Sunday Funday September 22

SOOOOO exciting! Micheal great up at Living Stones Lagoa de Itaenga, and is now helping as we begin Living Stones Feira Nova...this is what makes my heart beat happy. Check out some behind the scences (putting up the bathroom door) from our first official Living Stones event at Feira Nova in the new church (well, the church floor).

Since the floor to the church has been put in, we are ready to do some small events (not a whole program) and begin reaching out to these children--and their families, of course! You can check out the "Behind the scenes" video of this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0LPm0-SAr8

We are so excited about our Living Stones Weekend, October 25-27. But why is the Gathering Place supporting children in a small town in Northeast Brazil? Church planting through child sponsorship! The Gathering Place 2 is our hub in Brazil!

Prayers and Praises:

Praise for such an amazing home that we have (renting)! Monday we have choir over, Tuesday was Tacos (of course), Wednesday we had a dear couple over, Friday we had all the teens from Cajueiro Claro over for movie night, and Saturday we babysat so friends could go on a date.

Prayers for mysterious health issues: Jessie randomly vomited one evening, but then has been fine since.

Interweb Reads:

1. World Vision flips the script: My friend sent me this link and said “Sounds like what you did a couple of years ago…” Which is true, and which made me happy;) (Christianity Today)

2. Goal Hourglass: Something I put together with some new resources I have been using lately! Get Goaling! (Five Minutes Of Fergie)

3. Dear Tanzanian friends, I’m sorry for being a jerk sometimes: “Poking fun at the "amusing" things I saw in your country, many times arrogantly implying that, given the circumstances, I could do things so much better. Pointing out a lot that was wrong, and not enough that was right.” (Everyone needs a little grace)

4. Feeling kinda inadequate? Talking about Amy Carmicheal? Must post. Amazing lady. (Ann Voskamp)

5. Opportunity of Opposites: “I have come to understand, respect, and even uphold a lot of local ideals and beliefs. I don’t hold my American patriotism too tightly. More and more often, I find myself understanding local motivations and reasonings — and questioning my American ones. Things that upset me about the culture when I first entered it make sense now in ways that are hard for me to explain to fellow expats…So, why am I still so opposite? Why didn’t the divide between us lower more quickly? Why aren’t my best efforts at practicing incarnational ministry paying off and producing fast fruit? No matter what I do, how I live, how I speak or dress— will it ever be enough? Is all the effort even worth it?” (Velvet Ashes)

6. After Moving Season: “If you count the cost, the cost will often be too high. So don’t count it. Be open to love and community anyway.” I am still grieving moving season as well. (A Life Overseas)