The God Who Sees
PORSCHA ALBERTIn 2010, Porscha Albert’s mom visited The Village with a friend. Her mom, well into chemotherapy, was moved by the gospel being preached and connected with Pastor Matt, who was also undergoing cancer treatment at the time.
“Porscha, you really should go check out The Village,” her mom said. “I really think you'll like it. You're going to like the way that Matt preaches the word, and you can wear jeans.”
But despite her mother’s invitation, Porscha was uninterested.
“At that point I was just done with church,” she said. “I didn't really have any thoughts about God.”
Sadly, a few months later, Porscha’s mom passed away. An only child of a single parent, her mom was all the family Porscha had.
“It broke me,” Porscha said. “Eight months after that, something was just like, ‘Go to The Village. Go to The Village.’”
She entered what felt like an enormous building and sat all the way in the back. She can’t remember who preached or what the message was about, but she remembers the lyrics “You take my mourning and turn it into dancing, you take my sadness and turn it into joy,” from the song “Restoration” that Michael Bleecker and Lauren Chandler led that Sunday.
“And I realized in that moment God saw me and He knew exactly the words that I needed to hear. I have discovered and continue to believe that God is truly El Roi— the God who sees me,” Porscha said.
Years later, Porscha attended a Connections meeting because she felt the need to get plugged in. Deacon Michelle Bowman asked her, “Do you want to serve?” After saying yes, Michelle said, “You're going to usher.”
“I get to see the same faces every Sunday and usher in new faces. And if I’m the first person that greets them with a smile, I've done my job!”
Just like her mom ushered her in, Porscha continues that legacy by showing people to their seats, where they can hear the gospel of Jesus and hopefully experience life change in God’s welcoming home for the weary and broken-hearted.
“I'm so grateful to my mom and to the Lord for bringing me to this place.”
Years later, Porscha attended a Connections meeting because she felt the need to get plugged in. Deacon Michelle Bowman asked her, “Do you want to serve?” After saying yes, Michelle said, “You're going to usher.”
Porscha has been an usher since that day. To her, it makes the church smaller.
“I get to see the same faces every Sunday and usher in new faces. And if I’m the first person that greets them with a smile, I've done my job!”
Just like her mom ushered her in, Porscha continues that legacy by showing people to their seats, where they can hear the gospel of Jesus and hopefully experience life change in God’s welcoming home for the weary and broken-hearted.
“I'm so grateful to my mom and to the Lord for bringing me to this place.”