A walk in the park.

Today I went on a little walk in the park during my lunch break. On my way back there was a man sitting on a picnic table up ahead. It was the same man I'd seen nearly every other time and usually in the same exact spot. Every other day when I saw him, I usually just passed by quietly, sometimes with a friendly, passerby nod, and sometimes with nothing at all. Sometimes I'd just walk on, looking intently at the pathway. Every other day I didn't give him much of a second thought; every other day I thought my main purpose in life at that time was getting back to work on time.

But today was not every other day. It felt just like every other day, but as I drew closer, I felt my spirit within me anticipating a moment I was not suppose to miss!

I gave a friendly smile and nod, as if it were any other day. We exchanged hellos, and then it went to "how are you?" When it was my turn to ask him, his head went down, and he sadly said, "not good!" That's when I knew...today this man needed my light in his darkness! Ok, so now here comes the stepping out in faith thing.

I walked over to him, and asked if I could pray for him. He had on a pair of big, black sunglasses, but they could not hide the tears that rolled down his cheeks as he said, "ya, I'd really like that!"

Kim was his name, and I found out that he has been living at the Shepherd's house. Kim's wife of 16yrs divorced him 6yrs ago, and now is not allowing him to spend time with his son. He also said he's been having a hard time finding a job that was right for him. I think the most heart-breaking part of the conversation was when he admitted that the only thing keeping him from jumping in the river, and ending it all, was that he knew it would hurt his son.

I got to tell Kim about Jesus today, and I told him that God loves and cares for him and is there to help him. I shared with him that the only way I've ever seen life get better for anyone is when they are surrendered to Jesus Christ.

I also got to pray with Kim today, and asked God to work miracles in his life. The tears were rolling down even more by the time we said Amen. He thanked me for stopping for him, and for my prayers.

We parted ways, and as I walked away he kept saying thank you, thank you thank you! My spirit was now leaping for joy within me! I had just given this man hope. He needed a touch from God, and God used me to do it. This added to my theory of how the Holy Spirit speaks to peoples souls on levels we are not aware of in the flesh. Jesus was walking with me in the park today, and something inside of Kim knew it. He needed a savior, and Jesus sent me on His behalf.

This got me to thinking, that opportunities to share my faith are not as illusive as I once thought. Sometimes we pass them over and over again, and God is telling us to stop for a minute, take a look around, and see if there are moments coming up along our path that we are not suppose to miss!

Jesus is walking with you, so who might he be asking you to stop for today?

Shine your light.

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."~John 9:5

When I was growing up, we lived in a house that was over-shadowed by the two-story apartments behind us. Every night for 16yrs I would lay in bed with my thoughts synchronized to the rhythm of my neighbors' lights being turned on, and off, and on, and off, and so on. I didn't have blinds for a long time(the ones I had broke), so the effects where the equivalent of a full on strobe light party in my bedroom into all hours of the night. You are probably concluding right about now that, "this girl didn't get much sleep for those 16yrs!" Ya, I didn't!

Anyway, all those nights of watching my bedroom walls light up, and trying to trace each shadow back to its original source, it got me thinking. I realize now that my neighbors had no idea that their OCD light switch compulsions were in fact robing me of my beauty rest. Their intentions were simply to turn on the lights in their own world, never to know how their light was affecting someone else's darkness.

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world!" What a powerful statement! And how wonderful is it that when Jesus ascended into heaven, he didn't leave us in the dark! Instead, this now becomes OUR statement! As long as we are in the world, we are the light of the world.

The cool thing about light, is that there is no darkness that can escape it. Its kind of funny, but there is an awesome lightening storm going on right now(at the time this was written that is), speaking of light!(I love thunderstorms!)

Light=hope, light=refuge, light=guidance. Friends, let us shine our light of Christ brightly in every circumstance; you could chase away someone's darkness without ever knowing it...as long as you are in the world, and you are shinning!

P.S. May this post encourage you to be more considerate about putting on strobe parties in other people's bedrooms, if you happen to be one of those two-storied-dwelling-people that is!:)

Sheilah's Stained Glass, at the Blue Moon Marketplace

Sheilah's glass will be showcased from Aug. 1st through September 30th.

Blue Moon Marketplace is located on Oregon Ave. underneath the parking garage.

Boating at Prineville Reservoir

My landlords, Tony and Krista, took me out on their boat last weekend. It was so much fun, and the weather was beautiful.