All Aboard!

Last weekend as Mary & I boarded a plane heading to Tulsa, OK to share about Celebrate Recovery, somehow, we didn't get seats together.  Mine happened to be a single and Mary's a double.  Mary had seat envy and tried to talk me into giving up mine!  I declined.

Mary made up her mind to make the most of it by looking for the opportune time to bring up Jesus to the person she would be sitting to for the next hour.  Mary asked, "Where are you headed?"  The woman said, "Los Angeles for a funeral."  Mary replied, "We were in Los Angeles in August for the Celebrate Recovery Summit."  Woman asked, "What's Celebrate Recovery?' BINGO...there was the invitation!  Mary shared a part of our story and the good news of hope through CR. The woman then told Mary part of her own story of pain in her family.  By the end of the flight, Mary had given the woman a phone number, address, and  time of CR meeting.  When they parted the woman said, "Thank you so much for sharing that.  I'll see you at Celebrate Recovery !" 

On our return home we were in the airport standing in line for one of those tasty airport sandwiches (ha-ha).  Standing behind me was a man who said, "I like what's on your shirt.  Did you come up with that?"  I was wearing a CR shirt with the words written across the back, "God never wastes a hurt."  I was tired and ready to get home so for a second it didn't register to me what he was talking about.  Finally my mind caught up with my surroundings and I understood what he was referring to.  I replied, “No, actually God did!  He said give me your greatest hurt and I will turn it into your greatest strength."  I told him about CR and how that has been at the foundation of CR since the beginning, taking weak people and watching Christ's power come to bear!

II Cor.12:9-10 from the Message

God:  "My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness."
Paul:  "Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become."

Every time we share with someone who needs hope, Christ's strength is made evident!

I always love hearing how you guys are taking this message of healing to the hurting.  Leave a comment or email me at mowen@wfrchurch.org

Mac