The March of HOPE!

Great Lord's Day today...praise God for a place to have church!

Really impressed with the heart of our congregation. So many changes, so much devastation to our regional worship center, new time for the Sunday worship service, so much ministry activity taking place every day, so many ministry opportunities that have opened up for us , so much rebuilding and restoration going on and so much HOPE that is gaining a foothold in our forward march.

This afternoon, (kinda hard getting used to instead of this morning)...I preached about Joshua and the people of Israel marching around Jericho. God spoke to Joshua about the plan to take this city and gave specific instructions. Joshua had to march in HOPE each and every day. The people had to follow God's man who was leading in HOPE. Together they obeyed God's master plan to succeed in victory and claim the city for the glory of God.

Similarly, our church is on such a journey. God is encouraging us to MARCH IN HOPE. We must recognize that this march is a marathon, not a sprint. We must be strengthened in the Lord and renewed in HOPE each and every day. HOPE for a brighter day tomorrow. HOPE for serving others in His name at our HOPE Outreach Center. HOPE for expectantly enlarging the harvest. HOPE for witnessing miracles beyond all limits. HOPE for seeing the rebuilding phase being finished DEBT FREE! HOPE for a grand victory that is assured to people who walk in unity and trust Him completely according to His will and purpose!

I'm so proud of our church! God is doing such phenomenal things in our fellowship. People are eager to see what God will do next. We are ready to pray, give and go...because it will take all of us doing our part to march in hope!

This afternoon we gathered @ Sirloin Stockade as our church is featured as the "church of the month." Good food and great fellowship!

Then quickly we went home to change our clothes and drove back to CFA to assist with the afternoon project. We transitioned the HOPE Outreach Center out of the foyer back into the hot and humid fellowship hall. We will still have the intake table in the lobby of the new wing but direct the people back to the fellowship hall to gather their supplies, food and clothing. (I think our workers are going to sweat away the pounds this week!! It's hot back there without any air conditioning!) Don't forget...if you can drop off some canned goods or non-perishable food items sometime tomorrow it would be so much appreciated!

We were also able to remove many of the disassembled pews from yesterday and haul them out to the dumpster on the side of the church. This 30 yard dumpster is just about full!!

Later upon arriving back home, Devon and Ashlyn went with me on a 10 or 12 mile bike ride. We went all the way to the church, then to Central Middle School, then to Mill Race Park (where my kids climbed the stairs all the way up the tower!), then we watched the symphony play for about five minutes, drove on over to the Ferrill's for some good H20, and then all the way back home. Wow...that gives you a good cardio workout!!

I'm finishing this post and then looking forward to another adventure filled MARCH OF HOPE kind of week. If you live in the area I invite you to drop by the HOPE Outreach Center from 9 to 4 pm from Monday to Friday. Lots of action. Tons of ministry taking place. If you didn't pick up your team t-shirt, you can get yours any day this week @ CFA! Remember the $10!

We are believing God for assistance with our FLOOD FUND to bring us back to our church home debt free...totally beyond all limits! Visit our church website and click on the online giving button: www.columbusfirstassembly.org!

Leading in HOPE...marching in faith...serving others...working side by side with great people...and looking up!!

Let me hear how your day went. Jot a "comment" down on this post to share your day with us, OK!

Much love to you and yours!