God is so good all the time!  With the approach of the second largest hurricanes recorded...keep ing in mind the flood of during Noah's day, some asked why aren't you leaving?  Can't you evacuate?  With this in mind, we knew God had not called us at the time to run from the impending danger or from the enemy but to "stand" and then,  to "stand therefore"!  We stayed because this is where He showed us that this is where He wanted us to be by His grace alone, to help those who would have been dismayed, worried or worse, crushed from the full impact of a hurricane of such magnitude.  We are called to be on the front lines and we are not about to defect or retreat until He tells us to move by the pillar of fire by night or the cloud by day.  Such a beautiful picture of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament...I am glad we listened and got to see Him glorified so tremendously in this place when he turned the hurricane from it's original trajectory!  There is no better place to be then in the center of His will, dying to ourselves and ready to bring others to the foot of the cross in prayer, service, and in sharing the Gospel!  Church was full yesterday after the big faith tester we all had this weekend!  Thank you all for your prayers, willingness to come if needed, and encouragement!  The whole ordeal really brought to my mind Job when God and speaks this to him:

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me if you have such insight.
Who determined its dimensions?
Certainly, you know!  Who stretched a measuring line over it?
On what were its footings sunk?
Who laid its cornerstone
when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
"Who shut the sea behind gates
when it burst through and came out of the womb,
when I clothed it with clouds
and wrapped it up in dark clouds,
when I set a limit for it
and put up bars and gates,
when I said, ‘You may come this far but no farther.
Here your proud waves will stop’?
"Have you ever given orders to the morning
or assigned a place for the dawn
so that it could grab the earth by its edges
and shake wicked people out of it? Job 38:4-13

The Lord in His mercy is giving the unbeliever the opportunity to turn from their wicked ways and choose to follow Him.  Pray for this community that they will draw close to Jesus and acknowledge Him in all their ways while there is still time to recognize His mercy...may the people of our community not get back to business as usual and forget the second chance the Lord is giving them to repent and give their lives to Him!  Pray for our future Outreach on the Malecon.  We expect the Lord to use this great testimony of His power to reach many for Him!  May they see the One who laid the foundations of the earth and accept our Great Creator God into their lives!  ~ Renee'