Good morning! We woke well rested this morning, to the sound of kids playing and singing at the Vacation Bible School at our host church haven.
Last night we led the dinner chapel service at the New Orleans Rescue Mission, where about 150 men and women overnight guests were gathered. It went awesome!
Each of us connected with the dear souls gathered. Karen went first and as began to share about hope, she put her paper down and just let the message come out! Richard shared the hope he has found, having once been homeless himself. We wove in some Scriptural encouragement and perspective.
God wastes nothing! All our tough times can become connecting points to minister to others in the same situations. When we, with God's help, start breaking free, that testimony can give powerful evidence of desperately needed hope. 2 Cor 5:14-20= "14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God."
Chapel lasts one hour and that seemed to go by in just a few minutes!
Thank you, prayer warriors, for praying us through!
Praise Reports and Prayer Requests for Today:
Richard: Prayer request for Ray, his dear friend back in Delevan recuperating from surgery, has had a mild stroke and a problem with blood clots in the hospital. The hospital staff have caught each complication. Praise report from yesterday: "I thank God for having me here to encourage and help others in the strength of the Lord. I'm probably going to say that every day from now on."
Karen: Prayer request that the Lord give us discernment on which project(s) we are to work on in ministering to Hy & Libba (our main ministry partners since 2003) today. Praise God that we are able to have the time today to work with Hy & Libba!@
Wes: Prayer request for spiritual insight and wisdom to best encourage and strengthen our dear, dear friends. Praise report: Praise God that Karen had God's strength and confidence during chapel to put down her script and speak with the Spirit's leading! Richard was a complete natural wherever we go, but specially at the Rescue Mission. His phenomenal one-on-one skills and talents were on full power last night. In fact, we couldn't find him he was at one moment with someone inside, then outside. You should see the glow in both their eyes!
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