More than the Lottery
September 19, 2008
I liked what was on the lottery card I chose on Sunday, but I also knew the idea was to just get us out there doing and thinking. Dave challenged us to make up our own as well.
My husband and I each bought a copy of Dave’s book and I was using my “lottery ticket” as a bookmark. I ended up finishing the book by candlelight over the next two nights during The Great Hurricane of 2008. My husband hadn’t started reading his copy yet (slacker), so I decided we didn’t need two copies after all. One idea led to another and I ended up going back to the bookstore to buy an armload full of more books, and posting a giveaway on my blog.
My little blog was set up to share random thoughts, stories, and pictures – mostly because all of my family and several old friends live four hours away. I would have guessed I maybe had three people reading it! I wrote about the book and then offered a free copy to any reader who wanted one. I received an email today from a totally random stranger in Pennsylvania who found my blog somehow and was interested in reading the book. So I’m putting Dave’s book in the mail today and it will be off to Debbie in Pennsylvania and there’s no telling where it could go from there.
God is so cool.
Julee
Divine yard work?
September 19, 2008
Saturday night sevice my wife and I got our scratch off cards. Mine was “do a neighbors yard work”. I was not excited. We live in the country and have to drive to neighbors. So not sure how I was going to do my serving, feeling a little guilty, I paid for the car behind us at Wendys meal thinking that might make me feel better. Anyway we got home I went out on the porch and prayed “God you are going to have to help here.”
Sunday afternoon Ike rolled through and there were limbs everywhere. Monday morning I put the chain saw, leaf blower, rakes, brooms, etc. in the back of the truck, came back to the house and asked my wife to come serve with me. We drove 2 miles to our little town and discovered most of the residents were still sleeping. It didn’t seem like a good idea to fire up a chain saw in someone’s yard without asking. So as we slowly snaked our way through the streets, we saw an 83 year old man with a little bow saw working on a tree. It sure looked like a divine appointment. All in all we helped 4 people, offered a couple others who turned us down. It was a great day!
Darrell W.
PS: I did not pray for a windstorm.
Lottery – What a gas!
September 19, 2008
Dave:
I did the service thing this week, but I screwed it up a little — I lost the card. When I scratched off the ticket during the celebration, it said to buy somebody a gas card. (My wife got to buy somebody an ice cream) That was before the storm hit on Sunday afternoon and wiped out power to 80% of the city. So the gas stations got a little crowded, which made people easy enough to find at the gas stations that actually still had gasoline left by Tuesday. Finally on Wednesday night, when I need to fill up myself, I pulled into a station, filled the tank, then pulled off into a parking spot to see who would follow me in. I took your advice and said a prayer, and shortly a young black couple pulled into the tank. I looked for the card to tear off and give them, but I couldn’t find it. So I walked up and said, “Hey, if you guys are needing some gas, let me take care of it for you — God’s gift, because he loves you. No strings — really.” He looked at me and then at his wife, who said, “I was just saying, ‘I don’t know why we are stopping, we don’t have money for gas.’” I noticed they spoke with African accents. I said something like God bless you and I hope this helps. I slid in my credit card, activated the pump, and got in my car and drove away.
I was about a block away when it dawned on me that there could be people filling up at that tank fall night on my credit card! While that wouldn’t be the end of the world, I turned around and drove back. They were still there, at the tank, and I asked if there was anything else I could do for them tonight. She said, “Why are you doing this? I’ve never seen anyone like you before.” He said, “You are a church man, aren’t you?” We stood there and talked some about church, and I scrounged around and found a bulletin from last weekend on the floor of my car (I keep a neat car). I gave it to them and invited them to come and check us out sometime. I asked them about where they were from and turns out they are from west Africa, and she knows where Jos, Nigeria is. I told them about the Vineyard’s involvement with the wells there. I told them that my daughter is living in Tanzania, and that we visited last year. They were really excited to meet someone in Cincinnati who has an interest in Africa. They are students at UC, and he goes to church, but she doesn’t. Both were moved by this small reminder of God’s grace.
