"For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through FAITH -- and this is NOT FROM YOURSELVES, it is the GIFT of GOD -- NOT BY WORKS, so that NO ONE CAN BOAST. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared IN ADVANCE for us to do."

This post today is a combination of heart break and praise all at once. It is a mismash of emotions, promises, and glory to God. Please read below the current situation at Willis Mobile Home Park and Morehead City as a whole, and please view it through the Cross-centered lense as the great masterpiece God is working right among us. More updates to come as we push forward.

Due to unsafe conditions, Morehead City required inspections for the trailer parks throughout the city. They have started with Willis MHP and found 16 of the first 26 trailers uninhabitable. Huge deal. This is going to continue throughout every park in the city causing massive reconstruction and homelessness problems.

PAUSE. God is in control of it. He has a purpose. He is breaking this city for a reason. We cannot nor should we even entertain the idea we can physically do anything to prevent this. Please pray we focus on the opportunity to recognize God's supremacy and His plan and praise Him yet again for His mercy and grace on the Cross. This is an utterly impossible task by human hands to fix, and in all fairness, we are not called to fix it. But instead to recognize needs, attempt to meet those needs all for the sole purpose of glorifying God and proclaiming the message of Christ on the Cross. Below is a list of needs and a summarization of what has happened thus far and what to expect, so we can each use the gifts God has given us to serve. We have the opportunity and gift to serve our neighbors! Praise God for that!

1. Prayer walks - we are already pushing teams out to meet the community and simply be there and be friends together and pray together. CHRIST IS KNOWN.

2. Cook outs - every possible Sunday after church we will go over the Willis MHP to fellowship and break bread with our brothers and sisters in need. CHRIST IS KNOWN.

3. Trash Clean Up - teams will go to help clean up trash to make a physical presence known, encouraging those around us that God loves them. CHRIST IS KNOWN.

4. Rebuiding - we are gathering skill sheests and simultaneously working with Family Promise to gather work requests to employ work crews to use physical repairs to show love. CHRIST IS KNOWN.

5. Morehead City Gov't - we are working graciously with the government for solutions that compromise to meet the needs of the citizens and the gov't responsibility to safety, extending that grace to inspectors and gov't workers who are heart broken by this as much as we are. CHRIST IS KNOWN.

6. Community at Large - Morehead City as a whole will see and wonder why in the world we are doing any of this, spending time/money on it, when it seems hopeless. CHRIST IS KNOWN.

7. Homelessness - we must ask ourselves, are we willing to open our own homes to provide food, shelter, and clothing to our neighbors in their time of need? CHRIST IS KNOWN.

8. Giving / Serving - Whether at One Harbor, Morehead City, or friends from all over the United States reading this. Please, if God is tugging on your heart to give in some way shape or form, be it physical labor, donations, materials, tools, or most importantly prayer, answer that call to glorify Him. Visit the church website for ways to get involved and mailing information. CHRIST IS KNOWN.

Please pray we trust and seek God through all this. Praising and glorifying Him as our only goal. Please pray in to the familiar prayer below as we push forward in this opportunity.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

Set free from sin and become slaves to God

"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.Whaterver you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" Colossians 3:22-23

I've read that passage a handful of times, but not until last week did God reveal the importance of the whole passage in context. It is about slaves. Not free men who freely choose to do, but slaves who are required to do because their masters are in complete control and God is in complete control. Please pray that the attitude and form that our service takes is not out of a gift we think we can give, but seeking to glorify God through the little things that He calls each of us to do.

We had the pleasure and blessing to see the kitchen rebuild at Family Promise completed today! Praise God for His work and guidance there and it is so exciting that we were able to be a part of that plan for the sole purpose of glorifying Him. Please pray for the ministry that it glorifys God and can be used a tool to draw people to Christ. Please pray though the verses below as well for complete submission to God's will here.

Gettin in it with some glue and vinyl!

The past few weeks God has truly been convicting me of our purpose and viewing Him in right relation. Tonight I was invited to Saturday Night Life church down at Atlantic Beach. I'm just gonna ramble off some of the convicting verses and please pray that as we pursue our neighbors for Christ, we consistently recognize Him as King and in complete sovereign control over everything.

Boom!

" 'I have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' It does not, therefore depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the Scripture say to Pharoah: 'I raised you up for this very puspose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaim in all the earth' " Romans 6:15-17

Ain't much purttier than that

"Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? Whit if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of His wrath - prepared for destruction? What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the objects of His mercy, who He prepared in advance for glory." Romans 6:21-23

Closet for the fridgerator

Continue to pray for us and this community as we view God in this light and recognize He is in complete control. Enjoy some lyrics from Flame about who Christ is and have a great night!

CHRIST IS

KING

LION

LAMB

GOD

MAN

SIN CONQUERER

GRAVE CONQUERER

SATAN CONQUERER

From Morehead City to New Orleans and Back

We had the awesome opportunity to travel to New Orleans, LA to serve with TouchGlobal Crisis Response over Christmas and New Years. Since Hurricane Katrina, this ministry has been reaching out the community to provide for physical needs and a way to share Christ's love and proclaim the Gospel to a city at war.



Miss Valerie's House Before



 We were blessed to work for Miss Valerie hanging sheetrock all week. We worked with Grace Community Church in Howard County MD. They were awesome! God blessed us with energy filled days seasoned with awesome conversations. God opened huge doors in our lives to prayer and community. We got the chance to go on daily prayer walks in the community and reach out through a Block Party cook out. This was a great opportunity to be immersed in the community and tearing down walls in our own hearts by being in uncomfortable situations. Pray this is what we seek here at home. If we are comfortable, something is wrong. Pray God makes us completely inadequate so only His power and wisdom can prevail so our neighbors can see the love of Christ through us.





 The best part of the week was hangin out with our boy James, and 8 year old kid who lived in the house next door and was often left home alone, so he came and chilled with us. He helped us work, we played games, and prayed with him. Being able to give Him attention, both positive and a little discipline when needed, was incredible and something that is easy to overlook. But we praise God for that little chance to do stupid dances in the street and love on James throughout the week.

 

James and Kiersten teachin us how to dougie!



Please pray that as we come home and pick up again serving our neighbors here in Morehead City, that we view God as king and boldly proclaim the grace and love of Christ shown through the Cross and resurrection. This is His city and His people. He created and He loves. Period. The imperfections we see are only part of the grand mural God is painting, He is turning this world at war with sin into something beautiful! We cannot do this, but we are overly blessed to be a part of it. Pray we are compelled to view God in this light and love in that same way He does, both within our church community and the community as a whole.



Playin some football in the street with our friend James!



"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him" Colossians 1:15-16