JP and Chloe

Great Loss

2012-01-29T22:51:00.000-05:00

(read the previous post first, then come back to this post!)
As I mentioned, some things I have to write about are sad. In inner city ministry there are times of great loss. This past year has been one of those for me. {I write this post more as a form of therapy and a way to process my thoughts}

Today I was walking through the neighborhood picking up children for church. As we headed back to the church I passed my friend. Just 1 1/2 years ago she was walking with me to pick up these children for church. She was a motherly figure to the children who's parents were too strung out to care about them. She was a role model and striving to follow Christ. Today, her face was dark and sunken in. Her body whittled down by heroin to less than 100 lbs. She walked with another lady looking for a car to get into so she could get enough money for her next fix. My heart sank as we said a brief "hi" to each other. There was my best friend, a lady I had great dreams for, waisting away.

I am filled with such great emotion when I think of her. Anger-that Satan can have such a grasp on someones life. Helpless-I can not rescue her, she has to make that choice and I have to wait. Sad-for many reasons...sad for her, sad for me, sad for God, sad for what could have been. Confusion-how can someone who cared for children of addicts turn and do the same thing to her own child now? Hope-I know my God, and her God, is bigger than Heroin and Crack and can redeem her...I just don't know how long it will take. I hope not long because the life she is living is so dangerous and lots of people just like her die often.

Then just after thinking through all of this, I think of my other friend who's urn is currently sitting in my linen closet (waiting for her husband to be ready to take it). Her life ended so early, not by her choice or actions, but by the cancer that over took her body. She would have loved to watch her children grow up. She was looking forward to her first wedding anniversary which would have been this week. I know she is enjoying her new heavenly body and worshiping our Lord, and I'm so happy for her for that, but I am sad she is gone.

On a day to day basis I do not think about how great of a loss I have suffered "loosing" these two ladies in my life. I put my focus on how I can minister to the others God has places in my life. But, days like today, walking by my friend or the song I heard tonight "I can only imagine" bring the feelings of loss to the surface.

As I'm trying to write a conclusion to this post, the song "Blessed Be Your Name" came on Pandora. What a perfect ending. "Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise. When the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say, Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be your name. You give and take away...my heart will choose to say, Blessed be your name."

Amen.

Some Rambleings

2012-01-29T22:11:00.000-05:00

The ladies on the Hope Inner City team have been reading a book together called "The Missional Mom; Living with Purpose at Home and in the World." Tonight, after putting Madalinn to bed, I drew up a tub of hot water, lit some candles, put on some worship music and read a little and relaxed. The book is written to stir women to look beyond the walls of their home and into how to serve the world around her. For me, it has been a confirmation that I am in fact already a missional mom. Sometimes I get so caught up in my day to day that I forget the magnitude of the things I am doing, until I am reminded by people or books like this.

As I was reading I thought, "oh, I should blog about that." Then I got to thinking, "I really haven't updated my blog in awhile! I should write." Then I began thinking of all the things I could write about...and the topics seemed endless. Usually I have a hard time thinking of things to blog about because sometime the stories are depressing and I don't want readers to get the wrong impression that I am depressed. Sometimes I don't feel I have anything blog worthy because my days seem so normal, but I forget my normal is not every one's normal and it may be interesting. Sometimes I think I need to post about specific things that happened, like an event or ministry highlight, but I think that I will just start writing about what I'm thinking and feeling and not worry about the expectations of all my readers...because obviously something to read is better than nothing to read. (so here's to some depressing stories, some "normal" experiences, some highlights, some thoughts and rambles! Coming to this blog soon!)

Ok, on to the next thought. In "The Missional Mom" she talked about risking boldly...stepping out of your comfort zone for the sake of touching someones life. She made the statement, "As these missional moms (the ladies from her previous stories) took on risks and sacrifices, an amazing thing happened: their risks and sacrifices stopped feeling risky and sacrificial and became everyday life." That is so true I thought. Then a few chapter later another woman said, "All of the people I feared before - the drug dealers, the prostitutes- we know many of them now...these are people we count as friends, who we have Thanksgiving with, who my kids will hug and call 'Uncle.' These are the people I love." Reading that comment was like reading my own mind.
Eleven years ago I never imagined, as a senior in high school in an all white community, that I would have been best friends with a former drug dealer and felon, that an African-American lady would call me her best friend and sister, that I'd know the names of multiple prostitutes, that I'd be able to defuse a fight between two teen age inner city boys, that a 40 yr old black man who was just released from jail would tell me he was afraid of me, and the list goes on. Going from a rural, middle-class girl to an experienced inner city worker involves a lot of risk, but the funny thing is my life doesn't feel that risky. It actually feels normal.
I am always surprised when we visit a supporting church and someone comments about, "how do you do what you do?" or "Don't you fear for your life every day?" or better yet, "I could never do what you do." The thing is that when you follow God and love the people he loves he carries you through. It feels uncomfortable at first, but the more you do it, the more comfortable it becomes.

Small Differences

2011-12-03T09:32:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I had to go to Kroger to pick up a few things. When I got there I was quickly reminded that it was December 1st. There was no sign telling me the date. I knew because of the line of Taxi Cabs out front, the full parking lot, and long check out lines. I usually try to avoid this Kroger the first few days of the month because of the crowds and lines.

You may be wondering what the first of the month and the crowds have to do with each other. In neighborhoods where most people get government assistance the first of the month is "pay day." People's kitchens are usually getting pretty bare by the end of the month, so as soon as the check comes they are ready to hit the store.

This is something I never thought about before living in the inner city.

News at noon

2011-09-16T11:32:00.000-05:00

.Today I was doing things around the house and the 12:00 news was on. For some reason I looked up and saw a guy that I know. It was the top story on the news that James had a $500,000 bond set for him this morning for robbing a gas station and attempting to shoot the attendant. My heart sank.

This guy has struggled with addiction for a long time. I know him because I went to the hospital when his son was born. I was there when the hospital photographer came into the room to take pictures of him and his son together. I was there to help him and his girlfriend as they had to make arrangements for their son to go live with another family because of their addictions.

It is always sad when I see people I know on the news.

Family Care

2011-09-02T22:09:00.000-05:00

This week has been much more intense for me than normal. The people I have been ministering to are in deep situations. The amount of stress is high, I can feel it in my body. Today I decided to take some time for just Madalinn and Me to do something fun together.

Last week I discovered her love of helping bake.

After we made a carrot cake together last week!

So in honor of the first Ohio State football game tomorrow, we made buckeyes for daddy! First I measured out the butter - she dipped her spoon in the butter container, like mommy, then tasted it. I measured out the peanut butter - she continued to taste the butter (she didn't really eat as much as it sounds!). Then it came time for the powered sugar...she added it scoop by scoop while I stirred. She has so much fun! Next I rolled the batter into balls - she kept trying to eat them.

Notice the theme...I work, she eats! :)

What a nice break!

A note from Team Expansion President - Doug Lucas

2011-08-29T11:13:00.000-05:00

Dear friend of the Great Commission,
Those who know me well know that I have thing for flashlights. You see, when I was an eleven-year-old in boy scouts, my flashlight batteries ran down while on a [very long] hike in a [very primitive, wet and scary] cave. I vowed never to be without light again. So I carry a flashlight in my pocket virtually everywhere I go. The thing is, it doesn't really take much. The light I carry has a low-light setting of just one lumen. But you might be shocked what a difference one lumen makes in a dark room. Odds are, your favorite Team Expansion missionary chose an unreached people group or city on purpose: Our hearts go out to those who are still in the dark. Likewise, when you pray, encourage, and give, you are sending the light to the darkest places on earth. You might argue that your gift isn't always huge. But the darker the night, the bigger the difference myone-lumen light can make. So next time you're wondering if your gift or prayer will really matter, step into a pitch-black room and light a single match. Your gift, your prayers, and your words can make all the difference in the world!

Grateful for the Light,

Doug Lucas
President, Team Expansion

A boy's conversation with his mom

2011-08-26T14:38:00.000-05:00

One day this week I was visiting a lady who I try to visit weekly (if not more). She has 3 kids and her husband recently went to jail. She told me a story about a conversation she had with her 10 year old son.

As they were talking one night about his dad being in jail she said to him, "a lot of people's dads go to jail. That's just how it is" He looked at her and said, "well mom, Madalinn's dad doesn't have to go to jail. and Zach doesn't have to go to jail either."
A little thrown off my his response she had to ask, "who is Madalinn and Zach?" When he explained she realized he was talking about JP and a former student volunteer from Cincinnati Christian University who is this boy's biggest role model.

People see our stable lives and it makes an impact. I hope this boy will break the cycle and follow these two men he so looks up to!

Summer Fun 2011

2011-08-26T14:18:00.000-05:00

One major aspect of my job at State Avenue is Children's Minister. Summer Fun is our weekly outreach to children ages 4-9. For eight Tuesdays we taught the children about Faith and Perseverance. These children come from such hard places but are still so tender and open to the love of God.

A great big thanks goes out to my stupendous volunteers who gave of their Tuesdays to come love on these children!

This is just a small glimpse into Summer Fun!

Pump It Up time - Songs at the beginning of the day.

Such tender teaching moments

This photo says it all. I don't really have words to describe it.

Besides snack time, crafts are a big high light of the night.

I hope these boys continue to grow in their love for God!

2011-08-25T14:23:00.000-05:00

Lives in crisis surround us. Each family we interact with deals with one crisis after another. It often feels like we are the only stable people they have to rely on, in many cases it is true. It is intense. For this reason, we take our vacation time seriously.

Last week JP and I were sitting on a bench
overlooking the ocean. We were too busy
looking through our coupon books to take notice of the couple that had sat down
beside us. After a few moments this
couple began to talk to us and we perked up.
From first glance we could tell they were not tourists. Their hair was disheveled, their faces were a
bit dirty, and their bodies looked tired.
She was missing some front teeth and he was missing an eye. They asked were we were from, told us a bit
of their stories, and all about the new attractions. One-Eyed-Willy, as JP later nicknamed him, handed me a flower he had twisted from a palm leaf saying, “I give these for smiles.” Our conversation didn’t last long, but it was sure memorable. All night we couldn’t stop talking about the flower and about One-Eyed-Willy and his girlfriend.

After vacation I put the flower, my only souvenir, on my dresser. Each time I see it a smile comes to my face and I wonder what One-Eyed-Willy and his girlfriend are doing.

I find it interesting that here in Cincinnati we are trying to bring hope (and hopefully smiles) to so many people. Then, while we are on vacation God used two people, similar to the very people we work with,
to bring smiles and joy to us.

Our little family - Myrtle Beach 2011

I love the way Madalinn is gazing at her daddy!

Madalinn - 23 months

This vacation was with JP's entire family. We really enjoyed the time we got to spend with his parent, brothers, their wives and kids. We are so thankful to have a supportive and loving family.

A tender moment

2011-02-15T13:37:00.002-05:00

This month we are teaching about Crazy Kindness in the children's ministry. We have a large paper on the wall for the kids to write ways that they showed kindness in the past week. Which is a great way to help them apply what they've been learning.

Durning our lesson time one little boy was having a bad attitude and threw something at another boy. One of the helpers said, "Kevin, you need to say your sorry to Cole." Kevin hung his head in embarasment and said nothing. While the kids were leaving the room I pulled Kevin aside. I simply said, "I know it's kind of embarasing to say your sorry in front of everyone. Saying sorry is a kind thing to do, so if you'd like to show kindness to Cole you can tell him you're sorry if you want to." I said a few more words of encouragment and sent him downstairs for snack time.

Monday I was getting ready for 180 girls preteen ministry and glanced over at the big paper on the wall. I read, "I said sorry -Kevin" My heart melted. After our little talk, Kevin told Cole that he was sorry. He was so proud of himself for showing kindness that he went over to the wall and wrote it down. Then he told some of the other leaders what he had done.

I love moments like that when the lessons become real in the lives of these children! :)

TLC's Police Women of Cincinnati

2011-01-21T15:09:00.002-05:00

The Police Women of Cincinnati airs on TLC on Thursday evenings. Last night as I was watching it, I saw two women get arrested on one of the corners of the neighborhood we minister in. It is a street that my volunteers walk down each Sunday to pick up kids that live in the buildings that were in the background of the scenes that flashed on my TV.

I don't have to watch TV to see prostitutes. All I have to do is stand outside the church building for less than five minutes and I see at least one. These women have names. They have stories. They have feelings. They are women...moms...daughters...sisiters...friends. They also have bad addictions that have lead them to sell their bodies on the street corner.

Last week as our preteen ministry ended, one of the ladies came in to talk to one of the leaders. Some of the preteen girls made rude comments about the lady. Instead of getting upset, this lady took the opportunity to talk to the girls about her life. She told them about how she got good grades, was voted the most likely to be successful after high school, she was pretty and well liked. She explained how bad choices that she had made landed her into this life of drugs, prostitution, and jail. Even though she is still living the street life, she desires to be an example to girls in the neighborhood of the importance of making good choices.

