Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis is known for his work with lepers. His words are inspirational, and we prayed them yesterday as we were focusing on the women at First Step. They are especially fitting in this place that deals with violence and abuse.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

where there is injury, pardon,

where there is doubt, faith,

where there is despair, hope,

where there is darkness, light,

where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal lifve.

Amen.

First Step Day 2

 We chose two blues for the room, thinking cool, calming color would be best in a room where 50 people gather together. We felt like we were at the Mediterranean all day today.  :)

 Lots of terrific people donated items for our activity cabinet: games, books, crafty stuff, coloring books and crayons.  When the room is not being used for eating, the families can come use it as an activity center. 

 The table centerpieces....almost finished.

 How in the world are we going to do this crazy floor project? Should we resort to reading directions?

 Trowelling out the adhesive. Not kidding. This is the stickiest substance known to mankind. You barely need any to stock the tiles down.

 Getting started, working the pattern.

Not quite half of the floor finished. Looking pretty good! The room looks very different already.


Prayer requests:

• For energy and strong knees
• That we can get everything done and put together in time for our party with the women residents on Thursday afternoon
• For the residents, that they find the help they need to stay out of a bad situation, and that we might be the fragrance of Christ as we interact with them.

Thank you all!!

First Step Day 1

 Day 1 and we made a great start!  


We began the day by asking Ilene, a staffer at First Step, to tell us all about the organization and the families that live there. She really has a heart for these women and children, and she was very inspiring to us.

 Up came the carpet. it got rolled up and stored for offices in another location.

 And the beast! It took us awhile to master this floor sander. It had a mind of its own. We rented it to sand the adhesive off the cement. We have previous experience with scraping a floor and it is not a happy memory. So the sander. It took much less time than scraping...once we figure out how to rein that machine in!

 Sue took care of us today. She made us lunch and made sure we had enough drinks and snacks. Oh yeah, hot fudge sundaes! It is so wonderful to know we don't have to think one thought about that stuff and that she will take care of us so well.

 The amazing team built six big kitchen cabinets today.  They were a cabinet building machine!

Lunch!

It was a blessing sitting down to a meal that had been prepared for us, and having time to get to know two of the staff members a little.

Tomorrow, we paint walls and lay a floor!

Dining Room Rules

In case you ever come to our new dining room, you will know what to do!  To be installed next week... 

A Tiny Sneak Peek

One week from today, we will be at First Step ripping out carpet and installing a new floor.  There are six days to check everything off the list. Hoepfully, there will be some time this week to do some creative and fun projects.

 Here are three sneak peeks into that.

Next week...what will these be?


We appreciate your support, no matter what it looks like.  Please continue to pray with us that we will be an encouragement at First Step.

Out With the Old

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 

Ezekiel 36: 26

The largest task we will accomplish on the mission trip will be to remove the carpet and lay a new, more functional dining room floor. The new floor will be more durable, easier to clean, and hopefully look better. It is a good example of the necessity of getting rid of the old so that the new and better can be brought in.

The same is true in our lives. It happens when we trade in our old lives for salvation and eternal life. It happens, or should happen, at times when we find it hard to connect to God and to obey Him.

If you read Ezekiel 36: 24- 38, you will find that that God, just for the asking, gave the Israelites new hearts, help in keeping His laws, and plentiful harvests. You will also see that God did this for His children, not for their sakes, but for the sake of His own name. He did it so that people who passed through would know that it was God, himself, who restored Israel.  

Dear Heavenly Father,

We pray for the courage to examine our hearts this week, to ask for your help in shedding the old hard parts of our hearts that are keeping us from experiencing you fully, and for new softer hearts that will commit to You and your mission trip, and will function in compassion and love.

May the people we speak to and work for next week see You and Your hand in our efforts. May we offer compassion and love where needed. May we be fully committed to Your plan for this mission trip.

Amen.

Please join us in prayer for additional needs:

• that the full support needed will be raised
• that we will be an encouragement in any ways needed during the project
• for health and strength for the on-site team, and blessings for our partners supporting us in so many ways

Blessings

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”

II Corinthians 9: 6-9

Yesterday at CBC, Pastor Mark spoke about being comfortable in our lives. Stepping out of our comfort zones is how we give of ourselves. It made me think of my Divine Design team. We arrive at First Step in two weeks to carry out our mission. There will be plenty of laughter and singing, we will be proud of the work we do, but it will not always be easy. It is certainly not a vacation. We have some hard physical work scheduled, and we will have to learn how to speak to a woman who has run away from an abusive home situation. Sometimes, we will not be comfortable. But, that is what we have been called to do. That is how we grow our faith. That is also how we are blessed.

These words in II Corinthians say to me that my team is giving from their hearts. For them, it is not about money, but physical labor, time, and compassion for women who are struggling. They are not sacrificing, but investing. God is giving them everything they need to do good work.

Dear Heavenly Father, my prayer is for each person connected to the Divine Design team; workers, supporters, pray-ers, encouragers. Thanks you for promising to bless them for cheerfully giving as they have been called. Thank you for abundant blessings, for providing us everything needed to abound in every good work. I pray that this experience will touch the hearts of the shelter staff and residents, the team, physical and extended, and those who hear the story of our mission. You are faithful to provide all that we need and more. In the name of Your Son Jesus, we pray, Amen.