Johnnie of the deep...

Not long after moving to the area Bethany and I were driving through Muskegon Heights, learning the area and allowing God to grow His vision in us for birthing a church that reflected and embraced the diversity of the area.  It was immediately obvious to us that if we wanted to accomplish this task we would need to spend time at more diverse places and meet more diverse people.  Overwhelmed by our lack of knowledge on how to do this we simply prayed, "God help us meet more diverse people".  Five minutes later we pulled into Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken near the corner of Sherman & Henry to grab some lunch.  Over the next thirty minutes we met the Means family (who were eating at a booth across from us), told them that we were starting a new church, and got their contact info.  Month's later when we started more proactively reaching into our community I called to invite them to a Kids' Carnival and the rest as they say is history.  Johnnie was humbled that I remembered them and took the time to call.  This family hungers for more of God and to give back to God for his blessings to them.  I am amazed that God answered our prayer so quickly and over the months that I asked everyone to pray for our team to diversify the initial answer to that prayer had already arrived.  Pray for Johnnie, his wife Staci & his two daughters Jamariea & Miracle.  Like the rest of us they are not perfect but they long to grow and be used by God!