I doubt that I will ever see them again, but the experience was a blessing to me. I prayed that they would feel some touch by God that would last beyond the few miles they would get from that gasoline. When I got home, my wife asked why I was so late,but when I told her the story, it got me off the hook. It was by far the most I ever got from a tank of gas.
Thanks for being the pastor you are. Thanks for always challenging us to serve.
Bob B.
Serve the Server
September 18, 2008
Hi
My card’s mission was “find out 2 things about your server”. My family’s comment about that (because they know I like to talk) was “that should be easy for you”. I’m actually pretty shy so my first thought was “God, why don’t you ever just give me something easy and quick? What’s that – oh yeah, you like to push me out of my comfortable little box”.
So I thought, now I’m going to have to go somewhere to eat so I can find a server – because I know it’s important to do exactly what I’m told and not deviate. I should know better because God usually has other ideas just to make me reach even further. We had plans to go to the flea market in Friendship, IN on Sunday and headed that way. The sky clouded up and the wind started to blow – and didn’t stop for several hours. We drove on country roads with tree branches and sometimes trees literally falling all around us. One even fell on the hood of the car (minor damage). You’d think we would have turned back (I wanted to) but we went forward – because God had a plan and a purpose.
Of course when we arrived all of the vendors were doing all they could to batten down the hatches and save their wares and tents. Again, I was ready to go home but we started walking around. Then I noticed a woman who was by herself and her tent had blown down along with all of her tables. The jewelry and other items she had so carefully arranged were strewn all around. Then I understood why we were there. We helped her until everything was cleaned up and put safely away. I asked her name – Toni, where she was from – Kalamazoo, MI. I asked her if she knew Jesus and she said she most certainly did and that half of the jewelry she made involved crosses. She thanked us, gave me a hug and let us meet her 14 week-old yellow lab, McKenzie.
As we drove home, it struck me that I had asked my questions but instead of meeting a server, God blessed us by letting us be servers. How “AWESOME” is that? You just got to love Him.
Linda
God wins
September 18, 2008
You are NOT going to believe this one!!! I was passing out cards at the 10 o’clock celebration yesterday, and remembered to take one myself. I scratched it off, and it said,”Do your neighbor’s” yardwork.” Well, I didn’t really get all excited about that one, and when I mentioned it to someone else (who shall remain nameless), he said he didn’t like his much either, so we traded. I know, that wasn’t the idea. He gave me his “Tip your server more than 30%” card, and I gave him my yardwork card. Barb, Carolyn, and I went to Frisch’s for lunch after service, and I did tip more than 30% and left the attached card. “There, I’m done already” I thought.
Well, as you know, Sunday afternoon was a wild and woolly one in Cincinnati, and in our neighborhood in Fairfield. I saw my neighbor’s tree two doors down crack and fall into the street, so I went to help him pull it off the street. Then we decided to cut it up and leave it at the curb. As we were doing that, another neighbor’s tree cracked in half in the wind, and another neighbor joined in to help us. We saw more trees coming down, when it suddenly hit me. I was “Doing my neighbors’ yard work” just as my original card had said. Well, eventually, we ended up felling about 12 trees that had split in various neighbors’ yards, and we had a crew of about 10 neighbors and three chain saws working on this project. And everyone got to hear my story of what happens when you try to side-step God.
Dave, we have lived in this neighborhood for 12 years, and this is the most incredible neighbor experience we have ever had. God blessed me by giving me the opportunity to do his will even though I resisted at first. This is just the latest example of this in my life. If I could just learn to say “Yes” the first time when God calls!
Well, you know how that goes. Thanks for preaching just the message I needed to hear and providing the opportunity for my neighbors and me to connect on a whole new level. God is so awesome!
Don
Outward Focused Stress Relief?
September 18, 2008
Dear All,
It is Sept. 17th around 4:30 p.m. – - I am at work and about an hour ago, I was feeling very stressed because I have many things to do and not enough time or energy to do them today.
