Busting My Buttons With Pride

This weekend I was so proud to see a couple of men from our church step out and do some things that blessed my socks off. 5 years ago had you mentioned to someone in our communities that these men would one day be doing what I saw them do this weekend you would have laughed your head off. These men were far from God and they would have told you that themselves. But I'm telling ya' this weekend they made me proud enough to bust my buttons.

When people see Chiper in church they still say with a tinge of shock, "Is that Chiper?" Not only is that Chiper, but he is the one who has been inviting his friends to come to church and to experience what he has in his life. This week Chiper invited 3 different people to come to church with him. One of those families made it to church and Chiper was so excited - and I share in his excitement. After church Chiper told me, "I'll invite them here and get them thru the door, then the rest up to you Pastor." I think this was just the beginning of Chiper finding opportunities to invite folks to church. I've witnessed changes in Chiper that only God could do.

It's the same with Richard. A couple of years ago Richard was far from God - not anymore! I've been watching Richard transform in front of my eyes. On Sunday evenings a bunch of us guys (30 or more) gather at the local High School and play some basketball. A majority of these guys don't go to church and don't have a personal relationship with the Lord. Over the last few weeks the language has gotten a little, let's say "salty". So it was suggested that we pray before we start our games. Richard volunteered! He said to me something like, "Most of these guys new what I was like before I gave my life to Christ; if they were to hear me pray they would have to take notice that God is real." Don't you just love that? So right before we played ball last night we gathered in the center of the gym and Richard prayed a great prayer and was unashamed of his relationship with the Lord.

I witnessed these events within 6 hours of each other on Sunday and I was so excited for what God has been doing and is doing in Chiper and Richard's life. You have to know that if something like this blessed me, imagine how their Heavenly Father felt? You know God was smiling this Sunday.

Both of these men would be the first to tell you that they are still not perfect, but now they have a personal relationship with Christ, and that makes all the difference in the world. I am so blessed to get to see what God is doing in the lives of these 2 men as well as so many others at FFC.