Just for my friend, Jeanine…

Posted: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k7, Louis and Me! | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

I have to admit…I have been very preoccupied the last couple of days.  I typically write the first draft of my post a day or 2 in advance….and then tweak it as the “due date” looms.  Well…due to distractions that regular life has brought me AND the recent funeral today plus the death of my neighbor’s grandson…I’m doubly distracted and not processing very well.  So, I’m picking an easy (and welcomed!) topic today!  Back to Louis and Me!!!  YAY!!  I can hear my friend Jeanine cheering!  She encourages me to write more…and not to leave her hanging because she hasn’t heard the story before!  So, Jeanine…this is for you!!!  Thanks for your encouragement!!  I need it!  btw – check out her beautiful photography blog by clicking her name anywhere in this post!

Ok…so I left off with praying for the other ½ of my pair and Don telling me about a guy who never calls….right?  If you need to catch up….click Louis and Me! in the sidebar to the right…

Our 3 Lists Written in 02.07. 1 down...2 to go! (Yes...out of focus on purpose!!!)

Marc continued to come into work…encouraging me…and telling me that he had been “puttin’ in knee time” for me!  I still had my own copy of the list that I was praying over…along with my 2 friends’ lists (who I am STILL praying for!!!!!).

The work merger had been announced in the spring…and we were alllll wondering…whether our jobs were moving to St Louis (StL).  That fall, the word came.  Yes, my team’s jobs were moving.  I was a leader of about 40 people in 2 locations, Richmond and StL….with about 25-30 people in Richmond…and they were deciding that all the jobs had to located in StL.  I was praying for my team and me…for good decisions. (btw – some of them are still looking for jobs if you know of any open HR/Recruiting gigs in Richmond!!!)

I spent a many many night on my face asking the Lord if I should move to StL.  I said…if that is what you are asking, then that is what I would do.  I asked Him if I would meet my other ½ in StL?  But that just never landed on me right.  The Lord had said I would meet the other ½ of my pair to serve SBH.  So how could I move, right?

But, I prayed for confirmation.  And received it.  I told my manager that I would NOT make the move.  No amount of money or job position could convince me to move. But, fears set in.  How would I make a living?  Where would I get a job, etc?  It was definitely a faith building time for me!  I had to trust the Lord.

Meanwhile, I was sooo sure that I was going to meet the other ½ in December 2007, I stopped praying for it!  Yes….let me repeat, I stopped praying for it to happen.  I even told Marc to stop praying…but he insistently prayed although I said that God had already answered.  (Love me some Marc Lundy!!

Before long, I joined a short 6-week Bible study at Needle’s Eye Ministries on Faith.  It was now October-November 2007…coming up on the December date the Lord gave me!  Figuring…if there was anytime I needed faith…I needed it now.  This group of about 25 women gathered every week for 6 weeks at their office.  I barely knew a soul!!! After Susan led us in our study, we always closed in prayer.  I shared my story and asked them not to pray for my other ½ in the same way – that he would show…but to actually pray FOR him to prepare him.  I often wondered if he knew what he was about to get himself into.  So, the ladies agreed to join me in praying FOR him.  I thank God for these ladies, whose names and prayer requests are in that journal!  As I look down the list this evening, I wonder what other prayers have been answered?!?!

But, allow me to remind you…nearly 2 years had gone by since I prayed for the “bone” in December 2005.  I had been praying for God to send me a husband.  Over the following year, 2006, the Holy Spirit had used many situations, Don Coleman and Luke 10:1-7 to change my desires and my prayers. In early 2007, I had started praying for the other ½ of my pair in ministry to SBH.  I had begun praying the will of God instead of Marti’s.

Learnings for me,

  • Take prayer requests seriously.  If you say Yes to pray for someone, be sure to do it.  Don’t take it lightly.  It’s serious business!!
  • Be careful what you pray for….you just might get it!
  • I’m often astounded at the sheer number of people God uses in this story.  He doesn’t need to use us, but it is sooo fun when He does.  At any point, if someone said “NO! Lord!”…the story may have turned out differently.  Just like the story of Marcellous.  If Marc, Emmanuel or I had said “NO! Lord!” at any point…the results might look different.
  • These stories consistently remind me of the importance of listening and obeying.  We are robbed of the blessing of being used by God when we say “NO! Lord!”  Like the Nike slogan….”Just do it!” comes to mind!

