Celebrating the Imprint of Christ

I spent Mothers' Day driving to Dayton and spending the day with my sister-in-law, Cheryl. It was her birthday, so I drove down to surprise her - that was so fun! In addition, her husband, John, planned a small surprise dinner party with some of their closest friends. It was the coolest thing.

I had a great time getting to know Jeanne and Jaimee, two of Cheryl's very best friends. For me (since I am shy) it was a little uncomfortable at first, but then we began talking God's Kingdom...

Jeanne lives smack dab in the center of her community in Xenia and strives to develop relationships with her neighbors, people at her son's football games, and others as she volunteers at her kids' school. She is a gifted evangelist.

Cheryl's other friend, Jaimee, spends a night a week at a nearby strip club. She hangs out in the dressing room and talks with, leads, and loves the strippers. She said the owners are open to her being there because they care about these girls and they realize that stripping is not a job that you can retire doing. She takes resources with her - information about getting a ged, etc...but mostly she just loves like Jesus loves - unconditionally. She said they sometimes call her the church lady, which makes her uncomfortable, but I love it. Would that all people would associate church with someone who loves without condemnation...

We also talked about local poverty. Jaimee and Cheryl have fallen in love with the children that live in a low income area near them. They, along with their Church, Living Hope Church of the Nazarene, have done many one-time events and are now planning an ongoing after school program. Cheryl and Jaimee are leading the charge. God has broken their hearts. They have such a desire to see the injustice of poverty made right in their local area. As we talked, it was obvious that they feel insecure. They feel like they don't know what they're doing. I have every confidence in the world in them as I heard their hearts. They love with no strings attached. Small things done with love will change the world.

All in all, it has been a great trip. I think it helps sometimes to look out beyond our little, local area to see what God is doing. These moms confirmed what New Hope's Mothers' Day video was about. God is moving. He is redeeming. We are invited to be a part as we celebrate the imprint of Christ.

The Story Continues

I don't know about you, but I have loved hearing the stories of people in our gatherings. We connect to each other through story, we find ourselves in the stories of others, and we have the opportunity to find God...

All that being said, I have to remember that whether the story is heard from the stage or in a conversation over coffee, it remains a glimpse into the heart of the person and not the whole picture. Soo much goes into who we are. So, if you're interested, I invite you (with permission from Bets) to see more of who Dave and Betsy (and JJ) are, the normal stuff they are going through, and the things that break their heart.

You can hear a little more of their story at daveandbetsy.