Playing Catch-up

I haven't blogged for a while but it's not been from lack of things to write about. I'll have to back up a few days and I'll spare you the pages of details. Here are the highlights of the past couple of weeks:
Pamper Night-We picked up several of our North-side ladies from our bible study to attend the festivities at Highland campus. Except for the one who was too intoxicated to come inside the building, everyone had a great time. In fact, even the drunk one had a great time, spending time with us at the lake, eating fancy sandwiches and drinking tiny bottles of water. She thanked me loudly and repeatedly for the lovely time on the ride home. I think she forgot entirely about the manicure and facial she was going to get; but she had a great time at the luncheon by the lake. (My deepest apologies to the parking guy that she flashed on the way to the van...she seldom does that sober.)
Ladies Thrive - I had the opportunity to share at the bible study and we talked about choosing this day whom we will serve. We discussed choices, consequences and our power to choose. The ladies were very encouraging and we all had a good time. During group one of the women who had attended Pamper Night told the others that for the first time in her life she felt like royalty. She said that from the time she was picked up until the moment we dropped her off she felt like she was in another world. Another attendee (her sister) said that she went home and went straight to sleep; for the first time in forever. It's amazing how God can transform a pedicure and a chocolate fountain into a peaceful night's sleep.
This week's Ladies Thrive - We served them lunch this week for the first time. Cooking for Christ made a batch of their famous red beans and rice, served with cornbread and home-made brownies. It was a huge hit. We no advertising at all we served 80 meals in under forty minutes. Preaching the Gospel and feeding the hungry... it doesn't get any better than this!
Warehouse Makeover - On Saturday some of the HPC men came down to the Dream Center to give the warehouse a face lift. For hours they were installing pallet-racking, moving stuff and working up a sweat. By the end of the day we had almost doubled our storage space. Thank God for men!!! The ladies weren't slacking off either; sorting clothes, cleaning up and preparing for future outreaches in the community. Can you believe we get to do this?
Hospital Visits - Charity and I have been at the hospital twice in the past couple of weeks. The first visit was to Miss Martha; an elderly woman whom we've been visiting regularly for the past six months or so. She was admitted for chest pain and they put in a pacemaker. Since then she's had another stroke so she's still in need of much prayer. Our second trip was to pick up one of the youth Charity has been ministering to for the past few weeks. Admitted early this morning for suspected alcohol poisoning, this 14 year-old girl is also in need of much prayer.
Summary - This short list really puts it all into perspective for me. Over the past 10-14 days we have had the opportunity to preach the gospel, visit the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bring hope to the hopeless and to be a light in a very dark place. Not everybody gets to do this. Not every church puts it's time, energy and resources into reaching out to this lost and dying world. I am so very grateful for Healing Place Church, for the heart of our lead pastors, and for the people who give to make it all possible. I love my God. I love my church. I love my life. All glory to God!!!