Life Circle – A Definition or Strategy – July 25 2014

• Thank you Alberta Bible College!  This week, Lifeline’s work team in Calgary has been serving with Northern Hills Church, a 6-month old church plant Lifeline is partnering with. While there, the team has also helped with some projects at the college.  One of their projects was installing shelving for our ABC food packing supplies and equipment, which the college graciously allows us to store there. We’re ready for our next food packing event in Western Canada!

• Praise God!  Peter was baptized last Sunday. (see photo)

• The Lake James School of Missions is going great and more missionaries are being called to the field of all ages around the world.  

• Cindy Garland, author and Lifeline work team member, has released her latest book “How Do I Get Out of this Mess?” with a portion of each book purchase benefiting Lifeline.  On August 8 is a special concert and book signing by the author and illustrator; learn more at Cindy’s website: www.livinglife4him.com. 

• Marilyn Mead, our long-time and beloved receptionist at Lifeline’s former office, passed away Monday.  Marilyn was a Godly woman, an intercessor, and loved and prayed for each one of us.  Please keep the family in your prayers during this difficult time.  She is now with the Lord, which gives us peace and praise to Him!   

• Keep the Lifeline staff in your prayers, as they are traveling a lot right now.  Matt is in Texas and Will is in Virginia at food packings; Ben, Greg, Andy, and Lyndi are in Canada with the work team; Bob, Keith, Christi, Bobby, and Lakey are in Haiti with the teams; J.D. is at Lake James Camp; Dana is at camp; and Bob and Gretchen are heading to Canada.  

• The family of Camp Illiana Executive Director David Bean, who died in an accident Monday, and all of those around the camp in their time of mourning.  

• Interviews are being held for positions at our Grand Goave Children’s Home.  Pray that we are able to hire the needed Haitian folks according to His will.

• Pray for Yoselin and Deybee, who are serving in Guatemala.

• This week the Soloy Christian Church in Panama are going house to house to talk about Jesus Christ with the people in the community.  They are asking for our prayers for this evangelistic activity.

Don’t Make Them Dig a Hole in the Roof!

by JD Hite, Connections Director

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.  Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.  Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 

Mark 2:1-5 NIV

There are no better words to hear and the handicapped man might never have heard them if his friends weren’t so determined to get him to Jesus.  Think of what they had to do.  They had to get their friend near the house.  They had to get close enough to the house to climb onto the roof.  They had to ascend the roof and get their paralyzed friend up there as well.  They then had to dig open a hole, without being stopped, in order to lower him in.  Last but not least, they had to carry the weight of their friend from the roof to the floor.  All of that was just to allow him to meet Jesus.

We are privileged to take the message of forgiveness to many different people groups in many different places.  We want to make the gospel as accessible as possible for everyone to hear.  But, sometimes our facilities contain barriers to people hearing the message.  When we find those barriers, we need to tear them down and make a path where there had been an impediment.  

That is what we are doing right now in Arizona.  Our church has been added on and built up to allow more and more people to come and more types of ministry to take place.  But in doing so, it lost handicap accessibility.  The blessings of growth have been tempered by steps, hallways, and restrooms that aren’t accessible to all.  We are determined to change that this fall. 

I have heard the words, “You can’t get there from here.”  I have never believed them.  It helps to believe in a God that promises that even with tiny faith we can move mountains.  We know that the means to overcome this obstacle are available in God’s people, so we are asking you to help us with the $33,000.00 needed to remodel and upgrade our electrical service.  It isn’t just a matter of just wanting it is a matter of passion to make the Gospel available to everyone.  People need to hear the words of forgiveness, don’t make them dig a hole in the roof to hear those words. 

Thank you for your prayer and support.

Contact JD@Lifeline.org or 614-794-0108 if you would like to assist with this project!