When we try to be 'in tune' with our surroundings and pay attention to the needs of the people we come in contact with, it can be a liberating and exhilarating experience... it can also be a little frightening and overwhelming!
I am reminded of a scene from the movie 'Bruce Almighty' when Jim Carrey gets his wish (sort of) and has the powers of God... along with those powers, however, comes the responsibility of hearing and answering the prayers... from EVERYONE IN THE WORLD! It is a comical scene as the main character tries to do everything possible to 'manage' the global inflow of prayers...
It reminds me of us... for most of my life, I have traipsed through the world intentionally NOT knowing or caring about the pain and need around me... I mean, I wasn't a horrible person who kicked small animals and pushed down little old ladies to beat them to the checkout at WalMart... but I was just... blissfully unaware...
However, as my senses are heightened and my attention is turned more toward serving, I have prayed that God would open my eyes and help me pay attention to my 'surroundings'.
And God has answered that prayer... in talking to many members of my Riverside family, I am sensing that the Spirit is slowly opening their eyes as well...
Do you feel a little like Jim Carrey? Are you overwhelmed? Do you wonder where to start? I do. But I know the same God who revealed these needs to me will give me an avenue... a way to help.
That's why it is so exciting to watch this sleeping giant called Riverside awaken to the needs around us and find ways to help... Yeah, we have always been benevolent-minded in our approach... and our contribution has always been used more for outward focus than inward... but, WOW!
Did you have any idea we had a homeless shelter for women in Mountain Home whose building is literally falling down around its residents? Neither did I! But one of our life groups opened their collective eyes, and have taken that project on as their main focus! When the officials who operate this shelter learned that a group of complete strangers were planning to literally rebuild and renovate their facility, they wept openly.
Yeah, Riverside is a God-blessed and Spirit-led work-in-progress experiment... and I am so excited to play a small part in this story. I wake up every day anticipating how God will move through us to serve...
that's Outflow...
God Bless!
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