Daily writing prompt

What is one way you have grown this year?

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Last night God led me to a small group of amazing people who are “gentle and humble of heart.” Here is how He did it:

Last Saturday I felt prompted to go to Plaza Marichi in Nashville. It’s a big indoor Mexican market, plaza, and food court close to my house, but I hadn’t been there in a few years. While we were there my wife Ernie and I stopped at a small stand looking for a special kind of tea. The lady who was helping us, Lucia, didn’t speak English, so I switched to Spanish. She found the tea and there was an immediate connection between us. Then she invited us to a house church that meets in her home.

If you’ve read my writings, you know that I am always looking for what the Greek New Testament calls ekklesia — a gathering of Christ-followers where anyone present is free to share as they feel prompted by the Holy Spirit. That kind of Christian gathering is extremely rare and almost impossible to find.

So last night, Tuesday, I showed up at her house. There were seven adults and one baby gathered in her living room. They were from four different countries: El Salvador, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Cuba. They all welcomed me like I was family.

Richard, Lucia’s husband, introduced everyone. Then he offered to have someone translate into English, but I told him that I could understand them.

They begin with worship. Richard played the guitar and another lady played the Yuke. It was beautiful and heart-felt. The presence of God’s Spirit was deeply moving. The man sitting beside me looked up the Spanish words of each song on his phone for me.

To my surprise, after worship, Richard, quoted 1 Corinthians 14:26 that tells Christians what to do when we meet together. It says that each person has a psalm, a hymn, a revelation, or something else to share in the meeting. He said that they meet that way and that I was welcome to share as well.

People began to share Scriptures about the Holy Spirit and about how real He is to them. I could see the presence of Jesus in their faces and feel Him in the tender excitement in their voices. An hour and a half flew by. We ended in a time of powerful heart-felt prayer.

Afterwards they brought out food and drink. Everyone was inviting me to come back. When I left they all hugged me. I love how strangers who love Jesus can recognize His presence in each other when they come together to be led and prompted by His Spirit.

I’m so grateful to God for leading me to that group. I am in awe at how God brought us together. I’m excited to go back and take Ernie with me.

For three and a half years, God has been leading me on a Spanish journey. I wrote about it at this link.