Jeanine…sorry, I am going to leave you hanging…..AGAIN!  Hugs to you!

Do Whatever He Tells You

Posted: Sunday, March 7, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k7 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Do Whatever He Tells You

My Journals from the Last 5 Years

Just today I found my journal for 2007….here are some clips from it.  I’m glad I found it and had a chance to read it again.  It reminds me of God’s faithfulness and what he was stirring in my heart 3 years ago!!!  There’s definitely a theme of hearing and doing!  And bringing God glory.

12.31   James 1:22-25

  • When the Holy Spirit reveals something…ACT.  Do something about it.  Don’t walk away. Or you’ll forget.  Blessings come from listening and acting.

1.6       ComChap Church Service (don’t know the scripture reference)

  • Go out into the world…uncorrupted – a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society.
  • Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God.
  • May my life bring glory to God.  I want to be fresh air!!!
  • Church – end of service…read lambs among wolves…the windows being shot out of my old car.

The weekend of 1.19-20.2007 – Kay Arthur Conference at Thomas Road Baptist Church “Whatever He Says, Do It!”  My friend Grayson and her mom, Judy and I attended this conference, which was so full of good stuff.  This is just a few of my notes from it…

  • Guard Your Glory! Don’t exchange your Glory for idols.
  • Glory = honor, true unchanging essence of God
  • Whatever He says – DO IT!!! -> is bringing God glory
  • God, help me guard my glory.
  • John 17 -> Glorify God on earth, accomplish the work HE gives you to do.
  • Guard your Christlikeness!
  • Numbers 14:21 – may it begin now – with us guarding our glory

I don’t remember everything that was going on at this time, but these were the messages I was hearing from the Lord.  I started crying from almost the moment I walked through the door of that conference.  For the Lord was doing a real work in me….preparing me for something.  In addition, we studied the story of Jesus turning the water into wine in John 2 (paying close attention to vs. 4-5).

John 2 (NLT) (click to read the whole scripture)

4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Throughout the end of 2006 and early 2007, I do remember saying to Him….What do you want from me?  I’m not ready.  Not me!  It’s not my time!  (vs 4)  But it was clear that I was at this conference to hear “Do whatever he tells you.” (vs 5)  It was time to take a risk and do whatever He tells me to do…in spite of what others may think.

Within a week, Marcellous was in the hospital and KK was living with me!  Who woulda thought?

R&R

Posted: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k10, 2k7 | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on R&R

Psalm 23

2 -3      ….He leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul….

In the first few months of the 2007, KK’s mom had passed, the spare car windows were shot out, Marcellous was in the hospital, then the spare car was stolen, one of the kids decided to steal and misuse my credit card, my company announced it was closing the Richmond offices and were moving them ½ way across the country.  It seemed like it was one thing right after the other.

Before KK left for NJ, I had an emergency appendectomy and was in the hospital for a few days.  Poor KK…didn’t understand WHAT was going on.  First his mom was in the hospital…she died.  Then, his dad…a few weeks later…ended up in the hospital, the beginning of one complication after another.  Then, I (the only other “family” he has in Richmond) end up there!  Thankfully, it was only for a few days.  It was yet another one of Satan’s attacks. But, it was a perfect time for God to get my undivided attention.  For several weeks, I spent time reading the Bible, praying, meditating, spending time on the front porch.  God was definitely doing a work in me.  During those weeks, He led me by still waters…and restored my soul.  It was a time of rest after a couple of crazy months.  It was just me…and God.  It was refreshing.

Earlier in the year, I had been restless in my job.  It wasn’t challenging to me anymore.  So, when the firm announced the move…it was time for me to really reflect on what God wanted from me next in my career.  During this time, a lot was stirring in me in regards to my community.  Is this the time to make a move?  God spoke to me through a number of people independently… “Remain open.” was the consistent message.  So, I practiced at remaining open, making no decisions.  Why would God lead me to this community and my kids…to my home, only to take me to Missouri?  Why would God provide me with a great job, only to have me leave it?  My finances provide for me…and for some family members.

