New Tent Section OR Watch This!

I have a special update about City Reach that I need to let you know about.

I wrote the following about the new tent section on the blog September 25,2014 as part of a larger City Reach update.

New Tent Section

I have been in contact with David Tromsness the owner of Miami Missionary Tent Company in Miami, Oklahoma about purchasing an extra section for our tent specifically for these meetings in larger cities. He can make another 22' section which added to our existing 22' middle and the two ends would make the tent 48'x92'. Or he can make a 48' middle section and we could have 48'x92' with just three pieces and have the ability to go up to 48'x114 if we added the 22' middle we have now. That would give us a lot of flexibility for bigger crowds.

The 22' middle with sidewalls, heavy duty bags for top and sidewall, winch center pole, galvanized steel wall poles, ratchet staps, stakes, fire marshal certificates and repair kit would be $2673. The 44' middle with the accessories including two winch center poles would be $4824.

Both prices are great. I would like to order the extra piece by late spring next year to make sure it is in place by August, 2015 for our kickoff City Reach campaign  in early September in Wichita, Kansas. I would like to order the 44' middle but I will order according to our resources at the time. Just making these plans makes me excited.

In the days since then a man has approached me and told me that he and his family are going to take care of the cost of the 22' middle. He told me to call him next year when I am ready to order and he will make arrangements then to pay the cost. Can you believe that? I could barely believe it when he told me and I still can not get my mind wrapped around it even now.

All I know to do is thank God for his provision and thank him even more for his tender watch care over us. I was feeling pretty overwhelmed by all the things I need to do, organize, purchase and plan for City Reach on top of everything else on our plate. We have an amazing opportunity that has opened up to us that I have not told you about yet and it is just as impossible as City Reach is at this moment. That complicates things even more. 

With all of that in mind I wrote that post on September 25th completely by faith. I did not write it because I was feeling particularly warm and fuzzy about it. I was not lost in some romantic notion that I am special and good things will come to me because of my specialness. I dared to believe that God is in control when all things seem out of my control.

Faith is not believing because you know everything will work out a certain way. Faith is not even believing in something that is likely to turn out OK anyway.  Faith is not trusting God because you know you have a fall back plan IF faith does not come through. Faith that knows the facts are in our favor is not worth much at all. 

Real faith is often like taking a flying leap! Faith in God is often like jumping off a cliff. It is scary and it never seems to get any easier. However God is not asking me to leap into the dark or into the unknown. No, He is asking me to leap by faith into His hand. Friend, God's hand is the safest place I know!

God responded to our faith with the promised provision for the tent section and in doing so He confirmed for us that He is aware of what is going on. God has the future in His hands even though we do not have a clue as to how it is all going to come together. 

Yes, there is so much more that must come together. Yes, most of those arrangements are completely out of my hands. Yes, it is a leap of faith. I can see nothing beyond the precipice and I feel the desire to jump coming on.

Are you familiar with the famous last words of redneck jumpers the world over? Hey, watch this! Or in more modern lingo, I'm ready. Is the camera on?

What are you trying to say, Davy? I am saying that our family is more ready to jump than we ever have been! Praise God!

A dear friend text me this the other day when I told him I was feeling way out of my comfort zone.

Praise God ! I would say that effective ministry is supposed to make us feel that we are in over our heads. It's common to keep ministry at a comfortable level nowadays.

"It is a secret joy to find

The task assigned beyond our powers;

For thus, if ought of good be wrought,

Clearly the praise is His, not ours." 

-Houghton

Thanks for reading.

Davy