My co-workers, Jennifer and Jessica have a close relationship with this lady and her mother, who is also addicted and prostituting. It has been a huge learning and growing experience for them...full of ups and downs. It is their prayer that through their love and dedication this lady will choose to follow God and make some positive changes in her life. It is a hard and long journey though.

So don't forget when watching shows like Police Women of Cincinnati, that all of the people on there have a story and are loved by God.

Christmas Parties

2010-12-27T16:13:00.005-05:00

This year we had some great fun at our Christmas parties!

First up: Children's Ministry Party Dec 12th

For the past 7 years Northern Hills Christian Church has hosted and thrown a party for our children. This year a snow storm was predicted to hit at the same time as our party...so instead of us taking the kids to Northern Hills, Northern Hills came to us! They are so generous and love our children so much!

We did face painting, crafts, played a game, ate cookies, and opened gifts! Oh, and I forgot the most favorite part...pictures with Santa!!

Next up, Preteen Girl's party Dec 13th

A great group of people from the Christ's Church at Mason provided us with 30 amazing gingerbread houses and all of the stuff to decorate them! The girls had a blast taking time to make their house just perfect!!

A Sunday School class from LifeSpring collected money and we were able to buy all of the girls their very own teen study Bible! We also painted canvas Bible covers to go with them.

The girls had such a fun time at the party!

Last up: Preteen boy's December 14th
The boys went downtown and went ice skating on Fountain Square, drank hot chocolate and ate pizza. They had a lot of fun spending time together! (sorry there are pics of this event)

Thank you to all who donated to making these parties memorable and fun!!

There is Hope

2010-11-09T14:45:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I went to see the movie For Colored Girls by Tyler Perry. It was an intense film about the tragedies of life that people face. The problems - domestic violence, rape, barrenness, teen pregnancy, abortion, death of children, unfaithfulness, HIV and more- are real and in your face. These women tried to deal with their troubles alone; as a result, struggled with depression and self-destructive behaviors. In the end they discovered there was great strength to be found when they leaned on each other. They were not alone in life. Even in their weakness they had something to give to others while also receiving even more strength back.

As I watched I was reminded of the beautiful women in the inner city. Their loves are intense and full of raw emotion and troubles. They need to be reminded they are not alone in life; there is Hope.

*Please note that For Colored Girls is for mature audiences and very intense.

2010-10-20T14:12:00.003-05:00

Max & Erma's restaurant allows groups to do fund raisers at their restaurant where 20% of people's bill goes to the specific organization if the customer presents the flier.
Last week the Center Pointe Christian Church's Student Ministry held a fundraiser at Max & Erma's to raise money. But they weren't raising money for themselves...no, they were raising money for the jr high youth at State Avenue to be able to attend the CIY Believe conference.
I went to the fund raiser and was blown away at how many people from the church were there to support this cause. The hostest told me that people had been coming in all day for it. The Student Minister Dan told me that some people came for lunch and again for dinner.
I have been so impressed at the passion and momentum that is behind the efforts of these students to raise money for OUR kids. Even before the fundraiser they had already raised enough money for 24 kids to attend the conference. The dinner at Max & Ermas was to help raise money to pay for hotel rooms.
The really cool thing is that the Center Pointe youth and the State Avenue youth are going to get to hang out together at Believe and in the hotel. They will interact and get to know each other!

My heart is encouraged by this!

2010-10-12T12:53:00.002-05:00

On an average Monday evening at our preteen girls ministry we have about 10 - 15 girls. Last night we had 24! I had to make a run to the craft store to pick up more supplies! A lot of girls who had been on the fence about coming all decided to come last night. It was really great!

Today I was looking over the attendance sheet for our Children's Ministry - Prime Time - and counted to see how many kids have come so far this semester. In only 5 weeks we've had 80 different children come!

It is so energizing to see so many kids wanting to come to church!

2010-10-04T10:14:00.002-05:00

Last Wednesday I spent an hour walking and pushing Madalinn around the neighborhood. While we were taking time to play with some kids at the playground a four year old boy randomly told me that his Dad went to jail. We talked about it for a moment, then continued playing.

The next day I heard that there had been a police round up in our neighborhood on Wednesday (a few hours before I went for a walk) where police arrested 27 people who had warrants for their arrest, mainly for selling drugs to undercover officers in the past few months. Many of those arrested were parents of kids I know. One man, the father of a few kids down the street and a crack dealer, resisted arrest. A video of him actin all crazy ended up on the Internet. It's bad enough for kids to know their dad went to jail, but to know that people are watching him act crazy and swear on your life that he'd be good is overwhelming.

A few days later I was talkin to this lady who's adult daughter lives on the street, is addicted to heroin, and prostitutes to pay for her addiction. This lady said that a burden was lifted off her shoulders because her daughter was arrested a few days ago and she knows she is in a safer place than the streets. This mother was concerned her daughter would be found dead soon from a drug overdose, now she is in prison so she is safe.

The next day I was driving some kids home from church. Just two months ago their family moved into a pretty nice apartment, but Sunday they were living with their aunt. I asked them why they weren't staying at their own apartment and they told me their family was hiding from the cops. They said the police have some "false" information about their dad and are wanting to arrest him. What would it be like to be a child who's family is hiding from the police?

There is no real conclusion to all of these stories. I just wanted to share with you a few stories I've heard recently. People's lives are really intense!

1 year

2010-09-29T11:32:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow our little girl will turn 1! It is amazing to me that it has been a whole year since she entered the world...time really flies. I was just thinking about how her existence in our family has affected our ministry. Here are a few of my thoughts:

1. I am now a "woman" in the culture. There is something in the inner city about having a baby that makes you arrive at adulthood.
2. She has opened up relationship opportunities. Now that I'm a mom I have something in common with most women in the neighborhood.
3. She brings smiles to people who are having a hard day
4. It is culturally acceptable for me to take her along with me when I'm doing ministry (bible studies, visiting people, hanging in the neighborhood, etc) People would think it's strange if I hired someone to watch her while I spent time with them. Though JP does keep her while I'm doing my groups like the children's ministry or preteen ministry
5. I used to do ministry stuff 45 or more hours a week before I became a mom. My plan was to do about 20 - 25 hours after she was born. In reality I still put in 30 to 40 each week
6. Somethings are much harder to do with a child tagging along...taking someone to the doctor, having a bible study, and such. I have to plan my day around her nap times and that gets tricky. I have to realize and accept that I'm not as free as I used to be.
7. It is sometimes challenging to get conversations into the deeper level like I used to because everyone wants to talk about and to Madalinn. I have to be intentional about being sure to get beyond the surface conversations.
8. She has so many fans! Everyone thinks she is super special. All of the girls at church want to hold her and carry her around.
9. I now notice things in the neighborhood that I had gotten used to and no longer noticed. The anger, the profanity, the dirtiness of the streets, etc. because I know she defenceless and impressionable
10. She is very social. I am excited for her to begin making friends!

We love you baby girl! So glad you are part of our lives!

I will fear no evil, for you are with me

2010-07-14T21:24:00.002-05:00

This summer our children are learning the 23rd Psalm during Summer Fun. Last Thursday's lesson was "Even tho I walk through the darkest valleys I will fear no evil for you are close beside me." I was teaching the 4-6 year old class. We started the day with a question..."I feel scared when..." I got simple answers like the dark, dogs, snakes, ghosts...then one six year old girl spoke up and said, "Pimps, robberies, pit bulls" These things are realities in these kids' world. Can you imagine having these fears at six? How eye opening!

Ultimate Misfits

2010-07-14T21:20:00.002-05:00

This is our team (minus a few people) this year. I got to play catcher...a great leg workout! I joined the team 4 years ago to develop relationships with neighborhood women. It has been great fun and a good way to meet ladies.

This year we broke our win record...we got 2 wins! Yes, I did say 2. In the past we'd only won 1 or 0 times... So you can imagine how excited we were to get two wins in one season!

Spray Park

2010-06-27T06:59:00.003-05:00

Two summers ago the Parks Department took out our neighborhood swimming pool and installed this water spray park. It is a very colorful addition to the neighborhood and a fun spot to cool off.
Most summer afternoons this place is full of children. It is a great spot to go hang out and build relationships. I've taken our baby a few times...she only likes it a little, but i'm sure next year she'll be running around with all the other kiddos!

The spray park is also a great place for our mission trip teams to go hang out at. The kids love the extra attention!

Summer Fun 2010

2010-06-27T06:25:00.002-05:00

Here are a few more pictures from Summer Fun! The first two weeks of it we had mission trip teams here. That is why there are so many teenagers in this photo. The group we had that we had 30 people in it! (more about these mission trip groups in our next newsletter)

Playing some games at Summer Fun before it started.

This has to be the cutest face ever! You can see that they have lots of fun at Summer Fun!

The theme this year is "The Lord is my Shepherd." It is a great theme that is very applicable to our children's lives. They face many dark valleys, so it is great to be able to tell them about a Shepherd that never leaves them. I am really looking forward to the next five weeks left of Summer Fun. It is one of my most favorite parts of ministry!

Giving Girls

2010-06-08T22:51:00.002-05:00

The group of preteen girls I work with right now are amazing. About a year ago I introduced them to the Rapha House. It is a great program that helps girls who escape from sex trafficking in Cambodia. My girls relate to it because they are the same age as the girls at the Rapha House and many of my girls have been taken advantage of sexual too. This semester we had coin competitions which resulted in about $50 and we ended with a car wash which drew in about $80. We are going to use this money to buy item that will be put into welcome baskets for girls who enter the home.

Way to go girls!

Saving money

2010-05-18T12:49:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite things is finding a good deal...clearance racks & yard sales!! So when we got pregnant I began thinking about cloth diapers. JP wasn't too sure about cloth. He said, "we can try it, but I don't think i'm going to like it." Well, we use them and love them. JP is even trying to get everyone he knows with kids to switch to cloth! :) In the long run cloth diapers will save us over $1,000! Here is a photo of Madalinn wearing a cloth diaper. (4 months old)

Another way we've decided to save some money is to grow some veggies. This is our first attempt, but so far so good. We are growing green onions, green beans, peppers, and tomatoes.

Madalinn enjoys playing with her toys outside while I garden! (7 1/2 months old)

2010-05-09T20:58:00.002-05:00

Each sunday I send out a crew of volunteers to walk the neighborhood to pickup children. Tonight as a group of them were walking home a situation arose.

9 kids and 3 adults were less than one block from the church when they passed "the old man." He is known by many of the children as a scary man who is mean to kids. Some of the kids began to cry when they got close to him. One boy, feeling safe on a volunteers sholders, yelled something at the man after they were a bit past him. The man pointed at the boy, began agressivly walking toward him, and yelled threats. More little kids began crying and my volunteers were trying to get the kids away from this man. Thankfully a woman (who was origionally on the corner prostituting) got between the kid and the man trying to hold him back. Then a guy (one whom JP has been developing a relationship with) got out of his van that was stopped at the stoplight and made the man leave and walk the other way.

I was so thankful that people in the neighborhood were watching out for the kids and my "church people"

They're watching!

2010-05-05T11:05:00.002-05:00

Every Monday a few of us drive around to pick up girls of our preteen girls group. I had been driving for over 30 minutes and was at my last stop. While pulling out of my parking spot in the apartment parking lot I backed into another car! The other driver was pretty mad. I tried to keep my cool and take care of the situation. In the back of my mind I thought, "the girls in my van are watching to see how I react." These kind of "life situations" are some of the best teaching times...not by what I'm telling them, but by the way I live.

In the midst of this stressful situation one of the girls said something that made me laugh. They guy I hit was cussing quite a bit. One of the girls said, "Um, we are Christians in this van!" :) I just thought that was pretty funny.

FIY - no one was hurt in the accident. There was only minor damage to both cars.

Cultural Contrast

2010-04-24T21:07:00.004-05:00

So this weekend JP's family came down to spend the weekend with us in Cincy. Our house is small (too small to fit 12 people) so they stayed at a hotel. They booked their rooms through Priceline.com so they didn't pay full price for the rooms...but they got to stay at the historical Hilton in Downtown.

Friday night we met up with them. They guys went to the Reds game while the girls went to dinner with the kids. Around 11pm JP, Madalinn, and I headed home for the night. On the way we drove down State Avenue and we saw four ladies prostituting themselves. I knew two of them by name. The cultural clash it me like a ton of bricks...we just left the luxurious Hilton and these ladies that I know are selling their bodies on the corner to support their drug addictions. Wow. What stark contrast!

By the way, we had a great weekend with his family. Madalinn went swimming for the first time. We took the kids to the Duke Energy Children's Museum. The guys played 27 holes of golf together. We ate and enjoyed each other. It is so nice to have family to be able to spend time with!

Photo 1: Madalinn enjoying the water

Photo 2: Cousins getting ready to swim

an afternoon stroll

2010-03-09T15:21:00.003-05:00

It has been in the lower 60's this week, the first time since the fall. Everyone is so excited about the sun, warmth, and promise of spring. I decided to put our daughter in her stroller and take a stroll around Lower Price Hill.