Every day, I go to work with what most would call the ‘wealthy’.  I came home every day to what some would call ‘the least of these”.  There are so many similarities between these 2 groups.

The Lord brought people in my life who were making 6-7 digits a year trying to decide what latest gadget they wanted next, what prep school to send their child, upgrading their house, car, or phone, how to make the next dollar…trying to find happiness.

Then, there are those who have to decide between paying the light bill, providing food for the table, clothes for their children because they outgrew last year’s or buying Christmas gifts.  Afraid to introduce the kids to Santa…in fear that their hopes would get too high.

What I had come to learn….is that we ALL are the ‘least of the these’ if we don’t know the Lord.  It doesn’t matter what color we are, what socioeconomic group we are in, or where we live.  There’s financially poor…then there is spiritually poor.  What does the Bible say about the Needle’s Eye?  That it is harder for a rich man to get into heaven than it is for a camel to go through the needle’s eye?  So…would I rather be poor and have an easier time getting into heaven or rich and a harder time?  That is a tough question. Can I be some where in the middle?

But…a question that I will have to ponder in the near future as we face my job elimination.  Regardless, we will be richer than MOST of the world….with a roof over our head, food on the table and clean water to drink.

“Give us this day our daily bread.” has a whole new meaning to me as I think about what the future holds.  One thing I know…God is in control!

Me and KK...the early morning I took him to Greyhound to stay with his Aunt and sister in NJ

KK...being silly. How can you NOT love this kid?

No Love. No Gain.

Posted: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k10, Louis and Me! | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

Yes...Louis did good on Valentine's Day with Balloons, Cards, Roses and all other kinds of goodies!!!

As you can see in my tag line, Miss Marti’s House…loving God and others in Southern Barton Heights….  I have been thinking about that lately…what does that REALLY mean?  Jesus tells us in the New Testament…to love God with all your heart, soul, strength.  He also then tells us…to love your neighbor as yourself.  So, what does that really look like?  To love like that?

So…I read 1st Corinthians 13 and was struck by verse 3.

3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing.

So…I could be doing all this work…sacrificing my time and money, my hopes and dreams…but, if I am not doing it in love…why do it?  So, how often do I respond to those ads on TV or causes on FB because I feel guilty?  How often do I do something for a friend or family because I am shamed into it? Or…when I strike a check to the local non-profit why does that make me feel better. But…if we are doing this out of guilt, shame or obligation…we may feel a little better in the short run….but, God sees straight through to our heart…our motives.  If I do this without LOVE….it’s nothing.  Don’t get me wrong…I’m not challenging us to stop giving!!!!  I’m challenging us to GIVE MORE!!!! because we respond with LOVE while giving.  Let’s take a look at the rest of the scripture….

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails…..

Not long ago, Louis and I were challenged by reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  Francis challenges the reader to replace your name where the word LOVE appears in this part of the scripture.  So, I would say…

“Marti is patient….” OUCH!!!!  Anyone who knows me…knows that patience is a challenge for me!!!   Louis agrees with me here!  Because he has the patience of Job….He is a positively fabulous role model for me!

“Marti is kind…”  Well, I’m basically a kind person.  But, there are times that I am NOT AT ALL kind!  More than likely, my thoughts are NOT exactly kind at all.  You might not see it…but, God knows my thoughts!  OUCH!!!!

Then…keep reading it….Marti does not….envy (ow!), never… boastful (pain!), proud (burn!), rude (yee-OW!), self-seeking  (not me!), not easily angered (ache!), keeps no records of wrongs (who me?), etc. etc.

I’m gonna challenge you like Francis Chan challenged us….Read this scripture, replacing your name….see what hits you!

So…should I change my tag line to TRYING to love God and others?  Nah…I don’t think so.  I’m doing the best I can right now.  I am loving God and others…and I am learning how to love more….every day.

I’m a work in progress…moving TOWARD Christ…the ultimate lover.