So, I decided to go for a little walk outside and get some sunshine. I was praying to God to help deal with my stress and work responsibilities in a healthy way vs. going to get some more caffeine or food. I put my hand in my poacket and pulled out the “get over yourself” card we got at church this weekend. That is excactly what I needed to get over my “stress attack”, I needed to get over myself and my “problems”. So, I got in the car and just followed the instructions. My card said to do a “drive thru freebie”.
I drove to a fast food place and “waited” for a person to drive behind me so that I could do my deed. While I waited, I asked God to send me somebody that really needed to hear from Him. After a minute or so, a van with a lady in it pulled over and I went into action. i order a bottle of water for me and when I went to pay for my order I paid for her order and asked the teenage attendent to give her the ” message from God” portion from the card.
As i pulled over to get my water I saw on the back mirror a smile from the lady in the van. I continued to pray for her and her family and that God would bless her more today. It is amazing the effect on me. Not only did I get “relief” from my stress but actually beagn to feel very grateful that I have such a great job I have and the opportunity that God has provided me in my work assignment.
I am reminded that I have to continually “get over myself” and know that is all in God’s hands and that everything is a blessing.
Thank you God!
Chuy
Need a ride?
September 18, 2008
I helped a friend with a ride and found out that he had nothing to eat and was one week away from a paycheck. We turned around and went to Bigg’s grocery and got food for the week. That’s why the Lord had me give him a ride in the first place!!
Steve F.
Laundromat Challenge
September 18, 2008
The Outward Focus series has been incredible and challenging. This week our family scratched off six different cards encouraging us to give in a practical way. One of the cards read “Pass out laundry tokens at the laundry mat.”
Okay – sounds simple – but we have a washer and dryer and rarely go to a laundry mat – in fact – where is it? I felt strange just thinking about walking into a laundry mat and passing something out for free without making a connection in a real way with those who were receiving the gift.
So…..who would have known four hours after receiving that challenge we would endure a Hurricane in West Chester! Crazy. Our family was blessed to be without power for the next 75 hours. By Wednesday morning guess who desperately needed to find the local laundry mat! Me! I walked in as a stranger and instantly bonded with a young lady who led me through
Laundry Mat 101. While watching our clothes swishy around and around she shared about being a transplant from Colorado – brought here by her husband – only to recently endure divorce – now alone with her only family back in Boulder. She remains here in order to finish her education at a local college. The same college that I had taught at for 12 years – another connection to talk about. At the end of our time together, I was able to gift her with a laundry card charged with enough money for her next visit! I shared God’s love in a practical way while making a real life connection as well! I loved it.
Not ten minutes later I was folding my laundry and another lady walked up to me and said – “I won’t be needing this charged laundry card next week as I’m hoping my power will be restored by then. Here you can have it.” It was charged with just 50 cents less than I had given my new friend! I guess you can’t out give God!
Thanks for the challenge and keep them coming.
Annette B
West Chester
Power out, but Kindness Abounds
September 17, 2008
It’s not often you hear of people in Cincinnati talking about being impacted by hurricane-force winds. But here we are in one of those times. It’s interesting to see what living in less-than-ideal circumstances brings out in people. I’ve seen some rude behavior, some scarcity-mentality kind of “me first” thinking, and most of the things you hear about on the news when people are under stress.
But I’m also seeing kindness popping up everywhere. You really do notice what you look for. Check out this article on the local news about a woman who cooked all the food in her freezer and started feeding all her neighbhors. Or the person who bought tons of ice and gave it away.
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080917/NEWS01/809170312/-1/winds
My husband and I also had opportunity for our own little servant evangelism project. We had a connection for ice that none of our neighbors did, as well as a pick up truck. So several hours and $40 bucks later we had some very grateful neighbors. It was worth every penny to get the folks on our street talking about what’s really important and thinking about supporting one another in other ways.
I wouldn’t wish this kind of storm on anyone, but I am grateful for the experience it brought to my neighborhood. Of course I hope the bonds we are beginning to form last long after the power comes back up.
Thanks for the meal!
September 17, 2008
This person was served by a random someone at our church – they didn’t know who to thank, so they left this message on our general phone line.
