Moving Mountains

I have thought much on the subject of moving mountains since my birth into full life, it has always been an amazing concept to me. One of my favorite places to chill is in urban concrete jungles, post modern mountain scapes scraping the skies.

The concept of mountains moving excites my spirit, it uplifts my heart . In the physical usually mountains or cities only shift by an act of God. In the spiritual realm God is definitely about moving mountains and shifting city scapes. We can tend to be too narrow minded in the Church at times, we can look to see how we are changing the church, the congregation, but rarely do we look to see how we are effecting/infecting the broader community in which God has placed us. A more accurate measure of success would be how we have touched our neighborhood, our city, our nation ! Recently God has been showing me this in action. Recently our youth group has taken up the task of doing justice. Two months ago there were 29 abandoned crack houses in our neighborhood and through a seriers of events, the youth of the community went before the City of Charlotte asking some questions.

1. Why is the city allowing this issue to continue ?

2. Does the city want us to grow up among crack houses ?

3. What will be done ?








Well, God has begun to move some mountains ... or crack houses, there more like mole hills in the scheme of things but that's a good starting place. The city came out to the neighborhood within three days of the kids petition and began inspecting all the abandoned houses, then issued an order that every home had to be brought up to living condition by July 12th or it would be demolished. If the owner did not comply then a $500.00 a day fine would be issued for every house. The renovations started quickly and the old crack houses are being transformed into the nicest apartments on the block. Soon families will be moving in and within a city that has a goal to demolish all the "poor neighborhoods" there is one that is being restored. This is actually happening but still every time I walk through the courtyards of these apartments I can not believe it, it is beyond my belief. It is only 16 homes right now, but if God can do this for 16 homes then he can do 32 the next time and then hundreds and then whole communities and then entire cities. I'm learning as I go but I think that this is the whole ... Matthew 25:21

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!

I know this can seem arrogant but let me testify that I can take no credit for this, other than just being here. Also I want to believe that God can use us to change whole nations, that a simple Jr. Soldier brigade and a couple of War College students can shift the spiritual make-up of a community, I am witnessing it and I long to see more.

Pray that God would make a way for us to serve and love our new coming neighbors, and that he would hedge this jewel of justice with his fire.

Our God is an Awesome God !