~Picture to the Stories~

For years I had heard about poverty. For years I have hugged the necks of people who live or have lived in poverty. I have tried to release children from poverty in JESUS name. I had heard the stories. I hadn't seen it. . .

My youth group had the chance to go to Atlanta and work with 7Bridges ministries to hand out lunches to the homeless under the bridges.

I LOVE these people!! Gracepointe Church Students. 

 We walked the street and saw people with all they had within five feet around them. I saw them lying on the rock covered ground with only a thin blanket between them and the cold earth. Do you know what else I saw?

I saw smiles! I saw joy that only Jesus can give. I went expecting to spread the love of Jesus, but in more than one case I found myself listening to people sitting on the ground, under a bridge, where they LIVE tell me how good God is and how I should stay strong in Him! It has broke me.

One of the ladies I went with said "I could describe it to you all day, but it will never be what you expect". That is the truth. I knew there were homeless. I knew there was poverty but when I saw it, when I saw the homeless, it was different then I ever expected. By the end of the day I found myself telling people I hardly even knew that I loved them, because I did. It was JESUS; NOT me! A spark was lit in side me to do more! I realize that I could be those people! I could be on the street! Jesus saved me in EVERY since of that word so why would I not want to show his love?

For the last few months I had felt my longing to help the the needy kind of die down. I LOVE Jesus but my excitement to spread His word had leveled out. I was strong in Jesus and that was all that mattered. God has called us to more than that. God's plan is to reconcile the whole world to Himself and calls us to a spirit of reconciliation. He reconciles to reconcile.

 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 1 Cor. 5:18-19

When we do not spread the love of Christ and share God's message of reconciliation we do not experience the full JOY of the gospel. This is what we were made to do. We were made to SHINE for His glory! We were made to experienced His glory. It was all messed up in the fall but has been REDEEMED through the finished work of JESUS! Christ has payed and the world will be made right! It will all be made right! That is the gospel! We can be made right! 
By HIS GRACE and through our faith in Christ and His finished work we will be made perfect. We ARE made perfect! ALL JESUS!! 

Happy Easter!!!! Jesus is alive!!!!! 

All for Him,