Be Grateful

When it rains it pours. An officer walks in the front door. I approach him and extend my hand, to shake his. He begins to speak, with great detail, about this momma he has brought to see me. My thoughts pause and I begin to wonder why this world has so much hurt to offer. I want peace for this world I live in. I want to impact people. I want to add value to people. I want to love people. I want to show kindness. Would these things allow peace?

I step outside to greet her and the sun kisses my face and a small breeze softly comforts me. Outside I notice a momma unloading her belongings. She places her make shift luggage on the sidewalk next to my building. I reach for her and she slowly bows her head. I tell her “I am so proud of you”, because I know she has escaped a place of hurt. I tell her “Honey you did good. I am so proud of you. Are you proud of yourself?” Gently she nods yes.  I walk her in and we work through the mess and all the red tape that it takes to get her to a safe place. The process is not pleasant, she looks defeated and I feel helpless. My heart hurts and my eyes well up with tears. A Life Changer brings her food and pads and other things she does not have access to. Things I take for granted.

I begin to be thankful. I am thankful for my bed. I am thankful for my blankets. I am thankful for my pillow. I am thankful for my curtains. I am thankful for my TV. I am thankful for my cable. I am thankful for my clothes. I am thankful for my shoes. I am thankful for my bras and underwear. I am thankful for my bathroom. I am thankful for my bathroom mat. I am thankful for my tub. I am thankful for running water. I am thankful for electricity. I am thankful for shampoo. I am thankful for conditioner. I am thankful because I sit in the same room with a woman that has none of these things. Everything she owns in this life fits in 6 small plastic bags. Are you thankful for all that you have or like me do you take things for granted? Ephesians 5:20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The van that has been sent to pick her up is parked outside. She stands alone with nothing and there is no one. She seems unsure and I assure her all will be well. She softly speaks “Can you hug me?” I hug her and as I squeeze her tightly. I bring her in as I would my own children. I silently pray that she may experience love. I pray that she feels the love I have for her. I pray that her needs would be met. I pray for courage. I pray for peace. Peace that surpasses all understanding. I pray that she experience perfect love. The kind of love that only God can offer.

Be grateful. Be kind and love someone. Love someone that doesn’t know how to love you back.

Love

It’s been a tough day.

My day is planned and I have no room for interruptions or inconveniences. It is a day jammed packed with busy work. You know, I have much to do but nothing to accomplish. I’m spent in every which way a person can be spent, and then the phone rings.  I don’t know that I have an emotion I care to share at this point, as I have a momma sitting in an office awaiting for her children to be taken from her. I look into her eyes and there is nothing. I don’t seem to understand and still I sit unable to offer judgment. Momma is pale and 30 lbs. lighter, since I saw her last. I stress at the fact that I will have to see those children. I am stumped at how I should help but in this moment I don’t know how to offer hope. Momma sits unable to make sense of this. Her emotions have taken her to a place so far from where we sit. I don’t have words, so I say nothing. I sit and attempt to love her without words. I wonder if this is what Jesus meant when He said love.

It’s easy to love those that look like us, those that make “good choices”, those that dress like us, those that come in a tidy clean package, and certainly easy to love those that respond to our love. Not so easy to love those that don’t look like us, those that don’t make “good choices”,  those that don’t dress like us, those that don’t come in tidy clean packages, and those that don’t respond to our love. I am under the impression that at times we believe we have the right to qualify others as worthy, before we attempt to love. Well, I have news, we don’t have the right to pick and choose who we can love! We are called to “love our neighbor as ourselves”, regardless.   

Here I sit in a room full of nothing, a room full of material things and yet the room is vacant. I ask momma if I can hug her. She nods her head no. I hug her anyway and there is nothing. I just don’t understand that kind of pain. This momma is unable to receive love. I sit silently because that is all I can do. Is this an act of love? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. This is perfect love and this is how we are expected to love.

