside us...faith rising within our hearts...and the Word of God grounding and growing in us daily!

I wonder where God will take us. I wonder what God has in mind for our church. I wonder where we will be in months to come. I just wonder what the road map in heaven reveals for Columbus First Assembly by the time December rolls around. All I can say is that we will have grown some strong spiritual muscles in the process and reached out to many hurting souls along the way. Lord, we're ready to follow you. Lord, you have the master plan...we will pursue it! Lord, may we be your hands extended to the people around us.

Will prepare for our first church gathering tomorrow night in our parking lot. We will assemble as one body. We will call upon the Lord together. We will love one another. We will grow closer. We will be strengthened from His Word. People from our church cry when they visit CFA disaster central. Tears well up in their eyes when they see the damage. They hug a neck. They look for some way to help out. They understand the mountain that we are climbing together. BUT GOD...

I am deeply thankful that I have a wonderful home to come home to each night. It was not affected by the flood. I am blessed beyond measure. I have a shower where I can clean up. I have a washing machine with hot water to clean our clothes. I have a refrigerator where I can find something to eat. I have my family to love. I have this home computer to come to to write posts for this blog. My wife and I and our children are extremely blessed...beyond all limits! Thank you Lord! So many others have lost everything...please provide for each one of them. Lift them up and support them.

I leave you with the words of Jesus: He said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you!" Friend, you can take that to the bank. He is on your side. He will lift you up. He will lead you out. All you need to do is call upon Him and place your complete trust in Him. He is loving and kind. He is compassionate and merciful. He is strong and mighty...boy do I need Him!

I anticipate the mile markers of God's faithfulness and provision in tomorrow's journey. It's gonna be a great day! Can't wait to see what He's going to do. Each day is unique. Each moment is a memorable one.

Got to hit the sack.

Love to all,

Pastor Andreasen