Thanks, Mark! Thanks, God! Thanks, CBS6!

I can no other answer make,                                         but, thanks, and thanks. 

~William Shakespeare

Wow.  I’m rather speechless, which doesn’t happen too often.  I am overwhelmed by and grateful for the positive response to a blog post I wrote on Monday called Heart Breaking. Soul Weeping. Mind Reeling. Knees Bending.  Only a handful of people actually follow my blogs Miss Marti’s House and …into the neighborhood on a regular basis.  So, I was quite surprised when this post started receiving 100s of hits!  Miss Marti’s House started 2 years ago by telling the story of how I ended up living in Southern Barton Heights, how I met and married the ‘other half of my pair’, Louis Williams, and our life here.  …into the neighborhood is a more recent development, somewhat of an experiment, a direct response from questions we get a lot.  It’s meant to be a resource to individuals, families and churches who want to live more neighborly, incarnationally or missionally.  We get regular requests to speak or consult with people and churches, so we thought we would create an online tool to talk about it.  It will also showcase people, ministries , etc living it out and how God is being glorified throughout our city, country and in the nations.   I have 2 great stories in the works.  One from a friend living in a remote village in the country of Columbia.  The other being my aunts in Oregon.  Coming SOON!  Stay posted!  Go ahead and subscribe if you want to stay up-to-date.

Mark Holmberg from WTVR CBS 6 contacted me quite unexpectedly yesterday afternoon, because he had seen that post.  (Thank goodness I had just gotten my roots touched up!!!  LOL) He wanted to interview us about what and why we do what we do.  Of course, it also involved one of the young men accused of First Degree Murder.  He was a welcomed friend, almost a son, in our home on a regular basis.  You know what?  He and his family are still welcome!  Kids make bad, sometimes even horrific, choices or decisions.  It doesn’t mean we give-up on them. Don’t get me wrong.  I still believe that people should pay the consequences of their personal decision, choice or reaction. As much as the public wants to make this a race issue or a urban/suburban issue, it is not that simple.  I wish it were.  All our youth need us.  I’m still hopeful.  Emily said it perfectly in one of the responses to the post…

…they do need us and we all need to stick together (near or far), continue to impact, never give up hope, and pass the message that all children are reachable teachable lovable and savable….

Amen, Emily!

You can find Mark’s story here…  Miss Marti Brings Message of Peace and Love.  That peace and love is rooted in none-other-than, Jesus Christ.  He is my Savior.  I can’t save each and every youth or adult I encounter.  But, Jesus can.  I am but one tool that He uses.  Thanks, Mark and CBS6 for allowing the hope of Jesus Christ to be in the middle of this story.  I know it wasn’t want you intended.  But, you know what?  God did.  To God only be the glory!

My heart still grieves for the devastating loss in our city, within the many impacted families and network of friends. Words can not explain, nor can they alone comfort the grief felt.  My prayers continue to be with those who grieve and our city.  May God’s Spirit comfort us and bring peace.

Psalm 23  NIV

A psalm of David.

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³ he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.