friday night update

Blessed Portion Friday Update 2-22-19

Hello Everyone,

We received a phone call around noon letting us know our friend Rich had passed. It was again a surreal moment as we couldn't make sense of it. He will be missed by so many and we pray for his family as they struggle to cope with the loss. It is a reminder once more of how so many are struggling.....not just people we serve but everyone. Our dear friend Patrick Evans Oyer said it so well as he spoke from his heart tonight. Stating there needs to be more men making themselves available to listen, willing to share---to have accountability and be there for each other. Eric Dunaway shared tonight how the Bible clearly states we WILL have trouble in this world, cant avoid it. However Jesus gave all He had for us and He's all in. We can also be all in.... and in it to win it. Great message for the wounded hearts we were seeing tonight.

Some good and funny news is that one friend shared with me how he has read the Bible cover to cover and is doing it again. He is reading 1 Samuel 5:6 where is talks about how the Philistines were punished by having painful hemorrhoids!!! Yep, that's what it says!!! So we got a good laugh about that. I thought about him as I made my way home picturing him reading. He doesn't have some nice warm home, with a cushy bed, no nice side table lamp to read by. Instead he is LAYERED up with several things to keep him warm. Several shirts, hoodies, button up shirts and a big jacket. He sleeps with a sleeping bag, a couple blankets if he can and a small flashlight to read by under that sleeping bag.....and yet he still reads!! For me there is some conviction and a challenge in that to even be more thankful for what I have, and to be more diligent about reading my Bible and spending time with Jesus.

Tonight we had Zianos food provided by Hallmark Mortgage and we had plenty of food and plenty of people to feed. Thank you to Traci White and her crew for the meal and all you do!! We also gave out every jacket we had so we need more please!

Pray for those who are mourning the loss of our friend. Pray for them as Patrick stated to be more open and transparent to each other. For people to come together helping and listening to one another and most of lifting them up. Pray, pray, pray is all I can say and most of all love well!!