Answered Prayer!

I can't tell you how exciting today has been.

To understand the following, please read the post below about talking to your Waitress.

SHE CAME TO FOCAL POINT TODAY!!! Yesterday I got an email from her family friends who have been sort of mentoring her. A little later I got an email from the waitress. Both emails said how God spoke to her through me and they wanted to come to Focal Point Church. Today they came and enjoyed the service with us. The couple that had dinner with us the other night told me after service that they talked a while and she loved the church and plans to come back next week!
In addition she accepted Christ at the conclusion of the service today (along with 5 others).

Being a new church start we have faced so many challenges and enjoyed so many victories. Today was one of those days where I just step back and say GO GOD! He's been amazing.

In addition to the Waitress attending today (I'm withholding her name on purpose), another family I invited several weeks ago came today. A few weeks ago a student in our ministry was in the ER for several hours. While there I saw this young couple with a 4 year old in the waiting room. This poor girl was out of it with illness. As the ER was full the nurses placed the little girl at low-risk and therefore long wait. Someone from our group (of about 15 who came in support of the teen---a testimony to the church God has built in itself) was talking to this couple and recommended that they go to a Children's hospital in town for quicker attention. As the husband (a Navy guy) walked past me I gave him an invite card and said "Hey man, I overheard you are in the navy and you may not have ties here.... these people (I pointed to our the 4 or 5 families there checking on our student)... these people are here b/c they love one another.... I want to encourage you to visit us sometime and I think you'll find a loving church were you and your family can belong. He took my card and said "Thanks Man". I nodded and said "Hey, I'm gonna be praying for your daughter" and he acknowledged and moved on to take his daughter to the Children's Hospital.
To be completely honest I had NO CLUE if they would ever take me up on the invitation. Today they DID! This young couple along with their healthy daughter came (this was several weeks ago now). She described herself as being somewhat agnostic and unfortunately has been turned off by church b/c of an incident that happened to her at a church when she was a child. She's carried around hurt and frustration for church but she's felt all along that she needed something. Today she accepted Christ as her Savior. They also joined us for the baptism and cookout after church. My wife and I spent a ton of time with them talking and laughing (they are great people and down-to earth). They both said they loved the church and are glad they came today!

I have several other stories about the weekend but these are my two favorite. These are two random people I met (one at a restaurant and one at the ER) whom I could have ignored. For whatever reason I felt that I should invite these people. (I didn't invite anyone else in the restaurant that day and I didn't invite the whole ER). It's amazing when God prompts you to step out and you act on that obedience in love... God Rocks. I Corinthians 3:5-15 (Those of us who plant and water are nothing compared to the God who makes everything grow!)

God you are amazing and worthy of our praise. Your ways are so far above our ways. Thank you for including us into your plan!