Weaving the most beautiful tapestry you could ever imagine...

I am at a point in my walk where a particular subject keeps coming up...it is like the Lord is graciously showing me in blinking lights His awesome wisdom, power, and creativity over and over again through the way He connects us.  And I am grateful.

 

He is showing me His handiwork- His handiwork in weaving together lives, crossing paths, and writing chapters in lives that overlap . His providential placement of people and events in my life makes me stand back in wonderment.  How He uses those crossed paths to affect others and bring Himself glory has me amazed. And how He continually makes these events happen as if they were planned before time began (which they were) utterly astounds me. We tend to look at life as a bunch of random, chance happenings. Probably because it is too overwhelming to think that any one thing or person could arrange it all.  But He does. When you take the time to step back and connect the dots of your life-it is out of control crazy how awesome His plan is. Step back and look at your tapestry.

 

Case in point- on our first trip to Ethiopia we were with four other families from our adoption agency. These families were from Texas, California, Connecticut, and Washington state.  We stayed together in a small guest house in Addis-we traveled north to Mekele and back together on an airplane and shared some of the most special, emotional days of our lives together. We braved Addis Ababa traffic in a "blue donkey" together.  We broke bread together. One of these families briefly worked with an Ethiopian NGO in Korah(the massive trash dump for the city of Addis). . She had some familiarity with the area and some folks there-and she knew a driver, so we took a day trip there together when we got back to Addis. The threads had been put in place on the loom for this tapestry.  While there, we saw some of the most gut-wrenching poverty on the planet. "Korah" means "cursed" in Amharic.  Folks who live there are often considered cursed because of poverty and sickness. We left Korah changed that day.

These are typical homes found around Korah. The mountain you see in the background is actually trash. These poorest of the poor dig for items they can recycle for a little money AND they dig for their meals here.

 

Fast forward  a couple of weeks...our family along with another family from our adoption agency decided to sponsor a child through an American non-profit  group that was helping this Ethiopian NGO(that we were made aware of by the same adoptive parent who brought us to Korah).  We did not realize that this group would soon be severing ties with the Ethiopian NGO.  We had learned the stories of the children we were sponsoring...we had seen where they lived...we knew that they were relying on us to pay their school fees(in Ethiopia everyone has to pay to go to school-so obviously the very poor have no chance unless someone comes along side them to help). We also were excited about the fact that our friends in Ethiopia had rented a structure in Korah where the kids could come and learn about the Gospel.  They also could receive tutoring in their school work. Occasionally they would be able to receive a meal there. If a church or another entity did not come alongside this Ethiopian NGO, they would not be able to continue their work in the community. They would lose the building they rent which serves as a community center where Jesus is shared with these children. Our kids would not be able to attend school.

 

 

 

Fast forward another couple of weeks....our family traveled back to Ethiopia for our adoption embassy trip. This time, only 2 other adoptive families from our original group were there, and one left shortly after we arrived.  One family spent the entire week with us and happened to be the other family that decided to sponsor a child in Korah. The Lord knew what He was doing when He planned for us to spend a second week in Ethiopia together. We were on a mission(that we were unaware of at this time)-and it was not just to bring our adopted children home.  Part of it involved wrecking our hearts AGAIN for the people of Korah and He would use both of us in this next series of threads.

 

Proverbs 24:12

" Once our eyes are opened, we cannot pretend we do not know what to do.  God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act."

 

So-the Box family and the Easters went back to Korah. We visited our friends at ACDO(Access Children Development Organization). Nati is a young fellow who is currently in college.  He was a Compassion International kid y'all-an American family sponsored him so he could go to school. Good stuff. He loves the Lord and is studying social work in college now while giving back to his community.  His brother Ashu works for a local church and also helps with the organization, and Areghegn is the head of the NGO there. They love the Lord. While we were there, we actually went in to the homes of the children we sponsor. We brought them clothing, food, and prayed for them. We took our friends from ACDO out to a traditional Ethiopian meal and discussed how we could come along side them and help share Jesus with the people of Korah. We collectively decided that the Box and Easter family would continue to sponsor our children by privately sending money until we could get a non-profit up and going in the states to help solicit more sponsorships. We have had a couple of other friends and family members who are trusting us to arrange their sponsorships as well until we have an official non-profit in place. We are sharing Jesus with these kids...one kid at a time. We prayed that ACDO could hold on in the meantime financially(because starting a non profit in the US takes a stupid long time and requires stupid hoop jumping). Yes-I said stupid.

