A Story of Hope

What is your full name?
     Marc Carlson

Where do you usually sit in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings?
     Anywhere in the first three rows...
     either side

What is your favorite color?
     Red

Do you prefer going barefoot or wearing shoes?     Wearing flip flops

I wanted to share a few things from last Saturday, which was the day the German Pastors came to serve with Hope. I participated in the door-to-door neighborhood outreach with a group of about six people. First of all when I signed up for the door-to-door I thought that I would be with some other Hope leaders since I had never been out in the neighborhood before. This was also wishful thinking since I tend withdraw around strangers and sometimes find it hard to have anything to say. So when I got to church and found out that I was the leader of my assigned group, I have to admit that I was scared. Apparently God had different plans than I did for the day.

Thankfully, Mary Lee gave me a run down of what I could say when people answer their doors - that definitely helped. Our mission that day was to deliver a red flower along with an invitation to church for the adults and also to invite any children to the free kids fair that Hope put together that day. At the end of every visit I would ask each person if they had any prayer requests. Despite all of my fears, nervousness, and the insecurity of approaching complete strangers, God helped me rise above it all and somehow I got it done with His help.

The main thing I wanted to share is that there are two people I met that I will never forget. One woman was at the first house of the day and initially she wasn't sure how far she should open her door. As we talked more she appeared to be more welcoming. When I asked her about prayer she started to talk and then broke down in tears as if she had been so overwhelmed and had been waiting for someone to just ask her. My heart broke for her. I bet there are many more just like her in our community waiting for someone to just reach out. As we approached one of the last houses of the day I saw some young men on the porch who looked like some pretty tough guys and I thought they would be the last people that would want to talk to us. To my surprise, they were more than welcoming and definitely wanted prayer. When the father came out he told us that there was nothing that we could pray about for him because the fact that we were in the neighborhood doing what we were doing was more than enough.  

This experience serving has really encouraged me and should bring hope to all of us that there are people in the community who are definitely with us and that there are also people in the community that are waiting for someone to reach out to them. It also serves as a reminder that when we might think we aren't ready for something in ministry or we aren't far enough along in our walk with God to serve in a certain way, God will show up and crush our insecurities. As a result, we will find ourselves serving in ways that we never imagined.

 Do you have a story about being part of our community of faith
at Hope that will bless and encourage someone else?
We want and need to hear it!


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