its your kindness Lord, that leads us to repentance!

I just don't get the whole screaming damnation at people...when I was in my addiction I knew everyday that my life was horrible, that I was going to die and go to Hell if I didn't change.  I desperately wanted to change I just didn't have any idea how to;  first of all get sober, second of all stay that way or how to just be normal must less be "righteous".    I grew up in church and still didn't have the tools or the ability to change.  I know someone screaming at me would not have changed that. As a matter of fact I would have probably screamed back and maybe worse.
What I needed was someone to say, 'come on, let me pray with you, let me walk through this with you"
I think that is one reason Paul say in 1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. All I could imitate was what I knew at the time and all the people around me were acting just like me.  I needed someone to show me the way out of darkness, to love me and encourage me and tell me there is hope.
Here is what Jesus says...“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  in John 13.
This scripture describes God as patient, The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:9


The only people Jesus ever yelled at were those religious folks that thought they had it all figured out


Lets be patient and loving, offering hope and help to those who don't know Christ.

they will know us by our Love

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12


I was so convicted by this today...we all struggle and strive to know God, to find the deep things of God, to find our gifts and figure out where to serve, what is God's Will for my life.  


"love God, love others" that's it. How can we say we love God who we haven't seen and not love those whom we see everyday.  Granted some people are really hard to love. There are people in my life that make my teeth hurt just being around them and I would imagine there are people who feel that way about me.  That doesn't change the rules.  In reality those people are in my life to change something in me, in you.  They are to help us see how much we need a Savior and that He still has work to do in us.  It is like sandpaper knocking off the rough edges.


You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4


Is the One in you greater? Is the one in you Him or is it just you...working, striving, trying to make it through another day.  We can't love without God because the reality is our perception of love is jacked up, it is all about us.  Love has nothing to do with you, it is totally and completely about that person in front of you.  


If you are lonely and someone comes along to make you feel better do you thank God for that.  Do you realize that it is how God loves you, through people.  He has no other arms here to hug you with.  Also remember He wants to use you to love others. You may be the hug that someone is praying for. The encouraging word that helps them hold on for another day.  Don't pass up an opportunity.


LOVE...BE IT




Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:7-12

new window

So the first of the year we moved our offices.  At the outreach center on North Street , 4 of us worked in the same office.  That really isn't that big of a deal except for the continual parade of people walking thru.   I never realized how difficult working there was until we moved.  Thank you Jesus!


Now I have a new window...


The view from my window is much different now, amazing since it is still on Ridgewood. Just 2 miles away.  The view is different, the people are different but you know what?  Just as much hurt.  It is just handled differently and hasn't led to homelessness but hurt all the same.


I see people walking in and out of the store next door.  There are unhappy people searching for something just like the people walking up and down North St.  Just like people at Walmart, the Mall or your work. 


Remember, we have the answer-To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27   Offer Him to the people around you, today

day after Christmas

all the gifts are opened, the wrapping paper is in the trash...what is left to do.  I am thankful. Thankful that as I sit here writing this I am inside, warm and comfortable.  My wonderful husband is downstairs making stew.  Sashia is doing laundry.  Enal and Dave came over to bring Ray something.  Dave got to spend Christmas with his family and he was sharing stories of his day.

Yesterday my whole family went to my mothers house, my sister and her husband were there.  A neighbor of my moms came over too.  It was a great picture of how amazing God is.  He is definitely the God of restoration.  Our addiction had torn our family apart, they had no reason to be around us, no reason to trust us but thank you Jesus!!! we were all together yesterday and I am thankful.

That afternoon all of the great people in our discipleship program joined us for another celebration.  It is great to be alive, to be loved and to be apart of God's Kingdom.  I am thankful...

I hear the wind whipping outside and my heart breaks for those who have no home, no place to go but I know that GOD has a plan for each of us.  What is left to do...make the most of every opportunity to offer the hope of Christ to each person you come in contact with.  It isn't a coincidence, it is a God thing.

Hows your dirt?

I am thankful for bad weather in the morning.  I hate that my homeless friends have to withstand the elements but usually if it is cold or raining more people come in service.  I know some are just there to get out of the weather, some for breakfast but the reality is that it doesn't matter why people come in the door.  Gods Word is spoken here and He says "My Word won't return to me void".  We say all the time if you stay around the barber shop long enough you are gonna get a hair cut, amen?!

It is the first day of the month and the streets are empty and quiet.  As I look out the window today I can hear the praise music playing, cars are driving by and it is hard to imagine the insanity that happens out there.

Today John David taught on "dirt" the parable of the soils.  Something we all need to hear, he reminded us to prepare our heart/dirt so the seed of Gods Word can be planted deep.  Each of us has a harvest coming, what are we doing to prepare for it...We don't plant seeds and just leave them alone or pray for rain. We water those seeds, pull the weeds. Why don't we give our heart the same attention?  In Psalms it says to guard your heart above all else for out of it flow the issues of life.  I need to do some pruning, how about you?

We are all called to the ministry of reconciliation and the "fruit" of that will be our crowns we lay at the feet of Jesus.  Considering all He has done for each of us I have decided not to give Him a 'Burger King' crown.  I want to challenge you to offer the Hope of Christ to the people in your life. If you have never done it before try it today. Don't worry just pray and go for it...

North St?

When I answer the question "where is the Outreach Center?"  I can honestly say that I have seen every reaction from "awe isn't that precious" to "why on earth would you go there" and generally something about "those people", nothing good can come from there.   The latter reaction always causes a small chuckle inside, you know they said that about Jesus too.

In John chapter 1, Philip finds his friend Nathaniel and tells him "We have found the Messiah, His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph of Nazareth" Nathaniel asks "can anything good come from Nazareth?" then Philip simply says "come and see".

There are lots of bad things that happen on North St, but I know that God is able to touch lives and change hearts.  I used to do bad things too but Jesus changed my heart and my life.  I know that He is able to do the same thing for each person that walks by the Outreach Center or the mall or anywhere else.  God's Word says we are all created in His image (Gen 1:27) and that He shows no favoritism  (Rom 2:11, Acts 10).  We all have to be given the knowledge of a better way, God's way and then choose it.

I am thankful for the eyes God has given me. What I see when I look out the window are broken hurting people, some who are handling their hurt in a really bad way.  Isn't that what we all are though, broken hurting people doing our best to handle hurt,  some of us just do it better or differently than others.

I want you to remember...it doesn't matter where you come from or what you've done.  What does matter is Whose you are and where you are going!

Immeasurably more

My husband, Ray and I had been radically saved by the hand of God in 2005.  We had no idea what we were doing when were asked to do a Bible study in the Homeless Assistance Center.   From the first time there we knew we had found our home.  This began a search for our own place.  After several weeks of looking we found out the building on the corner, right near HAC was available for rent.  Long story short and amazing man from our church came along and rented the building for us.

This building was the first big step on a journey that is the reason for the title of this blog.  God started right from the get go showing the He is faithful and His Word is true.  That Bible study has turned into a ministry that is definitely immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) and to Him be the Glory.

I am talking about the Daytona Outreach Center which consists of that first little yellow building but also now includes much more; discipleship homes, worship center, thrift store.  These are just a part of the vision that God has given us.

Now that you know where I am coming from...why the name "life by the window"

The little yellow building is in an area that many call less than desirable.   There are large picture windows on 2 sides of the building and one of them is in my office.  When people come in for the first time they can look out the window, get a very quick education and see the need for the Hope of Jesus to be right there.

As I go forward here, you will get to hear about life (or the lack there of) outside this window.