My main goal was to stop by Lacy's house and talk with her for a little while and introduce her to Madalinn. On the way to her apartment, on the other side of the neighborhood, I thought I'd take my time and talk to whoever I came across.

School had just gotten out so there were kids everywhere. I walked across the playground and talked with a few, inviting them to come to church. After exiting the playground I bumped into Flo, an older woman out for her afternoon walk. We chatted for a few minutes and she admired Madalinn. Then I cut through a parking lot and walked up St. Michael's street toward Lacy's house. Surprisingly, there was no one out on this street, but as I was approaching Lacy's I saw her leaning out of a second floor window. When she saw me we smiled and waved. She glanced down at my baby and admired her from a distance. I was really hoping she'd invite me up or she would come down so we could catch up, but instead she said she was waiting on laundry and would come out later. She proceed to have a short conversation, then I walked on.

As I walked I stopped to talk to quite a few more people. While pushing the stroller I was noticing all of the harsh realities I was pushing my baby through. There were a few guys who had been coming to church for awhile. One now a drug dealer, the other once again strung out on drugs. They both greeted me as I walked by them and their buddies and my heart ached for them. Around the corner I talked with another mom. As we were talking a drunk woman stumbled around while two other ladies were loudly shouting in the little boy's face "f*** your dad!" over and over. I thought about how much a person's life is determined by the environment they grow up in. What a harsh reality!

Despite the many disheartening situations I encountered, there were many great moments. I talked to so many people I hadn't seen for a long while. I was reminded how much I love the people of the neighborhood and how much love is needed to be shown.

A note from Doug Lucas (Team Expansion President)

2010-02-25T15:41:00.001-05:00

This is a note from the President of our mission organization Team Expansion.

Have you ever tried to analyze what constitutes "the missionary call?" What I mean is -- why would a reasonable man or woman decide to leave home, family and friends for the sake of people he or she doesn't even know yet? During college, I remember learning that a missionary call is when "one sees a need and knows that he or she can meet that need." It was Frederick Buechner who wrote, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet." (Wishful Thinking: A Seeker's ABC). Perhaps it's that way with your favorite Team Expansion missionary. For my part, I am certainly inspired by many of them. In fact, if I ever waiver in my own commitment to "the Cause," all I have to do is remember their response to the call and, for some reason, I take strength. If you regularly partner with a Team Expansion worker in prayer and/or in giving, you're a part of that strength. For that, we are very grateful. May God bless you as you participate regularly in encouraging an ongoing commitment to that "missionary call!" Thank you for your partnership and support!

Doug Lucas

President, Team Expansion

Hope Inner City's Retreat

2010-02-24T13:21:00.002-05:00

Last weekend our team (Jade K, Jennifer, P, JP and I) went to JP's parent's house for our annual team retreat. Most of our time was spent going over our team documents, while the rest of the time was spent in fellowship.

The first document we reviewed was our Field Ministry Plan (FMP). This document includes our short & long term goals as a team, as well as the direction we'd like our specific ministries to go this year. One of our long term goals that we set four years ago was to have a church planted by 2011. This is still a goal we are working toward as we add new people to our team. Another goal we had set was to have one local leader trained from State Avenue by 2011. We are happy to say that one man was ordained last week and continually being trained. Also Chloe continues to mentor a lady in her spiritual walk as well as how to be a Children's Minister. We will most likely have at least 2 local leaders trained by 2011!
This document is long so I won't bore you with all the specifics. Lets just say, there is a lot we want to accomplish this year.

The next document we went over is the Memo of Understanding (MOU). The MOU tells the in's and out's of who Hope Inner City is, how it runs, how to join the team, what we believe, etc. There is not much to change in this document, but it always good to review it and make some tweaks.

The last document we worked on was our Personal Ministry Plan (PMP). Each person on the team write down everything they want to accomplish this year and how. We will review this document in our monthly accountability time (LIFT meeting) to make sure we are on track and staying focused.

So there you have it! That was our retreat in a nut shell. If you'd ever like to see any of these documents we'd be happy to send you a copy. Just let us know.

Living here

2010-02-02T13:27:00.003-05:00

We live on a busy street in Price Hill, a diverse neighborhood of middle class and poverty. Our section of the street is definitely an area of poverty. We are the only homeowners on our block. Our neighbors come and go like the changing of seasons. Truth be told, we haven't known many of them. We view our home as a place of retreat and since our ministry focus is so much in Lower Price Hill we have not made the effort to get to know our neighbors much.

There is one couple who has been here longer than we have tho. They live directly across the street. We've talked with them off and on but don't have much of a relationship with them. There are always people coming and going from their house and the cops have been at their house on many occasions. In the past few weeks there have been a few instances of drama happening over there.

On top of the craziness going on, the other day I had parked my van in front of their house. I went around to the curb side to get my daughter out of the car. As I was unlatching her car seat I noticed a Heroin needing laying on the ground with the needle exposed. I opened up my water bottle and maneuvered the needle inside and threw it in a near by trash can. "Just another challenge of living in the inner city" I said to myself.

The very next day as I parked in the same spot, my neighbor lady came out saying, "Hey neighbor!" She wanted to see my baby since she had not met her yet. We stood there talking for a few minutes. She told me about the drama and some of the new neighbors, but then she asked where we go to church and asked if she could ride along with us. I was excited about this opportunity, but didn't want to believe it until I saw it. Many people have good intentions, but then life gets in the way of following through.

I called her Saturday night to tell her what time I'd be leaving and she was still interested. On Sunday morning she was ready! As she got in the van she handed me a gospel CD and asked me to play #13. It was a song about how God helps us overcome. She said this song was her testimony. She is seeing how God is using situations in her life right now for the good.

Despite the challenges of living here, it is worth it for the impact that we can have for Christ!

2010-01-26T11:11:00.002-05:00

So, I was on my way to go to practice and I was walking through the halls of Oyler School. I just took a shower before I came and gelled up my hair and I have to say that I was looking pretty handsome. On my way to practice, four of the boys on my team stopped me and began to feel my hair and one asked, "What happened to your hair?" another said, "Is it raining outside, your hair looks wet."
I never realized it until now that I don't think people are used to seeing gelled up hair in the inner city. This was not the first time that this happened to me. At first I thought it was just a couple of kids that never saw someone with gelled up hair, but I am beginning to think that none of them have.
Now I have changed to the axe pomade....They don't even know that I style my hair now. How funny!

2010-01-17T23:00:00.006-05:00

Madalinn is now 3 1/2 months old.

Her hair is long enough for a ponytail that sticks straight up on the top of our head. She is beginning to coo and giggle much more. She is also able to hold onto her toys and bring them to her mouth. It has been so fun to watch her develop and grow.

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-25T22:52:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas!

We celebrated Christmas eve and day with JP's family in Ohio. It was fun to see many people in his family and for Madalinn to meet her great grand parents.

Next week we will be going to Chloe's parent's house in Indiana to spend sometime with them.

We hope that you have enjoyed your holidays as much as we have.

2009-10-30T15:26:00.005-05:00

Today is Madalinn's one month birthday. It is hard to believe she has been apart of our lives for a whole month already! Here is her one month picture. Yesterday and today we took a walk together since the weather has been so amazing! I love the fall and really enjoyed pushing her stroller through the colorful leaves. She just slept the whole way!

I often have a hard time coming up with things to blog about; however, in the past few days I've thought of many ideas. So the following are things I've been thinking about.

Thought one:
Today was the Halloween parade in Lower Price Hill. It is a yearly tradition loved by the children and the neighborhood. Oyler School had a marching band come lead the way. I have never seen baton twirlers thrust their hips and dance to marching band music in that way before! The children followed the band dressed in their costumes. It is fun to stand on the side walk and wave to all of the children we know and love. They get so excited. One of the interesting things I thought about this year was this: At all parades I've ever been to the people in the parade throw candy and other things to the watchers. In this parade the watchers give candy to the children walking in the parade!

Thought two:
This week JP found out he got the Jr High boys basketball coaching job again this year. He is very excited about it. Last year he had just enough boys to make a team. This year 22 boys have signed up so he will have to hold three days of tryouts. Pray for the decision making process and the relationships he will form this season.

Thought three:
The church lady...that is the name that Amanda is beginning to be known by. For the past year and a half I have been mentoring her in the Bible and teaching in children's ministry. Though she grew up in the neighborhood, lived the street life for quite a few years, and spent some time in prison...she is introduced to parents (whom most she grew up with) by their children as "the church lady"
On monday Amanda was walking with a friend in the neighborhood when a guy asked her what time it was. She looked at her phone, told him the time, and kept walking. Once their backs were to him he pulled out a gun and began shooting them. Amanda did not know this man, nor did he have a reason to shoot them. Amanda's friend was shot 6 times in the legs and butt. Amanda's leg was grazed and her shirt had two holes in it from two bullets that barely missed her. Amanda's friend turned to the shooter and said, "you're going to have to deal with God, cuz you just shot at the church lady!" With that the shooter ran down the street continuing to shoot his gun in the air.
One lady who lives in the neighborhood and lives the street life said to Amanda, "You didn't do anything to deserve that. Don't take it personal." Can you believe that!..."don't take it personal!"? Shoot outs must be very normal to this lady for her to respond this way.
We often, in orientations about our neighborhood, we tell people that our neighborhood is like a time bomb. It seems calm, but can explode with no advanced warning. This is a prime example of that. Amanda has grown up in this neighborhood and is very street smart, but even she didn't see this coming!
Amanda is obviously shaken up by this, but thankful for God's protection!

That's all for now.

Plant, Water, Grow

2009-10-20T11:56:00.003-05:00

Ministry is a combination of planting seeds, watering, and watching growth. Sometimes one person can be apart of all the stages, but other times we only get to participate in one stage. Many times is a group effort.

Last night I was having a conversation with Kathy (she's been ministering to people in Lower Price Hill for over 30 years). I had to make an apology because a few weeks ago in a conversation I had with her, I over looked the role she played in this one ladies life many years ago. She taught this lady when she was a girl (planting), and now that she is an adult I was able to lead her to Christ and help her develop into a leader in the church (watering & growing). All parts are vital, none more important than another.

Many times we are only able to plant the seeds before someone moves away or decides not to associate with us ("church people") any more. Sometimes those seeds take many years of watering before we see any growth, other times we never know if the seeds ever grew because we no longer see the people. (and we think that real gardening takes patience!) We must trust that the Lord is working in their lives.

About 3 years ago I began playing on the neighborhood softball team. Shortly after the first season was over one of my teammates called me up with questions about the Bible. For about a year we continued to have discussions about the Bible, but she decided that she wasn't ready to give up living the ways of the world and did not want to be a hypocrite so she didn't become a Christian. About 2 months ago she randomly showed up at church with her aunt and uncle who attend our church. She has started coming quite frequently now. I look forward to continuing the water her seed and wait for it to grow.

Our Baby Is Here!

2009-10-07T12:20:00.005-05:00

Madalinn Elise Glenn born Sept 30, 2009 at 6:29pm.
She was 6 lb 14 oz and 20 inches long.

The day after her birth

One week old

Changes

2009-09-24T22:12:00.003-05:00

Here are a few pictures to update you of a few changes.
We are now 39 weeks pregnant...she could come any day now!

Also, before Madalinn comes I decided to make some changes to my hair. Now I have a stylish and easy doo!

We'll let you know when our new baby is here! Everyone has guesses of which day she'll come, but we have to wait to see!

Have you?

2009-09-22T09:38:00.001-05:00

Have you seen the desperation in the face
of a young woman as she sells herself each
afternoon to support the drug habit she cannot
shake?
Have you seen the thirst in the eyes of a
young child for safe affection and attention?
Or any healthy attention?
Have you seen the emptiness in the
drunken man as he stares ahead without
emotion? He’s on his way to buy another
drink.
Have you heard the gunshots, again tonight,
again tonight, when will there be
peace?
Have you smelled the homeless man,
sitting next to you at church? He was once
someone’s baby boy.
Have you seen the helplessness in the
eyes of a drug addict, longing for freedom,
afraid to let go?
Have you seen the hardness in the face of
the young man as he carries a package of
dugs and a pistol under his coat. “No one
cares about me,” he says in his heart.
And
Have you seen the hope in the eyes of a
woman who left a drug addiction, no
longer a slave to drugs, no longer a slave to
sin? Free in Christ.
Have you seen the tears in the eyes of a
man who once lived the street life, and now
bows his head to pray to his Creator?
Have you listened to the man who was
once trapped in a hard life of sin, speak
about his excitement for heaven?
Have you watched a man, once a prisoner,
once a murderer, raise his hands and
say, “free!” as he came from the waters of
baptism?
Have you watched the people cry as they
left the burdens of the street life, and
turned to follow Christ?
Have you seen the young mother, as she
trades abusing her children, for praying to
God for them?
Have you seen hope
in the lives of those who
society deems hopeless?

written by Kim Kendall
taken from the Kendall's September 09 newsletter

A note from Doug Lucas, President of Team Expansion

2009-09-09T09:01:00.002-05:00

Each month the President of our mission organization, Team Expansion, writes a paragraph to put into our newsletter. We, however, never have enough room to include it. So i've decided to make it available for you to read on our blog instead.

