Community is working - Jesus Army Life, Day 244

Hmmm, well this weekend has been fantastic. It started back on Thursday when we picked up a friend who's heart is for community life but who has been struggling loads with various issues. He's stayed before so it's good to have him back and he's going to be staying for the week to see how he gets on.

Then there was praying for a female youngster on Thursday evening. She was grieved about a particular issue and has slowly been opening her heart up to God. The sister who joined me to pray for her has been helping her for some time now so this was another step on the journey. All credit to this esteemed co-worker in Christ for her loving diligence.

On Friday evening I caught up with a friend I haven't seen for ages. That was sweet enough in itself. Then on Saturday we had a conference for men which was attended by about 600 fellas. I always find these conferences convicting and this one was no different. I've been trying to make my way back into a deep relationship with Jesus after having been dried out through a lot of stress-pressure stuff. I received some prayer in the evening which was helpful. And my struggling friend found something of God again too, which was great.

Sunday was beautiful. It always is when the community family gets together in the morning - we talked about who was 'anchored in the harbour of our heart'. There was an afternoon meeting for Drop-In team leaders which might sound boring to you but it's vital to me. I haven't led a drop-in session for three weeks and I always feel out of it and a bit nervous when I haven't done a session in a while.

But the evening was the corker - I was involved in helping baptise three people. One of them is a close friend of mine who met the church last year through that same diligent sister. It's a privilege to have known him and see him changing and conquering his fears as he's come to know Jesus. It's just good to be with him on the journey. When the baptisms had finished a fourth person came forward to be baptised. He'd only come along to church for the first time that morning but he obviously liked what he found, mainly Jesus. A few guys already knew him and so we baptised him and he was obviously filled with the Holy Spirit.

Driving people home that night. The sister we'd baptised that evening couldn't stop talking about how drunk in Spirit she felt, "like being stoned, like a 1000 pills." I was smiling inside too, especially as the young teenager we'd prayed for a few days before was there too and listening. I'm praying it had some impact.

The three teenagers we baptised had all come round to White Stone in the last year, the other man had started attending our Jesus Centre activities. As our household leader said: "Community is working." Amen, and the Jesus Centre is working, Church is working.

(PS. I haven't time to tell you how earlier in the week we laughed ourselves silly about how exhausting all this stuff is. Praise God!)