Praying in the Rain

With the start of school comes our opportunity to prayer walk our school campuses.  What a blessing to walk around the campuses of the schools in our communities; praying for the many needs during the school year.  Each year our family prays together, but this is the first year that our children all seemed mature enough to prayer walk with Jennifer and I (at least for them to pray and walk at the same time).

Listening to our children pray for their teachers, their principal, the custodial staff, the kitchen workers, their fellow students, and the attitude of the parents was such a blessing to me and Jennifer.  We pray that the prayers of our children will change their hearts and ultimately their actions as they have the opportunity to serve the people they have now prayed for today.

We are so excited to think of how our children will be lights in a dark world this year.  We praise the Lord for the testimony of the many children in our church that love the Lord so much.  We are also thankful for the testimony of the teachers and administrators in our schools that live for Christ each day.  We pray that each one will be used by the Holy Spirit to touch many hearts and lives this year, thus impacting our community with the power of God.

Today may have been a rainy day, but it was a glorious day watching the people of God passionately pray for their community and to do so in a public way by prayer walking (some driving) around the schools.  May God richly bless those who were servants through prayer.

Tomorrow (Monday - the first day of school) I plan to spend a lot of time at the schools greeting parents, praying quietly for many, encouraging the many servants, and loving the children with the love of God.  I cannot think of a better way to spend the day, than to allow God to pour his life out through me in the context of our community.

Joining you in passionate prayer,

Bro. Wade

The silver lining

While a storm can bring many terrible results, God is able to take that which was meant for bad and turn it for good.  When life is turned up side down, the important things come to the top.  It is during this time that many people begin to turn toward God or at least pray to, or open up to God.  When the church recognizes such an opportunity, the community can be served and many lives can be changed for eternity.  It is in such times that the community can clearly see the incarnate love of God expressed toward them.  The church then becomes the embodiment of God's presence and love to the world.

These past few weeks have seen the body of Christ in First Baptist Harlingen be such an example to our community.  We have not only housed mission and disaster relief teams in our buildings, served them meals, and cared for their needs; but we have served our community with our own hands.  Our youth group (and others) filled sand bags alongside city employees before the storm hit.  We worked in yards and homes around the city, having the privilege of leading some into a personal relationship with Christ.  We have given out water, house supplies, and financial assistance to families in desperate need.  

Thank you church family for being the body of Christ - the presence of God in this community.  Thank God for being faithful to us in the midst of a storm, allowing us the privileges we still see in our community to serve others.

Thankful for every opportunity to love and serve,

Bro. Wade

Good-Bye Dolly

What a horrible experience.  No, I was out of town for the hurricane; the horrible part was being out town while my family was in Harlingen during the hurricane.  Not being with those I love as they endured a frightening few days and then to live without electricity for several days following, was so difficult for me.  I wanted to come home, and started to do so on many occasions, but my wife insisted that I stay and finish what I started in Dallas (doctoral seminar only offered once per year).  

God taught me so much in my seclusion in Dallas.  I learned so much about the priority and privilege of prayer.  I re-learned that the most important thing I could do for anyone is to pray.  Not the last thing to be done, but the first - and the most important.  God allowed me to spend quality time throughout the days praying for my family, my church family, my friends, and for the lost in our communities.

I am so thankful to be in a church family that truly loves my family.  They expressed their love so clearly as they took care of my family in my absence.  The storm brought an opportunity for us to see God's love in such a visible way.  The many visits, phone calls, meals, times of help on the house, and the constant encouragement offered to my family helped me in my absence.  I learned to trust the body of Christ, even with my family.  What a great lesson, not easily learned, but life-changing all the same.

Humbly thankful to be a member of the body of Christ.

Bro. Wade