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"I usually take the opportunity to stay home and have some time alone while my husband takes our kids to practice, but this week I decided to 'go where the people are' and intentionally mingle and get to know other team parents. Each time, the door was wide open to connect with a different mom in such an easy way. It's amazing how much can be shared in just an hour and a half! I have no idea what God may do through those connections, but it was definitely better than hiding out at home or sitting there staring at my phone, waiting for practice to end!"
"Our lifegroup went to the Ashville Food Truck Festival. It was a little out of my comfort zone as I typically like to avoid things like that. But it was good. We saw a large number of VCC [people] in the crowd and spent some time visiting with some. One thing that [my wife] did which I didn't think to do was wear a VCC shirt as a means of possibly sparking a conversation. We didn't discuss it specifically but was something I noticed. I also saw Pastor walking around with his VCC hat on."
"I had to go to the food truck festival to drop something off to my sister due to her working at one of the food trucks. My dad suggested that he and I go together and I said, 'well let's go ahead and pray together before we go for safety getting there and because we may run into someone we know or someone who may need us to just listen.' We prayed together before we left the house and we went to the food truck. While walking around, a lady came walking up to us and asked me all about my tattoos and if they hurt and what my story was behind them. I told her they didn't hurt and I actually fell asleep during them but I also told her how each tattoo related to my walk with Christ. I told her some of my story and she was touched by it and thought it was amazing how I still wanted to follow God even after things happened to me. I told her because I'm still here and God is so good, I can't not follow him because he saved my life and so I'm going to follow him. She ended up telling me some of the things she is going through and I asked if I could pray with her and so I did. Then we parted ways. My dad asked if I knew her and I said, 'no, this was the first time I have ever seen her.' He was so amazed at how long we talked and what we talked about and all because of tattoos. Later on, she and her husband wanted to repay me for just listening to them and I said, 'no it was my pleasure to do so,' and I blessed them by paying for their meal. I then told my dad about the BLESS challenge we had at church and he said, 'well, you definitely fulfilled all 5 letters and you even blessed me!' "
"I have a miracle story to share! At state meeting for my company and they have an open bar for like 6 hours Monday night. A woman who was hired June 1 as a sales rep gets completely drunk and acting inappropriately (found out later she was on a medication that didn’t mix well either) and someone finally walked her back to her hotel room after midnight. She though decided to go get in her company car and drive through this remote forest area where we were located looking for a gas station she later said (?!). She sideswiped something and somehow made it back to the hotel. Her manager was notified of this and she got fired the next morning morning. I’m in management but not her manager (who’s a guy) so they asked if I would ride with them to the rental car place about 30 minutes away. But instead I volunteered to just drive her there myself(intentional so i could talk to her). We had a great talk and I told her about my alcohol free decision and about Jesus. I was able to pray with her and have continued our conversations and we are Marco Polo-ing etc. She lives in Toledo. She's joining the alcohol free support group I suggested to her too. Pray for her salvation which I plan to ask her more directly about soon. I just got this message from her today... 'Thank you soooooooo much for being you!!!! I have been praying for a women of strong faith to be my friend for about a year now. I have been submitting my life to God to change me for over the last few months. You’re exactly who he sent. I love that we believe the same about Grace. I love your mind and how you think. You’re so special to me. I will send you a Marco this afternoon.' Sometimes the people we reach could already be saved, but need encouragement, or they could be from out of town and maybe won't end up at our church and that's OK too!"
"Last week I went to a 'senior' luncheon. I sat with several people, five others who were Christians (three from Village Chapel). We had a few open seats with our group, and when asked if we were saving them, I replied that I would ask. The seats were free so the folks sat there with us. In conversation I spoke with them about how several of us were friends from Village Chapel and invited them to come and check it out. I also told them about Village Table. We continued to discuss the importance and significance of attending there and how much we love our church. The lady next to me commented, 'You Christians,' and I said that I considered it a compliment and thanked her for recognizing it, etc. I felt that others could see Jesus through us and that it mattered."
"At VBS myself and a friend helped in the kitchen. Another woman was also helping, her first time at participating in this event. One evening we shared a table with her while we ate a light meal. We found out that we shared some same life experiences: death of our husbands, but more importantly our love of music. She shared about singing and playing a bass violin. It might be the same one I briefly played my senior year of high school! It was only a few minutes of conversation, but she revealed on the last evening of VBS how much the week of working with us in the kitchen meant to her. She urged us to remember her when another opportunity to serve happened."
"I met a fellow mom friend through our childrens' activities and we found out that we both enjoyed the same hobby, so we became Facebook friends and saw each other here and there. Several months later, she posted on social media looking for people to work out with her a few days a week. I had been wanting to work out regularly but really needed someone to hold me accountable, so I told her I was in! We’ve been exercising together for months now, and we’re growing a friendship. Once school got out, our kids play together while we work out, and they are growing friendships as well. It’s great to connect with her each week, to share some of what’s going on in our lives and to strengthen our bodies! Without each other, neither of us would have stuck to exercising regularly, as the busyness of daily life with kids keeps us distracted. But since someone is relying on me to show up, I make it a priority!"
Text your stories and photos to 740-729-8300!
