Rose garden

Wow, it's Friday already! Hope your week was filled with many joys and blessings.

We made our way around to visit our friends who live outside. Turner was doing fine, no sign of Richard again, Robert was busy getting the day off his usual way. Dawn and Scott made the comment, the guys feel at ease with us enough to continue their habits whether it be good or bad. On one hand that is nice but on the other, the addictions continue. Jesus is needed mightily! Smokey was fine. Matt and Tim visited their guys and continue to share the lvoe of Jesus with them.

Easter Sunday morning was started at sunrise like so many before us, in an "egg"celent way! We had a small but faithful group of servants, who walked and hide eggs all over our neighborhood. Again, we saw vacant lots, vacant houses, that need some lvoe trash that needs to clean up, some thank you's from neighbors peering out the doors, what a blessing. Thanks to all for coming out and spreading the light of Jesus in our neighborhood.

Tuesday afternoon, Ms Lisa, Lomax, Mara, and Logan took some of the Small's children to the Norton Art gallery. This time they went inside to show the children all the displays. What a treat, thank you guys for making this happen.

Tuesday evening, Mr Matt and the men of the community gathered for their Bible fellowship. Matt read from Titus chapter 2. Telling us to live our lives in a wise and right way and in a way that shows we serve God. So much of the world needs to see us living a life devoted to Jesus on the streets, in the camps, at the hospitals, in prisons, in our community.

Wednesday evening, Lomax hosted us for our family gathering. Great job Lomax in the preparation of the food, to providing a place where we can learn from each other and tell our stories. Dr Phil led our discussions on chapter 2 and 3 of his book, God works with patterns and Divine Intelligence. One sentence says, For success is not a miracle, it is simply an application of God's principles, working in diving order.

Thursday was another great evening of song, sharing, and food. Heather, Derrick and Richard led us in chapel, Momma T and Abbey supplied the food, new friends from Byrd high school served and cleaned up, Ms Lisa handed out the groceries. Another blessed evening.

Don't forget, we have a free concert in the chapel, Saturday at 2pm. We have Sunday supper at the Ackermans, at 6pm. There is a garage sale going on at Abbey's house, 1901 Horton, Sat morning 6 til noon. Proceeds going to another Haiti trip. Lots going on, come out and enjoy.

Continued prayers for the Bollingers, Cari getting tested this coming week to see if her treatments are progressing like they should. Continue to keep William and James in your prayers. They are trying to work things out for their apartment, while trying to deal with the pull of addictions in William's life. Prayers for safe travel, for Karl and Kelly as they take a trip, for Joey as he returns home after a week in the Atlanta area. Prayers for continued healing for Joe. He is out of intensive care, but struggling with dealing with his illness. Not knowing I think is as worse as knowing. Prayers for his family, that they take of themselves as they take care of Joe. Prayers for Isidora who continues to have back problems. Prayers for our family in Crowley. The youth leader, Julie emailed and said they are wanting to start a homeless ministry. Prayers that God will lead them and guide them in the direction they need to go. A friend of the Grace family, Amand a Sparks in her passing. Prayers for her family as they deal with their loss.

As Richard shared his story in chapel Thursday, he said, Jesus didn't promise us a rose garden. It got me to thinking, life is tough, life is hard, life has many challenges, many storms, how do we deal with them? We can try to deal with them ourselves, worry about them, fuss, get mad, get angry, what does that accomplish? If we try to deal with our storms on our own, then we are setting ourselves up for failure and misery. 

God didn't promise us a rose garden, but He did promise us His Lvoe, if we just accept it. Very simple, uncomplicated, just accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, then we will have some one to turn to in when we reach that wall where it looks like there is no hope. Your wall and my wall will look different. We talked about Wednesday night, no problem is too small or no problem is too big to take to the Lord. We just have to go to Him!

We can not go through life without the presence of Jesus in our lives. Life is too hard. Let's pray together, each one of us today, right now, accept Jesus in our lives. Let us let go of all the things we are holding on to, give it away to the One who is longing for our friendship and respect. What a joy and a blessing we will find, a peace will over come our soul as we begin to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Have a great weekend and joyous week ahead as we let go and let God in our lives!! Amen and amen.