Here and there.

I like our church. I liked our previous church. I'll explain.

Lea and I sat with friends from Knoxville yesterday at lunch. They are friends we met at the Korean Church of Knoxville. They are dear to us. Sometimes when you leave a job, you're done and you have little to do with the job and the people anymore once you've left. Sometimes, just because you leave a job place doesn't mean that you no longer care about or pursue the people you were connected with. This past weekend was one of those intersections.

All last week, my heart mind was aware that the first Saturday morning of August was approaching. The first Saturday morning of August is now a very holy day for Lea and I. Over the past four years at the Korean Church of Knoxville, we have gathered at 6:30am on the first Saturday of August for the Back to School prayer service. The church gathers to pray over the children and students of the church as they prepare for the coming school year. I had the honor to teach those early Saturday mornings with my brother Ilsun. We would gather the children and students in the middle aisle of the church and lay hands on them and talk to Papa about their hearts and the school year. It was quiet. It was mysterious. It was powerful in my life.

This past week as I was pondering not being in Knoxville for the Back to School prayer service, my heart was tender. I remember. I got a message from a student whom I love at KCK and he told me the really special news that the students and children of the church had formed a praise band and they would be leading the praise time at the Back to School prayer time. This is so special to my heart. So special to think about and later hear about how precious it was for the young hearts of the church to be leading the church to worship. So strong. So tender.

As my heart was stirred moving towards that Saturday memory, I reached out to my brother pastor's at Signal Mountain Bible. I tossed the idea of gathering the children, students and teachers of our little flock here on Signal in the middle aisle of the church on Sunday morning to lay hands on them and speak prayers of blessing over them as they press in to the new school year. Yes! They were in. It was so dear for my heart as I stood and watched the center aisle be crammed full of hearts and to listen to the prayers. A seasoned woman of our church wept as she spoke vision over these dear ones as she prayed, followed by the similar heart of one our men. It was intimate. It was powerful. I liked being there.

And so this morning as I ponder back over this past weekend, here on Signal and there in Knoxville, my heart is full. My heart is grateful. My heart is impacted by two prayer times. One I was at and one I was thinking about. I like our church. I enjoy her people. I am expectant about God's stirring even as I type. I liked our previous church and still do. I enjoy her people. I am expectant about God's stirring even as I type. Every good and perfect gift is from Papa. Gifts abound right in the middle of tragic, national news and new school days. Everywhere I go, I see Him.

Here AND there.

There's more.