cool 'gathering' story ...

Hi Everybody,

Just wanted to share with you a cool story that just happened:

Our AC unit died and we had it replaced yesterday (yes, we're totally broke now). As they were installing the new system yesterday, God reminded me of a guy I met a few years ago, Jason, a metal scrapper, stopped by our house and asked if he could have some scrap metal on the side of the garage. We talked a bit after loading it in his truck and he shared with me he had a pretty rough background. I asked for his number and wrote it on a wooden shelf in my garage. I told him I would call him if I had any other metal stuff to give him.

So yesterday God reminded me of Jason, the metal scrapper, and I felt led to call him and offer him the old condensor, coil, and furnace units. Now bear in mind I could have brought these in myself to have them recycled and gotten some hefty cash money for them. But instead, acting on The Gathering mission to 'love the world selflessly,' I offered it all to him.

While he was here just now loading it all up on his trailer, I had great conversation with him. I asked him to share with me where he is spiritually. He said he believes in something higher than himself but mostly trusts in himself, in his positive thinking. Through the course of our half-an-hour together, I took the risk - and know that sharing our faith in Jesus with others is always a risk - and shared my story with him, how Jesus is my 'stand in man' and how God demonstrated His love for me (for us) by sending Jesus to the cross for us. He seemed to be connecting with it. I also shared with him how God reminded me of him and asked me to give him all that recycle stuff. I told him it was God's way of caring for him. He seemed appreciative and listened intently. I also invited him to join us on Sunday night at 5 PM for our Gathering gathering. He was receptive and said he would keep it in mind. Fun experience!

I share this story with you to help illustrate what 'faith in action' looks like, something we talked about on Sunday night. This story also illustrates The Gathering mission in a nut shell: Love God earnestly, love others tangibly, love the world selflessly. I believe this story would not have happened if I had not been deeply connected with and loving God through prayer and devotions this week. He enabled me to love tangibly someone at cost to myself. And this all toward the goal of loving the world selflessly.

I would love it if each of you would invite a friend or neighbor to join us this Sunday; I want to make it my habit to invite at least one person every week to our Sunday gatherings. Maybe you could do the same.

Hope your week is going well.

In Jesus,
Jimmy