Saturday was full of blessings for our community. Our camps are holding their own, trying to survive the elements of the weather. Robert told Dawn, Brad has woken up. Brad knew who Robert was when he walked into his hospital room. Jerry has good days and bad as his heart is trying to recover from his procedures. The basketball team continues to learn what it is to become a team and came away with a victory. Following the game, many of the parents of the boys joined Matt and Vicky and others for lunch at the center! What a treat.
Our learning to read training continued on Monday and Wednesday. New relationships are being formed between our children and our servants!
Tuesday evening our men gathered for Bible fellowship. With some of us gone, others stepped up and life goes on. Scripture is read, lives are changed, hearts are healed.
With the help of many, the basketball team was treated Tuesday evening, to attend a Harlem Globetrotter game. Also, the team was privileged to meet a former member of the Centenary basketball team, who is now a Globetrotter.
Thursday evening activities continued with our long time friends rejoining us for chapel. Heather, Derek and dad Richard had taken some time off to have a new baby. It was great to have them join us again and share their gifts of song and Word. Our meal was served by our new friends from the BCM. I will admit it was strange not having Joey around introducing us to all the young adults! Pastor Juan was there helping out and meeting our community.
Following our meal, Lisa had her monthly Board meeting. Some of the topics talked about were, we now have a small van! Someone donated a van to us and Lisa is in the process of setting up the insurance. Long time in coming and definitely needed. We have a new person joining our family. Pastor Juan's wife Shannon will be joining us to help in various aspects of our ministry. Very exciting. We have approached Willis Knighton about the possibility of taking over the building across the street from the center. The hospital Board is in discussion about that possibility. Lisa and Carl met many young professionals at an event last week. One of the most sought out young professional of the evening has selected us as their place to become involved with. She will bring lots of energy and new ideas for us to explore. With the help of some grant money, Lisa has purchased new shelving units for our food pantry. This will be the first step in transforming our food pantry into a food store. We are in the final stages of submitting our grant application to the Angel Foundation for some exciting new happenings. Carl met with a Learning Center to discuss the possibility of working together with them. Carl and David formed a neighborhood committee along with a questionnaire and has begun meeting and talking with the community.
Pastor Juan shared with the Board, his desire for the coming year. A new, fresh relationship with the congregation of Grace and our community. He put a number to his dreams with the potential of having lots of new servants in the coming year!
Alan and Byron continue to work on the Bright House I and make tremendous strides. Work is being done during the week and also on Saturday mornings, drop by and help out where you can.
Prayers for Momma T as she travels to College Station. Continued prayers for our family as we deal with the death of our niece. Prayers for the young father, who now has to raise their children by himself. Prayers for Matt's moms health.
Prayer continuously. Listen quietly. Humble ourselves. Be faithful. Be obedient. Have patience. All phrases I have heard these past few weeks. All applies when working for our God. Often our prayers are asking God to help us in our decisions, the ways we want things to work out. But often God's ways are not ours. God may answer our prayer but they don't look like the way we have asked for and we don't recognize them when they come. Or, the answers seem to far out there, it requires us to have faith beyond what we have and we don't move forward.
I also have heard lately, be careful what you pray for, you may not like what you see! All too often, we want to put God in our own little box, where everything is safe, comfortable and predictable. When we pray to our God for help, when He sends our way His help, how do we react to that help, will determine our faith and obedience. God's ways are unique, special to Him because He sees the big picture. He wants it done His way, which is always the best, for the glory of His Kingdom. Our visions are usually much smaller, only what we can see and expect.
Have patience is something I have real trouble with because I want it done in mr brian's timing. The older I get, the faster I want things to happen! God sees things we do not. Our patience is something He sees and wants us to learn from. Through patience we develop that closer relationship with Christ, that He desires from us. As our patience grows, so does our relationship.
As Lisa shared at the Board meeting, we have become overwhelmed with new people, exciting ideas, unique ministry possibilities. God may be sending all of this to us in answers to our prayers for all these years. So how do we handle it? Do we humble ourselves to listen to others, to be obedient in our ways and have faith God knows what He is doing?! Time will tell! Amen and amen!
God is busy and we need you. Don't miss out on something that is happening and is unique in the world we are living in. Come and experience the lvoe of Christ like you have never experienced it before!
Have a great week! God is good!
No comments:
Post a Comment