Showing Up

Do you ever just have God show up?  I know he's always with me, but sometimes he really shows up.  Like tonight. 
At 5:45 my friend and pastor called to ask if I would share a little bit in church about how community is important to me, how my life has been changed by being in community with others.  I laughed, and he said, "Pray about it and see what God says."  The thing was, I was walking out the door to go to the 6:00 service.  Yep, 15 minutes for God to give me a yea or a nay and to give the words also.
And guess what?  He gave me the words.  Before, during, and after an awesome time of singing, the words poured out, and here's a bit of what I shared:
I did a Bible study with a few women in 2008 all about Acts, and unleashing the Holy Spirit in you.  In chapter 2 of Acts, it talks about the early church.  I started praying that God would send me to an Acts 2 church.  I knew that I would need to be with life-minded believers if God was going to send me out and away to serve him. 
Acts 2 tells us that:
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. ⁴⁶Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

I've watched that happen in our church family the last year.  Being in a place with other like-minded Christ-followers.  Giving to others as the need arises.  Meeting in homes, breaking bread, doing life together.  And watching God add more to this daily! 

How thankful I am to have this family.  Who prays for me.  Who prays with me.  Who loves and supports and encourages me.  Who sends me emails letting me know I'm thought of and prayed for, even when I'm far away.  And to have the same mind, to be caring together about the things that are important to God, the orphan and the widow.  What a blessing to be part of this family.