This is Yenesu-the child we sponsor, standing inside his home.  I sat on that bench when we visited his family. By sponsoring him, we are allowing him to attend school-the first step in stopping the cycle of abject poverty that keeps his family hostage.

 

Suzanne's sponsor child in the green dress is Tihunia. Through Suzanne's sponsorship and extra gifts she is able to attend school and also move to a structure with concrete walls and a tin roof. This is a huge thing-especially during the rainy season in Ethiopia.

 

 

And then a plan took effect.  A plan that the Lord had already chosen the thread for...the thread that would be woven into an even larger tapestry than we would imagine at the time. One of the things that happens at the ACDO center is that there are women who are learning the trade of making beaded jewelry. On our first trip we purchased a couple of necklaces.  On our second trip, Suzanne purchased a bundle-not really sure of what would happen with the hundred-plus necklaces she purchased.

 

Our sweet lady friends in Korah making jewelry at ACDOs center. By buying this jewelry, we are empowering women and providing job opportunities. 100% of the proceeds of the sales of this jewelry go to the women. We are working to establish relationships with them and to help them see their value in the God who made them. If you are interested in this jewelry and supporting the women of Korah-please contact me.

 

 You see, Suzanne works with another non-profit in another African country.  In fact-a couple of weeks after our trip to Ethiopia she was traveling to Kenya with Mercy House. Many of you have heard about it.  Mercy House Kenya is headed up by the same woman (Kristen) who blogs at We are That family. They were in the beginning process of starting something called Free Trade Fridays where American women could join and receive a special free-trade item once a month.  You can read about it here http://mercyhousekenya.org/blog/2014/7/20/introducing-fair-trade-friday.html .

Well..in all His wisdom and tapestry weaving goodness-The Lord blessed this Free Trade Friday idea and they will be using some of the necklaces from our dear friends in Korah.  So what is sooo cool about this?  The fact that the Lord put Suzanne in two places at just the right time...to bless the poor and to bring Him glory. Two tapestries connected to make an even larger one.  He introduced her to the ladies at Korah in Ethiopia and gave her an opportunity to bless the ladies at Mercy House Kenya as a result. The sales of the necklaces through the Mercy House Free Trade Friday opportunity will help the ladies in Korah and the ladies in Kenya.  Our God is big, y'all.

 In addition-he brought Suzanne and I together-both of us with a strong hunger to get a non-profit off the ground here in the states so we can continue to help the folks in Korah. We want to have an organization that can handle the sponsorships of these children(60+), help promote and sell the jewelry made by the ladies, and even bring together folks to travel to Ethiopia to minister in medical and other ways to the community.   I don't know what He was thinking when he put two VERY strong-willed adoptive mommas together..but I am sure it was because what we will be doing will be requiring some extra strong will! That particular thread in the tapestry must be a very colorful and strong one! I am very thankful for my new friend Suzanne.  I am thankful for other believers who are passionate like her. I am grateful that the Lord let us cross paths. To Him be the glory in our friendship.

 

In the meantime-I would like to ask for some specific prayer requests.  Please join me in praying for the people in Korah.  That Jesus is made real to them by the efforts of the men at ACDO. Please pray that the Lord sustains ACDO until a stateside organization that we are forming(Caring for Korah) can take on the huge task of gathering sponsorships on a larger scale and supporting their work. And pray for the men at ACDO that they do not grow weary of doing the work of the Lord.

As soon as our organization gets going-we will be seeking sponsorships for these children. Sponsorships will be $40.00 a month.  Perhaps you can start praying about this opportunity-making room in your budget for it ahead of time.  We will need at least 60 folks to step up the the plate on this. Is the Lord calling you to be a thread in this tapestry?

