New chapter

Well, I am pleased to say that I start my new shift and responsibilities tomorrow! Praise GOD that I no longer have to wake up at 4am and can start being among the living past 6pm lol!!
Yesterday's Meet-Me-At-The-Market did not go as well as we had hoped, but I know God will use the interactions that we did have to further His kingdom, and in some ways that we may never know on this side of eternity. But that's okay. I think we learned a good bit and will improve, I hope, for the next event that we are part of (I'll get you that info a little later ). What the event did remind me of was how important it is to be apart of the community and to engage with the people around me, ever if it is just to say hi and give a friendly smile. The Church today, and by Church I mean all the different organizations that make any claim of Christ, has lost site of this. The Church has become so focused with the programs and events that they forget that their main focus should be their individual daily lives, and how they interact with those hurting around them. Christ when he walked this earth didn't have concerts, and parties, and such, He simply was gentle, and kind to those around Him, and as such they were drawn to Him so He could THEN meet their real need: SIN; people were drawn to Him because He was first kind, then He told them of their true need, and then met that need. His death on the cross met that need for them, and everyone after them that would come to Christ in faith. How far we as a Church have come from this thought: be kind. It makes me think of lyrics to a song: "What if we put down our signs, crossed over the line, and Love like you did? Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners, Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers. Oh, let our hearts be led by mercy, Help us reach with open hearts and open doors. Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours." Please, don't misunderstand me at all in this: cross of the line, open hearts and open doors DOES NOT MEAN WE APPROVE of the way the world lives. I know this because of what Christ taught: he told the prostitute to REPENT and SIN no more (a call to change); He told the publicans to REPENT and SIN no more (again, a call to change) and so many more examples. He taught that the Old Testament was to be heeded and learned from, so that we don't repeat their mistakes. But in ALL of this, He was still kind; that is why those SINNERS came to Him. I want to be kind, but tell the Truth that God has shown me: we are ALL (and all means ALL) sinners needing the Salvation that CHRIST alone offers. And this Salvation WILL change us. May I never forget that I need to be kind not just because the world tells me it's a good thing to do, but because of the Person that lives inside of me.

-Jen