A Barber, a Yoke and a Baptism Part 2

Posted: Sunday, February 28, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k6, 2k7 | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Barber, a Yoke and a Baptism Part 2

OK…back to Marcellous…

Me and Marcellous

So…I took Marcellous to Commonwealth Chapel one Saturday night.  We had been praying for him for MONTHS.  So, it was awesome when some of my prayer warrior friends were able to put a name with a face.  Marcellous just couldn’t believe that people greeted him so warmly…and knew his name…and wanted to meet him.  He was so full of joy.  And…let me tell you…can that man sing!!!  What a beautiful voice he has!!!  Very impressive!

Marcellous shared this story with me a few days before his baptism.  We were in the emergency room during another scare.  When he was in the hospital a previous time, he had been in a diabetic coma (i guess!).  While in this coma, he was fighting and running…and everything was dark and scary.  Then, the skies turned blue and bright and a big hand came down and scooped him up.  When he looked up, he saw KK and me like angels.  He felt at such peace.  It didn’t take him long to realize that it was the hand of God.  That he had been fighting for his life…both physically and spiritually…and that God rescued him.  Marcellous simply said, “God gave me a 2nd chance, and that He must want something from me”.  I said he does…he just wants your heart.  Nothing more.  God wasn’t like anything that Marcellous knew from the street.  There was no scam. There was no hustle.  There was no hidden agenda.  All God wanted was him, Marcellous. Pure and Simple.

Marcellous quietly asked, “why did he have to wait 52 years?”  I had a hard time answering that question.  After searching through the Word, I found the perfect scripture in 2nd Peter 3:8-9.  Let me summarize it for you…our God is a patient God.  1 day is like a 1000 years and a 1000 years is like 1 day.  He is patiently waiting for everyone.

That is so comforting to know.  For those of us who are still waiting on our friends and family to know Jesus, we can be encouraged to know that our God is a patient God.

If you are one who doesn’t know Jesus….know that His yoke is light.  If you are tired, weary, and burdened, like Marcellous, know that the Lord is patient…and He is waiting for you.

After attending Commonwealth Chapel, Marcellous stated that he wanted to be baptized.  I am happy to report, that although Marcellous was weak, his foot was still bandaged, and he was unable to walk, we baptized him in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit on Tuesday, July 23rd, 2007, 1 week  before his 53rd birthday.  We celebrated with him his new birth and his birthday.  What an awesome day!! Marcellous had also reconciled with his family during this time.  While he was in the coma, we were able to track them down knowing what little we did about him….and with the help of the internet…we were able to find his sisters!!!  I mean really….I couldn’t make this stuff up!!!

Within 2 days, Marcellous had gone to live with his sister in NC.  KK now lives with them as well.  I still pray for them, as KK adjusts and grieves for his mother…and his youth and his identity.

People used to always tell me – “Marti – You can’t save ’em all!”  And that is true.  I actually can’t save ANY of them.  But…my God can!  This keeps me praying for them both, even though we have lost contact over the years.  Those months that KK lived with me were HARD…for so many reasons.  Time and time again…KK betrayed me and my trust.  I cried A LOT during this time.  You can even ask my dentist, Dr Jeff Friend.  I actually cried in the dental chair one time!  I know…it’s ridiculous.  But, KK was not heading in the right direction…at all.  I still pray that in the middle of whatever craziness KK may go through…that he will remember what it was like to be loved…unconditionally….no matter what.

It makes me think….how in the world must God feel about me.  In the midst of all of my craziness….and stupid stuff…bad choices…He still loves me in spite of all that mess.  How I must break his heart when I try to do it on my own…and really mess things up.  But…He is always there for me.  24/7/365.  I am thankful that the hand of God….reaches down and scoops me up!  I’m grateful that He is patient with me.

Enjoy the pics of Marcellous, Emmanuel, and Marc.  In addition…there’s Riste and Butch who had the honor of baptizing him.  Thanks to all my praying friends…who prayed with and for me during this time!!!  I couldn’t have made it through without you!!!!

Emmanuel, Marcellous and Marc

Riste, Marcellous and Butch

A Barber, a Yoke and a…. Part 1

Posted: Saturday, February 27, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k6, 2k7 | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Barber, a Yoke and a…. Part 1

Matthew 11

28.  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls.