And finally-take a moment to step back and look at the tapestry the Lord is weaving in your life.  Why does He have you where you are?  Who has He allowed to cross your path? What is His purpose in doing so? He is big. He has a plan. Look for ways to bring Him glory in the middle of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Such a Time as This...

Esther 4:14

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this."

We all have inherent personality traits.  I am convinced that these are planted in us for God's glory and His glory alone. His providential timing as evidenced in the Book of Esther, is always right.

 

10  years ago(even 5 years ago)...my strongest set of personality traits were being tenacious....pushy....goal-oriented....won't-take-no-for-an-answer. These were traits that got me in trouble. These were traits that made me look like a lost soul(which I was). These were traits that made me look like the world. They were traits that helped me in business(to an extent).  They helped me get what I wanted at the time. I spent a lot of time refining them-for the wrong reasons.

 

Then He saved me. The Holy Spirit came to live in me....and it all changed.

 

These same traits helped me through this adoption process. I am convinced they were planted in me years ago in my mother's womb to help me through this season of our lives. The difference is-I was able with the help and direction of the Holy Spirit, to use them with His guidance and for His glory. If you have ever been through an international adoption process...you know the amount of obstacles that can come up-the bureaucracy-the amount of phone calls and emails to push things through and keep your file out of a pile. You also owe it to the children you are adopting to make sure that ethics are in the forefront with how they came in to the care of the orphanage, etc. This takes hours of research about your agency, the orphanage and asking of a lot of hard questions. You cannot feel defeated...you cannot give up.  You cannot get your feelings hurt. I mean we were fighting for the future of two children on the other side of the planet. The difficulty I experienced at first had to do with reconciling wont-take-no-for-an-answer with humility and meekness.  Guess what folks....they CAN coexist. There is a such a misperception of what meekness and humility means. Paul describes to us how the traits can coexist in 2 Corinthians 10 where he discussed meekness, but he also lets us know that he was capable of being bold if necessary.  The humility that was watered and fertilized came about in the form of my submitting to the Lord...NOT a lost world. The Lord was in control of the situation-not us. The meekness that developed was a result of the fact that although I was provoked endlessly during this process, I needed to submit to the Lord  and ask for His direction and not be confrontational. My need to be in control was turned over to Him. In return He reminded me that He was in control-I was in His will- and I had no reason to worry. And let me tell you-when it is soooo obvious that you are in the middle of God's will...there is a peace in all of the actions necessary to see it to the end. He directs your paths. By no means do I have this humility and meekness thing totally accomplished(I can hear my family giggling when they read this-and also my real estate clients)...they are fruits that will need constant fertilizing in my life with the Word until the day I die. But what is so amazing is to see AGAIN and AGAIN how the Lord can use what could be used for evil in this world for His good and His glory. I mean who else can take a control-freak personality and tweek and twist it to actually work for His glory....

 

 

And just to drive home the point-the Lord has let me see personality traits in the rest of my family that are quite clear were planted there for such a time as this. Hannah's nurturing spirit and her "mothering" personality have been HUGE in the first weeks of these kids being home. Crosson's and Tony's patience have been out of this world. The fact that Tony himself was adopted cannot be overlooked....surely the Lord has used this part of his story to plant another level of compassion in him that exceeds my understanding. These traits and details that have taken a lifetime to develop are being used for His glory. I simply cannot imagine going through this process several years ago when I first felt the tug to adopt-before I was saved.  The Lord had work to do...and His timing is perfect. I am grateful that He has revealed this to me in hindsight.

 

I posted on facebook the other day that it was so cool to see how God doesn't leave out any details when he writes an adoption story. He has it all covered. He has made provision, He has prepared hearts and personalities, He has placed all of us in the same family on purpose with a purpose and He has equipped us for it.  Let me never forget-even when the going gets tough-that He wrote this story. Before the beginning of time He wrote it, for such a time as this. I am trusting in the Author of Creation.

Kindehafty Easter 9.28.2003

Hagos Easter 4.20.2002

 

Preparing Hearts-as only He can do.

