missionary to the church

My latest read, “The Irresistible Revolution” by Shane Claiborne is… a really cool word for awesome. (by the way, yes; i read quickly through books i enjoy and love to read… if you have not already caught that drift! :])

So this book is about living as an ordinary radical. And I am totally for it and ready/ am living it. A quote I read from it today said this:

I used to think you all were missionaries bringing the gospel to your neighborhood, but I see that it is in your neighborhood that you have learned the gospel, and that you are actually missionaries to the church.”

I love how God ordains things, even things as simple as when the right time to read a book. God ordained me to read this book in this exact season. Before Hurricane Ike was even in the Gulf, God had been convicting my heart with His loving, gentle and kind Spirit about what The Church really is. I always heard “The Body of Christ”, “The Church”, helping to poor… all that good stuff, and I understood it to some depth; but just recently God has been teaching and revealing what The early Chruch really looked like. Unfortunatly, is does not look quite the same as the urban chruches look like today… not dont get me wrong, I believe many churches in our area are doing exactly as God is calling them to do.

When Ike hit, C.O.R.E. started immediatly, and I was privaledged to work within that organization while we were out of school and as I posted here and here; I have been blessed. THAT is what The Church is. The Body of Christ coming together in unity to work for the good of Christ and His Glory.

The quote above caught me a bit off guard, not because I dont agree with it, but because, infact I couldnt agree more. I have personally been on the streets of the Third Ward, San Leon, ext… (not the extent of Shaine in this book) but I have been out there with the homeless… and I see Jesus in them, and that is where I am moved and touched most.

Filled with firey passion,
Jenny

to the streets

for the past 5 months a group of us have been meeting weekly to worship and pray. Each Friday or Saturday night we would gather and with no schedule, no time limits, no plans for ourselves; would worship God in His presence and allow Him to do His will His way. We had no idea what God would be doing through this time and what He was preparing us for… but we faithfully continued to be filled by Him! I know for me personally, God has done such incredible things through this time in prayer and He has prepared me for the work ahead (&right now!) I remember many nights, collectively we would pray that God’s Spirit would lead us to the streets.

There’s no greater time, than a time such as this.

And for the past 5 months God has been preparing us for a time such as this. We were sent to the streets this past weekend. A time such as this, when communities, families and people are in a great time of need and as communities are coming together as The Body of Christ. Saturday night, God sent us to the street to pray, preach and love! The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.(Luke 4:18)  We will never know how many lives were touched, but God does and it doesnt matter! It is all for The Kingdom! God is doing a great work! Thank You Lord!

Glorifying and loving Him passionatly,
Jenny

 

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being poluted by the world.
(read more here)

thursday down in the third ward.

yesturday, we had a small team come down to the third ward and it was awesome! I invited a few people who normally would say no to this kind of thing (going out into the community to serve… especially down in the third ward). The five of us cleared a few lots and brought a glimps of hope to those around. It was such a blessing! Glory to God.

For now, I just got out of a three and a half hour cheer practice, now off to cheer at a game… I am beat dude. Jesus is providing strength though!

Thanking Him,
Jenny

serving others

during this time of need has been refreshing and such a blessing!

Today was my fourth day working and I cant think of another way I would want to spend my “Ike Break”. We go back to school next Monday and I am going to miss being able to work each day. Working out there has taught me so much about the blessing called life that God has gracfully given me. He has taught me how to be couragous in moments I feel like stepping down, how to find the strength from Christ when I feel like giving up and driving home. He is providing in ways only He could do and He is doing tremendous work through all that are volunteering at C.O.R.E. and other organizations. Glory to God for the work He is doing!

Still amazed by Him,
Jenny

thank You Lord

I dont know what else to say! He is so awesome and so cool!

Thank You Lord!