Answered Prayers

The last few days have been answered prayers. It started on last Thursday when I happen to stumble on to the website denverchurch.tv. I have been looking for a small group to get involved with for quite some time now. Denver Church happen to belong to Association of Related Churches, started by Billy Hornsby (Victory and Church of the Highlands also belong). Well I shot Pastor Bryan an email, asking if I could get involved in their small groups. He quickly responded and let me know that their LifeGroups had actually just launched that week. Well, I called the LifeGroup leader, Stevie and he invited me over to his apartment that night as they were having their first meeting. We had a blast over at his place and I knew this was an answered prayer. I felt comfortable sharing how the Lord has worked in my life and we actually openly discussed an issue Lisa (Stevie's girlfriend, UF Grad '06) was going through. Accountability was a main focus of this group, which is something I was definitely looking for in a small group.

Then, I decided to check out Denver Church on Sunday morning. It was literally a 15 minute walk from my apartment. They met in an elementary school and it was actually their one year anniversary as a church! I knew this place felt right the moment I walked in the doors. I was greeted by Pastor Bryan and the moment I met him I could tell he has a real heart for the Lord. His message was a highlight of how the Church has grown over the last year and where God is leading this church. What a great time for me to come him and hear the overview. The church was like a family and made up of people my age. I have really been looking to surround myself with Godly people that are my age and this was that answered prayer. They finished the service with a song Church of the Highlands introduced while I was in Birmingham called, "God of this City." It really solidified this church for me. The icing on the cake was, after the service I spoke with Pastor Bryan about the fact that I went to Victory Church and he told me that the Worship Leader Kirk, was actually Pastor Mike's son-in-law. WOW!

Then this morning there was another answered prayer. My very good friend Sarah has had a very hard time since her and her boyfriend broke up. I can relate with her and we have really strengthened our friendship over the past few months. I have really been praying for her as she has been struggling with the pain of this ended relationship. I have tried to share with her how the Lord is bringing me through my hurt. She has been a great friend for me during this time in my life. Well my prayer was answered this morning as we were chatting online as we do a lot of mornings at work. She told me she was really having a hard time and upset about making some regretful decisions. I told her there is only one way to get your life back in line and that comes by allowing Christ into your life. This seemed foreign to her. I began to describe this transformation process that has taken place in my life and my buddy John's life, because she has recognized this change. She asked me how does she go about letting Christ be the focal point in her life. I said by praying to God that all her sins be forgiven and for Jesus to be Lord of her life. This must be done with a sincere heart, but God will hear her prayer and salvation will take manifestation in her life. I felt like God had opened up this conversation and the Holy Spirit was giving me the words to say (type). She got back to me in about 20 minutes and she said that she had done this. She told me she was full of tears and I told her I was absolutely ecstatic for her. I never dreamed God would have used me to help Sarah find this, but it was awesome. She was floored that John and I cared so much about her that we had been praying this would happen in her life for over 5 months. I told her this is love and compassion for others that God will place on your heart, once salvation takes place in your life. I could not stop emphasizing how excited I was for her. I called my buddy John and shared this with him and I think he was like a deer in the headlights once he heard what had just happened. I then spoke with Sarah's best friend Lauren, who had just had a conversation with Sarah last night about following Christ. I told Lauren I would let Sarah tell her what happened. I am so proud of Lauren as she has come such a long way and it is tremendous to see the Lord becoming so prevalent in Lauren's life.

God is good my friends.

As John would say, Do Work!

be blessed,
your boy elbow