Hey to all my brothers and sisters in Christ! My blog posting has fallen off the last couple weeks, so I thought I'd give an update, since it's gonna be another week or two before I get back to "officially" posting.
First, I spent last week, Wednesday through Sunday, in the Central MS Correctional Facility, one of our state prisons. No, I haven't done anything wrong. I actually volunteered. For the last few months, 36 other Christian men and I have been involved in a Kairos training mission. Kairos is a worldwide prison ministry program. We spent these 4 days sharing the love of Jesus with them. Many of us also gave talks and/or shared words of hope to the group of prisoners(participants), besides having small group sessions throughout the week. Normally, there are 7 four hour meetings to attend prior to the Kairos weekend ministry mission. Due to a hail storm that did millions of dollars in damage to the facility two weeks before we were supposed to go in back in March, we had a few more meetings to re-prepare for this past week. Kairos is a wonderful ministry program. I urge you to check and see if there is a local Kairos mission coming up in your area, or get in touch with the national hq and see how to start one. The group of men that I got to know over these last 7 months have made such an impact in my Christian walk and I made some deep friendships that I believe will still be strong many years from now. And, although I went into the prison to teach and share, Man, I gotta tell ya, I got taught some wonderful God-stuff, and I saw God filling up hearts and souls in that prison. I didn't realize how profoundly this 4 day weekend would impact my life and what doors it may have opened for planting our church in Florida next spring. God is great. Praise Him!
Second, I'm taking another week off to do some motorcycle sight-seeing with my wife. We will also be on the hunt for church locations. While we ultimately believe we are being led to build a church on or near our farm, we may need a backup plan for rainy days in the beginning, meeting under a tent awning that's nestled up under the many 150 yr old Live-Oak trees on the farm, a slight inconvenience for our newly-formed congregation family.
So, I'll be back to blogging in a couple of weeks, hopefully with a little more news about the future of Hope's Church, more info on the plans and progress as we get closer to planting day, and more words about how the love Jesus brought us 2000 yrs ago is still here for any and all who seek Him. Remember, God is Love. We are God's children. We are to be Love, in His image. May the Lord bless you and fill you to overflowing with His love and peace. Go to church this Sunday.(Go to church EVERY Sunday.) If you don't have a church, FIND one. Don't worry about the hypocrites that are there. They are right where God wants them, IN CHURCH, learning how to become better children of His! When you decide not to go because of them, the Devil wins. You lose. Now, go to church and sit with the hypocrites, so you won't become one, too.
God bless all y'all.
Let Love rein in your heart, soul, and mind.
Peace,
Bro. Jay
First, I spent last week, Wednesday through Sunday, in the Central MS Correctional Facility, one of our state prisons. No, I haven't done anything wrong. I actually volunteered. For the last few months, 36 other Christian men and I have been involved in a Kairos training mission. Kairos is a worldwide prison ministry program. We spent these 4 days sharing the love of Jesus with them. Many of us also gave talks and/or shared words of hope to the group of prisoners(participants), besides having small group sessions throughout the week. Normally, there are 7 four hour meetings to attend prior to the Kairos weekend ministry mission. Due to a hail storm that did millions of dollars in damage to the facility two weeks before we were supposed to go in back in March, we had a few more meetings to re-prepare for this past week. Kairos is a wonderful ministry program. I urge you to check and see if there is a local Kairos mission coming up in your area, or get in touch with the national hq and see how to start one. The group of men that I got to know over these last 7 months have made such an impact in my Christian walk and I made some deep friendships that I believe will still be strong many years from now. And, although I went into the prison to teach and share, Man, I gotta tell ya, I got taught some wonderful God-stuff, and I saw God filling up hearts and souls in that prison. I didn't realize how profoundly this 4 day weekend would impact my life and what doors it may have opened for planting our church in Florida next spring. God is great. Praise Him!
Second, I'm taking another week off to do some motorcycle sight-seeing with my wife. We will also be on the hunt for church locations. While we ultimately believe we are being led to build a church on or near our farm, we may need a backup plan for rainy days in the beginning, meeting under a tent awning that's nestled up under the many 150 yr old Live-Oak trees on the farm, a slight inconvenience for our newly-formed congregation family.
So, I'll be back to blogging in a couple of weeks, hopefully with a little more news about the future of Hope's Church, more info on the plans and progress as we get closer to planting day, and more words about how the love Jesus brought us 2000 yrs ago is still here for any and all who seek Him. Remember, God is Love. We are God's children. We are to be Love, in His image. May the Lord bless you and fill you to overflowing with His love and peace. Go to church this Sunday.(Go to church EVERY Sunday.) If you don't have a church, FIND one. Don't worry about the hypocrites that are there. They are right where God wants them, IN CHURCH, learning how to become better children of His! When you decide not to go because of them, the Devil wins. You lose. Now, go to church and sit with the hypocrites, so you won't become one, too.
God bless all y'all.
Let Love rein in your heart, soul, and mind.
Peace,
Bro. Jay
