update

It was about one year ago this month that I decided to make the move down to Racine and work with the Lazarus House. It is amazing to think that it has only been a year. It feels longer than that because I have seen the Lord do things I could have only dreamed a year ago. I know I walked into this path with my eyes only half open, honestly in the months before moving I didn’t fret about where the money would come from or how I would make it this past year. I am not sure what I thought would happen and I am not going to say that I fully trusted God; I know I had sketches of plans A, B, and C in my head. I couldn’t tell you what they were but I am sure I had some. As summer hit and I began to run out of the $2,000 I had saved to live off of ‘just in case’. I began to struggle with spending any money because I was unsure where the next amount was coming from. I began to freak out about how I could pay bills and have dollars in my bank account knowing rent would again be due on the 1^st. Then the Lord showed up. Or should I say I finally let Him take over and I began to see His majesty on display in each moment of my life. The blessings (physically, spiritually, and emotionally) were clear and I could not believe this was how I was called to live, what a privilege. In the last year I have: felt tremendous healing from suffering in my life, developed an openness to be in deep relationships again, mended current relationships damaged in the midst hurt, found a compassion I never knew I could feel for people whom are often shed in a negative light and cast aside, a new sense of wonder and awe as I am allowed to serve my creator, been provided material provision over my every need and many of my wants and seen thousands of answered prayers of my own, the ministry, and you. This letter could and should go on for pages. I want to share with you some miracles that only God could do this past year.

· $3115.92 for 12 months of Rent

· $776 for my cell phone

· $1512 towards my student loan

· A year membership to Curves for me to work out, paid in full by a dear friend

· $1300 in a variety of Gift Cards, money to pamper myself, money for dates for Mark and I

· A trip to DC to visit a dear friend and a trip to Atlanta for Passion ‘07

These financial provisions don’t include food, car expenses and a variety of other things! These are just the tip of the iceberg; I start with these because they are tangible and we often thank God for the good moments and the physical blessings, because they are easy to see.

Other blessings are: I am able to part of a staff that is more like a family. I have seen ministry miracles of financial provision after provision. We have seen God drawing the board and the staff on its way to being one body. God brought a plumber to us we have never met willing to do the work at a discounted price. We have recently cleaned out the building of things we have no need for much of it out dated and broken. Each time we go out into the community we are witness to numerous doors being opened and welcomed with hugs and smiles. There is no reason people welcome us other than God. God is also opening door among this city to allow us to use public parks to do Wrap Kidz in the summer, this summer we will be in two parks. We are witness to His strength when the days are long, tough. We are beginning to see more churches and individuals in our local community being open to the ministry and the neighborhood.

Being able to see God move in such a powerful way has broadened my view of who He is and draws me deeper in relationship with Him. We as a staff are adjusting many ‘programs’ because we see Him moving us to a new level ministry. We have always been a relational ministry with this neighborhood, but as God shows us more of his plan we need to move with it. We are in the midst going deeper on many levels with Wrap Kidz, youth mission teams, our interns, and the relationships God wants us to have in this neighborhood. It is an exciting time as we learn more of Gods heart. We are gearing up for a wonderful summer filled with 8 weeks of Wrap Kidz, 6 different youth teams, a new middle school program and intern spiritual formation time.

In addition to all of these preparations God has been teaching me so much. Lately, He has been teaching me about His gospel, the whole gospel. I am coming to really understand what I have known for awhile that the gospel is two fold, the salvation gospel and the social gospel, or being reconciled to God and being reconciled to man. Many of us have heard both but one is usually stressed more than the other. I think so often we embrace the salvation part and the social part of it is much too big for us or we think we are accomplishing it because we try to love those we work with or don’t get along with. When asked about the greatest commandment Jesus gives two of them, to love God and love your neighbor. We often say to love your neighbor as yourself but have we really thought about that kind of love and who our neighbors are? We have been reading a book as a staff called More than Equals. It is incredible and is truly changing the way I think about these things. Even though I work in the inner city many of our relationships with the people are not that strong (I know it takes time), but I have been here a year and have failed to make distinguishable friendships with any of my neighbors. Everyone is welcoming, yet we have not shared in meals together or done much together outside of us giving the ‘stuff’ or helping them out. These things are not wrong at all but my neighbors are so much more than simply needing things. I need their love and friendship in order to experience God fully and to embrace the whole gospel. In order to make disciples I must not simply be friends with people who look or act just like me but with people who do not. We bring people into relationship with God by loving those who are not like us. As I have been challenged with these thoughts I want to do something immediately, but I have realized that each moment I interact with someone else I am sharing the gospel with them if it truly a part of my DNA.

I know I got a little preachy at the end but the last few months have been more about God shaping me to more effectively live my life and be in ministry. Thank you so much for your support, I am humbled to be the subject of your prayers to our heavenly Father.