If I believe in anything I believe in the sovereignty of God. And that is what gives me a sense of destiny about my life. Nothing is as exciting to me as being in co-mission with God. You never know when or how he is going to show up. I just know that faith invites God to move on our behalf and help us in ways we can't help ourselves!
Having said that...
I continue to marvel at the way God is using In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Before the book even came off the press, a team of NCCers was praying that the book would get into the right hands at the right time. Hundreds of emails later I can testify that God is answering that prayer big time! Just thought I'd share one of them to give credit where credit is due! Got a really cool email from an prison chaplain who is giving the book to inmates.
I just spoke with an inmate who went to confinement last week for disrespect to a shift supervisor. When I made my rounds in confinement, I gave him a copy of In a Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day. The inmate told me it was the best book he has ever read. One line he said really impacted him. He actually said he cannot get it out of his head. The quote is "Do the best you can with what you have where you are." This is coming from an inmate who is in confinement, sleeping on a steel bunk, in a bare 6x9 concrete cell.
Having said that...
I continue to marvel at the way God is using In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Before the book even came off the press, a team of NCCers was praying that the book would get into the right hands at the right time. Hundreds of emails later I can testify that God is answering that prayer big time! Just thought I'd share one of them to give credit where credit is due! Got a really cool email from an prison chaplain who is giving the book to inmates.
I just spoke with an inmate who went to confinement last week for disrespect to a shift supervisor. When I made my rounds in confinement, I gave him a copy of In a Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day. The inmate told me it was the best book he has ever read. One line he said really impacted him. He actually said he cannot get it out of his head. The quote is "Do the best you can with what you have where you are." This is coming from an inmate who is in confinement, sleeping on a steel bunk, in a bare 6x9 concrete cell.
9 Comments:
WOW!
Wow. Makes me feel pretty stupid for complaining about anything in my life.
Praise God!
Right Hands at the Right Time is so fitting for where we are at right now. I am a pastor in Vincennes, IN preparing to have our official launch on September 30. We have been priviledged to get an art deco movie theater built in 39' and one of the most recognized landmarks here in town. Because of this, we received a full front page article two Sunday's ago, the buzz that has been created is phenomenal. God has been sending us people to help out all along the way as we rennovate this theater, as well as sendig like minded people to help serve. We have seen whole families changed by Christ alreay, as we have created a real community. I do not want to take up all your time reading what we are doing, but if you are ever this way I would love to have you come see what we are doing, and share with the people of Intersect Church.
In the Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day was very instrumental at the beginning of this plant and continues to be a source that I refer back to when I feel a bit ragged.
When we went to the Assemblies of God church planting boot camp in Texas we were told to put together a dream team list, and yet no one on the list has come, as of this date. However, God's team has shown up. I liken it to the movie "Miracle", when Coach Herb Brooks makes his roster on the first day. The assistant says you have not even given them time to try out, and he responds that he did not want the all stars, but wanted the right team. Many times we think we know who the team should be, but God has the "Right Hands at the Right Time"
mainstreetpastor.blogspot.com
I love the sound of what you're doing! What a cool marketplace environment to reach people!!!
The good news ought to make the news! Keep on keeping on.
Mark
That is awesome!
i am reading it now....and telling everyone i know to get a copy as soon as they can! thank you. i am chasing lions!!!!!
Your book was given a review with the Barna Group as they alerted in their monthly email. Excellent!! http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Review&ReviewID=18
Praise God!
Pastor Mark: I LOVED your blog about the right hands at the right time, but this comment is about your new series on gray elephants. I'm glad you're taking on tough issues. There's a song by Casting Crowns entitled Stained Glass Masquerade and the chorus says "is there anyone that fails? is there anyone that falls? am i the only one in church today feeling so small...when i take a look around, everybody seems so strong. i know they'll soon discover i don't belong, so i tuck it all away like everything's okay. if i make them all believe it, maybe i'll believe it too. so with a painted grin, i'll play the part again. so everyone will see me, the way that I see them. Are we happy plastic people, under shiny plastic steeples, with walls around our weakness and smiles that hide our pain." This is, in my opinion, one of the most frustrating things about the church, people are not real. Especially if you have grown up in the church, you learn to put up a fascade that everything is great, even if it's not because you can't show your weaknesses. I don't know what the answer is, but the church seems to have lost "real people" and replaced them with plastic replicas who have perfect lives when in reality--everyone has struggles. If you this fits into any of your messages, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this.
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