fuel...

I have asked for prayers for fuel before. It's a given every Thursday for me. Part of this admittedly is that this particular ministry meant so much to someone I really care about who had to leave it "behind" like a troubled teen mother leaves her baby in the arms of adoptive parents with little choice. Mostly because it has been an answered prayer to my concerns about this whole church transition we've had goin' on, as well as the normal maternal prayers for Shawna [& John] to grow adult feet to [their] faith.

I remember fondly my college years at MPCC and those God weaved in and out of my life during that time. [Oddly enough some of my youth sponsors during that time were John's parents and Erin's mom and dad. Weird.] We had small group studies and parties/activities but I would have loved having our own time of worship. How I would have loved having our own band, our own speaker, our own space. We did have our own "name" which remains to this day & I believe there was or will be a Cornerstone reunion being planned. [My invitation was lost in the mail it appears :)]I can remember when that name was chosen and I remember the old corner room in the fellowship hall at 25th & High where we met for years. It was in that room Doreen Gross helped me develop my teaching skills, where Mike Brown planted seeds of hunger for a faith that was alive and "emerging" and where I first sat across from my future hunk of a husband the first Sunday he set foot in a Sunday school class because his brother Mike was teaching. I even now remember our first "couch" and wanting to be the first people in the room to claim it and not have to sit on the traditional metal folding chairs. Fun stuff.

There was a small group of us that tried our hands at a monthly Friday night coffee shop. We pooled resources with some other 20 somethings and had different people lead worship and had a devotional time with fellowship following. We met at St. James church I think...wow. I had forgotten all about that until now...

I grew a lot during those years and I want that in the worst way for Shawna. I have tried, feebly at times, to attract her to a lifelong love affair with Jesus as my mother did me. I'm excited about the possibilities that lay in wait for her and others like her in an age with so many opportunities to live it out. I am acutely aware of the people God is placing in their lives and their significant contributions to the seeding and watering and harvesting of their journey. I pray for fuel knowing this circle of believers will influence my grandchildren and theirs. I pray for fuel knowing these college students will sow their seeds of faith in countless places I have yet to imagine. I pray for fuel believing it will be counted as righteousness one day and realizing I was blessed in watching the process. It would be amazing if you'd pray too...