Better
I meant to ask a couple of days ago for you all to pray for our missions team as we traveled to Montgomery, AL to spread some love and hope in a housing community that has very little of either.
Needless to say, I got busy and didn’t.
But if it isn’t too late, and since we are still here, could you ask God to continue the amazing work He began three years ago?
A couple of updates:
Last year, I told you about Josephine. She is the matiarch of several families in the project. Last year, she was only 6 weeks off drugs and told me frankly she didn’t give herself much longer to give in to the temptation once again. She was born again during our time with her and is still drug-free one year later. Unfortunately, she couldn’t spend the day with us because she has a very good third shift job and needed to sleep so she could go back to work tonight. Better yet, she’s been able to move to a different housing community and have a better apartment for herself and twin teenage daughters. Please pray her faith will remain strong and that God will continue to reveal He is one of second chances.
I got to see another friend today named Angela. She has seven children – two of the adopted from her sister. In the past year, she has lost her husband. Immediately before his death, Angela was also pregnant with twins. One delivered but the doctors left the other in utero assuring her the baby would be fine. (I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH.) After two weeks, the remaining twin was still born.
Angela is a Christian and was when I met her three years ago. If there has ever been a woman who exhibited the spirit of an overcomer, it is her. She has every reason to shake her fist to the sky and instead she raises that same hand in worship. God enabled her to purchase her own home where she single-handedly works two jobs and pays almost $500 a week in childcare. She could have remained in the projects and been handed many services, but with the most determined look in her eye she said, “Lisa, I want better than this. I want to work and make my own way.”
She takes my breath away.
There are many more stories here. I am so privileged to be one small character in the grand scheme of what God is doing among the people in this place. Each year we think that maybe we’ll minister in a different city the next summer, and always our hearts are drawn back to this forsaken community.
So, if you will, please pray for our group. I hope to have some great pictures ready to show you tomorrow!
Praying!
Absolutely praying. Have chills!
Praying…and may the Lord bless you as you continue to shine and sow seeds into those lives for God’s glory!
Engrafted by His Grace-
Sounds like you are well on your way to an incredible blessed week! After my recent experience, I can almost picture what you are describing.
And yeah, I’ve heard of twins with birthdates even 6 weeks apart! Amazing what modern medical technology can do. So sorry her 2nd one didn’t make it.
Praying for your week!
I’m praying for your group — the ones who came to work and the ones you came to work for. My the Lord give you a boldness and a compassion to see beyond the obvious, to reach beyound the status quo and to touch lives for Him.
Thank you for such amazing stories.
Sounds like such a blessing! (For you *and* those you are ministering to). I will be praying.
BTW, I don’t know why, but everytime I open you blog I get an “operation failed” error message and have to refresh the page 2 or 3 times to get it to come up.
First, I’m definitely praying. I know the place/horror where you are and will send up some extra prayers for that.
Second, I was in Montgomery today and SO wish I had known you’d be there!!! So close!!! We’ll have to get together for real soon and formally meet.
Can’t wait to see your pictures!
– Robyn
Praying and believing that while you are minstering and loving on others, that God is ministering and loving on ya’ll. He just loves to work and change and let us be just a minor part.
Sallye
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Praise the LORD for Josephine and Angela’s determination! Amazing. That’s our God—and when someone get’s a bulldog grip of His grace—that is what happens!
Thank you Lisa for sharing that awesome testimony! Can’t wait to hear more!!
I’ve missed not being able to read your blog as well as not being able to write any substabtive blog entries. But how glad I am to read that Josephine is still drug free and living in a better housing community. Praise God!!!! I will definitely pray for her and Angela. The strength of these women in the face of such adversity is unbelievable!