A simple cause ....

Wow ... so today was just one of those days where God is like, "LISTEN, I'm talking to you!" I'm really not even sure were to begin!

Well, this morning I went to Verbena to hear Doug preach ... it's been awhile since I've heard him preach ... I've forgotten how much I missed the honesty of his sermons. My family and I have visited on and off since he left - enough to where the regulars know we really aren't visitors. And in meeting these people I've learned some of their stories and who they are. And sitting there in this room, where I barely know these people, but enough to know their backgrounds, I realized that each one of us has a story to tell ... and each one of us wants to tell it - regardless of what we say. Somehow we all find our own way to tell it - and it's those that don't have a way that cry ... and it's them WE should cry for. Doug told us that on the way to church he ran into a boy walking home and Doug asked him if he was going to stay for church and the boy said, "no, I'm tired" and Doug laughed and said, "me too! so come on ..." and the boy said, "no, I've been at VBS ..." Their conversation went on for a few minutes and then they went there separate ways. In that time Doug found out that the boy had recently been to Texas, he heard his story, but more importantly he listened to his story. I don't know the boy, but I know at least tonight he will go to bed knowing that SOMEONE cares ... that someone took the time out of their day to listen ... that that person gave of themselves - a sacrifice.

After the gospel there is a tradition of the preacher saying,"The word of God, for the people of God.", and the crowd responds, "Thanks be to God! Amen!" He pointed out something that I had never heard or thought of ... to me this response was really just a tradition and a praise to God for His word, but he said that when we say "thanks be to God! Amen" that we are acknowledging that God is going to do what He has said He is going to do, that we are really saying "God let YOUR will be done!" And to me I just thought it was awesome - something so basic and so comfortable to me was turn into something uncharted something almost a little uncomfortable (maybe because we had just read Amos8:1-9:6 ... go read it, it'll put a smile on your face)

I wrote this almost a year ago and saved it as a daft ... I'm not sure where I was going with it ... but I like the beginning so I'll let you take it for what it's worth! :)