Today we started selling our stuff. For me letting go of stuff is pretty easy. Put it in a bag and take it to Goodwill. However, watching my stuff being carried out by others.;.....hmmmm the first few items that went I thought of where we first got the item, how we used it, I felt myself wanting to go a grab it out of the buyers hand and say mine. However, I did not do that I took the fifty cents, smiled and said, "thank you". I then remembered where the stuff was. The stuff I just sold was buried in the basement, way in the back, in a box that I hadn't opened in five years(pretty important to me wasn't it?). I then thought it is just stuff, haven't used it in five years, why start now. Stuff has cluttered our house and our life. I have been preaching for several years that we all need to simplify, we are now, it is really freeing to get rid of stuff and just have the few things we need. We have decided each bedroom will have one bed and one dresser. The living room will have a TV, a couch and two chairs. Kitchen or dining room a table for four and four chairs, with four more folding chairs and a card table in the closet. The office a desk, chair, computer and bookcase. That is what you will see in our new house. It feels good to be free of clutter and unnecessary stuff. I wonder if my
Christian life needs to be simplified?
Friday, May 27, 2005
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Prayers answered
The church I will be serving on a part time basis, has a parsonage, however, it has been rented out for the last 13 years to the same family. For us as a pastor family moving in, we did not want to ask this family to move. I received a call last night from the D.S. of Kokomo, he informed me that the parsonage would be open in a month. The folks living there have been building a new house and being complete they will be moving in soon. At this point the prayers for housing seem to be answered. Keep praying for a stream of income for us. Thanks Jeff
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Getting ready to move
Today the mover coordinator came to leave off boxes and estimate how many pounds of stuff we have. We are downsizing in a big way so we found ourselves to be way below the limit. We are preparing for a yard sale on Friday and maybe Saturday. We are now sorting through everything we own. They will load our stuff up on June 9th and unload them on June 10. Unloading to where is still a question. I am trusting God for the best.
Jeff
Jeff
Saturday, May 14, 2005
________________________________________________________________________
May 14, 2005
Dear Friends,
I hope this letter finds you well. Chris and I write you asking that you will consider becoming a prayer partner for a new ministry opportunity that God has called us to start. Over the past three years I have sensed God calling me to engage in neighborhood outreach ministry. The scripture at the side of this page has gripped me in a way that I can't explain. This fall Chris experienced a similar call and we both knew the time had come for us to step out in faith to begin a new journey with Christ.
We both believe that God is calling us back to Kokomo to live and work in the neighborhoods within the city. God has placed in our hearts a passion to work with people that live on the edge and need to know the love of Jesus. We expect to reach people by living in the area where the working poor might find themselves. Last summer I spent a great deal of time "prayer walking" in various neighborhoods and have since felt that we are to live near downtown Kokomo directly to the west of downtown or to the south of downtown. According to the U.S. Census, these neighborhoods are densely populated with people that are renting homes (most of them by the week), trying to live on minimum wage pay, and are not well educated (though most are high school graduates). As I walked through the neighborhoods, I sensed the Holy Spirit saying to me, “these people need to know me“. When I protested a bit I heard the Holy Spirit say these simple words, "If not you, then who?" In response I said "yes" and Chris followed. We plan to meet our neighbors, practice random acts of kindness, listen and pray for those we come in contact with and hopefully at some point help them see that they are loved by Jesus and others.
I also plan to make myself available (at no charge) to local churches that desire to reach their neighborhood for Christ, as a sort of consultant, helping churches discern community needs and find ways to meet the needs.
I also feel called to remained connected to the United Methodist Church, to be held accountable, and to be a part of the church. I will be connected to the church by serving a small church, Trinity United Methodist in Kokomo, on a part time basis.
What Chris and I am asking from you is to pray for us. Our specific prayer concerns are:
*We need to find a place to rent, in the area of town described above. Please pray that one could be found soon, as we must move soon after June 9 (last day of school in Lowell). Eventually we would like to buy a multifamily house where we could live in one part and use the other part(s) for transitional housing as the need arises.
*That God would open doors for us to find employment to supplement our income from the church.
*That the transition between churches and at both churches (Lowell and Trinity) would go well.
In the Grip of God's Hands
Jeff and Chris
P.S.: Our sons are on board with God's call in our lives. Andrew will be a junior at Kokomo High School next fall. Jonathan has completed a year of college at Olivet University and is going to Thailand for 6 weeks as a missionary. Patric and his wife Laura have been married for nearly two years, Laura just graduated from College with a Music Education major. Patric plans on graduating next year with thoughts of entering seminary. Chris and I celebrate 28 years of marriage today.
Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. 7Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously. "Don't think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don't need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light. "When you enter a town or village, don't insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave. Matthew 10:6-11(The Message)
May 14, 2005
Dear Friends,
I hope this letter finds you well. Chris and I write you asking that you will consider becoming a prayer partner for a new ministry opportunity that God has called us to start. Over the past three years I have sensed God calling me to engage in neighborhood outreach ministry. The scripture at the side of this page has gripped me in a way that I can't explain. This fall Chris experienced a similar call and we both knew the time had come for us to step out in faith to begin a new journey with Christ.
We both believe that God is calling us back to Kokomo to live and work in the neighborhoods within the city. God has placed in our hearts a passion to work with people that live on the edge and need to know the love of Jesus. We expect to reach people by living in the area where the working poor might find themselves. Last summer I spent a great deal of time "prayer walking" in various neighborhoods and have since felt that we are to live near downtown Kokomo directly to the west of downtown or to the south of downtown. According to the U.S. Census, these neighborhoods are densely populated with people that are renting homes (most of them by the week), trying to live on minimum wage pay, and are not well educated (though most are high school graduates). As I walked through the neighborhoods, I sensed the Holy Spirit saying to me, “these people need to know me“. When I protested a bit I heard the Holy Spirit say these simple words, "If not you, then who?" In response I said "yes" and Chris followed. We plan to meet our neighbors, practice random acts of kindness, listen and pray for those we come in contact with and hopefully at some point help them see that they are loved by Jesus and others.
I also plan to make myself available (at no charge) to local churches that desire to reach their neighborhood for Christ, as a sort of consultant, helping churches discern community needs and find ways to meet the needs.
I also feel called to remained connected to the United Methodist Church, to be held accountable, and to be a part of the church. I will be connected to the church by serving a small church, Trinity United Methodist in Kokomo, on a part time basis.
What Chris and I am asking from you is to pray for us. Our specific prayer concerns are:
*We need to find a place to rent, in the area of town described above. Please pray that one could be found soon, as we must move soon after June 9 (last day of school in Lowell). Eventually we would like to buy a multifamily house where we could live in one part and use the other part(s) for transitional housing as the need arises.
*That God would open doors for us to find employment to supplement our income from the church.
*That the transition between churches and at both churches (Lowell and Trinity) would go well.
In the Grip of God's Hands
Jeff and Chris
P.S.: Our sons are on board with God's call in our lives. Andrew will be a junior at Kokomo High School next fall. Jonathan has completed a year of college at Olivet University and is going to Thailand for 6 weeks as a missionary. Patric and his wife Laura have been married for nearly two years, Laura just graduated from College with a Music Education major. Patric plans on graduating next year with thoughts of entering seminary. Chris and I celebrate 28 years of marriage today.
Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. 7Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously. "Don't think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don't need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light. "When you enter a town or village, don't insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave. Matthew 10:6-11(The Message)
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