"An Exciting & Extraordinary Love Story!"
Do you desire to live an EXCITING story? Do you aspire to live an “inspiring story” that is extraordinary to share and live each day? Over the past month, Jesus has been cementing the reality that we ALL can live and participate in living EXCITING STORIES each and every day as His “Love Multiplier” where we love deeply and by doing so have a “multiplication impact” on those around us! The life truth of being a #LoveMultiplier for Jesus continues to dig a deeper and deeper anchor into my heart and soul. I love how Jesus keeps blowing up my heart on how He desires to use you and me as His “World Changer” love agents. I’m blown away and humbled that I get the privilege to participate in His epic, beautiful Loving Redemption Story that He’s writing in this world…wow! I have been absolutely been pummeled with the blessing and joy of seeing how Jesus is writing His grand, Loving Redemption Story right in front of me. From my time at Big Ticket Festival 2014 in June with World Orphans and Bluetree (Aaron Boyd) to the present, it seems like He has held my hand placed me on the front row of watching and participating in the unfolding of His grand story on stage! From the collection of crazy, courageous, and bold Jesus Love Stories, I have seen how extraordinary and epic His Love Story truly is! From my time meeting and hanging with “May May” on the streets of Boulder, CO playing the bongo drums to my time in Macon, MS at Lake Forest Ranch’s 11th annual “Mission Camp Macon” where we served nearly 500 teens/kids from the local Noxubee Country with a Sports Camp and a Kids Camp seeing 23 give their heart and life to Jesus, I am seeing Jesus underscore how powerful it is to be surrendered to living a life of LOVING to LOVE others and be His agent as a “Love Multiplier” to truly change the world! One of my very precious highlights at Mission Camp Macon was my time serving the 10 amazing Bus Captains, all college students and on staff with LFR for the summer. We talked about, prayed collectively, and intentionally surrendered to ooze Jesus and His love to the teens on the 5 buses each and every day! I am still reeling from the stories that “Kat” shared from her requesting prayer for Zaria, 12, on Monday night who later on Wednesday gave her heart and life to Jesus! Then, on Thursday during Sports Camp, I gave her a Bible, and she began to cry saying no one had ever given her a Bible before in her life! Later we heard how Jesus used “Kat” and Christian to intersect a homeless man, Mr. Robin, who was able to be the recipient of Kat and Christian oozing Jesus and love both times they ran into him in 2 different towns during the week! To see the joy and excitement on Kat’s face while she shared the story of Mr. Robin was absolutely priceless and reinforced for me two key truths: 1) Prayer is powerful 2) Jesus loves to blow our socks off with the epic display He showcases when we surrender fully to Him to live a life of OOZING Jesus and Love to others One of the crazy yet heart-exploding OOZE JESUS & LOVE Stories from the past month though was last Sunday evening after church at Passion City Church’s 5 pm Gathering. After saying good-bye to the awesome fellow door holders that served with me on Rick Bell’s team, I left church. On my way home, I stopped at a RaceTrac to put air into my tires. When I leaned over, I saw a young couple with tattered clothes, a small dog and large back packs on their backs sitting on the sidewalk about 50 feet from me. I yelled out, “Is everything okay?” They responded, “Yes!” I then asked them if they needed a meal, and they responded that they had just eaten peanut butter and were fine. I felt Jesus wanted me to go up to them and befriend them and give them some money…so I walked over and introduced myself shaking their hands. I gave them $20 and talked to them to learn a little about their stories. They said their names were “Jimmy” and “Penny” with the guy being “Penny” and the girl being “Jimmy”. They were on their way to Pennsylvania where Penny’s family lived to celebrate his birthday which was Monday (7/28). They had not slept on a bed in 3 weeks nor had a shower in weeks and were looking for a hotel room. After talking to them for a bit, I drove away to head to Starbucks. As I drove, Jesus immediately started tapping me saying, you need to do more, Jared…they asked for a room, give them a room…so, I called Marriott and booked them a room at the Marriott Fairfield Inn with 2 beds and drove back to the RaceTrac gas station. They were still there sitting on the ground. I rolled down my window and asked if they still needed the room to which they said, ‘Yes!’ and I responded, ‘Hop in…it’s your lucky day…I got you a hotel room!’ They were speechless and ecstatic and hopped in my car with their garb and dog. We drove away to the hotel and they just kept shaking their heads asking “Why?…why was I doing this?” I told them that I believed Jesus called us to not just love in word but in action…and that when your life has been wrecked and crushed by Jesus and His cross, He transforms you to being His agent of LOVE to others every single day. They told me that they had never seen this kind of love before. When we checked into the hotel, I walked them to their room, and then shook their hands and told them I loved them and walked away. When I left the hotel, I texted a fellow door holder from Passion City Church who then proceeded to run to the store to prepare a loving Care Package of goodies and toiletries for them. I drove home but felt prompted to do more, so I asked Jesus, ‘what else do you want me to do?’ I sensed He wanted me to prepare a care package too so I grabbed a brown paper bag (I’m a guy) and put a bunch of granola bars and stuff in it…I then put the new Rend Collective CD that I had purchased at PCC that evening…I also wrote a love note from Jesus and me on a card to each of them and put into the bag…and finally I placed a few of my daughter, Madeline’s, homemade rubber band bracelets. I drove back to the hotel and Jimmy and Penny were both swimming at the pool. I went downstairs and gave them their goody bag and gave them a hug. I told them that were loved in a huge way by Jesus and by me. I went back upstairs to the hotel lobby and then my fellow Passion City door holder friend showed up with another Care Package. We both went back downstairs to the pool and gave them the second loving care package! They were both blown away and speechless. A small picture of how much Jesus loved them and a small part and role to play participating in the EXCITING Loving Redemption Story of Jesus! I spoke with a friend a week ago and the comment was made, “you sure seem to have exciting stories, Jared!” My answer…No, I am just simply trying to live fully surrendered each and every day with hands raised and hands out ready to participate as His broken but redeemed “Love Multiplier” helping Jesus Change the World one person at a time. You and I have that amazing opportunity today…tomorrow…and every day! Our lives do NOT have to be “boring” and mundane lives. We get the epic privilege of OOZING Jesus and His life-giving LOVE each day to every person that we cross and intersect…from the barista at Starbucks to the attendant at the gas station and then even to the homeless person on the side of the road. How does Jesus want to use you in His Loving Redemption Story? What role does He want you to play today? Do you want to REALLY Change the World? May we fully surrender ALL today to Jesus so that we are ALL HIS and will be at His disposal each minute to serve Him as we OOZE Jesus and His life-giving LOVE to every person that crosses our path! May our LOVE be infectious, inspiring, and inviting have a world changing Multiplication impact on those we love! Let’s Change the World! Jared S. Faellaci August 1, 2014