The other day while I was outside watching my kids playing in this beautiful weather I was re-reading a chapter in a book called "Story, Signs, and Sacred Rhythms" by Chris Folmsbee, which is a Youth Ministry book. I was rereading the chapter for a meeting that I was to have later that night for the Youth Ministry that I work for part time. It was then that I found this amazing prayer that resonated strongly with me when I first read it, but when I read it the other day I was struck again how profound the prayer was but also how applicable to our lives in the midst of planting this missional community in Lancaster.

The prayer was written by Arthur A. Rouner Jr. and is a book called "Someone's Praying Lord." Here is the excerpt for the prayer that Chris Folmsbee highlights.

Dear God, this is Your Church. We don't own it. You own us. You called us to live Your life, to do Your work. to see Your vision and dream Your dream.

If what we've talked about today is not Your will, if it's not Divine but of the Devil- destroy it, Lord, before we take one step. Show us by some sign that it is wrong, all wrong!

But if it's right- God, help us move! Help us move out and claim that future, help us take our stand, and be the church You put us here to be.

Oh, Jesus Christ, who gave Your life away to show Your Church how it might live: Don't let us be afraid of the adventure. Don't let us pale at the thought of giving away more than we ever had before. And don't let us have faint hearts when we are faced with the chance to do something big, something dangerous, something difficult.

May this prayer encourage you, challenge you, convict you, and inspire you, as it has encouraged, challenged, convicted and inspired me.