Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8
Each weekday morning at The Journey Home, we spend time together in God’s Word. This devotional time is led by a staff member (usually Virginia, who does a great job) and participated in by the guests before they begin their workday. One day last week, I led on the verse about God being the potter. We had a great discussion afterwards as we recalled difficult times in our lives. Reflecting on these times of brokenness reminded us how God was using these instances to change us into being more like Jesus. We considered these times to be “bad”, yet God was using this refining process to redeem these hard times for our good. Oh, how thankful we all are for the abundant grace of God! Many of our guests have had traumatic experiences, so reframing these times in light of God’s goodness helps them to heal and to have hope as they rebuild their lives. Since all of us can relate to being broken vessels, we share in the comfort that His light can still shine through the cracks as we allow Him to transform us. Please pray for wisdom as we come alongside of our guests and encourage them to trust God to redeem their past and have faith in Him for their future.
Thank you so much your compassion for others and for the many ways you support The Journey Home. You are making a huge difference in the lives of people who need a place to live that is safe and supportive. For example, a recent guest was greatly impacted by COVID due to her job as a hairstylist. She was laid off and her place of business was shut down several times. As a result of the loss of income, she has struggled to survive and is so grateful for TJH and the opportunity for her and her daughter to have stability. As she has often shared, the parenting, budgeting, life coaching and Bible study classes have been very beneficial to her.
You can further support TJH’s mission by joining us for TJH Annual Celebration Banquet on Saturday, August 27th. You will be blessed to learn more about the amazing things God is doing. Two of the guests will be sharing, so you can hear firsthand how your involvement has impacted them. We would love to spend that evening with you. Details are below and ticket sales end August 19th, so please get your tickets soon as they are going quickly. We hope to see you then, so we can tell you in person how much we appreciate your partnership in God’s work through TJH.
Praises:
- For the joy of building relationships with our guests.
- For God’s provision for the new playground and the delight it is bringing to the children of TJH.
- For the abundant produce and “bonding time” the garden is providing.
- For the generosity of individuals and churches in their giving, their prayers and their involvement.
- For TJH staff and for their commitment to the ministry.
- For TJH Board and for their spiritual leadership.
- For the continued partnership in ministry with our community.
Prayer requests:
- For many people to attend the banquet and hear about the great things God is doing. Please pray also for the many details that go into making this event a success.
- For God to help us discern His choice for the House Manager(s) position.
- For a smooth transition for the new families at TJH as they adjust and are nurtured by TJH staff and volunteers.
- For us to be an example of Jesus as we love and encourage our families and point them to Him.
- For discernment in the selection of guests who are in the application and interview process.
- For more churches and individuals to grasp the vision to be involved in TJH prayerfully and financially.
- For God’s favor for grants pending a decision.
- For godly relationships among staff and guests.
Gratefully joining with you in God’s work,
Debby
For TJH Board
