I have been asking Brian lately if he’s been praying for me. God is changing my heart. I can’t explain it. Praise God.

Saturday night our small group went to a homeless shelter to serve dinner or so we thought. Brian explained to me that the routines or needs of the shelter can vary in an instant. So instead of serving dinner, we found ourselves outside passing out Halloween candy, playing with kids on the playground area and one of us dressed up like a monster for the haunted house. There was a Halloween party that night for the kids and we joined in. We were told to “engage” ourselves. A little daunting at first being a literal person… serve food, easy… engage, a little more difficult for me.

As the night went on I felt at home with these families. I had an “engaging” talk with Mandy (name changed) who came here from Illinois by her son’s (3 of them) father who wanted to “start over” with her. She came all that way thinking there would be a new beginning. But I found out that “it all blew up” the night before and he wanted nothing to do with her. She found herself here because she had nothing.

I am learning more and more that reaching the lost is so much more than getting them saved. Salvation is critical, but loving, disciplining and just being outside of our comfort areas is exactly what Christ did. And if I call myself a “Christ follower”, I will do the same. Instead of waiting for the lost to appear for my convenience, I must appear to them where they’re at first.

Here are some links/books I am finding so encouraging.

http://markkelly.wordpress.com/2007/08/08/justice-in-the-burbs/

http://www.unchristian.com/ (more to blog when I receive it from library)

http://www.irresistiblerevolution.org

http://www.outsidejesus.typepad.com/ (more to come with this link)

Please pray for Mandy.