When Missional Dating and Family Traditions Cross with the Crises of this Life

I know I have been slow in providing responses to the previous post I made, but know that it is because I am treating the objections to Christianity with seriousness and want to give them the attention they deserve - plus I've been busy.

But I can't wait to share this: God is doing some really neat stuff in our midst as we simply try to live out the gospel "as we go" (Matt 28:18). There are two ways that God has let us see His working this weekend.

1) Our family has a Saturday morning tradition of going to Waffle House to have breakfast. We have come to know all the employees there and love them, so it feels like home. In addition, we get to enjoy a delicious breakfast and establish some good traditions for the family. We have been praying for our waitresses for months now, usually asking them if we can pray about anything for them before we say our blessing. This not only brings the power of God into their lives when they may not seek it otherwise, but it gives us a point on which to connect with them the following week.

Well, here is the cool part: Saturday, the waitresses (even the ones that were not waiting on us that particular morning) came to us with prayer requests. We also talked about family issues we've been praying with them about for weeks. It was such a blessing to us to see this!

2) Sunday: What do you get when you have a great waitress that you have befriended over many visits, tornado warnings (for twisters in very close proximity to the resturant), and no power in the resturant? Well, my thinking was we had a good opportunity to talk about why we are at peace in the midst of the storm! So, while her other customers were walking out on her, we got a chance to share about the power of our Sovereign God who works all things for our good. Then we walked out too....... just kidding, we paid.

What a wonderful weekend, not to mention a great gathering with our church family this morning! Would it have happened if we didn't get out into the community, but rather waited on them to come to us first? Nope, not like this anyway! God is so gracious to use us.