Day 3 of Challenge, and we've gotten over the jet lag, but all this walking is catching up with us! Our hotel is about 6-8 blocks from the Convention Center depending on which way you go. We've got the time to about 13 minutes with a quick walk/jog, but that means a full day (7:45am to 11:00pm) there for us. Today, we walked to the park down the street on our break to enjoy the beautiful greenery and ducks. In the midst of downtown, you can find quiet and quaint little shops. We stopped at Jeni's again for a cup of ice cream. She's one of the featured ice cream places around the nation that makes very unique flavors. Keeping in mind that we are always ministering to those around us, God throws opportunities our way even as we take our break. Just like in Downtown Honolulu, there are people who are hungry and poor asking for change to eat or catch the bus. Ironically, as Ross has his hands in his pockets holding onto whatever money is in there, someone always approached him to ask for it. Specifically, the amount in his hand...$5, $1, a few coins. We joked that he better not stick a C note in there, because he'll have to give that out. Seriously though, in an area where there are thousands of Christians walking around this week, God is sending us out a little further to minister to those that are not on the Challenge radar. How awesome is that?
The conference again "challenges" us in practicing the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5. This morning D.A. Horton focused on the Pure in Heart (Matt 5:8). Purity does not come naturally, we must hate sin so much that purity invades every part of our life. We need to put the lens of God on to see the scripture for life. Nothing foreign to the recipe of God should blemish our hearts. The girls opted for Emily Dunham's session, "Desirable Beauty" in the afternoon. God tells us that we are beautiful, and He loves us. It is us who degrades our beauty (Ezekial 16:25), not God. Closing out the night was Pastor Geoff Safford focusing on the Meek (Matt 5:5). Unforgetable impression: An army of men approach Jesus with weapons. Jesus has an army of angels that could take them down at any time, but instead, He is led like a lamb to be slaughtered. That is meek. Wow! When put like that, His obedience to the Father is awesome! What if we were more like that? Are we?We're calling it an early night. Tiredness is setting in, and we're fighting to keep sickness at bay. Continue to pray for our health as we go out into the community tomorrow to minister to those in Columbus. Pray for open hearts in the areas that the EFCA will be church planting. The goal is THREE this year.
Video from Challenge Day 2
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