I spent the last five days ministering to one of the most authentic, welcoming, and loving church communities I have ever met. It is a spanish church in Ft. Lauderdale about 80 people large, but it feels like a small and tightly knit family. I was there with my two great friends Jared and Joey and we had the privilege of loving this community and encouraging them in the truth that they are holy and righteous people reconciled to the heart of the Father through the life, death, and resurrection of the Son. Seeing the presence of God overcome person after person was an amazing experience but one of the most impacting moments was right before I headed home.
Yesterday as Joey and I were packing to leave Ft. Lauderdale and saying bye to Jared who was staying until Wednesday, Gonzalo, the father of the house we stayed at, came into the bedroom and handed me an envelope. He said that he spoke with Oscar, his brother and the pastor of the church, and they wanted to give us a little something to help with gas. He then said that he had been waiting for a moment when it was just himself with Jared, Joey, and I because he had something to tell us.
Gonzalo began to tell us about a dream that he had only shared with his wife. Three weeks ago, before Joey and I had any plans of going to Ft. Lauderdale, Gonzalo dreamed that he was hosting Jared and two other men at his house. The two other men he said resembled Joey and I, one with blonde hair and the other with dark hair. The three men spent the weekend ministering to the church and at the end of the weekend the blonde haired man and the dark haired man were getting ready to leave before the third man. Before the two men left he said they looked at each other and one said, "should we tell him now?"
To which the other replied, "Do you think it's time?"
Gonzalo said the two men then began to shine brightly and revealed to him that they were angels and then left. He said that in his dream he began to rejoice saying, " I did the right thing! I opened my house to angels!"
Two weeks after his dream, Oscar told Gonzalo that Jared and two of his friends were coming for the weekend. Oscar said that they could split us up and put us in different houses but Gonzalo told him no, that he wanted all three of to stay with him.
As he finished his story Jared, Joey, and myself were blown away. Speechless, none of us could express how amazed and blessed we were by what he shared. Gonzalo expressed his appreciation for us coming this weekend and told us how much of a blessing we were.
What I could never fully express though is how much I was blessed and honored by Gonzalo and his family through the love the showed to us this weekend. Forever I will be impacted by the Frias family, because if anyone shines like angels, it is them.
