Light of Love

The light of love is seen in acts of the moment.  Then the battle is begun to not let those moments fade from our memory.

My youngest daughter lately turned 15 and will start her driver’s training this summer.  We now have a Sophomore & Senior in High School, the same in College and one 23 year old living in North Carolina.  My husband is suffering withdrawal with each one that leaves the nest.

I have felt much the same as my last mentee from my youth ministry days is now becoming a young woman building her own family.

This year was also the time my spirit chose to put me in an emotional tailspin of leaving my ability to be a mom behind.  Everything coincided to make for a dark month that it took my husband and mother to ease me back from into God’s gift of looking toward being a grandparent someday.

Never being able to be a mom has not kept me from being a mother through ministry and marriage.  Pray for me as I adjust into this new hope and joy that God has for me.

I’m learning once again to savor the love I find in each moment in life and in Christ.

Sweetly Sad Parting

If you didn’t know, ESL is out for the summer and our director has stepped back to only doing Clothing Bank since she recently began taking care of her aging parents.

Our new ESL Director, Sharalynn, has come up from within and has hit the ground running, seeking English speaking teachers and childcare volunteers to come along side students a few hours, once a week.

Yet her heart is a light in this neighborhood.  Her ministry this summer is to visit each of the students at home and get to know the students’ family dynamics and any obstacles there may be to learning.

As we prayed together, yesterday, she is amazed at all Christ is revealing.  There is a bright and cheery student that has worked hard in her classes with us over the last year.  In her 3 bedroom apartment is her teenage son, her husband’s parents, and his 105 year old grandmother.  The grandmother cannot interact from her hospital bed but swings from quiet groaning to listening stillness.  The teen is laying on the couch with his smart phone, barely up from sleeping in this afternoon.

Our student says they are her 2 babies.

In her culture, when she married, she left behind her family and took on her husband’s to care for and nurture.  She does not know the fate of her own.

Her husband has been in Ohio for awhile, looking for work.  He has recently found something to support them all and will be bringing the family there this summer.

Though we do not share the same culture, language, or faith, we have been able to walk beside this woman and show her Christ’s love.  Do not pity her or weep for her.  She feels her sorrows are not greater than our own.

She chooses to look for the good, spread her smile liberally, seeking to learn the language and customs of the U.S. so that she may take great care of her husband and family.

As I lift Sharalynn and our refugee community up in prayer, and think of how so many have come over the last few years.  I’m not so sure God isn’t willing us to see how much their love and sacrifice for family is something a materialistic society has lost.

Christ, let Your will and love reign as You seek to find all Your lost lambs.

A "Sending" Ministry

You might have heard me say how I love my “sending” church, CCC.  Seems like whenever we meet in small groups, there is at least one of us missionaries in every four attending.  No wonder I feel like they “get me.”  =)

If you don’t know or haven’t guessed, a “sending” ministry, like ROP, is a place where you get taught and equipped in such a way that you are passionate about serving Christ in new ways.; wherever He may lead.

Part of my passion and excitement with ROP and relational ministry, is the family and community that builds in the light of God’s truth.

I spoke about ROP summer interns in my last letter, so let me introduce to our three youth ministry interns.

Alex (left) comes to us from New Life Missions Church.  His youth group came to host a summer VBS group with us.  He kept coming for the following 3 years.  This year he is a college freshman and interning with our youth ministry staff until school starts.

Victor (center) started attending our elementary age youth nights, back when we were still called Prodigal. Victor came to know Christ and deepen his walk at ROP.  Once in Middle School, he began volunteering to help with the younger kids. He is now going into the 10th grade and a steady help to youth ministry kids, volunteers and staff.  This summer he was eager to sign up for a full ROP summer internship.

Pricilla (right) was invited to youth nights 3 years ago by Victor.  She loves the Lord and helping kids.  She didn’t hesitate to sign up, either.  =)

Every year I work with the interns that come through our doors, many of whom still keep in touch.  I love to hear how they have started ministries back at their own colleges or churches.

I love the invitation God gave us to be a part of their new story in Christ!