30.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

One of my kid’s mom, Sondra, ended up in the hospital in mid December 2006.  She wasn’t doing too well, fighting a number of medical issues that no one in their late 30’s should have to fight.  But, a difficult life and bad decisions had led her to this place.  She checked herself out of the hospital.  Although I had pleaded with her to go back to MCV, she said that she had some things to do and would go back after the first of the year.  Unfortunately, she passed on January 3, 2007.  She left behind 4 children from the ages of 13 -18.  My kid (KK) was the youngest of the 4, and he lived with his dad, Marcellous.

Some of the youth leaders and I started spending time with KK after school until his dad could quit his 2nd job a few weeks later.  Only a week or so went by when Marcellous, also ended up in the hospital, due to complications with diabetes.  KK came to live with me.  He struggled with school…with life.  He had seen more in his short 13 years than I had seen in my life of 44 years.  His mom had made many choices to sustain her habits….choices no woman really wants to make but does anyway.  KK had seen people get shot.  He had seen drugs and alcohol be abused.  He was labeled early in life by the school system.  His siblings lived with different family members.  His older brother chose the street and was in and out of jail for various reasons.  I LOVED KK…a lot!

Marcellous was in and out of the hospital with complications.  There was a time when we thought we were going to lose him.  He rallied, but due to weakness and the need for continued care, Marcellous wasn’t yet prepared to care for his son.

KK went to live with his Aunt in NJ for the summer.  Marcellous eventually got stronger.  I spent many hours with him…as he no real friends or family.  He left his family years ago.  Then…one night he accepted the Lord as his Savior.  He wanted to go to church, but was still in rehab…learning to walk again.  But, he didn’t want to go with his hair long.   You see…his fro was about 3 inches high.

I went on a mission to find someone who would cut his hair at the rehab center.  I could find NO ONE who was willing to go.  Until Marc (you know…my friend at work) introduced me to Emmanuel.  Emmanuel has a barber shop called Edify 360 on Hull and Turner.  HE was willing to come…but it wouldn’t be until about 9pm at night.  I turned him down at first.  Not wanting to inconvenience him….come clear across town at that time of night.  But…I finally relented.  And I am SOOO glad that I did!!!

WOW!  Marc, Emmanuel and I rolled up to the rehab center.  I had NOOO idea what I was getting into.  Neither did Marcellous for that matter!  Meanwhile…Emmanuel wasn’t sure what he was doing either.  He wasn’t quite sure about me…and my heart.  But….after that night…let’s just say…we were all convinced it was a divine appointment!

Emmanuel proceeded to not only cut his hair, but he also encouraged and build him up (note the name of his shop…EDIFY!!).  As Marcellous said, “Miss Marti…I didn’t know I was getting a cut AND a sermon!” with both hands in the air…thanking God and Emmanuel.  Emmanuel did more than edify Marcellous.  He touched my heart that night.  How he was an ordinary barber…doing extraordinary things!!!  To this day….Emmanuel and I have done this more than once.  His wife Marsha says….”When Miss Marti calls, Emmanuel goes!”  I LOVE her and their 2 beautiful kids for sharing her husband and their dad with me in the ministry of loving God and loving others.  Although…it is NOT unusual for at least one of them to tag along.  Emmanuel is modeling what it is to be on mission with Jesus to his family.  May God BLESS Edify 360 and the Gayot family!!!  (Shameless plug for Edify 360!)

God wasn’t done with Marcellous yet…so neither am I. The story is going to require another post.  Stay tuned for part 2.  In the meantime…

Go see Emmanuel at Edify 360 and get a great haircut. You just might run into Marc or Louis there.  Give ’em a hug from me!  I love them all…and you will too!

m2k @ m2h = miss marti’s kids at miss marti’s house

Posted: Friday, February 26, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k7 | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on m2k @ m2h = miss marti’s kids at miss marti’s house

Just a few pics of the kids from this time period…

Rob and his great smile!

Dude, Lil Mike, Man-Man and Tony

Tony, Lil Mike and Dude

Tony and Dude

Anthony aka Tony....my son that I share with Shonda, his real mama!

