Something happened... C'mon MAN(era)!

I don't know exactly what happened this past week but I know that SOMETHING happened...

I am sharing this story because I am still stunned and overwhelmed by what I experienced.  The story is long but I couldn't stop typing...  

 The Story:
Last weekend, I took an intentional moment to pray.  I asked God a question that I often ask him, "Is there something I should know? Am I missing something?"  I prayed this question and the answer came back in the form of a clear thought.  The thought was "100".  I did not know what it meant but the thought was clear.  I then asked, "What does this mean?" and the next thought that came to mind was "100 men at MANera.  Ask me boldly to bring 100 men to MANera this Thursday". The most men that had ever attended a MANera gathering was 55.

I did not know what to do with this response besides to humbly and boldly ask God to draw 100 men to MANera.  I consistently asked God for this and I invited some others to join me in what seemed like a crazy prayer.

On Monday morning, I gathered with 3 other guys from my discipleship group and I shared the prayer and idea.  One of the men shared, "You should buy their coffee. Remove the excuse."  I loved the idea and we put together a plan to make that happen.

I continued to pray.  I have often thought, "I don't pray prayers like this one.  I have been challenged in the past to lift up prayers to God that only God could answer but I have rarely followed through on it." I decided to keep praying and to invite others to do the same.

I began to see emails, text messages and conversations occur that normally would not occur.
I began to hear about individuals who had blown off MANera consider coming back.
I began to witness God's behind-the-scenes actions.

I then had another response to my "Am I missing something?" prayer.  My mind wandered to the thought of "Invite."  I knew right away that I was supposed to invite each person on the MANera roster (112 men) individually by email.  I decided to follow through.  I asked God to use the email messages to let the men know that they were important and that God noticed them.  I asked God to wake up the men to the need to be a part of something that would challenge and encourage them.

I sent the email messages.

One man at MANera told me that he received the message on the way to meet with someone.  He looked at the message on his phone and thought, "That is nice" and then went into the meeting.  The person then gave this man a shirt that said, "God has your back."  The man was stunned.  He knew that he had to go to MANera.

That is one example of how God used the email messages.  I don't know how he used the other 111 messages...

I continued to witness God's behind-the-scenes actions as more and more men threw down challenges to one another to show up.  I saw God raise up men to call out other men and invite them.

Back to the coffee idea...  I went to Panera on Wednesday to run the idea by the staff.  I told them that I wanted to buy the coffee for every man who said "MANera Coffee!"as part of his order.  The staff agreed.  As I was working, however, one of the staff members came over and said that she had spoken to the General Manager of that Panera.  He had told her, "The MANera guys have been supportive of us and I support what they are doing so much that I want to buy their coffee for them."

Once again, I was stunned...

I went outside and looked at the sky and prayed, "God, what are you doing?"  I then sat down and recorded an invitation (throw down) video (see it HERE).

By faith, I then contacted 4 more men and asked them to serve as group leaders.  All 4 agreed.  Their decision to join the group leaders increased the number of leaders to 20.  We seek to have 5 individuals per group at MANera.  As I ran the math, I realized that God had set up the capacity for 100 men (20 X 5 = 100).

I went to bed on Wednesday night with a holy sense of expectancy.  What was God going to do?  Was he really going to bring 100 men to MANera.  Would God really do something THAT crazy?

I woke up early and my adrenaline was flowing.  What was God going to do?

I prayed the prayer that I have been praying since November 2010 for this gathering of men - "Lord Jesus, may this morning be a blessing to you.  Wake us all up from our mediocrity and may no man who comes leave the same because you met him - for your glory."

I arrived in the Panera parking lot at 6:08 AM and there were already 5 guys standing in a circle.  We call this the tailgate party that meets before the doors open at 6:15 AM (they open early for us).

The cars began to pour into the parking lot.  We went inside around 6:15 AM and the line started to form.  By 6:42 AM, the entire Panera was full of men.

As I have said from the beginning - "At 9:30 AM, Panera is 95% women but at 6:30 AM Panera is 95% men because it is Man Time, it is the Man Era, Man-era at Panera!"

I barely remember what happened at that point.  I remember standing up in the corner to do the welcoming "throw down" but I was moved to the center in order for the guys to hear.  I remember looking around the Panera and seeing almost every seat occupied.  I remember asking, "Why do you show up here?  You can be doing anything else.  Why here? Why now?" and someone responding with "I'm here because I love my wife."  I remember one man thanking the Panera staff and then seeing 90 men stand up and clap for the staff.  I remember the General Manager (with tears welling up) saying how much he supported us.  I remember initiating a MAN UP award but then getting hit by 7-8 cinnamon rolls as a MAN UP award.  I remember breaking out into groups and seeing a sea of men in groups of 5 or 6 or 7 all around the Panera.  I remember thinking, "God is bigger than I could imagine and I should never limit him."

I remembered my prayer - "What am I missing?" and the answer "100".

I counted and saw that God had brought 90 men to MANera on Thursday 1/10/13 at the Panera near Virginia Center Commons Mall in Glen Allen, VA.

God has a sense of humor and I believe that he likes to surprise his children.  He surprised me.  He surprised the 90 men who showed up.  He surprised the Panera staff who take care of us every week.  He surprised everyone.

I think that he brought 90 men in order to keep us all willing to pray for the 100 (or more)...

This is not about numbers.  It is about impact - God's impact on real lives.

I share this story as a witness of what I saw and experienced.  I don't have any other reason for sharing this than to point to the God who does more than we ask or imagine, especially when we simply pay attention, listen, respond and walk by faith.

I don't know where this is all headed but I do know that God has a plan for it.

I look forward with expectancy...

How about you?

Matthew 19:26 - Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”