How many stories?

I get overload this time of year as our ministry kicks into warp drive. A former comment made the point that we didn't spend as much time as they would have liked to celebrate all that was our "Imagine" outreach. It seems impossible to keep up with God at work in our midst. Even if I tried, to praise God for the work He is doing, I wonder: How many stories of life change are we talking here? In fact we did minister to nearly 1,000 B/N families with toys, food, and winter coats. But more than that, there are stories rolling in all the time about people coming to faith, coming to church, and coming closer to God because of this outreach. As I hear testimony of single moms who feel God answered specific prayers for Christmas and their kids, or men who break down because someone prayed with them, or an out-of-work dad who is now coming to church because of his new-found and renewed faith in God because of the church's love! Before we could take a breath, we rushed right into our annual Christmas concert that saw around 6,500 people in three performances. Again, more stories...people coming after being invited by family for 20 years! People sitting with tears in their eyes while everyone sings "silent night". Non-church going husbands who had a great experience at the concert and came to church services on Sunday! These are the stories we know! How many lives is Jesus changing that we don't know of? Besides all of this, we continue to have visitors at the cross every service who are looking for God, looking for forgiveness, looking for healing, looking for family, looking for a church....and they are finding it in the ministry God is doing here. For the past several weeks, we have had baptisms every Sunday during services...but dozens during the week when the building is less used. One student ministry is experiencing many great decisions and baptisms these days. I can't get my mind around it all...which is great...I just have to pray and be faithful to what God has called us to do. This week, I'm able to be on vacation and just hang out with God and rest soul, mind, and body...for next: Christmas services, special offering, and vision Sunday. All this ahead of the great start to three months of vision. By the way, our new Eastview hoodies are selling like hotcakes...more stories to be written as we publicly declare our place of worship!