Lambs Among Wolves

Posted: Friday, February 26, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k7 | Tags: , , , , , | 4 Comments

Luke 10:3

“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.”

Mid January of 2007, I was sitting in church on Saturday night.  During our closing reflection time, God told me to read Luke 10 again.  I was stunned.  I asked God, “what in the world for?  I have read it umpteen times.  What more could I glean from this passage?  I had already gotten so much out of it.”  But, I had learned the importance of obedience and sat down and read it again.  This time, “I am sending you out like lambs among wolves” jumped right off the page at me.  “Why are you showing me this?  I am safe in my neighborhood.  Nothing has happened to me.”  I had this sense of security in my neighborhood.  I was confident…possibly over confident.

Even Everett, one of my new-found friends, assured me that I was safe.

I was walking home one night from Cindy and Billy’s house, just a short 2 blocks away, when Everett snuck up on me on his bike.  I gave a quiet scream…and fussed at him, “You nearly scared me to death!  Don’t ever do that again.”  Everett quickly said, “No one is going to mess with you.  You’re a child of God.”  You see, Everett and I had never talked about the Lord.  Everett was my handyman.  He was the one who cut my grass, shoveled my snow, raked my leaves.  Everett is a guy who chose to live in a make-shift shed between 2 bushes behind someone’s house. He picks up odd jobs to help pay for batteries, kerosene, candles, and meals.  (Side note, Everett now not only completes odd jobs for me, he is also my friend and brother in Christ.  We often share breakfast together on Saturday or Sunday mornings.  All the while, talking about the goodness of God and listening to Bobby Jones Gospel.  He’ll come over and watch a football game with me and the kids…and now Louis.  It serves a two-fold purpose.  He’s warm…and he gets to watch the game.  He still struggles  with what life on the street brings, as he was stabbed in 2007 and spent weeks recovering.  But, he continues to Praise the Lord.  You will hear more about Everett in the future.)

OK…back to that January night at church.  Amazing…that is all I can say.  I was on my way home from church that night after reading Luke 10 again, and I decided to check my voicemail.  I had several messages, as it turned out, from my neighbors.  The messages came at the very time the Lord told me to read Luke 10…again.   I had finally gotten a ‘new to me’ car, and my old car sat on the street while I waited for a copy of the title.  Four windows of this car, which was sitting by my house, had been shot out.  God had prepared me for the news.  Praise God!  As I listened to the messages…I just laughed.  Normally, I would have been angry or scared.  But, I knew that God was in control.  My reaction was so much different from it would normally be.  My neighbors were at my house when I got there.  Everett quickly volunteered to sweep up the glass (for free, this time!)  We believe that it wasn’t an intentional attack, but more than likely kids playing.  But, it was still a bit unsettling.

I had not yet told my parents about my car, because I didn’t want them to worry.  About a week or so later, I was visiting Mom and we were chatting in the bedroom.  Mom began to cry as she shared with me her worried for my safety.  That Micah (one of the pastors at her church) had preached a sermon a few weeks earlier where she became overwhelming concerned for me.

In Matthew 14:22-36…Jesus MADE the disciples get on the boat…and go ahead of him…knowing that rough seas…rough times were ahead.  And that He would be glorified.  That Peter’s faith (and all who watched!) would be increased.  Mom cried as she shared this Word with me.  That…the Lord would PUSH me on to the “boat”…my faith and others’ faith would be increased!  That God would be glorified in the end.  Mom had shared…that as my mom she wanted me to move out the neighborhood, but as my sister in Christ…she encouraged me to stay because she knew that God was in control and He would be glorified.

But, I am getting a little ahead of myself.  I knew that Satan didn’t like what was happening in SBH, when the ongoing attacks started in late December of 2006.  It was a good Word of encouragement from my Mom.  I am thankful that she loves Jesus and brought me up in the ways of the Lord.

Lookin’ to the Hills

Posted: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k6 | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Psalms 121

1.  I lift up my eyes up to the hills – where does my help come from?

2.  My help comes from the Lord.

The kids were attending church with me on a regular basis.  More and more kids became part of my life.  We had sleepovers, watched football games, pick-up street games, etc.  The youth group had officially started at Commonwealth…with Sunday night gatherings, retreats and lock-ins.  Neighbors were starting to call the house “Miss Marti’s House”….and it has stuck.