I'm told that in the Louvre Museum in Paris, there is a painting of asoldier in the midst of a decision. While in the heat of battle, a mortarshell lands near him, taking out the power line to a field hospital unit.Now the soldier knew that doctors couldn't save his battle buddies whileoperating in the dark. Without hesitation, he reached down with one handand grabbed both ends of the severed power line, thus becoming a humanconduit, at least for the moment, for the life-giving light in thathospital. In many ways, your favorite Team Expansion missionary is a lotlike that soldier. Our workers have seen a need. They've picked up theirlives and moved to a far away land. The power of the gospel can now surgethrough their hearts, offering hope and help for souls who didn't evenrealize how dark their lives had become. When you stop to pray, give, andcommunicate encouragement to them, you speed much-needed resources alongthose supply lines, thus giving wings to the gospel. Perhaps you will neverhave a chance to travel to the far away land where they serve, but I cantell you through personal experience, they labor relentlessly to serveChrist, His church, our organization, and you, our partners. Thank you foryour support for Team Expansion. And thank you for giving power to thegospel of Jesus Christ. Doug Lucas President, Team Expansion

Car Wash

2009-08-31T19:54:00.005-05:00

For the past year the preteen girls have been collecting money for the Rapha House (http://www.freedomforgirls.org/) who helps young girls who escape the sex trade in Cambodia. This summer the girls decided they wanted to do a carwash to help us meet our goal...so tonight was the night!

The Car Wash Crew!

The girls washed about 12 cars and two bikes. They raised a total of $88.70!! That was double our goal! It was very fun and for a great cause!

***Update***

After rolling all of the coins and adding in the money the girls collected over the year to the money collected at the carwash the total is... ... ... $117.50!

Baby Shower

2009-08-22T17:42:00.003-05:00

Today was my church & neighborhood shower. There were so many people excited about this shower, including me. About 40 girls & women came to celebrate the coming of our first baby. We started the day with eating lots of great food then played games. The picture of people with plates on their heads was a game where they had to draw a picture of my baby while writing on top of their heads! It was pretty funny. We ended the day with cake and opening gifts.

The generosity of my inner city friends is very amazing to witness. Even in their lack, they give the best they can. Some bought new things, some brought gently used things, some brought things that had seen better days. No matter if it was new and clean or old and dirty, the gifts said the same thing, "I love you!" It is encouraging to me that all the time, effort, love, and resources I pour into these peoples' lives is appreciated and they are so excited to be able to give back in my "time of need."

# 200!!

2009-08-20T11:48:00.002-05:00

The summer is over. School started this week. I enjoy the routine that the school year provides. Usually at this time I'm working on planning my schedule with people, bible studies, piano lessons, one on one time, ministry events...but this year I only have one month left until my whole world gets turned upside down by a new baby. This year I am spending this time giving some of my responsibilities away to others. It is a strange feeling, but I am so glad God has provided people to fill in for me while I'm out for a few months.

On another note: Thank you to our faithful readers! We are sorry for the lack of blogging this year...we are trying to get back into the groove of it again. Today our blog has reached a milestone...200 posts!

2009-08-18T21:53:00.004-05:00

Today I met up with Hannah (my co-worker) and we talked about the start of the children's ministry that happens in a few weeks. Since there is only 7 week until our due date, I am handing all of my Children's ministry responsibilities over to her for the fall. We got a lot accomplished during our meeting. We even decided on a 3 yr curriculum cycle for the children's ministry!
After we met, JP and I went out into the neighborhood together. He took his basketball to shoot some hoops with guys at the park, while I just took my mouth and ears. I walked down St. Michael's street to talk to whom ever was out. I wound up sitting at Boo's house for a good while. Her niece Isabella, who comes to our children's ministry, was out riding her bike. A few minutes later Isabella's mom Lucy came out and sat with us too. We talked about a lot of different things, but mostly the conversation revolved around babies, pregnancy, and my upcoming neighborhood shower. We noticed during our conversation that Isabella had disappeared, but after a bit she come out of the house with two papers in her hand. She handed them to me and I opened them to find crayon drawings on them. The first one said, "I Luv U" with a heart, and the second one was a picture of me holding a baby. It made me feel so special that she quit riding her bike to go inside to draw me pictures.
As for JP's time at the park, there were no guys out on the bball court today so he shot around by himself for a bit waiting to see if anyone would join him. After a bit, he walked to where I was and talked to a guy from our church that lives across the street from the house I was at.
After our time in the neighborhood we came home to eat dinner and went to our first child birthing class. It was really informative and fun. We are looking forward to next week already!

My neighborhood shower is this Saturday. I am really looking forward to it, as are many people in the neighborhood. I will take pictures and let you know how it goes!

How should I feel?

2009-08-05T10:02:00.003-05:00

For the past few years, I have had the pleasure of getting to know two young gentlemen, Jonny and Dakota. Both of these young men are people that when I am around them can't do anything but laugh. They have fun with sports, getting muddy, smoke bombs, stink bombs, all the good things that 12 year old boys enjoy to do. Not only are they a lot of fun, but in the past year or two Have seen both of the mature greatly when it comes to getting to know God better.
This summer, they both earned going to church camp for the first time. This was exciting because I know just how much God can move in kid's lives during church camp. This week was no different! By the end of the week, both Jonny and Dakota both accepted Jesus as their savior.
After they were baptized, a mix of emotions came to me. I was so excited because I knew how much God has worked in their lives but also how much impact they could have on those around them. I also felt sadness though. I have spent so much time showing Jonny and Dakota love and kindness, and letting them know how much God loves them, and I knew that when I would take them home, I would be taking them to where they are moving to.
While we were at church camp, back at home, Jonny and Dakota's parents were moving all of their belongings a half an hour away from Cincinnati.
This is something that the State Avenue Church of Christ has dealt with for about 40 years. There has been 40 years of the workers pouring their heart into people for God's glory and then the people move away.
I know that with Jonny and Dakota, I could not be more proud of them, and thankful for a god that loves them and me so much that we all can have salvation. I know that Jonny and Dakota are going to Heaven. But it is still so frustrating to have spent so much time, and then not get to disciple them.

2009-06-26T22:04:00.003-05:00

The past two weeks have been busy with mission trips. Last week was a small group of adults from LifeSpring Christian Church. It was a good week of work, relationships, and cultural learning. The group had a few handy men in it which was awesome for our building. We got a utility sink installed in our craft room, which has been a dream of mine for a few years now!
This week is a group of high school students from North Carolina who came through CrossRoads Mission (out of Louisville). This group installed a laminate floor, painted, played at the water park, and experienced a lot. These groups have done great jobs and we are so thankful they got to experience our ministry first hand.

There, again, has been a lot of frustration this week in the neighborhood that has been expressed through violence. Last night there was multiple gun fire by the church. Tonight, people were suggesting that everyone be inside by 10pm because things were expected to be worse than last night. I am not sure who or what this violence is stemming from.

Funny story: Today I was driving to the church (about 1 mile down the hill) and saw a guy with a sheet draped on his shoulders walking down the sidewalk about a block from our house. I looked in my rear view mirror to get a second glance and realized the sheet was all this man was wearing...he was naked and exposed! Not something you see every day!

Personal news: Two weeks ago I, Chloe, went home to Auburn IN for a few baby showers. The first was at my home church. The two ladies who hosted it did an awesome job of decorating and planning. It was such a nice shower. Later that afternoon was a family shower at my mom's house. My mom made a chocolate cheese cake and my cousin kelly made some awesome cookies (see picture below). It was really nice to see some of my family that I don't see very often.

Then last weekend JP and I traveled to Alliance OH to visit our supporting church, Beechwood Christian Church. This is the church that my youth minister Andrew now preaches at. It was very nice to meet the congregation and share about our ministry. It was also fun to catch up with Andrew and his family.

This Sunday we head to church camp for the week with 8 of our preteens. I'm hoping it will be a little cooler next week than it's been this week (high 90s). Please don't worry, I plan on taking it easy and not pushing myself too hard. I am going to take my thank you cards to write while I rest in the AC of the dining hall from time to time.

a medieval morning

2009-06-10T09:43:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I went with Hannah and Christie to check out the Loveland Castle to see if it would be a good place to go on our Summer Fun field trip at the end of the summer.
The theme for Summer Fun is "Warriors for God" and we will be decorating in a castle theme.

As you can see from the pictures, it was an interesting visit. The guys working at the castle felt like they should give us the full experience. They showed us lots of swards and armor. They even taught Christie how to sward fight! It is a really cool place and we are excited to take our kids there later this summer!

Update

2009-06-09T08:12:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure why I've slacked so much on keeping up with this blog. Sorry.
Here's an update on what's going on:

1. "Schools out, Schools out, and teacher let the monkeys out!" Summer is here! Hannah (my intern turned co-worker) and I have been getting ready for the kick off of our summer children's ministry program Summer Fun. We've written the curriculum, recruited volunteers, hunted for decorations, and more. It starts next Thursday, June 18th.

2. Christie is a CCU student who began volunteering with us in the fall. She moved into the building last week and is working with us as a full time volunteer for the summer. It has been a huge learning week for her. She said yesterday, "I've seen more in one week, than I've seen in 20 years of my life."

3. Our teammates, Jade and Kim, had their baby on June 1st. Their baby boy Emet is very cute.

4. I've mentioned Amanda often in the past few years. She has been being transformed over the past year and growing in her relationship with Christ. She has been one of my main children's ministry volunteers and is training to become the leader of the children's ministry. Yesterday Hannah and I treated Amanda to her first full body massage to celebrate her one year milestone in her sobriety!! We are so proud of how far she has come in just one year!

5. Next week is our first work group/mission trip of the summer. I know it is going to be a great week.

6. Summer is here (in case you didn't know) and the weather is heating up. People are out and about. What's not to love about summer, right? Well, with the sun and fun, also comes irritability and frustration which leads to increased crime. This week has been a duzie!
- Saturday we went to the Bingo hall to set up chairs for church. When we pulled up there was a cop car...nothing out of the ordinary. While we were setting up chairs I noticed hearing a helicopter flying around and thought, "something must be happening." When we came out of the Bingo Hall there were 6 cop cars, a helicopter, and a news camera. Come to find out, there had been an armed robbery around the corner and the people's dog got shot.
- Sometime over the weekend, Christie was walking to the park and saw a guy running with a gun chasing someone. She decided to turn around and go back to the church.
- Monday as I was leaving the church to pick up girls for my preteen ministry I heard a guy in front of the store (beside the church) say, "He jumped me so I stabbed him." Then as I walked past to my car things began to irrupt and a huge fight ensued in front of the church.
I had an uneasy feeling as I drove around to pick up girls. When I got back to the church everything had dissipated and peace had resumed. When I walked in the church there were 5 girls, most of which are not regulars. I had to toss my whole lesson out the window because it was based on things learned over the past semester. So as I was a little frazzled and trying to wing everything, JP called me and told me that one of our teens had just been hit by a car. I gathered the girls together, we prayed, and then I sent everyone home early.
The girl that got hit is recovering in the hospital. All I know right now is that she has a broken pelvis.

Please pray for peace in our community. There is such unrest.

Well, that's all for now.

What a day

2009-04-25T15:45:00.002-05:00

First thing after I woke up today we received a phone call from Jamie Carmichael, our fellow minister at State Ave. He said he had some tragic news, Mary (age 18), her unborn child, and Charlie (Mary's boyfriend) were killed in an auto accident last night. Mary has been coming to church for about the past 4 years with her grandparents and sisters.

When things like this happen, the amount of shock is unreal. I don't think it has sunk in for me yet. Please be in prayer for this family and our church family.

At 8:30 this morning, we had our 4th Saturday (clothing & food ministry). It was a nice morning. Peaceful and laid back. I had some nice conversations with people. Florence and Jimmy, Mary's grandparents, are regulars at the 4th Saturday and wanted to be there to be around their Christian brothers and sisters for support and encouragement. That really makes a statement about the power and importance of Christian family.

After the 4th Saturday ministry we had women's group, our monthly Bible Study and fellowship. It was a great time of encouragement. I had to leave women's group early because today was JP's team's first baseball game and I'm the scorebook keeper.

The game was good. Now, when I tell you the score you'll think, "that's not good!" However, JP was impressed with their performance and effort. His starting pitcher did not show up, so he had to improvise...he found out he has quite a few more pitcher options than he thought! This was the first baseball game that JP has ever coached on his own. He had no assistant coaches, just a dad to help base coach. After playing 2 1/2 innings the game was called with a final score of 19-0 (we were the 0). The boys learned a lot and JP was proud of them.

now, i'm sitting on the coach watching design shows on HGTV and JP's at his friend's house watching the NFL draft. I think later I'm going to go to the grocery store, but other than that we're just chillin'!

