Last weekend Barbara and I spent with Lizzy in Rome, GA. Berry College, where she is a senior does not have a football team, so, instead of homecoming they host Mountain Day which in reality is homecoming on the anniversary of Martha Berry’s birthday (the founder of Berry College). It has this small town feel in the mountains with quirky traditions and activities. It is fun and hard to describe at the same time. We had fantastic weather and got to meet a large number of friends we have heard about and now have a face to go with a name. The weather made a perfect fall weekend. It was a good time and a welcome get-a-way. Even the plan change turned out to be great.
Plans are as I write last week out attempt to control and direct what we have little to no control over. Isn’t that funny how we spend large amounts of time and energy over that which we have no control! The plan change was to stay the night Saturday and come home Sunday. That was not my choice but it proved to be a fine change. One of the highlights of the weekend was worshipping with Connect Rome City Church. They are 18 months old. When they first began they met in a downtown bar on Sunday morning. Due to circumstances beyond their control they relocated to a former Mexican restaurant in the local mall.
The platform is inset in the wall. As I looked more closely I realized that the back of the stage was under the vent hood for the former kitchen. They hung Styrofoam balls on line underneath as decoration. The room was not large and the chairs were close. This was not a high dollar retrofit but a budget get-err-done remodel, functional but not real pretty if you know what I mean. The band played well and LOUD and they baptized several folks in a cow trough full of water. In all 12 people that morning as they have two services each Sunday. At the conclusion of the message the Pastor asked for those who chose to commit to Christ to raise their hand. As he prayer he counted 8 or 9 and then became emotional as he thanked God for 53 commitments to Christ in a four to five week span. It was later at lunch that I learned before this series of messages began this Pastor had prayed for a LARGE return. He prayed for 50 people to make commitments to Christ and Sunday morning made 53. I got choked up with that.
I mention this because had my plans not changed I would not have been reminded that the cause of Christ is not dependent upon surroundings, location, etc, etc, etc. but on hearts committed to Him and willing to pray, preach and participate big and expect a big God to work! What a GREAT surprise! There is a second thing to tell you.
I was made aware that my little girl. The one who used to ride with me to the hardware, auto parts, and junk yard store was no longer a little girl but rather a bright, vibrant woman and those previous days are just that previous. It’s sad in a way how quickly they go by and yet that is the point. Every parent and every child share the same goal, the goal of developing a healthy, happy, purposeful adult. We are almost there with one and it is a little sad. I’ll get over it. It’ll be O.K.
I have an opportunity (I’m writing on Tuesday) to play before a crowd of 12,000 at Catalyst in the opening session. Not alone but with others, at first I was not going to do it but others helped change my plans. I’ll have to tell you about the surprise of this opportunity when we meet again.
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