It’s time to say goodbye and we step out of this emptiness and walk into a hollow hall. The space around us is void and it seems to consume us. As we turn the corner I glance over and there in the door way are the children. I go to them and look into their eyes, there is nothing. Again I have no emotion to share. Finally outside and I am sustained by my Maker. I watch as the car that holds this family, drives away. I quietly pray and ask that these kids may be loved in a way that creates an atmosphere of hope.

I am broken and this is just the beginning of my day. There are challenges around every corner. I have an appointment that forces me to go to a quiet place, a place where love abounds. I sit while she works on my hair and she listens as I share my heart. This Life Changer allows me to share my emotions and she validates me without words. I feel like maybe the disciples felt while Jesus washed their feet. I am loved without judgment and I am blessed by her words.

It is Friday and it’s late. My body does not seem to be cooperating and I still have to load my SUV. A momma is in need. She has left her home in order to seek love for her being. I quietly pray for help and a Life Changer passes by. She kindly asks if she may be of assistance. I explain, I am good and still she stands at the door way ready to serve.  I don’t not share with her that my physical body is not wanting to cooperate and yet she manages to load all the heavy items. I am grateful beyond words.

Oh no there is no happily ever after today but I can’t carry this with me. So I write it and when I hit send it no longer belongs to me. Love I assure you someone needs it.

Hope Arises

Join me as I whine for a bit.

Saturday and I wake to an empty house. My husband has left the house early and my little one stayed the night at a friend’s house. Sadness consumes me as I sit here alone, perplexed, wondering where the time has gone. It was just yesterday that my babies were babies. Yet today I have adults living their dream. On a Saturday, 20 years ago, the house wouldn’t be silent. It would be filled with the hustle and bustle of cereal bowels and conversation of what cartoon should grace the screen. My heart hurts as memories of bathing and changing my babies flood my being. Years ago I was so eager to have them grown and today my only wish is to once again be able to hold them as babes. When my children were younger I spent too much time cleaning, too much time making sure everything was just right. I worked too much and just did not play enough. If I could go back it would be different. We were young parents and just didn’t know what we were doing. We gave it our best and even with our best it is a miracle that our beautiful babies survived our parenting skills. My beautiful girl is on track to graduate college this summer, I couldn’t be prouder. My first born baby boy is a Marine, I couldn’t be prouder. My baby girl is running for University of Sioux Falls, I couldn’t be prouder. My baby boy is experiencing his first week of junior high football, I couldn’t be prouder. Even with all their success, today I am struggling. Selfishly desiring to still have them at arm’s length. I am an emotional wreck. I watch from a distance as my babies live life. I can no longer swoop in to rescue them from harm or hurt that this world is certain to offer them. Living my purpose in life has been a struggle this week as all I can think of is my babies. Oh but don’t fret, rest assured that even in all my self-centeredness and deep within my little pity party, God finds a way to gently remind me of my calling in life.

I have been afforded the opportunity to work in a capacity that allows me to help people that are struggling. Today I am the one struggling, as my emotions take me. I love serving but in this moment I am caught up in self and I am no help. When working in selfishness it is easier to cause more harm than help. I think at times we all have the tendency to get caught up with meetings, phone calls, emails and busyness. Staying connected with our “Ultimate Why”, the reason we do what we do. Is crucial when living our purpose in life. My belief is, if we do what we do, in love, whatever that maybe, we create an atmosphere of hope. We each have the ability to create an atmosphere of hope and when hope arises its game on baby.

As humans we all desire purpose, we all desire belonging and we all desire to do for others. So what if we did for others what we desperately desired during a time in our life, when we ourselves were struggling. If we lacked love, then what if we loved someone. If we lacked food, then what if we feed someone. If we lacked clothes, then what if we clothed someone. If we were never included, then what if we included someone. It’s simple, really.

