Church, Prayer, Books and Food

After surviving a COLD and RAINY Team Leader training time in east Texas, I returned back to Dallas yesterday afternoon. I discovered that old PA friend Kurt Horting had a 7 p.m. Saturday worship service going on at Still Water Community Church in Rowlette, TX, so after borrowing a car (thanks Jeff and Linda) I found my way to the church (thanks MapQuest). It was so fun to talk to Kurt and Beth and their 6 kids afterwards till around midnight.

Today was a particularly fun cultural experience. Joe Martinez picked me up at 9:30 a.m., destination: Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, and a worship experience with 2000+ African Americans. Tony Evans sermon was fabulous. The singing was heavenly. A 50-voice choir must have sang and improvised for 15 minutes on a song entitled "He is Able." We were all swaying and rocking by the time they were done. I was able to see Michelle and Kim again, two ladies who were part of the OCBF team two years ago.

Joe took me to an amazingly authentic Mexican restaurant for breakfast on the way to church, and I ordered two gorditas, one picadillo, on chicharron. Tasty! But lunch was truly a cultural experience. Joe drove us out to the Fort Worth area, and we met Vina Nguyen and her boyfriend Andy, and two other friends Hank and Tray at an Asian restaurant. Awesome food. Don't know what I ate, because I let Vina order. Vina came down with the Oak Cliff team also, but is now involved in a new church and a new ministry. Check it our HERE. It was exciting to talk to the four of them about a new movement of God that seems to be sweeping the nation...the International House of Prayer movement, with different affiliated groups cropping up everywhere. We're going to be hopefully in communication about working together potentially in Ixtapaluca.

Then back to CAM Center, and back to Alfie and Karen Pfeiffer's house. Oh, a quick trip to Borders Bookstore to buy two books; Made to Stick, by Heath and Heath, and Blink, by Malcom Gladwell. And the latest from U2. I'm also just purchased Vintage Church, by Driscoll and Bearshears, UnChristian, by David Kinnaman, and The Tipping Point, also by Malcom Gladwell.

Tomorrow...I see my family! At the airport. I've been thinking so much about them!