It didn’t go as planned: Homeless ministry pt. 2

There were maybe 80 or more men, sitting in half-a-circle, ready for service to start.

Rebecca opened with prayer and words of encouragement. While that was happening, I had given the tech guy my phone to connect it to the speaker. Yet, he realized that there wasn’t a chord. The songs I had planned to play during worship were also scratched off the plan. So, I was like, “ok, you know what God, I GET IT… I’m just going to give to them what You have given me…

You.”

I asked the tech guy to use his phone and to play any christian song that he had on his phone for the first minutes. He said, “Ok!”

Rebecca gave me the mic, and I honestly can’t remember everything that was said. I had like a, Holy Spirit blackout.What I do remember is being so moved by Jesus’ love for all of the men there, and how I prayed and praised His name, cried, and invited them to do the same thing. God wanted them to know that they had never been abandoned by God, the Father.

Holy Spirit was working in their hearts. Holy Spirit had me sing in A CAPPELLA, (yes, a cappella, the last thing I would have ever thought would happen).

 2 songs that He brought to my heart were Precioso Jesus by Esperanza de Vida and Sou Casa by Elizeu Alves.

God was inviting these beloved men to contemplate the love and sacrifice of Jesus and to invite Him to abide in their lives.Kristin didn’t share her testimony that night, but she mentioned how she felt this peace during the time of worship. She saw and felt Holy Spirit moving.

That night was a night of salvation for homeless men seeking refuge for the night. To finish the service, Rebecca afterwards also shared the gospel with the invitation; for the men to make a choice. All of them were receiving refuge for the night… but were they receiving God as their refuge? As their Savior? ”Tomorrow is not promised,” Rebecca said. As the invitation was made, many men stood up and prayed, asking Jesus to come into their lives. I sat there in awe of His grace and mercy… His LOVE!!!

Jesus,

Thank you. Thank you for stripping me away of all my comfort, so that I could choose to fix my eyes on You, and cling to You solely. 

You called every man in that building to love, and I am so thankful You had my squad and I play a part in that. 

WE love you, Jesus. 

 J <3