My last phone call of the day. A woman speaks and says “Mrs. Moreno I was given your name and I am hoping you can help.” She goes on to explain her life’s circumstance. I know right away that I will have to put my plans aside and serve. I will have to pause my pity party in order to serve this family. Not exactly my plan for today. I was eager to head home and wallow in a bowl of chips. I agree to meet the family at a local store and assist with clothing for school. I arrive and I am greeted with a warm welcome. Her eyes, so grateful and instantly my heart begins to heal. I look over at the children and no eye contact is offered, I struggle to keep it together. This mother hands me hope, without words. I am grateful and humbled to serve. The shame the children carry,  for not having what they need is unbearable. Still they love with the little they have and softly I am reminded of my purpose. Their desire,  is to belong in this school setting.  Their desire, is to be included. Their desire is hope. I hand them a food card before I leave and I am hugged and loved as they whisper, “we had nothing to eat tonight”. My heart is thankful that I can serve. I get in my car and we make eye contact once more. I see her and she matters. They matter. I see them as human therefore I love. Hope arises yes even in the middle of this mess.

Serve each other.   

Road Trip

Ok so let’s talk about what we do when we are on a road trip. Can we all say it together…eat. It sounds better when we say snack and that is exactly what I have been doing since I left my house. I have been snacking. So I figure if I attempted to write down my thoughts my hands may become occupied with the keyboard and they would stop putting stuff in my mouth.

A couple of weeks ago I was evaluating my health and my eating habits. So I decided I would start running because, well let’s face it I am not coordinated enough to do anything else. Truth be told, I’ve tried Zumba. Because of that escapade there is probably a poster at the door of every Zumba establishment within a hundred miles. It reads something like this. “WARNING: Do not let this person in and it has a picture of me attempting to do Zumba. Just a few months ago I attempted Yoga. Go ahead get a mental picture. Mmm yes it was bad. So I think I’ll stick with running. I am happy to report that last night I noticed that two of my four butt cheeks aren’t as apparent as they were two weeks ago.

Obviously I am not good with staying within the boundaries of first level disclosure during a conversation. If I was you would probably have stopped reading long ago.

This past week I had the pleasure of taking my 4 year old grand baby to work with me. It was his first opportunity to serve others. We started with going to a local food pantry to gather food for a family in need. I allowed him to pack one of the boxes and he grabbed food that he liked, off the shelf. I am sure the two children that received the food appreciated his efforts. When we were done at the pantry we headed to drop off some clothes and then he was ready for a snack. We then went to my office and in all his innocence he was eager to help unload the car.

This adventure reminded me of when I first started serving. There was this innocence in giving. There was none of this trying to qualify others as worthy before I gave. I just gave. It’s true that when we give, give and give we have a tendency to forget why we are giving. We can easily fall prey to compassion fatigue. We go, go and go and at the end of the day we have nothing left. We over extend ourselves and the word “NO” disappears from our vocabulary. It’s a wonder that we can still function. When we give of ourselves we often end up emotionally spent by the end of the day. It is a must to refuel and to be intentional about it. Self-care what a concept.

Do you remember the story of the woman that washed Jesus feet with the alabaster jar of perfume? Just in case you don't I'll jog your memory, it goes something like this. At the beginning of Luke you find that Jesus had been teaching and serving. You even find Jesus in the temple teaching the Pharisees and what does he teach on? You guessed it, serving the poor. Someone handed him the scroll of Isaiah and what does He choose to read? Right again! He reads “the Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,” The book of Luke continues and says he is healing people left and right and somewhere in between He calls us to love. Finally in chapter 7 Jesus decides to have dinner at a friend’s house and I can only assume He is tired. The word states that Jesus reclined at the table. Then this woman shows up and decides she wants to allow Him, well let’s just say “self-care” maybe. Yes just maybe Jesus was teaching us a little about self-care. With no guilt attached.  So go on servants of the most high, relax and enjoy so that your giving heart may be replenished. Take care of you so that you can continue serving with love.

