Our sister-in-Christ, Phoebe, writes about struggles that none of us are exempt from: financial difficulties and life’s curveballs. Phoebe’s testimony reminds us of the importance of relying on God during our greatest trials and having faith that He will guide us through. God always keeps His promises, and because that, we shall not worry.
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, wherewithal shall be clothed?” Matthew 6:31
The longer I stood there the more anxious I became at the increasing numbers on the display. I was hoping the numbers would stop at any moment. Instead, they continued to climb. Before long I saw the number 5 pop up and I felt weak.
Our friends at Enoch Magazine moved to skid row a year ago. They wanted to help the homeless, they started making videos…some of them still live a mission down there. Here is a video about the day they met CEO Andy Bales at the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles.
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - Jesus Christ, John 13:35 (NIV)
Although not necessarily faith-related, this 2003 documentary shows through the unfiltered eyes of 10 year old schoolchildren in Japan what it means to have compassion and love for one another. Unlike adults, who have learned the ability to put up a front or deny their own feelings, the children in this documentary can’t help but show what it means, and it what it feels like, to be human. We could all learn a thing or two from them about how to truly show love and compassion to others as Jesus commanded us.
John Wesley once said “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” And as we all know, this has to start first with the heart.
Jeanelle’s recent experience at a strip club in Los Angeles County showed how love can help lead others to a better way of living.
With a crisp $20 bill in hand, I purchased roses from one of the street vendors who sold flowers. In his broken English, he tells me he lives in Los Angeles but came all the way out here to Walnut to sell flowers on the street intersection to pay for rent and food. My heart ached for him, hoping he would come to see his inheritance as a son of a great king, a priceless being.
I felt the Holy Spirit put it on my heart to give the roses to the girls who worked at a strip club called Déjà Vu, and tell them that they’re beautiful and how God loves them unconditionally. My friends, Joan (18), Peggy (22), and I (20), spent a long time in the car praying, and declaring the truth of Jesus over the club. All the darkness in the world can’t extinguish even one candle light. Where you go, you bring the Kingdom of heaven with you. Demons should shudder and flee, not the other way around. He who is in you has overcome the world.
We paid a total of $30 for the entrance fee, and went into the main room…[click “Read More” below to continue]