Random blogging thoughts

2009-04-16T17:41:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I was visiting with a lady from our church. My time with her is always interesting. While I was there I tried making mental notes of all the things I could blog about. There were so many things I could write about from that 3 hour time, but of coarse I don't remember even half of them! (go figure!)

Here are a few points:
1. I get so frustrated by the people who try to take advantage of low educated people. The lady I was visiting (let's just call her Wanda) has a learning disability, anxiety, and is a poor reader. Recently Wanda's father died and she was left a house in South Carolina. Her family tried to fool her and take advantage of her because they know she doesn't understand will and such. She is very frustrated at how she is being treated by her family. I am frustrated that such injustice exists!

2. When I was talking with Wanda's old man I was cracking up (on the inside of coarse) because of how passionate he was about what he was saying. Every time he told a story he'd get off the couch and make big arm motions while telling the story. Then he'd sit back down, but then less than a minute later he was up again telling another story. He was very entertaining to listen to.

3. Wanda is a very spacy person...mostly because of the amount of anxiety she has. I took her to the grocery story. As she was shopping she was telling me stories of what is going on in her life. when we got to the eggs, she opened the dozen carton and I thought she was just checking to make sure they were not cracked, but then she preceded to count them. :)

4. Wanda and her old man are having troubles with one of their children. Last week the son left the house when he was not allowed to so his dad called the police. When the police came they explained to the son that he didn't want to be living the street life because those are the kids that they arrest. Then the officer told the dad that he needed to spend some time listening to his son to find out what's going on in his life and how he's feeling. The father told me yesterday that he is beginning to do that more because he realizes how important it is. He said, it's sad that a police officer had to come sit in my house to tell me this, but I never had a father to give me that kind of example.

5. So last month when Wanda was in South Carolina for her father's funeral her old man called her everyday. When we were talking after her return she said, he called me Every Day! He couldn't make it with the 3 kids all alone. He needed me. Well then yesturday at their house her old man told his side of the story. His side was that he was protecting her and making sure she was alright since her family was doin her so wrong. I just smiled on the inside. He saw it as being the protector, and she saw it as "he can't live without me."

So, i'm sure there are more storie from that afternoon, but those are just a few of the interesting ones.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T21:18:00.002-05:00

It's been a pretty crazy week around here. We had a mission trip group of 32 (25 highschoolers) come for the whole week. They got a ton of work accomplished! Drywalled a few ceilings, grouted a wall, fixed the church's back door, installed a laminate floor in our office space, painted, and some other odd jobs!! Most of the day they worked, but a few parts were filled with interactions with neighborhood kids. Everyone got to spend one morning at the neighborhood school's mentoring program...it seemed to be most people's highlight. The other favorite activity was playing with neighborhood kids at the playground. The kids always seem to be every one's favorite (including mine!).

JP could use a lot of prayer for his baseball team. He started with 12 players and is down to 10. (you have to have 9 to play a game) He has one assistant coach, but he's only be able to be at practice one or two times. Most of the kids on his team have never played baseball before and JP himself has very little experience. After every practice he comes home discouraged and overwhelmed. Please be in prayer for him.

Even tho it's Easter, we still had Prime Time today. Only half of our kids showed up, which was okay because we were short of volunteers too. In my class (7-9 yr olds) we became Jesus' disciples and Jesus (played by Jonathan) lead us through four major scenes of the last week of his life. We started out by eating bread and drinking juice at the Last Super. Then Jesus asked us to go with him to the Garden to pray. While he was praying the guards came in and arrested him. We followed behind as they took Jesus away. I over heard one girl say "Where ever Jesus goes, I'm going to follow!" We ended up in a room where they nailed him to the cross. We watched as Jesus said his last few words and died. I asked the kids what we should do since Jesus is our friend. They said, "Take him down and put him in the tomb." So we all took Jesus down and put him in the other room/the tomb. As we left the tomb one boy said, "I think we should pray." I thought that was a good idea so we all gathered together and I prayed in a sad voice, "God, our friend Jesus just died. We are so sad. Please help us." As I prayed the girls pretended to be crying like his friend would have. We then pretended that 3 days had passed and then I gave them all flowers to take to place by the tomb. When they entered there was Jesus, Alive! They were surprised and Jesus invited them to come touch his wounds. I shouted, "Jesus is Alive!" and tossed my flower up in the air. The kids did the same and soon it was raining flowers and shouts of joy filled the air. We kneeled down and prayed again, thanking God for his great power.
It was a really great lesson! I just love the little light bulb moments when kids just seem to get it.

Hope you had a joy filled Easter too!

This one's for you!

2009-03-31T09:20:00.002-05:00

To all our faithful readers...
Our deepest apologies for not providing you with reading material for the past month and a half. To Emily and Jennifer, thank you for continuing to check our blog...we hope this post just makes your day!
I do have to say, we're doing better than our interns who haven't updated their blog since Jan 1st! :) (hint hint jonathan!)

So now on to some serious stuff...

The weather is getting warmer and that means more people are out and about in the neighborhood. It is great to be able to go to the park in the afternoon and have many kids to hang with. Along with warm weather means baseball season is starting! Jade (our team leader) had one baseball team last year, of which JP was the score keeper. This year, over 40 kids signed up so Jade has 3 teams! JP got the promotion of a life time - from score keeper to head coach. They've had a few weeks of practice so far and a few more before their first game. It has been pretty interesting so far.

Other news is that we are Pregnant! Our baby is due Sept 29th. We are very excited.

However, pregnancy means I don't get to do my favorite spring time activity - neighborhood ladies softball. But, I am excited that the ladies asked me to be the scorekeeper so that I can still be a part of the team. I love softball because of the relationships I get to build with the ladies.

One interesting thing I've started to realize is how important Baby Showers are in the inner city culture. Every person in the neighborhood I've told has said, "Make sure you invite me to the baby shower because I want to get you something." or one girl said, "My mom wants to get you something at your baby shower." I've already had kids bring me toys for my baby! I think the reason baby showers are so important is that having a baby is a rite of passage in the inner city. Most people go through this rite of passage before the age of 20, but here I am 26 and they are excited to celebrate this life change with me.

2009-02-10T17:40:00.002-05:00

Today I worked in the office planning my Children's Ministry lesson. I was so proud of myself because I got it all done and prepared for. Usually I'm not completely done with Sunday preparations this early!

Tho it was seasonally warm, it was dreary and wet outside. I thought about spending some time in the neighborhood, but decided not to today. As I was driving down State Ave. I saw a group of kids I knew. I thought to myself, 'oh there are kids out. that's Armonie, Dieara, and Jeremiah." Then, just as I was thinking about those kids, I saw Armonie quickly approaching Dieara. Sunddenly her fist came up and a fight broke out. I thought "Oh no! They're fighting. What should I do?" Stopping was not an option, but I thought maybe I should honk. Quickly in my head I ruled that option out as I saw an adult standing in the yard above watching, and probably encouraging, the fight.

As I drove on, my heart began to sink. I just think it's aweful that these children are taught, both verbaly and by example, by their parents and society that if they have a probelm with someone they should just fight them. Even many of my sweetest children have been in numerous fights. It is an uphill battle to teach alternatives, but we try.

craft time fun!

2009-02-04T09:20:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was brainstorming about crafts of our children's ministry with Hannah, my intern. The idea of blow painting to make waves came up. I said, "This craft probably won't be good for your group (the 4-6 yr olds) because they my suck the paint into their mouths." So we kept thinking of other she could use for that group.

Later I went into the craft room to test out the blow painting to use with my older kids. On the first try the paint was too thick and did not blow well. Next I tried adding a little water to the paint, this created the problem that the paint did not say in the straw from the cup to the paper. So I tried continually sucking to keep it in the straw. All of the sudden...I had blue paint in my mouth! Hannah was standing there and we both started cracking up. I guess this craft is not good for 25 yr olds either!

2009-01-26T15:28:00.002-05:00

So I thought I'd share a story with you that happened last week.

JP and I were on our way home from visiting a man from our congregation who is in the hospital. We were at the intersection of Grand and Glenway (just up the hill from the church) waiting on the light to change. A guy (probably about 17) was crossing the street but then turned and began approaching JP's window. JP cracked the window and the boy said, "ride me down to Oyler." JP said, "You're just going to tell me to huh. You're not going to ask?" The boy then corrected himself and said, "Could you ride me down to Oyler?" Jp told him to get in and then the light turned green.

Pause: The whole time that conversation was happening I thought, 'Oh this must be a boy from the Varsity team that JP knows.'

So as we drove on the boy said, "aren't you the coach for the jr high oyler team?" Jp said, "yeah" Then the boy said, "i'm gonna sign up to go to Oyler soon."

Pause: I thought, 'Oh my! This boy is not on the team...how does Jp know him?...or does he?"

So I said, "Oh where do you go to school?" "Hughes" he said. I replyed back by asking his name. Then JP said, "Yeah, This is chloe and I'm JP."

Pause: Then I thought, "Oh man, jp doesn't know him. Who is this boy and why did JP give him a ride if he doesn't know him??"

The boy responded by said, 'Yeah I know you from open gym basketball at oyler." Then JP and him talked about that some. By that point we arrived at our house for JP to drop me off and get his basketballs for practice. I said good bye to the boy and then went inside.

In retrospect, I thought it was cool that the boy recongized JP and trusted him to give him a ride. About once a week for the past year or so, JP has been playing basketball at open gym with guys from the neighborhood. this moment shows that the time he spends at open gym makes a difference in his ministry.

Oh how I love summer camp

2009-01-19T17:07:00.002-05:00

Gerquan is on of our preteen boys. He went to church camp for the first time last July. He came home talking about next year and every time I talk to him he brings it up. Last week after 180 I was taking him home and he was talking about his desire to become a christian. He said, "I've realized I need to give up thinking about camp for awhile and put God first! I need to get my priorities straight." I laughed so hard (on the inside) and reassured him that camp would come soon and that it was good he wanted to focus more of God. He is such a cute boy.

Goooo Oyler!!

2009-01-15T09:39:00.003-05:00

These girls are the Oyler Cheerleaders. They took it on themselves to form this squad and lead themselves. They practice together every day after school with no coach. Last week they missed the bus to the game and remembered one of their friends telling them I was going to the game. They called me in a panic to ask me to take them.
While at the game they said, "we need a coach and we were thinking you could do it!" I have NO CLUE about cheer leading...but Hannah and I helped them to organize themselves at that game. They were so cute and it was a lot of fun!

Alexis' Baptism

2009-01-13T16:16:00.002-05:00

Underneith it all

2009-01-11T22:26:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I sat in the memorial service for a man from Lower Price Hill. Peewee was a well known man who had lived in the neighborhood for his whole life. He was related to about half of the people there too! He died about one month ago, but because of money issues, his service was held off until now.

As I sat in the service I watched his sons, Donald and Ronald, and his wife Maxine two rows in front of me. Both of these guys live the street life. Their arms are covered in green homemade tattoos and scars from heroin needles. One of his sons just got out of prison that very morning. I thought to myself, these are the typical inner city kind of guys. Guys who many people would think of as "A wasted life" or lazy and worthless. But as I watched them sit there with their mother between them, their soft side was reveled. They wrapped their arms around her with their arms resting on each others shoulders crying and laughing together. I thought to myself, all people, at the core, are the same. We all love the same and hurt the same. The other thing is...we all need God the same.

A video on poverty

2009-01-03T22:52:00.002-05:00

This video I saw on a friend's blog who also is in inner city ministry in Cincinnati. It is a thought provoking video about poverty and really explains why we do ministry the way we do. After you watch the video, read my thoughts below it.

We have been teaching that poverty is a lack of 8 key resources...this video speaks of one of the key ones...Support Systems. People in poverty do have friends...but their friends are all in poverty too! There's not much help to give so someone else, when you are in the same boat. This is why we do a relationship based ministry...support systems are very important to people in poverty. But 2 other aspects of poverty are a lack of spiritual and emotional resources....this is also why we try to have Christ centered relationships and disciple people in a walk with Him.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T16:07:00.002-05:00

We have had a relaxing holiday. We spent the first week (Dec 22-28) with the Savage's in Auburn, IN. It was really nice to just hang around the house, eat lots of good food, see the family, and all that fun stuff. It had been a really long time since we had visited up there. It had been a whole year since we went to church at Garrett, so it was great to catch up with some people. We even got to have lunch with one of my friends who currently lives in Spain with her husband and new baby. They were in town visiting family for Christmas. It was really great to see them!
This week we are in Mt. Vernon, OH visiting the Glenn's. More relaxing and hanging around the house. JP spent some time with his friend Beeler...he spent the night over at his place (I'm sure playing video games more that sleeping) then they went to an Ohio State basketball game together. I spent the day at the house alone...exercising on the Wii, relaxing, and having me time. Today we met up with the Higle Family, my youth minister from high school, and had lunch. It was great to see them. Tomorrow is the Glenn family Christmas. JP's brothers, their wives and kids are all coming over...it should be a fun night.
We are looking forward to the new year and all the excitement it brings!