Ok so I should stop writing at this point but I have something to share and it doesn’t fit anywhere, it’s just random but I just can’t keep it to myself any longer. So here it goes. Ok so a while back I was scheduled to speak at an event. It was a good size event and I was seated eating my dinner before I took the stage. A gentleman takes the seat next to me and we begin to converse. We did the, what do you do chat, the weather chat and well you know your typical I don’t know you conversation. Really it’s much more pleasant than to sit there awkwardly in silence. Then about 15 minutes in he asks, “What are you?” I reply with “I get asked this a lot. I assume you think I am Philippine? He said, “Actually yes”. I reply “actually I am Mexican both my parents are from Mexico. He sits back in his chair and says. “Wow”. You are amazingly beautiful. Long pause………. My cousin Diana at this point would say …”wait for it… wait for it”. Then he finishes the complement with … for a Mexican. Yes he said I was amazing beautiful for a Mexican. I smiled and said “uhh thank you?!?! In total love because I truly believe he didn’t know any better. I waited for my introduction and said excuse me and then I took the stage.

Love people it cost absolutely nothing and it gives others absolutely everything. Jesus did!!

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

Luke 7:36-38 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. ³⁸ As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

So I think...

So I believe no one is promised tomorrow. But chances are good that I will see my son again, soon. As comforting as that sounds, that still does not take away the ache in my heart. That still does not keep me from asking on his behalf, daily. That still does not keep me from allowing tears to capture me daily. And that still doesn’t keep me from grieving.

So this makes me think about loss in a deeper way.  I struggle with my son being gone. Sometimes I sit and say to myself, “Goodness this is silly”. So many tears and he is just at boot camp. He will be back. We receive a weekly update on what our recruit is going through weekly. Not sure this is something a mother should read. So after I read, I think. Maybe my struggle is that I know what his struggles are and maybe that’s what makes it so hard.

Well this boot camp has impacted not just him but our family.  So much so, that we have had to join a support group to cope with this sadness. I struggle smiling. I struggle keeping a conversation. Especially with people that have nothing to say. No I’m not trying to be rude I’m just trying to be real. No one is perfect especially me! You know people that just speak to be heard but say nothing? Yes I try and add value to all but it seems to be a little harder than usual these days. There is just so much going on in this beautiful world of ours and I just don’t think we use our time and talents wisely by sitting around and chatting about things that don’t matter. We could be out there living intentionally, every minute of every day that we are on this earth. Living life in a way that makes other people’s lives better. Maybe like handing out Hope rather than taking it.

So because I am always trying to look at the bigger picture. I was thinking of the mother that has truly lost her son. I mean lost in a way that she will not see him until we are on the other side of glory. I can’t even wrap that around my mind. I have nowhere to put that thought.

Ok so this may get a little uncomfortable for you if you don’t know Jesus. But I have found that by sharing what I feel. Truly does allow me a way to get through my struggles. Please don’t continue reading if you don’t want to.

So I was thinking, when God saw us, His children messing up here on earth. He might have said to Himself, my kids need freedom, freedom from sin. He might have said (John 3:16), my children need me and I love them so very much that I’m sending my son, Jesus. The Father knew full well what Jesus struggles would be. This blows me away that He would still send Him. I think that we hear that so casually and it’s not. His son! He sacrificed His son! He sent us Jesus so that we might be free from sin. Wow talk about putting things into perspective. I deserved nothing and yet He saw me as worthy.

Next time I think I’m sacrificing something. I might look at what Jesus sacrificed for me. My faith keeps me going.

When your heart aches

So it’s been a while and as I walk my purpose in life, I find it more challenging to share my thoughts. Well that is until today.

If you know me you know my precious son JD left for boot camp early Monday morning. I can’t even explain how I feel about that. I did my best to ignore that he was even leaving. That is until Sunday morning. I wake early not knowing what to do. I wash clothes, do some dishes, vacuum, clean my bathroom, put some clothes away and well anything and everything that I can do to get my mind off my child leaving. Yes my child. We can’t assume to know unless it’s our child.

