Children of the Most High

Hope everybody had a great week. Spring has sprung in our part of the world, with God creating new and exciting things to see. 

Scott had an old friend join them on their visits to the camps. Gus brought some friends of his to join us. For those of you who have not heard Gus will be leaving us for awhile, making his way to Paraguay to spread the Gospel according to Gus! He will be teaching English to the children in the country and creating new adventures, hopefully we will get to read about them in the future! Robert says he is finally getting a place to move inside. Exciting news, hope it happens. Everybody else is doing ok, enjoying the warmer temperatures.

All the other activities continue on Saturday, basketball, feeding the boys, Bible study, bread wrapping, gardening beginning to start again, remodeling, all happening, we just need you to make it even better!

Our afternoon reading times continue with the children. Each leader has their own children everyday, which makes for great relationships. Next week, Centenary and LSUS are on Spring Break, so we will be short handed. If any of you can be with us on Monday and/or Wednesday, we could use the help. The children arrive around 3.

Tuesday evening, Rickie led the men's Bible fellowship, reading from Luke 6: 27-36, love your enemies. The first verse says, but to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do to those who hate you. Rickie said, lot's of time we are not listening! We don't want to hear from God when it isn't what we want to do! Isn't it easier to hate than to lvoe?

Not sure how to describe Thursday evening? One of calm, nervousness, peace, joy, contentment, fulfilling. Ms Abbie played her heart out along with our choir who sang to the Lord, Brother Chester preached what God was putting on his heart, not wanting to end as the congregation agreed. Children's church was started again, exciting the little ones to have their own place to go. We had, what looked like the entire congregation of a new church, setting up the food, serving, cleaning, helping out to get everybody fed. Then we moved into our new Community Market, with more of their members, helping as shoppers as our community made their way around the store picking and choosing what they wanted to take home. Their bags were weighed, bag up and off they went. I heard nothing but compliments from the community as the whole evening was special. Shannon, Lisa, Abbey, Alan and a whole host of others made the shopping experience special. 

Dr Phil had a big smile on his face Thursday evening, as he had the opportunity to introduce one of his children to the community. Philip was in town for a few days, as he and his wife are transitioning to a new career move for them.

Prayers for one of our men who is part of our Monday Bible study at Grace and on Tuesday evening. I have not met a more braver man, than Daren, who has lost both legs to diabetes, never complaining. Late Thursday evening he was taken to the emergency room with heart problems. Have not heard this morning of his condition. Another friend has his trial next week. Like Paul said, I know I shouldn't do certain things but I do them anyway. He made bad choices and paying the price for them now. Matt's mom and her continued struggle with her health. Phil in his travels to Colorado. He will be gone from us for awhile helping out his community there.

Don't forget to collect Easter eggs for our neighborhood walk Easter Sunday. We will hide as many as we can get!

We are at the beginning of Holy week, a time to reflect on what God has done for us in our lives. He allowed His son to be tortured on Friday for our sins and lvoed us enough to allow His son to be resurrected on Sunday so that we may have eternal life with Him. Isn't that amazing!

Thinking back on our scripture, lvoe our enemies, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you, do good to those who hate you, isn't that what Jesus did for us on the cross on Friday? If Jesus did that for us, can't we do the same to others? There is too much hate in the world. The world needs lvoe, Jesus' kind of lvoe. It is not us who are called to lvoe, bless, pray or do good, it is the Holy Spirit within us doing the work. God is within all of us, if we just let go!

Verse 35, sums it up this way, But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High . . Don't we all want to be children of the Most High! Amen.

No better way to celebrate Holy Week, than to do in community. Hope you all are able to spend time with your family and friends. God is good!

Godly life

Sorry for the late note. We are being forced to play with our grand children and time has gotten away!

I was told John Sauls and Alan have just about completed our "common ground" arc! Beyond wet in our part of the world! Hopefully it is not as bad in your world! Ya'll have the right to tell me to be quiet in July and August when I will say, sure wish it would rain!

One of our camps has been washed away, the other camps are doing ok. Too much rain in a short amount of time. I apologize for the confusion last week about us finding Brad. He is still missing. We need to make some phone calls. Our basketball team has finished their city league play and now are in a church league. Matt has picked up some new boys to be on the team. More opportunities to share the Good News! There was a big haul of bread brought by Ardis. All the freezers and refrigerators are full!

Mondays and Wednesdays continue to bring us opportunities for relationships to develop. A great group of children come each week. Carl and Mary are developing a new schedule for the children to start in the coming weeks.

Tuesday evening the men's Bible fellowship met in the fellowship hall. Joey had prepared a feast, too much to bring to the chapel. Matt read from 2 Peter 1: 1 - 12. God has given  us everything we need to live a godly life. It is up to us to follow!

Thursday evening during the down pour, we sang a few songs and listened to Noel share his testimony about his trip to California. A delicious meal was prepared by Joey and Jerry, served by helpers, clothes were given away and grocery bags were handed out. More of our community showed than we thought due to all the rain. A testimony to how much we are appreciated.

We all have been invited to Ms Abbie's 31st Anniversary at her church this Sunday. She has been playing the piano for all those years! The name of her church is St Elmo Baptist church, 14070 Adger Rd Gilliam, LA 71029. Her appreciation celebration starts at 2:30. If you want to caravan up there, we will be living the center at 2pm.