Side note: Today in the car I was telling JP about a thought I've been having. Everyone knows this country is in an "economic crisis" right now. many people are loosing their jobs and struggling financially. We, however, have seen our financial support increase! you'd think that giving would be down...but God continues to be faithful. I told JP that I feel this is a great confirmation that God really wants us to be where we are and stay there. He is using our supporters (you) to make sure the the people of the inner city continue to be reached...no matter if there are tough financial times or not. thanks!

Clips from our Christmas Party...so precious

2008-12-20T21:04:00.002-05:00

Christmas party

2008-12-18T18:52:00.003-05:00

Sunday Dec. 14 we took 33 kids to Northern Hills Christian Church for our annual christmas party. It was a great night. The kids had a great time. We prepared a few songs and the kids loved singing them for the people throwing the party for us. The generosity of NHCC always astounds me.
Enjoy these precious pictures of the night...

The First Sunday in the Bingo Hall

2008-12-10T11:51:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, last sunday was the first church service in the Bingo Hall. It was really great. We had about 75 people come and everyone was very excited about the change. It was great. The theme of the service was that Jesus changes us and we must tell others. Hannah (my intern) and I did a puppet show during the service. Enjoy!

Here are some pictures. The first one is what sunday service used to look like in the State Avenue Church of Christ building. The others are of the service now in the bingo hall! Big difference!

Goodbye

2008-12-06T22:14:00.003-05:00

For the past 4 years I have been a reading mentor at Oyler School...the school in our neighborhood. I go each Wednesday to work with two students, the same ones for the whole year. Last year I mentored Julia. She was a great reader and a sweet girl. This is a picture of me and her at the Christmas tea party they have each year in the mentoring room. About two weeks ago I posted a blog about the fire that took Julia's life (you can read it below).

Yesterday I went to the visitation for Julia and her younger sister and brother. It was the saddest visitation I've ever been to. Many people from the community were there. The funeral was today, but I was unable to attend. However, I was glad I got to say goodbye to this sweet girl.

Getting in the season

2008-12-06T21:55:00.002-05:00

Today JP and I had a relaxing morning. After sleeping in, we noticed snow outside. It is the first time any has actually stuck to the ground and we were excited!. I half jokingly said, "we could open our Christmas presents!" JP's eye lit up and said, "OK!" So we went and wrapped each other's gifts and exchanged them! :) I loved what he got me, but I think I love giving gifts more than I like getting them. It was fun to do something crazy and silly.

We are looking forward to church tomorrow. It is our first Sunday in our new worship location. Our congregation has grown so much that we've run out of room in our storefront building. We will be worshiping at the St. Michael's Bingo Hall...a large community hall in the neighborhood! It will be a big adjustment, but will allow people to be more comfortable and have lots of room to grow. We will let you know how it goes in our December newsletter.

Chillin wit my girlz

2008-11-26T15:57:00.002-05:00

Today I'm hangin out with Raven and Tiff. They helped me go grocery shopping for my thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, then we came back to my house. We've been chillin', checkin all of their pages online, playin the Wii, and makin Rice Krispy treats. It has been fun time.

Rest In Peace

2008-11-24T11:30:00.005-05:00

About 15 minutes ago a lady who works at Oyler School in our neighborhood called to tell me that the 9 year old girl who I mentored last year died in a house fire this morning at 2:30am along with her two younger siblings. Her father is in critical condition after trying to save his kids and her mother escaped unharmed.

Julia was such a sweet girl. Every time I saw her she had a huge smile on her face. I will miss seeing her around the neighorhood.

Please pray for Julia's family, the school, and all others who knew the family.

But set an example...

2008-11-12T23:41:00.002-05:00

In August JP and I decided to split up the boys and girls preteens. The boys loved this idea because they could do more manly things like play football. The girls on the other hand complained for weeks on end about how they were so tired of looking at girls, they never got to do anything with with boys anymore, and how they hated 180 now because they weren't with the boys. (boo hoo) We knew it was for the better tho.

The past few weeks have confirmed that we had made the right choice. We have been studying one verse of scripture each month. We talk about how it applies to our lives and memorize it. After 4 weeks on the same verse they know it well! October was 1 Timothy 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example...in life, love, speech, and purity. This verse is perfect for this because it gives us 4 topics. Well it is November 12 and we are still on this verse!...for good reason tho.

We talked about setting an example in Life, Love and Speech...they all were good lessons. Then we got to purity (which many girls kept calling puberty. lol) and I decided we needed to spend more time on this subject. (this is where the confirmation came into play) They girls have been very open about the topic of sex, surprisingly open and comfortable.
The first week was an opener, we played a game which got them talking about their opinions on the subjects of dating and sex, then we talked about the world's view on it, and then God's view. For many, it was the first time they had heard the idea of waiting til marriage to have sex.
The second week I had a Christian lady from the neighborhood come in and talk about her experience with guys, sex, dating, and purity. The girls could relate to her story and were very inspired by her. After she talked we had a few different stations set up for the girls to reflect, pray, write, listen, and discuss the idea of saving sex for marriage. That night was amazing!!! The girls really had some deep conversations and were deeply moved.
The third week we switched the scripture to Prov 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart because it is the wellspring of life." Everything we talked about that night revolved around guarding our hearts. I was anticipating continuing the sexual purity discussion, but my small group's conversation turned to other deep issues of dealing the pain and difficult emotional crap of life. I was not expecting that twist!

I have been amazed at how open the girls have been and how much God has opened each of their hearts. Next Monday we are going to do a purity commitment celebration and then I think I need to begin some lessons on our hearts and emotions. This could get pretty deep. God is going to have to lead the way.

2008-10-30T19:52:00.002-05:00

Today was our weekly team meeting. It was a pretty long one today because we brainstormed about how to use volunteers and churches looking to be involved. We got a lot of ideas and hopefully we can make some of them happen soon.

After the meeting I ate lunch with our new intern Hannah, then planned my lesson for Sunday's children's ministry.

When I finished I stopped by a little girl's house to see if she could hangout and her family was going to the Supper Club at St. Michaels so I went along. I enjoy going to the Supper Club because so many people from the neighborhood go and its a great time to talk to people. After we ate dinner I took Becca (age 8) to my house to play LIFE. Becca's sister is in my preteen ministry and gets to do a lot of things. Becca often feels left out. So, I decided to hang with her for a little while today. She felt special.

Just another day in ministry.

2008-10-28T10:03:00.003-05:00

Sunday was our children's ministry Costume Party. Most everyone dressed up and came to have fun. We played started by singing our songs, then we played lots of games, made a mask craft and then decorated and ate pumpkin shaped cookies. It was a lot of fun.

Yesterday was the girls' day for 180 (preteen ministry) and we started the topic of purity - specifically sexual purity. Surprisingly the girls were very open and talked alot. It was a great start to our series. We started with a game of Spin the Bottle (with no kissing) where I asked a question to whoever the bottle pointed to. The questions started simple about dating, then progressed to deeper questions - like how far is too far? What age do you think most people start having sex, etc. This game really got them talking. Then we talked about what our society tells us about sex, then looked at what God says in scripture about sex.

I'm pretty sure this was the first time many of them had ever heard of waiting til marriage. The next few weeks we will be having a few guest speakers and hopefully the message of waiting will become something they cling to.

2008-10-16T21:01:00.002-05:00

So it's been 2 1/2 weeks since our computer broke...thus the lack of blogging! This week was a normal ministry week. I spent time planning lessons, doing ministries (180 & Prime Time), spending time in the neighborhood, and hanging with people. Tuesday I took Hannah, our new intern, into the neighborhood. We ran into Alisha, one of our preteens, who was rollerblading. We sat and talked with her and watched her skate around. Afterward I kinda felt like we wasted our time, but then again, just being there with Alisha and watching her made an impact. No one else was there to watch her. It is a ministry of presence. Little things strengthen relationships and add up to big differences.

Lots of great things have been happening. One of which was that we had 2 baptisms this week!

You know, sometimes I get discouraged in our ministry because of the huge obstacles there are to overcome. The drug use is so bad and it seems like nothing is ever gonna change. But then great things happen like Aaron changing his street life to a life in Christ. Then last night in our small group I was reminded of a great verse, "greater is the one in you, than the one that is in the world." 1 John 4:? It is so true. God is greater than drug and thugs.

Go God!!

2008-10-08T11:23:00.002-05:00

To all our faithful readers:
We are sorry for the long delay in posting new stuff. Our computer's mother board crashed last week so our internet access has been limited. We should have the computer back in a few weeks.

Things are going well. Many exciting things happening! Growth in the Kingdom!!

We'll write more soon.

Miss Annette

2008-09-24T22:57:00.002-05:00

So this is an update on my previous blog today.
Annette, our neighbor, was 47 yrs old. According to our other neighbors, good friends of Clyde and Annette, she had been sick for at least 3 weeks, lying in bed. Her health worsened and by the time they decided to get her to a hospital (the EMS on Friday was for her), her body was already failing and it was too late.

Her husband Clyde is taking it hard (as expected). He is stayin at his son's house and is planning to move in with some other relatives. It is already sad to look at their house and not see their car, dogs, or lights. It is really unreal that she is really gone.

2008-09-24T10:59:00.003-05:00

Today we found out that our next door neighbor died. Annette was nice woman. We didn't talk alot, but I would try to make conversation whenever I saw her outside. She was not very old, my guess is mid-50's. We do not know how she died. She leaves behind a husband, a few grown kids, and 4 dogs.

I feel really bad. Like I should have talked with her more or made more of an effort. Last Friday an EMS came to their house and took someone out. JP saw the person on the stretcher and thought it was a man. It was not Clyde (her husband) or her son...so we just thought it was someone we didn't know. When the EMS left, Clyde went over to the neighbor's house and sat and talked. If it had been his wife, Annette, I thought he would have got in the car and drove to the hospital right away. So I'm perplexed. Was that really Annette in the EMS? If so, I feel bad that I didn't go over and check on them.

We are going to try to find out when the funeral is and go.

Oh how I love your law

2008-09-21T22:16:00.003-05:00

This picture is of Jessica, one of our interns, and Al-Nisa. The story I have for you today is about Al-Nisa.

Al-Nisa is 9 (she turns 10 in a few months...she would want me to note). She has been coming to our children's ministry and Sunday morning church for a few years now. She is one of those kids who listens and soaks it all in.

Two weeks ago our memory verse at Prime Time was Deut. 6:5 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." This morning when I picked Al-Nisa up for church she told me that she had looked it up in her Bible and found it. Then I asked if she remembered what it said, and she proceeded to recite it for me. Then at church she asked if she could see my Bible and she sat down, looked it up and showed it to me. Then I said, "Do you want to see the verse we will be learning today?" So I looked up Prov. 3:5-6 and showed it to her. She read it.

Later this afternoon I picked her up for Prime Time and she said, "I know the verse for today!" I asked her what it was and she recited it to me! We hadn't even gotten to the church yet.

She really loves God's word and longs to know it more and more. For craft today we made cards to remind us of God's promises. I had printed some verses of different promises they could glue inside their card. When I told them about this part of the craft, Al-Nisa's eyes got big and she was excited. She later told me that she put 5 verses inside her card!

I want to be more passionate about God's Word like Al-Nisa is.

Huricane Ike

2008-09-17T20:26:00.003-05:00

These are pictures of our back yard after the wind storm on Sunday. As you can see we lost one tree and a huge branch of another. Most of the city was without power for a day or two or three. JP and I did not have power from Sunday at 3pm til Monday at 6:30am, then we were in the dark again from Monday at 7pm til Tuesday at 7pm. I did not realize the extent of the wind storm...it was very damaging. We were out in the middle of it picking up children for Prime Time! A few parents wouldn't send their kids (understandably), but we ended up with 19. In retrospect, I probably should have canceled it because it was very dangerous to be out there when so much was blowing around (in 75 mph winds).

Most of Lower Price Hill was without power from Sunday at 1:00pm - Tuesday at 5:00pm. The people in the neighborhood decided to come together and support each other. Many brought the contents of their freezer to the park grill and shared it with everyone. Then on Tuesday morning about 10 people decided to fix breakfast for the whole neighborhood - complete with french toast, biscuits and gravy, and eggs! They used the industrial kitchen and gas stove in the Methodist church. Then, they turned around and fixed another community spaghetti meal. I helped butter and season the garlic bread. It was really cool to see the people band together to make sure everyone was fed. In the middle of fixing the spaghetti meal the power came back on and shouts of joy could be heard from every direction. It was as if the Bengals had won the super bowl!

Even tho it was annoying to have no power and most of our food went bad, it was cool to see the community. Everyone was outside (enjoying the beautiful weather), having bon fires, cooking out, playing corn hole (bean bag toss), and just chatting. That is not much different than a normal day in the neighborhood, but there was just lots more people out because there was nothing to do inside with no electric.