We are scheduled to attend church with JD this morning, as they will pray for him before he checks in at 3:00. I sit numb in a pew surrounded by many and yet I feel alone. Tears consume my face for no reason. I feel Jacob’s arms tenderly around me. The lights are dim and worship begins… in my Father’s house. A place where I seek refuge, a place of peace and acceptance.

I cannot comprehend the thought of boot camp for my son. This is not my desire for his life. Why can’t he be 6 again? I am his mother and I can no longer protect him from this world. I am broken and nothing makes sense. I sit waiting for God to hear my cry, the cry of a mother. And then gently a melody begins to play. “Lord, I come I confess. Bowing here, I find my rest and without you I fall apart. You’re the one that guides my heart. Lord I need you. Oh, I need you. Every hour I need you. My one defense my righteousness. Oh God how I need you.”

I had no idea how literal these words would be for the days to follow. I am home after watching my children bid a farewell to their brother. This picture is forever painted on my heart. Few words are spoken as I hold my son. Broken, I am broken.

Jacobs embrace allows me sleep. I wake every hour and gently whisper, “Lord I need you, Oh I need you.” I wake with the same words in my mouth. I go through my day and sometimes I can’t even get through a thought before again I cry out, “Lord I need you, Oh I need you.”

Does the hurt ever subside? I don’t know but I know I will see my son “in a little while”. How about the mother that has lost her son to a car accident? How about the child that has lost their parent to Alzheimer’s? How about the husband that has lost his wife to cancer? How about the mother that has lost her child to drugs? What am I doing to ease their hurt? What are you doing to ease their hurt?

In my distress friends and family have been in prayer for our family and have reached out through email, phone and text. So this makes me think. My struggle is but a mere wink when measured to a hurting world. So because God doesn’t waste my tears, what can I learn? I can live my days with intent and love those who are hurting. Isaiah 61 says “He has sent me to heal the broken hearted”. Yes, God is telling us once again to love.

Even in the cloudiness I wake to. I cling to my faith and I am reminded that He loves me and allows me “uncommon strength.” In my life and my sons life Jeremiah 29 :11 says “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. Uncommon strength allows one to love like John 15:13 says “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends”. My son has “uncommon strength”. How many of us could love like this? I pray what my good friend prayed for me last night.  I pray that He will give you uncommon strength. Strength to love others even those that don’t look or live just like you.

 

If you are hurting these are for you, yes you.

1. Job 5:11: "He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety."

2. Psalm 27:13-14: "I believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be strong, and may your heart be stout; wait on the Lord."

3. Isaiah 41:10: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, yes, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

4. John 16:33: "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." 

5. Romans 8:28: "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose"

6. Romans 8:37-39: "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

7. Romans 15:13: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit."

8. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: "Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

9. Philippians 4:6: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God."

10. Hebrews 13:5: "Let your lives be without love of money, and be content with the things you have. For He has said: 'I will never leave you, nor forsake you.'"

The "church"

Oh goodness, where do I even start? It has taken me a few weeks to process my fourth adventure with this thing called Poverty Simulation. Well that’s what this guy Jimmy calls it. I don’t know that I agree with him so I will refer to it as a "glimpse of homelessness". 

So the goal with each adventure is to take a team of six professionals from the community. My hope is that they would be emptied and then filled again through this experience. It serves as a reminder of why and how we should serve others. This particular outing would prove to be the most challenging one yet.  Days before we are scheduled to leave, half our team drops out and to top it off, this week the naysayers were louder than usual. So loud in fact that I had to use Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, for most of the week. I shutter at the mere thought of me having to endure this weekend, emotionally spent. Because obviously it is all about me, right!

