Snapshots

If tonight, while I slept, God were to call me home, I could look back at a lifetime of memories.

"Snapshots", forever frozen in my mind's eye, cataloging moments witnessed during a full and diverse life.

Some snapshots would be negative.

Some snapshots would be positive.

Yet a handful of these snapshots, both negative and positive, will stand out as "exceptional".

Tonight, I was blessed with a new snapshot.

It was positive.

And it was, without question, exceptional.

Allow me to explain:

Tonight, Grace Martial Arts was visited by a reporter and photographer from the Erie Times News.

Their mission was to do a story on this class for an upcoming feature in the "Faith" section.

At this point, you should know that the purpose of Grace Martial Arts is twofold:

1.) To serve as a vehicle for fellowship for Christian men.

2.) To serve as an exciting "portal" for outreach to unchurched men in the community.

Seeing this news coverage as an INCREDIBLE opportunity for us to showcase this unique Christian program to a very large amount of potentially interested unchurched men, I started sending out emails, etc last week asking the guys to try and make it to tonight's class.

Flash forward to tonight:

It's cold outside. Really cold. We're talking 9 degrees. Windchill puts it close to negatives.

Grubb Rd is OK...but not great.

This is really going to affect turn-out.

It's 6:15. Class starts at 6:30. I'm alone.

"Please God, just let the people that you want to be here tonight be here..and allow us to showcase this program in a way that glorifies you."

It's 6:16. In walks Dave Case.

It's 6:17. In walks reporter and photographer.

We sit down in the lobby to conduct our interview, in the circle of chairs to the left of the main entrance.

My back is to the window and the wall to my right prohibits me from seeing if anyone else comes in.

Interview seems to go fine (I hope!)

It's 6:32. We get up and begin to walk back to the gym.

As we round the corner...I see a few guys milling around the entrance to the gym.

"Excellent. At least we've got a class."

I can't fight a smile of relief.

But then we walk into the gym itself.

It's packed.

On any given Weds night, we can expect about 1 out of 3 of the guys who take the class to be able to make it that night.

But not tonight.

I had asked these men for their help. I had asked them, if possible, that they try to make it tonight so we could best showcase this program to all of the men in the Erie area.

And in one snapshot, permanently etched in my life's mind as an exceptional positive moment..I can see almost ALL of them standing there. Even guys who could not work-out due to an injury came to demonstrate solidarity in fellowship. Even guys who told me they would not be able to make it.

Humbling.

Beautiful.

Fellowship.

Christian Brothers.

Men of Grace Church.

We have a lot of great stuff going on at Grace.

We have a lot of great stuff for Christian men going on at Grace.

Grace Martial Arts is a part of that "great stuff".

While these men could have been sitting on a couch in a warm home, they instead choose to pick themselves up and come to that class and work very hard.

Sometimes true fellowship is forged in a crucible. As Christian men, these men are truly forging strong bonds...and know they have one another to lean on..to pray with..and to be there for.

Jacob wrestled with God..and Israel was born.

These men wrestle with one another...and Christian brotherhood is strengthened.

Grace Church has a whole lot of truly amazing men.

And we serve a truly amazing God.

Thank you.

-Will