sometimes we never know.

when i stopped at Chevron to pick up my sack of Sour Balls for tonight's Seahawks game, the cashier [a young woman] commented on my "GOD uses a Mac" t-shirt that my wife bought me for Christmas a few years ago. she said i must work at a computer store. i said, actually i work at a church, but i really love apple computers.
she asked which one. i told her i'm a youth minister at first baptist downtown.
she asked which one that was. i told her it was the one across from the civic center.
then she told me one of the most incredible [and refreshing] things i've heard all week.

a few years ago, she came in for a food voucher for her and her daughter. they were at the end of their rope. the church gave her a $75 food voucher for Fred Meyer. this year she is completing her Bachelor of Arts and graduating from college. you could tell in her face she was genuinely thankful and that was one of the events that has changed her life.

i've never seen her in church, and i'm there a lot, but as a i left the store and got back into my car to drive home, i was a little bit weepy [i've been pretty tender lately] in thanksgiving to the LORD for The Church, His Bride that HE setup here on this earth to continue the mission of Jesus of meeting the needs of our community.

i want to see His Kingdom expanded here in Shelton.

Thank You Jesus.