There were also some major gas shortages, of which I experienced. Long story short, I drove around the city with the red gas light on, and every station I went to was out of gas. Finally I just parked my car, got my gas cans, drove my van to a station we found with gas, filled them up, took them back to the car, put the gas in the car, then drove the car back to the station to fill it the rest of the way. It was a nerve racking experience!

It has been an interesting week!

Just talk about it

2008-09-10T12:12:00.003-05:00

Many inner city kids don't have the "important life talks" with their parents. But, if they do their advice does not always line up with God's guidelines. So it is our responsibility to let the kids knows God's standards. One example is one of our preteen girls has a new boyfriend whom she's pretty crazy about. When she and I were hanging out the other day I asked her specific questions like "Has he kissed you?" etc. Then I talked to her about how it is easy to give into the sexual pressures and how she should guard against it. It reminded me of the commercials on TV that promote talking to your children about sex. I try to talk to our kids about it and other peer pressures regularly. Just talk about it!

Another one bites the dust

2008-09-03T10:06:00.003-05:00

Today the final bricks will be demolished of the building on the corner of 8th and State that was the home of Paradise Cafe (the tall brick building in the background of the picture). In 1948 the restaurant opened and was a regular spot for people of the neighborhood. Here is what a local paper wrote about it in 1997:

"The customers haven't changed much over the years either. Sitting at the counter, waiting for her takeout order, Theresa Saylor says that her mother always brought her here when she was a girl, and now, she comes every week to pick up dinner for her family. Coming to the Paradise Cafe is a long-held tradition for the Lower Price Hill native. It's also her only area choice.
Judy, a Paradise Cafe waitress, hands a cup of coffee to a waiting Metro driver, his bus idling outside the restaurant. The Paradise Cafe is open until 10:30 p.m. every day, and Judy says that their business remains steady right up until closing time. Late at night, the light pours through the restaurant's steamed-up windows turning the Paradise Cafe into an unexpected lighthouse on the corner of Eighth and State. It makes for a warm and inviting landmark in a neighborhood with few family gathering spots.
It's not just that the Paradise Cafe offers cheap diner food seven days a week. More importantly, it brings Lower Price Hill some much needed comfort."
CityBeat, Vol. 4, Issue 4; December 11-17, 1997

About 2 years ago the restaurant closed and was boarded up. It's blue awnings have dry rotted and the little strands left just blow in the wind. The building, tho deteriorating, was a comforting sight for the long time residents of Lower Price Hill. Even I, who only ate there about three times, am saddened by the demolition. Good bye to the last restaurant in Lower Price Hill.

End of the summer get away

2008-08-24T23:19:00.005-05:00

So a few weeks ago, after all of our summer events, we took at week off. Our friends Tim and Katie Ellis opened their home to us for the week in Knoxville, TN. Tim and Jp have been friends since grade school. Tim is a youth minister and Katie is in Vet school. We really love them.

While we were at their house we spent a lot of time relaxing, watching the Olympics, and sleeping in. We also spent time enjoyin the outdoors too. Tim and Katie have all the necessary equipment for all outdoorsy stuff so we took advantage of it. We went mountain biking, camping, hiking, rock climbing and rappelling.

Oh another exciting (note the sarcasm) thing we got to do was treat my head for lice!! On monday, the day after we arrived at their house, I found out I had it. Tim and Katie were understanding and did not freak out (thanks guys). I am happy to report that 2 weeks later I am now lice free...I think. We have to continue to check daily, but so far I've gone 3 days without finding anything! I think we've (or should I say JP) become pros at getting rid of those pesky bugs.

Here are a few pics of our adventures in Tennessee:

Hospital visits

2008-08-21T22:36:00.002-05:00

Last night JP and I went to visit Woody (whom we wrote about in our newsletter). His burns are healing very well. He is in high spirits and is counting down the days til he gets to go home. (8 is the official count!).

Tonight I went to visit Billy and Jamie (see previous post). He is doing pretty well. He is having another surgery tomorrow morning. His injuries are not as bad as originally expected. He has a crushed pelvis (which they put back together with plates and screws) and a messed up knee. There are a few other minor injuries like a fractured rib, but the great news is he has no head injuries. I am still hoping and praying they will both see God's hand at work and realize their need for him.

How will He use this?

2008-08-17T21:35:00.002-05:00

Tonight I got a phone call telling me that my friend Jamie's boyfriend Billy was in a motorcycle accident and is in the ICU unit. I met Jamie 1 1/2 years ago during my first season of softball. After that season she began talking to me about her interest in Christ. Her hesitation and reason for never beginning a relationship with Him was because of her boyfriend.

So when I heard the news about Billy's accident, I called Jamie to see how she was doing. She was surrounded by Billy's and her families, but didn't really know how Billy was doing. I assured her I was praying for them and told her to call me if she needed anything.

But now, as I think about the circumstances, I wonder how will God use this to bring His glory? Maybe this is what it will take for Jamie and Billy to come to Him.?.

Join me in praying for Billy and Jamie and that God's glory will shine through.

A full week of ministry and fun

2008-08-11T17:22:00.004-05:00

Last week a group of 11 people from the Garrett Church of Christ came for a mission trip. It was so great to have them because they are all people we love and know well. The first day we had orientation and passed out fliers for the upcoming carnival. Later that evening Nate the Mailman was DJing in the park so we went. As you can see, some of the Garrett group decided to get their groove on and dance a little. :)

On Thursday we had the end of the summer field trip for the Summer Fun kids (ages 4-9). 30 kids went with us to the park to have a picnic, play, and hike. They had a blast. A lady from the Garrett Group made tshirts for all of the kids to wear...it was cute.

On Friday the group cleaned, painted, and worked around our building. They did a great job. After that, they went to an apartment complex that some of our kids live at and had an ice cream social. They had a great time.

On Saturday we had our annual back to school carnival. There were soooo many people there. Easily over 300! And again, Northern Hills Christian Church did a great job coordinating it.

Thank you Garrett for coming. We really enjoyed having you. Thank you for working so hard and showing love to the people.

Only at State Avenue

2008-07-29T22:57:00.002-05:00

Only at State Avenue would you have grape soda at communion. Someone was being resourceful! Hey, they're just symbols that are used to remind us of Christ...I don't think there was grapejuice in "The Cup" either! :)

Just a cultural thing that made me smile.

(p.s. It just happened once in the 7 years i've been there)

Growth

2008-07-28T09:27:00.005-05:00

Lately our church has really been maturing. The people have been encouraging and caring for each other's needs. It is really cool to sit back and watch happen. Last Sunday we had two people become Christians. The first was a teen boy from the youth group. The second was a woman named Christina who is the mom of two girls who have been in our ministry for many years. Her husband, Donald, was baptized about a year ago. I am excited about her transformation because she has big influence in our neighborhood; many people look up to her.

Yesterday an older lady named Cherry was baptized. She is the neighbor of a guy in our church. It was cool to watch her yesterday. There was a troubled woman who came to church (she said she had been jumped the night before and also found out she has a cancerous brain tumor). Cherry sat by her and gave this woman a shoulder to cry on and a hand to hold.

So I was thinking yesterday about the Christians in our neighborhood. There are 5 very well known and influential adults who are living out their faith in Lower Price Hill. This could really mean big growth in the kingdom and our church. It will be cool to watch how these people allow God to use them in their community.

A moment that made me proud

2008-07-26T13:02:00.005-05:00

This past week we were with 5 of our preteen students at camp (http://www.whitewaterchristiancamp.com/). They all really enjoyed themselves and learned a lot. Their favorite things were swimming, dodge ball, and campfire. One of the boys, Jeremy, got camper of the week! On the way home Jeremy said he wanted to be baptized. I asked him what else went into becoming a Christian and he didn't know. So I said, "well, first of all you have to believe." He said, "I already do that." Then I said, "you have to repent. Do you know what that is?" He said, "Oh I know...'Peter replied, repent and be baptized everyone of you for the forgiveness of your sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38" I was amazed. He had memorized that verse at camp and really remembered it! I felt like a proud mother. We continued talking about the rest...confession and baptism...and JP will continue to talk to him and make sure he is ready for this life changing commitment. I look forward to seeing him grow in the Lord.

Here are a few pics from the week:

1st & 2nd: Fun in the pond

3rd: "Here's to Jamie and the way he does the hula!"

4th: All of our kids got 3 letters in the mail. They had to eat a spoon full of this slop to get their letters and 500 points for their team. They all did it! :)

Hello Christian Standard Readers!

2008-07-14T13:01:00.002-05:00

If you read the "Prime Ministry" article in the Buzz section of the Christian Standard and decided to check out our blog, THANK YOU. We are glad you stopped by. Please read old posts. There are a lot of interesting stories about our ministry in inner city Cincinnati.

My husband Josh, aka JP, and I have been ministering in Lower Price Hill for almost 7 years. We love our ministry and the people we work with. We are missionaries through Team Expansion (which means we raise our own support). Our team is called Hope Inner City (www.hopeinnercity.org) and one of our major goals is to plant more churches in the inner city. Frankly, the Restoration Movement has done a lousy of ministering to these areas, but we are in the business of changing that. If you are interested in learning more about our ministry or how you're church can be involved in bringing hope to the inner city, then leave us a comment, check out our website, or email us (jpandchloe@yahoo.com) and we'll be happy to talk further.

Thank you for reading our blog. We hope you'll be back to read more!

This was a great adventure

2008-07-09T21:10:00.003-05:00

This past weekend JP and I went to Missouri for my good friend Cara's wedding. I was the maid of honor so of coarse we went. The wedding was great. Everything went as planned and it was beautiful. I was so glad I could be apart of it.

On Sunday we left Cara's mom (where we stayed all weekend) and went to Saint Louis. We know another inner city minister, Scott Jewel, who ministers there so we visited his church. They recently bought a HUGE catholic "compound" (for lack of better words) with a church, school, and two housing buildings. It was nice to see another inner city church service. Exciting things are happening there. After church we were able sight see around the city. We were able to go to a Cardinals baseball game and saw the arch. It was a fun little visit.

We left St. Louis at 6pm and decided to take a pit stop at Effingham IL. As we were exiting the highway our car began to over heat. We got to BP and filled up with water, but with no avail because at the next exit (only 1/2 mile later) we over heated again. As you know, there are no car places open at 8:30pm on Sunday...so we had to stay the night. I called my mom to see if we know anyone in Effingham IL and come to find out I have a 2nd cousin who lives there. I called him and got the number of his mechanic.

At 8:00am we got up and it was storming out. We had left our car in the Kroger parking lot and walked to our hotel, so now we had to carry our bags back to our car in the pouring rain. We were drenched, but our car started!! We were able to drive to the shop (and we just made it) and found out that we had a blown head gasket! That was the worst case scenario. After taking the advice of the mechanic and our dads, we decided not to fix the car and begin looking for a new one. Well, here we were in a town we didn't know, my long lost cousin wasn't home, and we had no mode of transportation. My mom had given me the phone number of a church in town so we thought we'd just try calling them. The first church was unable to help, but gave us the number of another church - Christ's Church. The Secretary decided she would drive us around town to look at cars.

Let's do a quick recap of people...
1.) a cousin in town
2.) an honest mechanic
3.) a stranger who drove us around for 2 hours

Ok, on with the story...
Our plan was to check out car lots around town, but if we didn't find a good deal or something we wanted to buy, we'd rent a car and drive back to Cincy. At our last lot (the Auto Mall of Effingham) we found a bunch a good deals. After a few test drives and some decision making, we bought a 2004 Grand Am with 20,000 miles. It is a really nice car...and a really nice deal. They people there really worked with us and helped us make it through all of the hoops of being an out of state buyer.

But wait! You're probably thinking, what did they do with the broken down car?? Well, we tried to trade it, but since it wasn't actually at the dealership (it wouldn't make it) and it was broken, they didn't want to take it. We thought we'd get a few hundred out of it from the scrap yard, but nope, they wouldn't pay either. The mechanic decided that he would keep it and look for someone who would give some money for it. (we told him we'd split whatever he was able to get for it) So, we finally had a way to get rid of our old car and a new car to drive home in. We left Effingham at 6:30pm and arrived back in Cincy at 10:30pm on Monday night.

There were so many twists and turns in that 24 hr. period, but God blessed us along with way with guidance and helpful people. We are so thankful for how it all turned out.

An Ode to our Oldsmoble (the car we ditched):
JP bought you before I even started dating him. You were the car we took on our dates. You were the car we drove on our wedding day. You took us on many trips...mostly visits to see family. At the age of 9 you were looking pretty tired. When your head gasket cracked we knew it was the beginning of many more expensive problems ahead...the salt from the Cincinnati streets had done a lot of wear and tear. Thank you for all of the memories we had with you. you were a good car while you lasted. RIP

Dangerous Secrets

2008-07-03T22:01:00.002-05:00

Today at the NACC I attended a workshop about domestic violence. I have been encountering more and more of it lately in my ministry, so I was so glad they were having a workshop on the topic. I'd like to share with you some of the things I learned

Domestic Violence is defined as a pattern of behaviors designed to gain and maintain power and control over an intimate partner.

