The Reality of What This Thing Is. . . .

I am just putting in here an email I sent out to the girls I work with in the kitchen. Last night the events of 7th and Fairmount made me refocus on more then just the hugeness of the cross, but also the hugeness of the battle that is going on down here.

Hey Girls,

So it's 1:10 in the morning and I am sitting in my room listening to a very quiet street outside. That is because just about fifteen minutes ago my corner was swarming with police cars. About 10-15 of them and an ambulance. So I know what I was getting myself into when I moved into this neighborhood. Knew it quite well. There was a loud party going on all night until about half an hour ago when I heard a round of gun shots, followed a few minutes later by another round of gunshots. My first instinct is to check on Cashee, she's fine.

So I wonder about this. I had a phenomenal time of prayer today. Amazing. Prayed really hard, really long for the neighborhood, for our kids. So I wonder if this is a reaction to that. I don't want to sound hyper-spiritual, but I don't think these things are a coincidence. The was a battle going on here today as there was prayer, and then another tonight. So Cashee lists off to me the names of five or six people she sees walking by the window and I know all of these names. I know them from the mission and through our work down here. From the Lord's work down here.

So here is what I think. I think God is impactful. I think it is not a coincidence that people have been contacting me about how they are interceding for us. Contacted me this week. Obviously we all know that God knew all of these goings-on before we did and before these people who have been offering to pray did. So I think He was putting up protections that we do not see. The shooting was literally across the street. I saw the people, the mob from my window. This is intense stuff, but immediately as I see and hear these things, I think about the bigness of our God and the greatness of His power and these verses.

1 John 4:4 b the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

Right? So - our girls. . . . Listening to the names of the people Cashee thought were at this party turned shoot out, I would not be surprised if some of our girls were there. The older of our girls.

This thing is very real and even the ones that were not there, if any of them were. . . all of our girls are on that cusp. Right there at the line where in the next year or two they will be making the choice to be the girls at these parties or not.

I've told many of you about how many baby showers I've planned and pregnancy tests I've bought. I refuse to do this anymore. God and I have made a deal about it. I'm a little kidding and mostly serious. So let's add to our prayers for these girls simply that they are not the ones going to these parties. Let's pray in faith that God is going to put an annointing on these specific girls and they WILL be different then the stereotypes.

Ok. I think my adrenaline is going away. Love you ladies. Ohhhh and pray for me as I wake up to these things often. A little stressful, but God helps me through with prayer. . . . and pray for Cash as she is starting to see more and more the divide between herself and those she grew up with. Realizing the choices she is making are taking her somewhere. And pray because she wants to start our own bible study with girls her own age. . . .not sure if i'm up for that . . . depends on the selling of the car and the lack of car payments making me able to fully quit the second job. . . .long story, lots of stuff. . . we shall see.

ok . . . love you!

Love, Meg