For 13 years of my married life, and several years as a child, I attended a very liturgical church.  The 40 day season of Lent that begins the day after Mardi Gras (as it is known in Louisiana-Ash Wednesday to the rest of the world) was celebrated with  traditional services that commemorated various days during this season. Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday...all culminated in the Easter Sunrise Service either at the cemetery or at the lake. This season of Lent was one where you prepared your heart for the Risen Christ through fasting and liturgy. 

Our new church home of a couple of years does not participate in these traditional services...in fact our sermons have been verse by verse through the book of Philippians for the past several weeks-that will preach! But one thing is certain...we have been preparing our hearts for the Risen Christ! In our household, that has come through some amazing parallels that only the Lord could have orchestrated.

You see, we are in a season of preparation like none other in our lives.  We are preparing to welcome two new children in to our home. We are preparing paperwork, sleeping arrangements, finances, and travel. But we are also preparing our hearts for the unknown. Step by step through the process, the Lord has made Himself real to us and has reminded us of our purpose. Step by step He has reminded us of our need for Him.  He has reminded us of His love for us that was made so excruciatingly evident as He hung and bled on the cross. And without doubt, He has reminded us of His power and sovereignty through the empty grave! 

"The preparations of the heart is man, and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives.  Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.".  Proverbs 16:1-3

As we work within the limitations of our human abilities to prepare by decorating rooms , reading books, making rag dolls, and learning about the Ethiopian culture.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

We rely on the Holy Spirit to prepare hearts, to do away with fear, to comfort and console the lonely-these things only He can do.
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As we pray and ask for guidance, direction, freedom from fear, and peace as we prepare for our new children....
...we are reminded in Matthew 28 that an angel of the Lord told the women "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.  He is not here, for He is risen, just as He said."

The most important preparation has already occurred for those whom the Lord has called.  The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we may be adopted in to His family and share in His inheritance. How can we even fathom being afraid when the same Spirit that raised our Lord from the dead lives in us!!!! This has prepared us for all He has called us to do and we are thankful.

In Matthew 28:19 our risen Lord tells us  " Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  As we prepare our hearts to remember the Risen Christ by reading and meditating on Scripture and prayer during the Lenten season, we pray that He goes before us to prepare hearts as only He can do in Africa.  As we prepare to be obedient in following His command, we pray that He alone receives the glory. As we ponder the enormity of the risen Christ-the world-changing, history changing  event that took place two thousand years ago, we pray that He chooses to resurrect two lonely children out of the dusty mountains of Northern Ethiopia and calls them to a relationship with Him. He alone is able.  He alone is worthy.

The Lord Loves Adoption

I have made a point not to blog about specifics of our adoption up to this point. My point in blogging was to shed light on lessons the Lord teaches me. However, adoption has obviously been one thing that has occupied the front of my mind over the past year. I wake up thinking and then praying about it and I go to sleep thinking and praying about it. The Lord has used this process to teach me more and direct me back to His Word in many, may ways.

Recently there has been talk of reform to international adoptions in Ethiopia. There has been a lot of concern over the situation in the adoption community as a result. We have taken this information..what little we have....and asked the Lord what we are supposed to do with it. This is information that puts a lot of uncertainty in to an already uncertain process. We don't understand the politics in that country.We are learning. We don't understand what initiated the talk of reform.  We are learning. Not having a full understanding of the subject has driven us to do research. ...to learn more about the beautiful country where our two children were born and still live.  Not having certainty in the situation has driven us to pray.  And what have we learned?  We have simply been reminded that these children are His. First and foremost these children are His. He has the whole world in the palm of His hand.  I think He has got this. I think whatever plan He has laid out will ultimately bring more glory to Him. And isn't that why we began this process in the first place? It is amazing the peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding, that has accompanied us in this recent series of events in Ethiopia. This is truly a peace from The Lord because my anxiety-ridden, human flesh typically in the past would not have reacted this way.

