Friday Update

-Blessed Portion Friday Night Update 6-9-18

Hello Everyone--

So tonight about a hour before we left to come downtown I received a text from Toby ( He said I could share this and his name). He asked if he could read from Job to those we serve. Of course the answer was yes!!! When I picked him up he had his Bible and his AA material with him. He said that part of his recovery was to serve others and he had prayed for God to show him what to do. He said that God put it on his heart to share part of the story of job, his friends and the struggles he himself has had. At each stop like he asked he did share how Job had lost his family, his home and livestock and was full of sores on his body and yet he didn't curse God. He shared that even like Job he at times has not wanted to live and has had some so- called friends who seemed to make it easy to sink even lower. He shared how that he was at times under the bridge and using drugs and sometimes used pages from the Bible as rolling papers. How he is not all the way there yet, as none of us are, but that he is finding inspiration from the Bible now and wont ever use them as rolling papers again. It took a lot of courage to stand before the ones you chose to sleep next to under the bridge, in the park and do drugs with--especially when they knew him from serving with us at different times. He was concerned he might be seen as a hypocrite but we reassured him he was not. He was real, raw, humble and many took notice of the honesty and the struggle.

Sometimes its easy to ask the question of "Is there any progress being made downtown?" Is there any one who is making strides to changes their situation? We know that many have challenged themselves to seek and want more and to do what it takes to make that happen. There are those who also do not want change yet....and some one day do and the next day don't. Its a struggle for sure, but we also see so many who choose to believe that God is for them, not against them, to believe in Him and let Him work in their life...and the same is true for Toby.

We had a great night and thankful for the Greek Ladies- Jackie Mangas and her crew for treating everyone to Chick -Fil-A sandwiches, cookies, cole slaw and chips--again they always go above and beyond and they are so loved by us!!

We were able to give out many items that were needed and again thank you to those of you who keep making sure our bins are full!! We also heard some praise reports from requests that were made last week and how God answered those prayers!!! We also need to keep those downtown in our prayers as so many have health issues... saw two people have seizures tonight...not drug related either....just poor health so keep them in prayer.

Pray for a certain woman friend who I can't mention her name, but God knows her name. She struggles with self image issues, health issues, and I believe a knowing that God really does love her. She inspired me in that she did agree to allow God to show her He is real, to show her that He loves her, to show her how to have faith and she even agreed to pray out loud to God as Kim Ted Shook and I prayed with her...takes a TON of courage to do that!! So is God working? Yes!! Is change being made? Yes!!! Some it takes many, many days to get there and yet God is so patient with us...as long as we give Him room to show up and show off HE surely will and that is what we are seeing...slowly but surely!!!

Thanks to Pathway Community Church, Grace Summit Church, Hamilton Church of Christ, Christina Scheiber, Lori Williams, Nick Reinoehl, Sasha Gravante, Michael Jordan, Kim Ted Shook, Jackie Mangas, Claudia Weesner, Dale Bullion, Tracy Hine-Bullion, Renee Eich- Curneal, Jo Anne 'Habegger' Emerick, Sharon Ringenberg, Pam Sullivan, Mjs Apparel, Mark Stebing, Jennifer Lynne Stebing, Mark Chamberlin from Edward Jones, Sarah Bigelow Lapadot, Auburn Massage and Wellness, our faithful friend David Hagedorn, thank you to those who drive for us on Sundays to make sure anyone who wants to come to church can.... Ryan Hull, Jeff Beerbower, Jamie Nicholson, and thank you toKimberly Rinehart Neuhouser for organizing the Sunday lunches each week!!! We sure have alot of people who are making SOOO many see and feel the love of Jesus!!