Cross Walk!

Today is Good Friday and what a good Friday it has been!  I grew up in the church and have known for years what this day represents, but I've never really done much to celebrate or reflect on this very important day.  

Today a group of staff from YWAM Salem went down town to do a "cross walk."  We literally drug a cross all around the center of the city while others in the group prayed and talked with people.  During this time several people asked questions about what we were doing and gave the opportunity for us to share the Gospel.  It was a great way to get people asking questions! 

I made the choice to carry the cross for a while and, oh my, I experienced a major download during those 5 or so minutes!  The first thing that hit me was how the cross was heavy and I could feel every little bump on the ground vibrate through my body.  I started to really think about how Jesus felt carrying a HEAVY cross... through RUGGED terrain... hearing FILTHY insults... after being BEATEN severely... knowing that he would DIE for the sins of the ENTIRE world.  I don't know how I kept from crying, but I somehow managed to keep walking. 

As I walked, I also thought of how Jesus died for some pretty awful things I've done.  It was a sobering moment, but then a spirit of thankfulness rose up in me and I began praising the Lord for saving me and calling me up into a wonderful life in Him.  God is so good!  He can take anyone from any situation and turn their life around.   

Throughout the morning I heard stories of how God is touching lives through different city outreaches that we have done as a YWAM base.  The man following the cross in the above picture is just one of those stories.  He met a couple of our staff guys several months ago and has really turned his life around.  He has gone from just out of jail and homeless to being connected with a church, living in his own place, and being really close to having a job (he has some secondary interviews coming up).  Please pray that he can get a good job!  I think it's amazing how we ran into him and he joined us in the outreach!  Here he is in the next picture choosing to carry the cross.

 I was nervous about this outreach... something about dragging a cross through the city didn't seem "normal" or fun to me, but I went anyway knowing that God sometimes asks me to do things that don't make sense.  What I found was that I really enjoyed the outreach once I got going.  I can relate this to my experience with the Giant Swing.  I'm scared every time I step up to the edge of the platform and take that step into thin air, but once I step off, I love it and enjoy the swing!  

It was a beautiful day for this outreach and the trees were so thick with Spring blossoms.  I think it's a picture of the new and wonderful season that is coming ahead!  I'm excited for it and all the amazing things God is going to do!