One really cool thing that has happened as a result of research and networking online with other adoptive families through this, is that we have met several folks with different agencies that are in a similar place than us in their process.  Some have adopted before under the old one-trip process...some have even adopted before under the two-trip. Some are newbies like us.  Some are pre-PAIR, some are PAIR like us.  I have learned that is is comforting to share stories and timelines with others so I have decided to put our timeline here so folks can refer to it.

Jan 2013 Began our Homestudy with LA Baptist Children's Home
Held Noonday Fundraiser....really cool company if you are not familiar with it
April 15, 2013 Found our two kids on Rainbow Kids
May 3, 2013 Applied with WACAP
July 2, 2013 Homestudy done

July-Sept continued to work on getting dossier completed, traveled 4 hours to Jackson, MS for USCIS fingerprints. Held three fundraiser yard sales, one Scentsy Party fundraiser with the help of the person I want to be when I grow up-Kasey Ellis, Just Love Coffee fundraiser

Sept 23, 2013 officially accepted referral of our two kids and began PAIR process
Sept 23, 2013 an article honoring the Lord was published in the Bossier Press Tribune about our adoption
This same week we found out about an anonymous $10,000.00 donation to our adoption from someone at our church, and also a $7000.00 sibling grant from our agency. Our fees except for airfare are taken care of. Praise the Lord.
Nov 18, 2013 Received the first video of our children and it was of them receiving our family albums
Nov 27, 2013 Received email that Embassy had made request for Birth Parent interview
Dec 12, 2013 Birth Parent interview held in Addis
Dec 16, 2013 Email stating I-604 investigation complete
Dec 23, 2013 PAIR letters received in mail <<<greatest Christmas present ever

January 1, 2014 Our dossier with PAIR letter submitted to court in Addis
Jan 7, 2014 got word from agency that Birth Parent court date scheduled Jan 27, 2014 and they were going to appeal it to be moved up. Suggested we begin to make preparations to travel as early as mid Feb 2014 for our first trip.

The Lord's hand has been in on this process from the beginning. Why would it not be?  The Lord loves adoption.

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."

Galatians 4:4-5

 

We have received the spirit of adoption. Praise the Lord. What we do with it can honor the Lord more than just about any other act on this planet in my opinion. We can adopt.

We make every attempt to honor Him and sing His praises whenever we can. From sharing little blessings like free-ultra convenient parking in downtown Jackson, MS in a city strange to us when we went to get fingerprinted, to HUGE blessings like good test results after surgery to remove my thyroid in September.

And we wait. More importantly we pray.  We pray that we are able to continue to glorify the Lord in every step of this process.

..picture from NY Times of the Tigray region of Ethiopia where are children are from.

He makes beautiful things.

 

Brides, Buildings, and Motel 6's

Recently, while eating lunch with some friends, the topic of "the church looking different from the world" came up. Later that week, I received a message asking me to describe what I think looking different than the world actually looks like in practice.

When asked to summarize it, it was kind of hard.  First of all....I scanned my brain for folks that I think do look different than the world.  Honestly...I could count the ones that stand out to me on one hand.

African Reformed Baptist, Conrad Mbewe on Western Christianity:
"Western Christians have filled their lives with too many things (toys?) that have robbed them of eternal perspectives. Electronic gadgets, holidays, sports, recreation, and so on have almost become idols. Even church must be about having fun. The church has little time in the lives of its members to prepare them for eternity. There is a greater consciousness of eternity here in Africa. Perhaps it is because we have fewer toys to dull our spiritual senses and death is all around us."

Oh, what I look forward to learning from our trips to Ethiopia and I am sure the Lord will use our Ethiopian children to teach us many things from the eternal perspective.

My response to my friend was to turn the question around. "What does the world look like"? To be honest...the reason I  answered like that is because I needed to give the question some deeper thought..I needed to head to Scripture to see how I should articulate an answer that would be pleasing to the Lord. This is a subject that I struggle with a lot.  It has perhaps driven me deeper in to the Word than any other since becoming a Christian.

You see-when I picture the Church...I know enough to not picture just the building with people gathered inside that call themselves Christian.  Honestly...if that was the criteria for weighing how the Church should look different than the world...there would be nothing to work with. So-what is the Church?  The church is Christ's bride. 

