One Body.

Yo! This is us, holding to our facebook pinky promise...updating you more often!

The night before we left the Hammond area we got to go back down to Baton Rouge with Rachel and Abe (Our friends that we stayed with in Springfield...we went to see their parents...who are awesome).

So, whilst we were in Baton Rouge, the first time around, we noticed that the football team that we loved on did not have any water to drink.  Jenna immediately texted Paul (ETBU women's soccer coach) and asked him to send us some water bottles.  They did not arrive in Baton Rouge until after we had left for Springfield.  The fact that we got to go down the Baton Rouge again with Abe and Rachel was super exciting because we knew that we would get to deliver the water bottles to the boys finally.  So we did.  We handed it to the football coach, he loved it and was super appreciative.  It was good to see them again :)

After we delivered the bottles we decided to find Tom.  He had told us where he lived and we remembered that it was not far from where the football guys were practicing.  We found his van, pulled into the parking lot, and saw Tom sitting outside with a friend of his.  Tom was obviously in the same mess that he was in before we left.  We approached him with a lot of joy and he introduced us to his friend. We proceeded up the stairs to meet his family. His wife Tina, who we have spoken to on the phone, was excited to "finally meet" us. It was sad to see the condition of the place. Clothes, trash, and stains covered the room while his one year old sat in the middle of it unnoticed. We gave Tom a bible and a letter that we had written him. He took it with a smile and promised he would read it. We headed to Mobile Alabama excited that the Lord reunited us with the football team and Tom.

Our first night in Mobile was our first night in the van and what a good night it was :) We spent Tuesday praying over the city and seeking God's guidance. This was our first stop with zero connections. We sat on the Starbucks patio spending time with Jesus and He opened up doors. We overheard two women having their own bible study. We exchanged a few words about the greatness of the Lord and before they left we found out where they went to church. They gave us their numbers so that we could meet up with them for the Wednesday service. We also listened in on four older women carrying on about their faith and Christian walk. It was encouraging to hear women so on fire for the Lord. As they were leaving, we confessed our eavesdropping and asked them what church they attended. They gave us their information and cheerfully went on their way. During our conversation with the older ladies, we noticed two men sitting at another table. When they got up to leave they confessed listening in on our conversation. They asked us about being from Texas and what brought us here. As we told them, they sat down in curiosity. We exchanged thoughts about our faith and how much the world needs it. In just a few hours, God blessed us with eight fellow believers as well as two contacts.

Wednesday we attended Reality Church, the church the two ladies attend. Reality Church has just recently opened, August 8th, and is being planted by a former director of the Mobile Master's Commission. We attended their youth/college group session and watched as the Lord broke down barriers of insecurity, abuse, neglect, etc...

After the service a few of the girls who are a part of the Reality Master's Commission approached us and told us that we were more than welcome to come stay at their house....(They all live in a house together). We loved living in the van but a shower and a toilet sounded mighty fine.  We accepted, gratefully. So gratefully.  The Lord created the body to work in a way that has been demonstrated so strongly to us since the day we left.  We were able to talk with the people at Starbucks like we had known them for years because we are all a part of the same family.  The people at Reality Church took us in without hesitation because we have the same Father, the same Love, the same Purpose.  These guys are solid.  They love the way Christ told us to love through their willingness to help us out in our time of need. Our foundation is the same and consequently we were able to immediately begin working together towards our common goal. Its good stuff...The way the Lord created the body...Good stuff. "...That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together" (1 Cor. 12:25). Love it. Read the whole chapter.

Anywho, Through prayer this afternoon we are learning that our ministry in Mobile will be with the homeless people in the city.  So we ask for your prayers.  That the Lord will open doors. That we will be able to confidently provide a few of their physical necessities as well as share with them the hope of Christ.