“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Luke 1:45 (NLT)
Can I tell you a God Story? As I’ve posted in the past, we are planting a church. We’ve picked a name. We are “Called2Be”. We’ve been meeting since April 1st (virtually). Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor! During our meetings we pray and study the Bible. In July, we felt God say it’s time for an in person. We had a picnic. It was great!
During this time, we’ve been praying about where God wants us to “Be” community. Where can we serve? Where can we go and love on people. When I was praying about this, I kept seeing a building. It had a sloping roof in the front, and a porch. I also saw the back door and when you looked through it, there was a hallway with doors on both sides, and a bright light coming through the other end. I sensed that the front was a restaurant.
It took me a while to figure out that I kept seeing this same building. And I wondered “God, is this you showing me this?” I wondered that out loud to my husband and we started praying. We asked God if it was him sending this to please show us where the building was located.
In the meantime, I ask God what we should do for our next gathering. I heard prayer walk. Now, I probably shouldn’t say this out loud, being a Church Plant Pastor and all, but I’ve never gotten into the Prayer Walk thing. I’ve done it. And there are times when I felt God telling me to prayer walk someone’s house and I did that but overall, not my first choice of activities. But I said “OK. Where?” Nothing.
I kept praying for where and praying that God would show me the building. Eventually God said Called2Be was supposed to prayer walk Purcellville, VA. And like an obedient child I said “God, that’s kind of far away.” Don’t judge me. And then I said “OK. Purcellville it is.” In the meantime, I kept praying about the building.
One Monday, I felt impressed to drive to Purcellville on Wednesday. I had meetings for work strategically placed throughout the day so if I drove to Purcellville I would be rushed. I explained this to God. Late Tuesday evening, the Wednesday morning meeting cancelled.
I got in my car and I drove to Purcellville. I drove all over asking God to show me the building. Asking him which way and trying very hard to listen. Finally, I was getting tired of going all around the little town, up and down the main street and I asked if I could go home. He said yes. I turned my car around to head out of town on Main Street and as I was leaving I passed a building that caught my eye. I didn’t noticed it the 100 times (okay, maybe 4 or 5 times) I drove up and down that street because of the trees in front of it. I turned around and went in the parking lot.
It had a sloping roof and a front porch. “Oh God! It’s your building!” I parked the car and looked in the front door. The building was empty. There is a big For Sale or Lease sign in the front. It used to be a brewery/pub. I walked around to the back door on the side of the building. I looked through the door and I saw a hallway with doors on both sides and a bright light coming through the other end. Turns out it has two back doors. One on each side of the building.
I can’t begin to explain the feelings I had as I realized that God took me to His building. And guess what?! I prayer walked it! I prayed all around that building. That Saturday, Called2Be prayer walked it again and the main street of Purcellville.
I’ve been back to prayer walk it again. I want to hear what God wants and ask him to move. We are all praying! What’s next, God? What’s next?
This weekend I was on a Leadership Meeting for our Mother Church and the Pastor told us that her husband plays in a praise band at another church. The Pastor told her husband that there is a building in Purcellville that is vacant. It used to be a brewery and he feels like God is telling him he needs to do something for the community in that church! These are the same thoughts I’ve been having.
God is doing something. Not sure what yet but I can’t wait to find out! Will you pray with us? Pray for this little down of Purcellville, VA. Pray that people there will know God’s love. Pray that we will share that love in service to the community. Pray for all of our courage. When God moves, it usually takes you out of your comfort zone.
And where did today’s text come from? As all this was happening, I kept thinking “This is crazy. Is this you God or is this my crazy mind thinking things up? And why are you doing this? And what do you want? And this is just crazy. People are going to think I’m crazy when I tell them I saw a building and then found it but I don’t know what to do with it.” And God sent the text above and a few others about believing. Believe. He is alive. He is moving. Believe. I do. With all of my heart.