Be Thankful Always!

So we do church services in the Juvenile Detention Center about twice a month and I will say, I probably have felt the presence of God in those services ALMOST more than I have Anywhere else! It's an amazing collision of young people sold out for Jesus sharing how He has changed their lives and young people full of anger but desperately seeking love from anyone. If they grasp onto love from THIS source, NOTHING will be the same. So yesterday, since we had a large group of amazing people who came to pour out love and minister in ways they are gifted in, I got to spend time one on one with a young girl. She is facing some possibly difficult news this Tuesday, so I forced us both to practice being thankful always! We went back and forth, one at a time saying something we were thankful for or saying a phrase in which we told God how Awesome he is and why! About 5 sentences in, our pace slowed down, not because we couldn't think of anything, but because we were talking through tears. Tears of thankfulness and feeling blessed! Guess this excercise worked! There was no time or energy left to worry. About anything.

Lunch break visitors include 4 six yr. olds, 4 middle schoolers, and a high schooler. They knock on the door. And I know I am about to be bombarded with questions of what they can get from my kitchen, depending on what they know I have and they know I'll give. They're clever, and it almost always works. I think I need to buy stock in apples and bananas.

What made me laugh today was the debate going on amongst them as we stood at the door and chatted and they were trying to figure out who lived here. "I TOLD you this was a college dorm!" They said to each other. haha. No - not quite. We're just all friends who live in ONE house like Family although it might FEEL like a dorm, it's a home. :)

Although the garage door sometimes breaks because it's hung on, and the doorbell sometimes rings consecutively for 2 minutes, I SURE do love my visitors... And KNOW that as we learn, life as neighbors will only get better.

pure delight

I love "God winks" as my mom used to call things... As I look back, I recount...

...In the past two years of living "downtown" I have had

one close-to stalkerish encounter which ended quickly
about 8 Wonderful friends to room with
Several opportunities to pray with people in the streets and in homes
Numerous kids confide in me about life and listen to what I have to say
Countless knocks on the door just because a kid wants food or fruit

Is it worth it to live in "the hood" or is it too dangerous?

You tell me.

:)

And it's surely worth it to be late to work because a kindergardener flagged you down JUST to tell you he had a good day at school. precious.

What a fun cookout at MICO yesterday. A Taylor group came to put it on for the community and there was a great turnout! I think all were truly blessed with good food and a fun time together!
The group brought me straight to tears today as I heard them sing out in worship to God before prayer walking the area! I am so touched by the connection from Barb to me to them with MICO and to the community, all for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. He unites us, and He empowers us to make a change.
One group's story of their walk was just classic... while walking, they say hello to a man on the porch drinking away. His response was, "What do you do when you feel depressed and don't feel like living anymore?"
Did God send those students walking to touch a life or what!? The right place at the right time. Christians, get out there, people are looking for answers and they'll call straight to you! :)

thoughts

stuff is just crazy sometimes.
Truly.
To see a kid locked up because someone came to her house to fight her and she got worked up and retaliated. To see cops locking up teens who have NO clue how to respond respectfully to adults. The stuff that is listened to and seen, heard, and experienced - just creating hell on earth to young children. And they accept it, and idolize it.

SO much anger.
The devil is a liar.
And our kids are Children marked by heaven that were not ever informed of their high value.
Break the cycle.
Break the stereotype.
Break the self-image problems in our teens.
Tell the truth - from God's eyes - in love.
Stand up to the tough image cast before you which is really insecurity, and speak some truth with power and in love.

May revival burst out in the schools, especially alternative.
And may churches and Christians HAVE the answers and strategies to meet needs and change situations effectively and powerfully, especially for our Young people.

revolutionary to me... tutoring insights

1) It's tempting to get discouraged because sometimes the kids' behaviors and attitudes sometimes make it seem like we beat them, and really Aren't Loving them. But we are. We ARE.
Why not much change?? A friend or tutor's support is not enough to fix Deep wounds from possibly those closest to and loved by them. A new person in your life who you've known 3 months Cannot heal the fact that you were possibly rejected by a mother or father. 1) If they were allowed to think they were not valued for any amount of time, it will take much time to counter-act it. 2) Most have not yet understood who God is. When GOD encounters and loves on a child, it will not only cover the wound, but heal DEEP down underneath it (like to the heart). We must continue to point/Shove kids to HIM since we cannot heal! :) May God Father a fatherless generation and may they understand Him as Papa in a level way beyond what we have.