Ephesians 5:27

Husbands love you wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

Acts 4:32-35

And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of houses or land would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need."

 

Considering this is how the early church looked....we can't even begin to compare the American church with the one found in Acts. 

 Ultimately, we need to determine what the Church is supposed to look like...because when as Americans we think church, we think "group of people who call themselves Christians who gather in a building on Sundays and do good works in the community(sometimes)". We think of a group of ladies that gather once a week with coffee and a book from Lifeway. We think of that big building on the corner that has programs for every age. This is the dead end I kept hitting when studying this question. I could not see the Church described in the Bible when I looked at the broader American concept of church. I could not see what I pictured as church looking any different than the world. In a culture where we have denominational publishing houses coining terms like "entrepreneurial church" we have a problem. In a culture where more money is spent on salaries and buildings than missions we have a problem. In a culture where companies exist to do market research and supply focus groups on how to expand or plant a church we have a problem. In a culture where we need to have super heros show up and tshirt guns going off during the service to encourage kids to come we have a problem. I don't see many folks who's lives have radically been changed for Christ. I don't see many if any folks risking life and limb to make disciples for Him. Where is the Church??

A Christian friend had this to say on the subject:

 " In the real Church people are having Church daily in their hearts and in the company of others of like mind.  In this Church environment I see people being truly saved, growing in their faith, having victory over sin, and rejoicing above the circumstances of this culture-daily."

 

Hallelujah! A picture of the Church...alive and active. Of course I didn't doubt it existed...the Lord tells us that He would build His church and not even the gates of Hell would prevail against it. I just longed to see the Church that the Bible tells us about and was having a hard time wrapping my brain around how it looks in today's culture.

 

So from here on out...I will not use the term church flippantly. When I say the word Church...it will be in the proper context. The body of TRUE believers...the Bride of Christ. Not the visible church, not the building we gather in, not the Sunday school class we attend, and not any particular ministry or program of these aformentioned groups. The Church is simply put, the body of TRUE believers.

 

This begs the question....how are you seeing/doing/living Church in your life?  Christ gave us the other members of the Body to do life together...to help us make disciples for Him...to display His love to the world. If our concept of church is skewed, how can we take this concept to the unbeliever? If our definition of church includes the unbelievers, the unconverted that visit our weekly gatherings regularly, it is an incorrect definition. How does the unbeliever that never enters these weekly gatherings see that we are doing life any differently than a moraly acceptable Junior League member who goes to a building once or twice a week for a gathering and then volunteers in the community?

 

"A true faith in Jesus Christ will not suffer us to be idle. No, it is an active, lively, restless principle; it fills the heart, so that it cannot be easy until it is doing something for Jesus Christ."

George Whitfield

 

The one thing that should immediately set us apart as the Church is our desire to share the Gospel with the unbelieving world. Our command as believers is to make disciples.This is what the Church does first and foremost. If we are not leaving that gathering on Sunday morning with that number one objective in mind....we have dropped the ball. The clearest most concise way we should look different than the world in our desire to share our hope with the world in the form of the Gospel.

 

How we live in community with other believers should also be readily evident to the unbelievers. We should stand out as "different" even "radical".  Are we "of one heart and one soul" like it tells us in Acts 4:32?  Do we gossip about other believers...do we sacrificially give to help other believers...do we live in excess...do we stress over obamacare and politics and IRAs?  Or-do we do life with other believers in a way that makes us "different". 

 

 My particular "tribe', our "living room church group" as we call ourselves,  has decided to take this calling seriously this year. We are going to attempt with the help of the Holy Spirit to be "of one heart and one soul". As we together navigate how the Church is called to live, we are going to do our best to honor the Lord and look different than the world. We gather every Sunday, share a meal, often an intimate communion, a lesson. We. Share. Life.  My prayer for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is this...if you have not already- find your tribe... and be the Church that the unbelievers can reconcile with the one they may read about in that Gideon Bible at the Motel 6. Give them a picture of the true Church.

 



 

Lord, when I leave this gate every day, help me to bring the Church to the world, not encourage the World in the church.