I consider scrapping this adventure but I am louder than my naysayers so I make the journey anyway. My naysayers well they kind of drive me. I want to do more every time they hate out loud. In my odd way of being maybe just maybe there are days when I want to give them something to talk about. Ok maybe I'm just being tacky now, so I'll stop.

Lets get back to my adventure. Friday and we have arrived in Waco. I am ready to get this thing going and over with. I’m focused on just getting this thing done. I decide I’m going to look at this adventure as if it were a Band-Aid. Yes a Band-Aid, you know, the quicker you strip off a Band-Aid the less painful it is. Well that’s the idea anyway, but probably not quite how it works most of the time. Friday evening and we are preparing to get the show on the road and of course I sit in anticipation. I look over at my colleagues and I am certain I see fear in their eyes. One is told she cannot keep any of her items and tears fill her eyes. My heart hurts as she is in need and I cannot help. She is afraid and I cannot comfort her. She reaches unknowing what she is even reaching for. Out under the stars yet we manage the best we can and make it through the night. I have never been camping but I assume this is what its like. Well without the tent, food, water and campfire. I guess.

Saturday morning and we are already hungry. Did I tell you we have a team of three at this point? Yes I am complaining. Well, not for long because as we are walking down this treacherous street, not. One of our team members trips and hurts her foot, so off to urgent care she goes. I’m not too good at math but it’s clear we are down to two. I am asking God if He needs my help with planning how my adventure should go. He doesn't respond.

Not sure what time it is but we are hungry and worried that we will not find food. Yes “we realize this is just a “simulation” but still I reach for Matthew 11:30 “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." We have walked for a while and I’m just not as young as I use to be so again, I am tired and hungry. Have I said that enough? I’ve had a tough week and I am just spent. I look over at my colleague and express my need to pray. She politely allows my need to be met. We stop in the middle of nowhere and yet in the center of everything. I grab her hands and we bow our heads and I pray. I tell God I trust him and I tell Him I believe Him and I ask Him to rescue us. We say amen and begin to walk again. We take 5 to 7 steps and out of nowhere we hear a woman yell in our direction, “Hey are you hungry? I put my hand on my heart and whisper to my Savior, “you heard me.” I think to my self, did I really trust Him? Did I really believe Him?

We hurriedly make our way across the street. I hear Him whisper, Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” I cannot hold in the tears and I cannot wait to get to where this voice is calling for me. My tears, they cover my dirty face and my body can not contain my excitement and again He whispers, Matthew 6:25-26 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

At this point I look over at my colleague and she too allows the tears to wash her face. It’s really unexplainable and there are no words. We know that all we have to do is get to the “church” and all will be well. There is a man standing outside of a doorway and I can see he struggles with addiction and even with that reality, there is safety in this “church” we are walking towards. Mathew 21:13"It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers." We are not the cleanest of people at this point in the day and yet the “church’ embraces us. They are not concerned with how we look, how we smell or how we got here. They embrace us as I imagine Jesus would if He still walked this earth. We gather as one and bow our heads in prayer. Everything that He has just whispered is repeated by the “church” in prayer. Their love for us is deep and wide and without condition. We cannot speak as His presence has embraced us and qualified us as worthy. They love us with food and something to drink. Again He whispers, Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

His message is clear, His “church” is not a building but rather people that will take Isaiah 61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to heart.

We stand in the parking lot of an apartment complex and it is unsavory to say the least. There is nothing right about this place and yet the peace I feel is overwhelming. A woman approaches and she too is offered worth. I cannot make sense of the safety that abounds in this parking lot.  We walk away embracing each other and still no words are spoken. We find a church building and take the shade it offers. We sit thankful for provision. We have just experienced an encounter with God.

Humbly my colleague finds words and she softly speaks, “I didn’t believe God was real .....until today”. Imagine a “church” without walls that would love like Jesus and allow a way for salvation in the midst of this “simulation”. In all this mess we would see Jesus.