The good, the bad and the...good renewed

It has been a while since our last post and a lot has happened. The good news is that God keeps revealing His hand in putting to death many of the battles here. The enemy has come after our car twice, attacked Max, and has repeatedly try to steal the joy from Diana and my relationship, but to no avail. The victory is God's! Please join us in  prayer for protection for Diana, me, Max, our household and all of the possessions Poppa has entrusted us with.

About three weeks ago.

8/25. Remains of the car window - nada!

8/27 All better! PTL!

God has been so teaching us about sonship and stepping out in boldness. And as we go, He has consistently reminded us, like Moses, to ask for His presence to come with us - and that we must not go out unprotected. Good stuff in such an intense, dark place. Yea God!

I had the good fortune to pray in God's light and anointing on a local business that is opening soon. It is wonderful how prayer is round-robin, as they were blessed, I was blessed by His presence, His teaching and His grace!

I met a homeless man outside the supermarket the other day. He was late 40ish, very disheveled and had only about four teeth. He asked me for money and I had none, but I told him about Jesus; that Jesus loved him and as bad as things seemed, Jesus would provide for him. This man looked my square on and told me that he knew Jesus and that was the only thing keeping him going. Another way Poppa blew my mind and taught me humility! 

Diana and I have been talking with a man at the dog park who converted to Islam while in jail in the 90s. The startling thing that came out in conversation is he grows and sells marijuana for a living. I asked what Islam speaks to about this and he said he pretty much keeps it from them to avoid judgement This conversation to continue... Please pray!

Some more good news... A Circle of Hope commissioned me to do two paintings to hang at the Frankford and Norris church for a month or so. The paintings would then go up for auction and the funds from the sale will go to commissioning other artists of faith. So awesome! Hopefully we can do more things like this together.

"Dream" acrylic on canvas 50" x 38"

"Renew" acrylic on canvas 50" x 38"

Money is still a major battle. The work is finally starting to trickle in but it has been a long two month dry spell. I have added a Paypal donate button on the Support Our Ministry page of this blog. So if the Lord nudges you to give, that would be a major blessing. Also, please keep your prayers coming. They are so appreciated, needed and received.

If you are free on September 14th, please join us for a potluck dinner & music fundraiser around 7pm here at the loft.

2424 Coral Street
Philadelphia, PA 19125

I will be sending emails, texts and posting a Facebook invite as a follow up. We so look forward to seeing you all then!

A prayer for Caleb...

Before moving to Kensington, the Lord had put it on my heart to work with children as a volunteer in a children’s hospital. Though I’ve applied to CHOP, as of today, they have not responded. And hospitals like St. Christopher’s require their volunteers to pay and manage their own inoculations, vetting and background searches, which, in this dry financial season we have not had the money to do. So I’ve been waiting and praying. Yesterday, the Lord literally brought an ailing little baby right to me.

Liz Marvin and I were driving out of town, on our way to a doctor appointment. The light had just turned green at the intersection of 5th and Roosevelt Avenue, when the car behind rammed into the rear of Liz’s car. We were shocked and frightened, especially when Liz saw a large man step out of the offending car and head in our direction. But as we all got out to inspect the cars he turned out to be more upset then we were. “City driving, I hate city driving, the car just got away from me!” We asked him if he and everyone in his car was okay. He thought so but went over and yelled out “is the baby okay?” Yes said the mother, who was juggling a cigarette while trying to rifle through papers.

Turned out no one was hurt, no apparent damage to anyone’s car but the driver that hit us was pretty shook up. As Liz and he were exchanging info, waiting for the woman to find the current registration, the baby was placed on the sidewalk, in his car seat. After calling the accident in I walked over to the baby.

He was a tiny little thing, looked like a new born. Eventually, I learned this little boy’s name was Caleb and he was three months old but was born three months premature! He had been in and out of CHOP and St. Christopher’s wrestling with all kinds of health issues since they’d taken him home weighing only 5 lbs. They had just come back from a doctor visit, this time for his digestive system that was giving him terrible distress.

I asked if I could pray on little Caleb and his mom said sure, that she prays for him every morning. I laid my hands on his little tummy and prayed for the Lord to pour his living waters of healing life into little Caleb, heal his body, so he could be the very important man the Lord designed him to be. To bring him comfort, refreshment, refreshment for his family, peace and provision. (they drove a beat up old sedan with cord holding the front bumper in place, front directional lights broken, they looked frazzled and dazed). Such an intense experience of love filled me, for this child, these parents. This mom was so anxious for any encouragement for this new child, so eager for prayers.

Little Caleb’s mom ended up exchanging emails with me, told me she’d keep me updated on her little one. I said I’d continue to pray for him, to pass his name to our prayer team. We hugged. She was so encouraged that here was a friendly face, someone who cared, someone positive, even in the face of an accident.

I will continue to pray for Caleb’s continued rapid development and healing, and mostly for his mom who was smoking in the car with her new born baby and for the man who may be his dad, who Liz told me afterward, had track marks on his arm. I prayed so hard when I heard this. It’s not hard enough for little Caleb to have entered the world three months early but to have parents who are themselves so broken broke my heart. I pray for them all, I ask you to pray for them all. God so loves each of them. I felt that so strongly. So strongly.  Please pray!

Love you,
Diana