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It's Friday!! Hope you week was a good one. What stories can you share with us about God's work in your lives?

Another busy Saturday last week. Pastor Rich from Grace, brought us pulled pork, buns, barbeque sauce and we made sandwiches to take with us on our visits, Yummy! A few minutes later, Gus and a group of his students showed up. Gus has given his students a project to write a paper on a service project. Krysten gave them a tour of the center. Then they joined us for our visits. Great group of young people.

While we left for our visits, John stayed behind and continued work in the kitchen. Unfortunately, with spring break starting for the area schools, many of the guys John called, were headed out of town. John has torn down the walls of the old pantry and removed the counters to allow for the new stove and range hood. He is out of town this Saturday, but starting next Saturday, April 7, he will be working every Saturday. Come by and help him, lots of work for us all to do.

Mr Scott led our visits to Turner, Smokey, Richard, Robert and Tim. We asked Richard if the students could take a look inside the station to see the conditions he is living in. He took them and you should have seen the expressions on the young people's faces. Looks of disbelief, of sadness, for someone living that way. Mr Scott gave Richard a broom to sweep up the trash and clutter that surrounds his counter "bed". Smokey continues to make his way to the VA for treatment. He is doing good. Leroy was there, one of Smokey's roommates. Smokey told us, since Dale and Tim have left from under the bridge, people have begun to use that place for using drugs and having parties. Smokey said the Circle K had been robbed and the police raided his camp, scarring Leroy to death as they flung open his tent looking for the robber. Tim was cleaning up around their new camp. Looking better every week. Matt has begun to bring his truck on our visits, hauling trash bags away from Tim's camp. Thanks Matt, trying to keep that camp semi clean will be a huge undertaking. Right now, it looks very nice.

Also on Saturday afternoon, Krysten and Momma T took several of our young ladies to a performance at the Strand. Michelle got tickets to local high school dance teams. The children seemed to really like the performances.

This week has been spring break for the local schools. So no tutoring was going on, just playtime outside. Lots of playtime! Children everywhere. Playing football, basketball, skipping rope, coloring with sidewalk chalk and playing games. We lots of new children, looking for something to do. The city of Shreveport has community centers around the city with activities going on during the week. How can we get our children involved in that? Why don't our children go there? I need to ask them and find out why they don't go? Maybe a trip to AB Palmer community center is in order for some of us?

Matt led our men's community bible study Tuesday evening. A small group, but usually when you have smaller numbers, those that don't speak up, feel more comfortable to do so. That happened Tuesday evening. What a blessing to have a place where men feel comfortable to be able to share what is on their hearts. A place where they know they will not be judged or ridiculed. Thank you Matt for allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you and providing a place of peace and lvoe.

One of the men mentioned Tuesday evening, wow, these are nice chairs. Through another miracle of God, Grace was blessed with new chairs in their worship area, so we were blessed with their slightly used chairs, so now our chapel is full with beautiful new chairs that all match! Very nice. Pictures to come.

Tuesday afternoon, we had the blessing to meet a new prospective intern of ours, looking on joining us for the summer. Lauren, came by to see what we were all about and another miracle of God, she was not scared away by all the controlled confusion! Krysten is going to meet with her and talk about the summer plans. She is a sweet mate of one of our Centenary students, Kayla. Thanks Kayla for sending Lauren to us.

It was time for mr brian and Ms Abbie to cook hamburgers for our community meal on Thursday. We cooked 120 hamburgers and they were all gone by 5:30. We had lots of folks and lots of seconds. Our lawyer came by and hosted the legal clinic. At some point, we had to close the back door, just to get the children to go home. Everybody was having fun playing basketball. Some were having fun meeting Matt's dog Rosey. Our children only know Pit Bulls, so when they see a new dog, one that lvoes them, they can't get over it and only want to lvoe on the dog, pet it and walk it around. Thanks Matt for bringing Rosey by for a visit.

Just as we were beginning our Bible study, we got a phone call from our friend in California, Lomy. He is doing great, still in the Los Angeles area, taking in all the sites. He did sound a little spacey and "like really dude" and "just hanging man". Hurry home Lomax, don't let the "left" coast get to you too much!

Joey led us in the reading of chapter 4 in Ephesians. Talking about unity in the body of Christ, gifts of the spirit, all working together. Building each other up. Sharing with those who are poor. Be kind and lvoing to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ. Pretty straight forward, no sugar coating here, don't need to add anything, just do it. So simple, yet we for some reason we make is so complicated.

Prayers for Ms Beth as she prepares for surgery Monday helping her with her kidney stones problem. Prayers for Ms Sarah and Mr Scott as they return from their mission trip, Saturday evening. Great job. Prayers for our friends who will receive their checks this weekend. Prayers they use their money wisely and not on sinful things. Some are going to call William today and Saturday to help him make wise choices. Prayers for James as he continues to struggle with his past and how to move forward. Prayers for Ms Judy Livingston. Ms Judy has become a loyal friend of ours helping us with our weekly meals. She has had knee replacement and is in the process of rehabbing. Prayers for one of our former outdoor friends Izzy. Izzy lives behind Dr Phil. He went to the emergency room yesterday because he could not catch his breath. They took an X-ray and found something on his lung. The doctors scared him, but Dr Phil assured him, if he stop smoking, go see a doctor, he will be ok. Prayers for God's miracles in grand babies. Prayers for their parents and grandparents.

This coming Thursday is Maundy Thursday. Grace is hosting a unique spiritual journey, starting at 6pm. Some of folks will be there helping out. Please go and try it out.

Some of us brought our eggs and candy others did not, oops. For those who did not, we need you to bring them next Thursday. We put some eggs together Thursday, but not nearly enough eggs for the neighborhood visits. We have asked some of area churches to help with our Easter egg hunt at our meal, so we should be covered for that. We hope to have an Easter egg hunt at our meal on Thursday. Ms Sarah, if she can, will have help to hide the eggs while the children are eating. We will then divide the children into groups and let them find the eggs as they go home. Come by and help if you can. With our regular Easter bunny in California, we are looking for a replacement. Let Joey know if you are interested or know of someone who might be.

Thank you all for being the Body of Christ. Living your gifts, so that we all are blessed. God is an awesome God, wanting only from us to lvoe others as He has lvoed us. Can't we do that? As Dawn said Thursday night, as Matt said two weeks ago in our Bible fellowship, it is very simple. We don't need to add any more words to the Bible. We don't need to create new rules or traditions. We don't need to allow for new times or ways. God is lvoe. We should be also. Amen.