Intersection

Our townhouse is located at a unique intersection.  The T in front of our home brings together subsidized housing, townhomes and mansions. This intersection brings together more than financial worlds; it brings together different races and family structures.  The other day, when we walked around to invite people to our Gumbo Party, we met people who were single, retired, married, expecting their first child, and living in a blended family situation.  These various situations bring challenges and diversity.

We are blessed to be in this diverse place.  We desire to bring together the different groups of people under the banner of Christ’s church.  God has placed us here for such a time as this to reach these people.  Think about your street.  Who lives there?  What season of life are they in?  How are they similar or different?  And how can you reorient your life to intersect with them for the sake of the Gospel?

Drawing Near…

James 4:7-8 continues to come to my mind and heart lately. It says, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”. We are beginning to meet people from our new neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods weekly, often daily. Conversations are deepening with some, but the spiritual soil here is often rock hard, previously hurt or damaged, often never before tilled! Satan would love for us to become discouraged and grow weary in these early days, and give up on the call God has placed on our lives. But we will resist him, rebuke him in Jesus’ name, and he will have to flee! We know God called us to this neighborhood. We will not quit!
Conversations the past couple of weeks have included one who left a church in TX because evangelism was being taught and encouraged above service, even in children’s programming; one who is turned off to church and Christians because of hateful words and actions toward those of other races, religions, and lifestyle choices; and one who raised a foster child who is now an adult with a strong relationship with God, described by the former foster mom as “as bad as her ending up in prison or on the streets” because it has driven them just as far apart.
Hurt is around all of us. I’m not discouraged by it, but I am broken over it! I am drawing near to God and He is drawing near to me! I am reminded it is He Who changes hearts and lives and heals hurts! He has done it for me and I will boast in Him until all of Lowry hears and believes!!