A women’s small group from my church was meeting at my house several times a month.  I was still regularly meeting with the Lord through reading and studying the Word and prayer….or at least I started off that way.

Not all was great.  I was accepted…by most, but not all.  In some cases, it was clear that I was not welcomed, as a professional white single woman.  The adults didn’t trust me.  Many didn’t understand why I moved in and why I was letting the kids run in and out of the house.  Some didn’t understand WHY in the world would the kids WANT to hang out.  It wasn’t me…it was the “God in Me”… the LOVE and PEACE they felt when they were in my home.  In the presence of the Lord.

Side note:  When I was younger, I used to DREAM of having a houseful of kids….and that we would have the “cool house” where all the kids would want to hang out.  What little did I know…that God would bring that dream true!  What I didn’t expect was that the kids wouldn’t be mine nor…would they be black!

My success at work and my sphere of influence had increased.  I often wondered why God called me to work among some of the wealthiest, and live among what some would call the ‘least of these’.  There was diversity in skin color, but also in education and socioeconomic status.  My two worlds were as divergent as you could get.  I began to wonder what God was up to.  At what point would these 2 paths cross?

Challenges were not just in the community, but they also came at work, where I faced an employee relations situation alleging that I created a hostile work environment based on race…because I talked about my kids.  It was unfounded.

As I reflect on this situation, I realize that Satan will go ALL out, when you ‘sell out’ totally to the Lord.  Satan will only mess with those who he sees as a threat…..because they are in the will of God.  This was simply a distraction.

I also have come to realize….in retrospect…that I must not have been reading and praying like I had done previously.  Let’s just say that my journals are a bit light.  But…I finally figured it out…

I knew where to go.  I went to the Lord.  My help….my strength….it cometh from the Lord.

This little light of mine…

Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: 2k6 | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I’m gonna let it shine!

2006 starts off to be a good year.  I became more and more engrossed in my community. It was a time of building relationships…and just living. My neighbors were now my friends…having cook-outs, walking, community civic meetings, etc.  I was now officially ‘Miss Marti’ and the neighborhood kids were now ‘Miss Marti’s Kids’.  It became quite normal to have a bunch of middle and high school boys coming in and out of the house. God had called me to this community…to live…and to love.  Nothing more.

I was encouraged.  The Wall of Crosses have been used more than once.  Shortly after Kevin’s visit, I moved the crosses (begrudgingly) from the front room in the house to my den at the back of the house.  All because I hung a candelabra that would block the view.  On the day of our joint cookout Memorial Day 2006, Nichelle, my next door neighbor, shared with me that her friend wanted to meet me.  I was like “Why does he want to meet me?  He wants to meet the crazy white woman on the corner?”

Come to find out, he had driven down Barton Avenue one evening…in need of a lift, when he looked in my breakfast nook windows and saw my Wall of Crosses in my den….on the other side of the house.  The corner lot has been such a blessing!!!  He stated that the crosses brought him peace and comfort in a time of need.  Now, some would be totally freaked that someone was looking in their house.  Me?  I was thrilled!!  I was wowed at God’s goodness.

I had begrudgingly moved the crosses…grumbling as I put each nail in the wall…due to a stupid candelabra…only to find out that God had something else in store.  Before, you had to come IN my house to see the Crosses.  Now, you could see them OUTside while walking or driving down the road.  That very day, I set my light timer in my den to come on at sunset and to cut off at sunrise, allowing the crosses to be seen 24 hours a day, every day.

It reminds me….how people look at me on the OUTside…they don’t need to look at the INside.  I have some family, friends, neighbors, colleagues who don’t know me up close and personal.  Who don’t necessarily know my heart, because they only see me on the outside.  But…does my outside shine brightly?  Doesn’t that sometimes speak louder than any words?  Is my timer set to shine in the darkness and light the way to the cross?

I pray that my Wall of Crosses…and my life…my home…bring Peace to Southern Barton Heights.  That my life shines BRIGHTLY and points to the Cross.

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