At the end of last month, on Oct 25th to be exact, we held our ministry banquet dinner and fundraiser. We have been holding these banquets since the early days of Onesimus, and this was the 5th one I had attended since joining the ministry as a chaplain. We had a wonderful time!
It was a sell-out night, with all available tickets having been sold. The venue was perfect, the food was well-prepared, well-presented and tasted delicious. We had soft, subtle classical music playing in the background, provided by a harpist and a violinist. We had a silent auction table filled with a wide variety of attractive items to bid on—ranging from a collection of Christian living books to a stay at a beach vacation home.
The room was abuzz with conversation and laughter, as people fellowshipped with each other, or circulated through the tables to the buffet line or to browse the auction table. It felt lively and celebratory and fun. It was as though new life had been breathed into our banquet.
For the past few years, it had seemed as though something was missing from our banquet gatherings; a spark or a sense of excitement was missing. We needed to make some changes; we prayed and sought the Lord’s leading. Step by step He led us, bringing the right people and the right ideas and inspiration to us, which produced the wonderful, energetic banquet which we enjoyed last month.
God is the God of “all things are possible”. The One who sits on the throne says, “Behold, I make all things new (Revelation 21:5).” He is able to bring newness to life– whether for a ministry banquet or for whatever life situation we may find ourselves in. He can bring newness and freshness and change. What a wonderful, beautiful Savior!