Seeing Through Others’ Eyes

Seeing things through others’ eyes can be really helpful. This week I had this experience. We held our first Annual General Meeting and three of the men of Threshold House told their stories and Steve explained what goes on in and through the house. I am familiar with all this, and I see God wonderfully at work but visitors who heard these stories for the first time were visibly moved! More than one came to me afterwards to express just how amazed and encouraged they are to see God doing these ‘miraculous’ things. I knew from my own experience but after witnessing these, sometimes emotional, response, I realized I was not understanding the magnitude of what God is doing.

D. spoke of belonging. He spoke about become a ‘Jesus Freak’ and sensing a calling to ministry in the future. He shared the good news that he had found a job and will be starting this Monday.

C. listed his long and inglorious history with drugs but stated the change that God is working in his life. He marvelled at an awesome God who was now giving him opportunity to serve people who are in the same condition he was not long ago.

J. talked about the new life he is experiencing since he “surrendered his life to Christ. Nothing else had ever worked for him but now he is experiencing the blessings of a sober walk with God. He talked about his job and how God is restoring and reconciling relationships.

Steve talked about: daily ‘Check In’ and ‘Check Outs,’ gym times, Step Work, community life, and service to the wider community of inner-city Saint John.

Besides this Marilyn gave a financial accounting which gave God glory for his provision through some challenging times.

Afterward we continued fellowship with cake and cookies our modern-day equivalent to Capt. T.’s “Please do stay for tea and tarts.”

I have attended a lot of AGMs over the years, but this was, by far, the most inspiring!

On another note, I will be doing some a workshop on Thursday May 11 and Thursday May 18 at 7 PM, “Sharing My Story Glorifying God”. This will be open to the public at no charge. This will be designed to help people share the story of God’s good activity in our lives in a way that recommends this same God to others.