2) We do not want to make robots who just follow the rules all the time, but until there is a heart change that motivates them to WANT to act right out of right character, we are teaching them social skills which will position them in places to recognize and recieve assistance from people in the future, which will hopefully all contribute to their eventual internal change.

3) We serve not because the kids need it. Even if they do - our mindset is that we serve because God loves them SO much. With this in mind, we expect nothing in return, and with this heart, we actually will see much more response in return. People respond to love. And we can better be sustained when we serve from a place of Love.

Praise God

Thank the Lord for services in Grant County. They are good! no more need for uniform stuff for these two. If you give, it will always be used for some child, but we can be assured, God has provided already. :)

URGENT NEED

As MICO aims to connect resources to meet needs: I need to inform you of a need in the neighborhood and ask for help!

Two high school students (one boy one girl) need school uniforms. One on the brink of dropping out, one not able to go - not having the right attire should NOT be the thing keeping these kids from being present in school, nor should looking for clothes be an extra stress to already crazy situations or an issue to argue about with teachers.

If you would like to contribute, please sent wal-mart or Big R gifts cards or a Check to MICO with "School uniform" in the subject line to 211 W. 7th St. That's my house. Upon recieving, you will get a receipt from MICO, and I will know to proceed with shopping. Thank you!

how to keep guys from hollering at you in the hood

Do a job a man's supposed to do. Suddenly, they don't even want to look! Walk three blocks to work and get two honks from passer-bys. Shovel for an hour and suddenly no one wants to talk! =P I'm just playin... kind of.

Tutoring Updates!

These kids are amazing. Crazy - but amazing.
-The helpers are awesome. Thank you ALL. You rock, and this program would be nowhere without you.
-We had some quiet during Bible Study.
-We've had three parents in the past week come IN to contact us personally and offer advice and encouragement and step in to offer advice to their kids and kids' friends.
-The kids are HAPPY to help with dishes
-We have seen improvement in their response to US and their discipline to do homework on their own. Still ways to go, but we're Seeing improvement, no less!
-I Had lost my keys, but I PRAYED and PRAYED and someone found them and walked them right back to me today! YES!

-Check out this e-mail I got from the school's social worker:

You guys are doing a wonderful job. Kids are getting homework done!!!.

Funny thing is that some of it is not getting to school in the morning! Wish I was a fly on the wall to see what happens to it between MICO house and School! lol.

Archie is doing well. He IS bringing his homework back to school. This has been the best thing for him. He is such a great kid. I wish you could see him in the classroom. It just blesses my heart.

Appreciate all of you.

ha

"Julie, I met you in the parking lot. Hope this helps. God Bless."

Said the note in the mail with a significant check to MICO from a Christian run optometry place in town.

hello?! God's good! helps greatly.

Keep speaking out how God's moving and what He's doing!

Who says God can't come in?

What's good?
-That the kids at the D-Home were asking questions into TODAY at school from yesterday's church service.
-Therefore, my biggest problem is trying to get algebra in around all the questions so that I accomplish what I'm paid to do (educate and do schoolwork) and don't get in trouble for holding Sunday school every day during class time. :) But we all know learning about God is only a good thing. but you get what I'm saying.
-That one kid got picked up to come to the evening service an hour after he got released, which was 3 hours after the church group left that Sunday.
-When Corporal pulled a kid from class saying how he had gotten written up. As he walked out angry and cussing, he later found out it was a prank and he was actually getting released early on his 18th birthday. :)
-Living in a house with women who love Jesus more than Life, and who challenge and encourage me in my effort to be the same way.
-Knowing a new tutoring location is available and offered for use by the MICO kids nad program, and we may get to start up there soon! wow!!!!
-Feeling Peace when you thought there was no way.