Getting Off the Airplane

Today Life Church Miami met for the first time in the Regal Theatre in Cutler Bay. The experience brought a picture to my mind...You have a dream of visiting another country...you look at the films, research it on the Internet..look at the travel brochures. Then one day, you get off the plane and find yourself in the country you dreamed about seeing.

Two years ago a group of us, led by Pastor David, began studying, praying, talking and sharing about the Big Step of locating in a community where we could serve in a meaningful way. It's been a long road, with detours, redirections, and even some rocks in the road. But the concept of our destination never left us.

Today, we got off the airplane and looked around. There is much to do and, thank God, people are signing up to be part of the "launch" of this new entity. After our gathering concluded, I dropped by a cosmetics shop in the Southland Mall, where a woman works that I met a few days ago in the nearby McDonald's. In our introductory chat, I told her about Life Church and described the wonderful children's program that would be part of it. (She has a 5-year-old daughter.) At the conclusion of that first chat, she gave permission for me to pick up her daughter and the child's great-grandmother on Sunday mornings to bring them to Life Church.

My follow-up with my new friend is to check in with her in a couple of days about getting school supplies for the 5-year-old. I want to continue a friendship with her because she is so open and receptive.

Tomorrow I will participate in the closing of the sale of the former church building, another "destination" that has seemed a long time in coming. But God is faithful and He keeps His promises. Pastor David quoted from God's words to Joshua, just before Joshua led a large group of people into Canaan. God said four times to Joshua: "Be strong and of good courage. I am with you."

Our part in this new undertaking: strength, courage, faithfulness, obedience to His directions. His part: direction, empowerment, supply of what is needed to do His work. He has a perfect record of reliability. Sometimes ours is not so perfect, but this morning I saw His sending in of people with smiles on their faces and excitement in their attitudes.

Cutler Bay, we're here. And best of all, God is here.