If you don't know how to use your Bible then you should have been with us at today's workshop.
When Patrice and Valerie from Stepping Out ministries asked if I would come and share this workshop they didn't tell me I'd have a blast!
Nearly 40 people, many from the largest housing project in Morristown, showed up on this beautiful Saturday. Prayer Journals were sponsored by the ladies of the Farragut Church of God, the event was sponsored by Stepping Out, I led and we all had a great day!
They learned how to use thier Bibles and how to keep a prayer journal and in turn, they taught me about something else.
One woman arrived late to the workshop. To be able to attend she'd come straight from work and hadn't taken the time to eat. A giant stack of pizzas had been delivered a short while before. Yet, by the time this woman came in all that remained were empty boxes.
Can you guess what happened next? What would you have done? No one there said, "You snooze you lose". No one there shrugged their shoulders and said "Oh well."
One person, then another decided that they were not as hungry as they'd first though. Pizza and plates were passed around toward the newcomer. One woman picked up a few brownies for her. Another woman got up and brought back a glass of tea. Where there had been nothing on her plate a few moments before suddenly sat 3 untouched slices of pizza with offers of more coming in from around the room.
I learned that day that people can posess a generosity of spirit even when they have little else to share.
After the workshop, one of the ladies, a former victim of domestic violence, shared with me about her life. She told me how God had helped her overcome and how she'd grown stronger. Another lady told me of her husband's time in jail and how they'd learned to praise God in all circumstances. And another told me that even though she is in the projects right now, it's only a temporary setback, that she's really passing through there on the way to rebuilding her life into something better.
That resonated with me. In a greater sense we are all passing through this world as we look forward to the better life that is to come.
Thank you for reminding me of that.
And to the lady who asked if we could do this again I can only say,
"I can't wait!!"
Talk to you soon,
Gayle