The behaviors vary from situation to situation. For one person it may be verbal abuse. For another physical abuse. For another financial abuse (withholding money, over spending and blaming the other person, etc). For another it may be something else. It is not a one size fits all kind of thing. So when we look at situations we must keep in mind that the abuse may come in a form we are not expecting.

Stats:
* Domestic Violence is the leading cause of injury and death of women ages 15-44.
* Children who witness domestic violence are 1,000 times more likely to become victims and perpetrators of abuse. Can you believe that...1,000 times! However, ONE sympathetic adult can change the outcome!
* 1 in 4 women are victims of Domestic Violence.

We must be advocates for people entrapped in Domestic Violence. Many women in these situations are hiding it. We must be there for these women. Give a listen ear and a caring heart. Many of these women do not feel safe. We cannot assume that since they are in our presence they feel safe, so the question we must ask is, "Help me know what safety looks like to you." Work with her to come up with a safety plan...however don't be the only one involved in the plan. Involve professionals.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1800-799-SAFE (7233)
website: http://ndvh.org

I feel more aware and empowered by the workshop. However, I feel overwhelmed by the situations I must now become involved in.

The joys of more workers

2008-07-01T20:16:00.005-05:00

Today was the first day of the North American Christian Convention. This year it is in Cincinnati so it is very convenient for us. Team Expansion has generously given us space to use in their booth area. As we were setting up today, one of the girls from Team Expansion said, "Update your blog girl! I want something new to read!" Well, I'm sure that many of you feel the same way. Sorry for my lack of blogging lately. We've been busy, but then when I have time to blog I never can think of things to write about.

INTERNS!!

This is Jennifer (on left) and Jessica (on right). They are my interns this summer. They have been awesome!! First, it is great to have people working by my side helping me get things done. They are both very hard working, gentle spirited, and eager to build relationships. I am their cultural mentor which has been really fun. We discuss things they've been observing and learning and I help them work though their feelings. A lot of things remind me of my first experiences.

The ladies have been working with me to plan and execute Summer Fun (our children's ministry), helping with the teenage youth group, and building relationships. They are both very good at sports and have been able to use that talent to get to know kids in the neighborhood.

As of today, they have been with us for one month and only have one more month left. I will really miss them when they are gone. It has been a pleasure to have them working with us.

We also have another intern named Josh. I do not work as closely with him, but he is a great asset to our team too.

Last week a great woman from Lifespring Christian Church came to volunteer. Rachel is a retired school teacher who just wanted to be used. She came to Summer Fun last week and was a pleasure to have. I am always to thankful when people are so willing to come and use their talents to minister and love the people of the inner city.

Tomorrow we are teaching a workshop at the NACC about how Suburban churches can be involved in the inner city. Jade is also teaching the same workshop again on Friday morning. We hope it will inspire people.

I know...it's been too long

2008-06-20T17:09:00.002-05:00

So it's been a long time since we've blogged. After our trip to VA we were home for a week then went to camp at Round Lake Christian Assembly. It was a great week. The campers were awesome and it was very encouraging to our souls. The reason we were at camp was to be the missionaries for the week. We love sharing our ministry with people.

This week has been kind of crazy. Summer Fun (the summer children's ministry) started yesterday. It took me and my two girl interns 2 1/2 days to prep for it. We had to shop, decorate, plan, and promote. We were planning to have at most 30 kids. We ended up having 42!!! It was crazy but wonderful. The kids learned that God knows them personally and had a great time. Many of the kids were so excited to come back next week.

OH...we had our first Wacky Water Wednesday this week. You see, our neighborhood pool has been removed to put in a spray park. Now kids don't have any opportunity to get wet and cool off. I decided that this summer we'd host water games on Wednesdays. This week, the first attempt, totally bombed! We had a lot of kids, but the older boys kind of ruined it for everyone. We ended early because of the chaos and fighting. Needless to say, we learned a lot that will benefit the future water days.

Another thing, Jp's baseball team won their first game last week...6-2 They were so proud.

whats been up

2008-05-27T19:31:00.002-05:00

So last wednesday we won our first softball game!!! a wopping 23 to 9 points! We were quite excited.

This week we've been in Virgina. My friend Megan got her church to start supporting us a few years ago, but since she did all of the talkin we never met the church. So we decided it was time to make a visit. JP preached for two services on Sunday and we presented our ministry during the sunday school hour. It was a very nice visit. We found the Rappahannock church to be very nice and generous.

We've also spent our time visiting Megan and her family. Her parents live in the back woods and we enjoyed four wheeling through the woods, sitting by the creek, and sipping iced tea in the back yard. We also spent a few hours fishing on the Rappahannock River. It has been such a relaxing time away from the daily grind of ministry. (pictures to come)

Unless you become like a child...

2008-05-11T16:57:00.004-05:00

Since January the kids at Prime Time have been raising money for Robert Mwangaula, a CCU student from Kenya Africa. He is building a church in Kenya and our children bought bricks for quarters. Today was the last day of Prime Time for the semester and Robert came so we could give him what we collected. They were so excited to see him. When he walked in the door the children started chanting...Robert, Robert, Robert,....! It was such a fun welcoming.

The total...(drum roll please...) $82.41 which equals almost 330 bricks!! This was their first project of giving...and they were good at it too! This summer we hope to do another project.

After we gave him the money we had the children lay their hands on Robert and a few of them prayed for him. Their prayers were so sweet. They prayed for his safe travel back to Kenya next week, for his new church, and that people would come to his church.
Here are a few pics.

Softball

2008-05-02T20:57:00.003-05:00

This is my softball team - The Ultimate Misfits. It has been really fun and a great way to get to know some ladies who live in Lower Price Hill. My coworker Kim plays, as well as my friend Cara. (Kim - leftmost on back row, Cara - third from left on back row, Me - center front row)

I look forward to the next few months of games and relationship building.

Cause for Concern

2008-04-30T22:08:00.002-05:00

This week has been full of crisis (more than usual). Not for us, but for many people in our ministry. Obviously i'm not going to tell everyone's business...but i'll tell you that it has been heavy stuff.

Two adults, 4 days apart, confided in me that they are/or have recently thought about killing themselves. If anyone reading this has any suggestions of what I could say or do please let me know. In each conversation I did discourage it (obviously).

Anyway, I have been thankful that in many conversations I've had, involving those in crisis, the Lord has given me scriptures to share with them. Sometimes, when on the spot, it is difficult to think of which one verse (out of thousands) would be best. I know the Lord has prompted each time on which one they need.

Mini Me

2008-04-29T21:18:00.003-05:00

Today I went to pick up a new boy for 180 - Preteen ministry. His sister, whom I've known since September, came walking down the side walk with her friend, who also comes to church. They were unusually dressed up, wearing high heals that were four sizes too big. I said, "You ladies are lookin pretty today." TT said, "We're going to work." I asked, "Where do you work?" She said, "At our church." Then she said, "My name is Chloe." And her friend said, "Yeah, she's chloe and I'm...Cara." As they walked away I hollered to them "Chloe and Cara you're looking real nice today." They laughed and went on their way.

It was a cute moment. I've never had someone pretend to be me before!

It reminds me of a moment about three years ago when a girl dressed up as a preacher for Halloween. She wore a black "graduation" robe and carried a Bible. It was precious that she wanted to serve the Lord, even if it was just a costume.

It just shows how much positive role models make a difference.

noticing the small changes

2008-04-24T18:23:00.007-05:00

These lilacs are the first thing I see (and smell) every time I walk out my front door. This year I have really been appreciating the beauty of spring. As I drive down the street with my windows down I catch whiffs of the spring flowers. Each time I leave or come home I take a second to sniff the lilacs. My neighbors probably think I'm a little strange, but sometimes it's good to just "stop and smell the roses"

As I write this post I am laying in my back yard with my dog poochie. I wish spring would never leave. But, then again, if it was always spring I probably wouldn't appreciate it as much.

As I was driving today thinking about writing this post I was thinking of the changing of seasons and all of the children in our ministry all at the same time. I've been noticing how much they have grown...so many of them are becoming young men and ladies. I have been doing the children's ministry for almost 7 years now, so kids who were 6 when I started are now 13! Here is just one example...

Softball & Baseball Update:

The baseball team, The Price Hill Saints, has played 3 games but lost all of them (pretty badly). JP has really been enjoying helping Jade (our teammate) coach the team.

Chloe's softball team, The Ultimate Misfits, had their first game yesterday. We had a double header...but lost both games. However, we played well and much better than last year. It was fun.

An Interesting Parallel

2008-04-17T23:29:00.002-05:00

Today I took a mother and her adult daughter to the CCAT house (the Center for Chemical Addiction Treatment) to visit her son/brother who just finished his first week in rehab. I have become very good friends with this family over the past year. Anyway, they thought their family meeting would last about an hour so I dropped them off, ran home and made dinner, then went the the dollar store to pick up a few things then went back to pick them up. Well, the meeting actually lasted 2 1/2 hours...so I sat in the parking lot and read and did some brainstorming for a few projects I have going on. They came out on a quick smoke break, dropped off their folders, and went back inside to visit with him. They said he looked very good and was in high spirits. He even asked if he should add me to his list of approved visitors!?!

Anyway, while they were visiting him, I read through the info in their packets. I learned a lot of interesting things about drug addiction. On the way home we were talking about what they had learned in their meeting. The main thing they took from the meeting was how they have become enablers to the other people in their family who are using drugs. Then the mother (who is a christian) said that she really saw parallels between being a christian and sobriety. Here is what she said, (not a quote)
After a drug addition & rehab a person may relapse and go back to using again. They usually will stop attending their support meeting, become confident they can do it themselves, then slide back into that lifestyle of drug use.
As a christian we have to protect ourselves from relapsing into a sinful life. We must continue to go to church (our support meeting) and continue to follow God so we do not slide back into a lifestyle of sin apart from God.

I thought is was very interesting and true. Just something to think about.

2008-04-05T21:47:00.005-05:00

Friday was my mom's 50th bday. My sister and I decided to throw her a surprise party. 20 of her close friends came to celebrate. The best part is that she was truly surprised! It was great. Happy Birthday Mom!

As I was uploading the birthday pics I found a few pictures I had forgotten about. I meant to post these a few weeks ago. But, even tho they are late I thought I'd still share them. This was this girl's first time ever dying eggs. It was fun.

2008-04-03T22:36:00.003-05:00

We were doing so well with blogging often, but I just realized it has been awhile. Time for an update.

Easter weekend JP spent in his home town watching basketball with his friend and visiting his family. I stayed in Cincinnati because I had quite a few responsibilities here and plus it was supposed to be a "guys weekend"...so I thought it would be pretty boring for me. Many people in our church were concerned that I would spend Easter by myself. By the time I left church, I had 5 different invitations for lunch. It was so nice to know I was welcomed in so many homes. I really felt blessed.
While JP was home his grandfather died. He was glad to have seen him a few days prior. His memorial service was the follow Friday so we went up for it. It was nice to see his whole family. We even got to see some of the ones from out of state that we rarely see. It was nice to finally meet his uncle Jim.
Sunday JP preached and many people were blessed by his message. I taught Sunday school so I wasn't able to hear it. Sunday morning I took 17 people to church!! I had to make a few trips in our mini van. My favorite part of the morning was the kids' special song "Oh How I love Jesus" It was so precious. (I forgot my camera, I was going to video it so you could see...maybe next month.)
This week has been pretty good. We have had some good relationship time. We are looking forward to having a mission trip group next week from Crossroads Bible College in Minnesota. One of our interns for this summer will be coming with this group. I am excited to see her.

Update on my last video...
The lady who said she was going to come to church did not end of coming. I was not surprised nor disappointed. I have decided that the next time I see her and have an opportunity to talk I am going to tell her that I've been praying for her and ask what I can pray for her about.

2008-03-22T20:14:00.005-05:00

Please pray with me. I have realized that I need a mentor. Actually, two unrelated people this week have asked me if I have one...maybe that is a hint..."Chloe you need to find a mentor!"

I'm looking for:
Someone who I can talk to about my ministry, feelings, and life.
Someone who will challenge me and give me a new perspecive.
A woman of coarse...but one that is not directly involved in my ministry, yet knows enough to understand where i'm coming from.
Someone who has a vested interest in our relationship/mentorship and will be willing to make a commitment to it.
Someone who lives in the Cincy area.

It is hard to find someone to fill this role. I have always thought I'd just wait around for someone to fit into that role naturally...however it hasn't happened and I need one. So, instead of just asking the first person who comes to my mind, I am going to committ to pray for someone. Maybe God will bring to mind someone who would fit into that role perfectly, or better yet, they will ask me! We'll see how God works it out.