God has given us His very great and precious promises. Isn't that amazing! There is no guess work, no wondering what is required of us, no mystery in what God has promised us. It is stated in the 5th verse, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and mutual affection, love.

And in the middle of verse 10, God says, for if you do these things, you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Wow, what a blessing! Amen.

Let's pray for the rain to slow up a bit and may we all continue to be in the presence of our Lord and Savior!

Change

Yes Dorothy there is a sun! Approximately, 2:45 on Tuesday afternoon, we saw the sun, didn't last for long but we got to see it! Then Wednesday we got above 40 degrees for the first time in two months! Wednesday afternoon, we had a temperature of 79 degrees, woke up to sleet and snow Thursday morning with the temperature at 29 degrees! Hopefully the weather in your part of the world is a little more stable!

Baby it was cold, really cold Saturday morning, but Scott and the family of servants led the way around to the camps. Some folks went indoors at some friends house, others braved the weather. Robert stood up in his tent, to think either I am growing or my tent is shrinking! All the snow was pushing down on his roof! Not sure how Hat does it, but she found our missing Brad. He is at the same place William is at. Jerry had another episode Sunday evening. Joey called Alan and Alan being the kind hearted soul he is, braved the cold and rain to pick him up and took Jerry to the emergency room. Jerry stayed over night and is back at the camp.

I shared some stories about Common Ground, Willie preached about the grace of God to the men's breakfast group at Brookwood Baptist Saturday morning. Always good to tell others what ya'll are doing.

Sunday evening, we hosted our first and hopefully more to come, class of Grace members learning about discipleship. Our long time friend Pete and our new friend, Pastor Juan came up with the idea of a way of bridging the gap between to the neighborhoods. They met for an hour and half and then was given a tour of the center. This is only the beginning of new relationships being formed.

Again, I want to apologize for missing this week's activities. Not sure who I made mad, but I was again summoned to federal court as a potential juror. I was summoned in January and here I was back again! Don't mind being summoned but sure messes up your schedule. This case was going to last two weeks, so I held up my hand and cried like a baby to get out! Must have worked, by 5:30 they finally made their jury selections and I was not one of the them!

Tuesday evening, I missed our men's Bible fellowship to attend a committee I have been asked to be a part of. Messed up my whole week missing our men's fellowship! The committee will not only effect Grace Community but also Common Ground. Exciting to talk about a new relationship between the two.

Monday and Wednesday we continue to meet with our children. Our loyal servants continue to be present for our children as they learn to read. They are changing lives.

Our first Thursday chapel group of Heather and Derek was not able to be with us due to the baby being sick, so Brother George and Brother Spencer filled in at the last moment. God is so good at providing men of God for us to use their gifts. A delicious meal was served, clothes were given away, bags of groceries were handed out. A good evening.

Our longtime friend, John Williams brought a friend with him to help work on the Bright House electrical issues Thursday evening. They stopped their work, long enough to enjoy the meal. John's friend Jim liked it so much, he wants his life group to come and help out! God is good.

Prayers for Brad and William as they go through their recoveries. Prayers for our friends living outside who are struggling through this cold weather. Prayers for Liam, young son of Heather and Derek. Prayers for those of our community who are traveling. Prayers for God's direction in our communities, that we may follow as the doors become open. Prayers for Joey and his community. Won't be long Joey will be back with us!!

I am going to whine! Forgive me, but it has been on my mind for several weeks now. We talk about our trials at our men's Bible study on Monday night. The one common place where we all seem to struggle, to be the men of God we are suppose to be, is when we are driving! I have been asking God, why? What are you trying to show me? I have attended more meetings, read more books, listened to more speakers, than I have in many years, why?

At dusk, just before you turn on your headlights to see, is a time that frustrates me. The headlights of your car should be on, not for you but for others. When you are waiting to come onto the road, your turn signal should be on, not for you but for others. When the traffic light turns yellow, it is not meant to speed up but to stop so that others can come across. As we have seen in last few years, texting can be dangerous, to you as well as others. Both Juan and I experienced drivers, videoing the snow while driving! I will say, I was not very Christ like as I trying to stay on the road following them!

What is God up to? What is He trying to share with us? One conclusion I have come to, is our society has become very selfish. What's in it for me, not being concerned for others. When we ask for help, I hear, what's in it for me? 

The church, our community, our society is at a crossroads. We can go about our business like we have for the last century, caring for ourselves avoiding dealing with others, doing business as usual, give up and shut the doors. Or we have the exciting possibility of changing lives. I hear God telling us, it won't be easy. We will meet lots of opposition along the way. We will be chastised for making changes.

But I hear God saying, If you hang in there, if you lvoe Me, if you are obedient, if you are faithful, it will all be worth it! We will have the opportunity to experience God's Kingdom in ways we have not thought of! Our lives, the lives of others will be changed, so others will experience the lvoe of Jesus. How exciting to be a part of a community where that change is beginning to take place. Won't you join us? Amen.

Help me to be a better driver this week! Hope your week is full of joy and blessings! God is good . . . all the time!