"What does the Lord have for you today?" This is the question that got us started on our first day of ministry here in Pensacola. With no agenda other than to pray and listen to what the Father was speaking to us for the morning. The words we got were to engage with the locals with an emphasis to hear peoples stories. Isn't it strange how the simple act of engaging in conversation with a stranger can be so nerve racking and uncomfortable at first? At the same time don't we all want to be heard and know? So this was our heart, to just go out and get to know some new friends, not to change them or to "win" them to the Lord but just to get to know someone new. We figured by us taking interest in them a complete stranger, they would see a glimpse of the Father's love for them. A seed would be planted.
So we packed up the vans with games, bottled water that we had written God loves you on and headed down to the beach, to plant these seeds of the Fathers love. Once we got there we split into smaller teams and started walking the shore line. We passed out all the water and played some pick up games of volley ball and Frisbee with the locals.
Later that day we where so blessed to get to hang out with the man behind The Upper Room, a surf ministry here in Pensacola. It is on the third floor of a surf/skate shop on the main strip and has some awesome plans for the surfing community. The Upper Room is a place for people to escape the party scene and night life. It is a place to engage in worship, community and be with the Lord. One of the men behind The Upper Room came to share his story with us, as we listened we were all encouraged by the grace and love of the God we serve. This got us so pumped to head back out for day two and continue spreading the good news of Jesus. We are ready to share how His love is powerful in each of our stories and ready to plant seeds of this love all over the city of Pensacola.
