An amazing first half of the year

What an incredibly busy first half of the year at Love In Action. I wish our kind of ministry didn't have to be busy. I wish people weren't homeless and there weren't so many people in such great need. But, there are, and it's so humbling to see God working through Love In Action to touch so many lives.

So far this year we have helped 19 people move out of the homeless population, and we are currently helping to transition the 20th person out of homelessness. God is so awesome!

We are averaging 122 people every Tuesday night for our Celebrate Recovery. Tuesday is such an awesome night as the homeless, needy from the community, and work release inmates gather with our awesome volunteers at the Love In Action Ministry Center to worship God, listen to His Word, and break into small groups to work on overcoming whatever habit, hangup or hurt they have.

We have seen a lot of people saved and so many lives being changed through Celebrate Recovery. And our volunteers are incredible. I have never been around or served with so many dedicated people. And what's so cool is seeing their lives change as well. Once you step into God's call on your life, you change. Once you start serving and experiencing life with others, you change.

Our Wednesday night Bible study is a smaller, more intimate group of people, which allows for great discussion. We just completed a series on Identity Theft. During those four studies, we looked at who we are in Jesus Christ; what our true identity is. And we looked at how the devil tries to steal our identity through lies and deception. We learned through God's Word how to combat the enemy and keep our identity. It was real powerful. Greg Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv, wrote that series.

We reach out to and provide discipleship training to more than 150 people every week. We provide food and clothing for even more each week. It's just simply amazing what God does through a ministry that is totally operated by volunteers. Nobody receives any salaries or benefits. Well, we all do receive one benefit, and it's the greatest benefit of all. And that's the blessing of God on our lives for doing His work.

We have advanced on our building project, and we're able now to advance further on it. We're getting closer and closer to having another restroom, showers, a laundry room, and a full-service kitchen. And, I hope and pray, air conditioning for our worship area. It gets pretty hot, especially when there are more than 120 people in there.

What's amazing though, is all of those people are willing to come together every Tuesday and Wednesday to worship God and listen to His Word in a building with no A/C in the hot and humid weather of southeast Alabama. How many people would be willing to go to church if their church didn't have A/C? If you are hungry and thirsty for more of God in your life, that won't stop you. That's what excites me so much. People are hungry for God. They are coming, no matter if it's 90 degrees or 40 during the winter to pursue God.

Martha and I praise God for everything He is doing. We praise God for those we are able to serve. We praise God for our awesome team of volunteers. We praise God for everyone who prays for us. We praise God for everyone who supports Love In Action financially. We praise God for everyone who donates items to Love In Action. We couldn't do this ministry without all of you. Together, we are all making an eternal impact on hundreds of lives.

God is awesome! Please continue to pray for us as we continue to seek God's will to do exactly what He wants us to do when He wants us to do it. The first half of the year has been great with so many lives being transformed by the power of God. We can't wait to see what God does throughout the rest of 2010. To God goes all the glory. Praise Him!

Psalm 150
Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.