Last week I got to go to Bethel Church in Redding CA, participate in weekend services with my parents, sister and her family, as well as an Honor & Empowerment Conference and evening worship at a Healing conference! It was amazing, and great to be with my parents, sister, bro-in-law, nephews and niece. I received a lot through worship and some prayer times, as well as some practical good refreshers on boundaries, confrontation, team dynamics, interpersonal communication, and personality styles.
I came back pretty refreshed and…invited to exercise new practices and paradigm shifts immediately back in Skagit Valley and ministry with Tierra Nueva. Salvio (my FSC coworker) is in Mexico visiting his parents so I’m by myself in the Family Support Center. Even though God has been changing me and inviting me to surrender the weight to him, the practical needs of people still feel like they are on my shoulders. Here are bits of the day and convo in my head ;)
‘This lady’s son is in prison. She thinks he was going to get out this year, but now I call the prison and they tell me he’s got two more years. Tears fill her eyes, and I know what I can really offer is to pray with her. Her husband is really ill, unable to work, and she needs to be home taking care of him so she can’t work either. They are desperate for rent money. ‘How much money should we contribute to their rent payment?’ If I drop the ball, don’t get the info to our bookkeeper in time and mail the check, they will be late and maybe receive an eviction notice. I hope I don't drop the ball.
A new lady walks in, I ask her how she is, and immediately she starts crying. She has gone everywhere looking for help with their gas bill which is due today otherwise it’ll get cut off. ‘Should I say yes to helping with this new person’s utility bill? And help with some gas money?’ Ive never seen them before, but I think we can help with some. She and her husband are disabled too, so can’t work. If we set up a payment plan, and put at least $20 down it will help keep their gas on. I ask her as well, if I can pray with her. She is gladly says yes and gets her husband in the car to join in, and we pray. I think I needed to stop and pray more than anything.
Please pray for me as I navigate the very practical and sometimes emergent needs of people. I’m noticing myself turning quicker and quicker to God, however it can all get pretty overwhelming. Also, please pray for more FSC advocates, for God to grow our Spanish-speaking team!
Elizabeth and I started our Women’s Change Group last night! This has been a dream for a while, to have a space for women to gather and grow deeper together. The Genesis Process Change group is a good structure that seems appropriate. God is really filling in the gaps, with providing people for child care and bringing women who seem ready.
We had 6 women last night (3 babies! and 5 other kids next door) including one volunteer advocate, and a couple more are joining next week. Three of the women know each other because of their gang related boyfriends, some hating others (not pictured). We spoke to this, encouraging people to open themselves up to change and leave their judgments at the door. Elizabeth spoke about stagnation and the hope formula, faith leads to risk leads to change leads to hope and renewed faith!
Please pray with us for this group, and for Elizabeth and I as we lead the time.
