Late Sunday Update: God is Good
At the Worth Heights Shelter earlier today we learned that many others in Fort Worth were there taking anyone who wanted to worship to church. We're blessed to live in a community with many churches interested in loving people. We count it a blessing to do whatever we can.
Four of our displaced New Orleans neighbors came to worship with us at Altamesa. It was an emotion filled day. I kept thinking, "God is good all the time, all the time God is good." No one expressed it like Terrance, Addison and Alisa (a married couple and cousins to Terrance), and Burnell. As Russ Bartee prayed, the faith and resiliency of our new friends is a powerful testimony to us. They blessed us richly.
During our worship, at the offering moment, they each reached into their pockets and gave. I am confident our Altamesa members don't make it a habit to watch others as they give, but this moment was different. I believe there was a divine appointment for many eyes to see what occurred. And after the assembly these four were showered with love, hugs, tears, and WalMart gift cards.
Did I already say "God is good all the time, all the time God is good"?!
Burnell told us he had not been to church in years. His wife is a faithful Christian but not him. He knows the Lord, but admits he has not been faithful to Him. When Joan Stokes approached Burnell at the shelter this morning he felt he just had to get up, leave his breakfast and go with her. Joan saw him and went straight to him. Now you must know that Joan is a powerful woman of prayer. She has made this her ministry. She waits for The Lord to make it clear who to talk to and then she goes and talks to them. Joan had gone to the Shelter for this very reason. She knew God would make it clear who needed to coem to church with her.
Burnell says he can't explain it, but he knew as Joan spoke with him that he just had to go with her.
Terrance, Addison, Alisa, and Burnell joined others for a lunch compliments of Jerry Green and Tia's Tex Mex. As they ate, John McMicken went to the Red Cross "FamilyLink" search site and immediately found Burnell's family. Burnell didn't know if they were in Baton Rouge or if they had made it to the Astrodome in Houston. He even feared that his father might have died in the flood and wind. But John had found Burnell family in Cedar Hill, Texas... less than 45 minutes away from Burnell in Fort Worth!
I think we're beginning to see why Joan approached Bernelle and why he felt compelled to come with her to Altamesa today.
Bernelle quickly checked out of the Worth Heights and Robert Bullock took him to reunite with his family. I just talked with Robert. He says when Burnell met his family there were tears and shouts of joy. And his father had turned up there as well! Burnell learned some other family members are already on their way to Houston to pick up Burnell's wife. They will all be together by late tonight.
I just spoke with him on the phone. Burnell knows God spoke directly to his heart this morning, for this very reason. Robert says that before he could leave Cedar Hill he was caught in a hug and worship fest of family tears, laughter, and shouting.
Guess what they were shouting? "God is good and faithful all the time."
Yes He is.
"I committed to Burnell that the Altamesa Church will buy him clothing and other necessities. He will call me in the next day or so to tell us what they need. Anyone who wants to help can navigate to our church website for details in the coming days.
"
The above article was used with permission from Danny Sims' BLOG ( http://simsdanny.blogspot.com)
Download PDF version of this page