"That's how the light gets in..."
"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
-- Leonard Cohen
I think of our friend at Village Oaks I've mentioned before. Keith Smith...we call him "Smitty." He has traveled a broken road and ended up a humble man with the light of Jesus. He was severely mistreated as a child, rejected by his father, and wound up addicted and homeless. But if you show up to our Friday morning group these days he'll be glad to greet you with the warmth of Jesus. He and our friend Louie set up the room, make the coffee, arrange the chairs, and then clean it all up. They are loyal and consistent. They are both genuinely thankful.
When we go around the room to begin our times together, Smitty says things like: "I'm glad to be here and to see all of your wonderful faces." Or "I thank God for waking me up today." And he doesn't take himself too seriously. He'll say, "I have nothing to complain about. And if I did, who would listen?" And we all laugh.
His broken road eventually brought him to Jesus. The cracks let the light in. Praise the Lord.
News & Announcements
* Several kids came to Christ at Kids Across America Summer Camp this month! 35 of our Kids Club kids were able to attend on a scholarship provided by the grant we received from One Hundred Shares. Thanks again, One Hundred Shares!
* Don't forget to check the Behind Every Door blog as well as our Facebook page!
* Join us for the 3rd annual 4th of July 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament and Cookout at Willow Pond! 4 to7pm.
* You'll notice a new "Donate" button on the top of this email as well as on our home page and blog. If you would consider making a tax-deductible donation to Behind Every Door Ministries, we would appreciate it!
A Letter from a Resident...
LaWanda Thompson is a Village Oaks resident who recently wrote a letter to everyone involved here at Behind Every Door. Hundreds of you have prayed, volunteered, donated, tutored, planted flowers, cleaned up trash, and on and on. So this letter is to you. "I hope when you guys get this email it finds you in the best of GOD's life, strength & health" she began. She wrote about her experience passing out our "Summer of Peace" t-shirts around the property...and then shared some of her conversations with residents along the way. She told one resident: "They are not here to judge. Plus they want to show love to everybody especially kids. No matter if we are considered hood, black folks, poor, or ghetto...see they look at us like the LORD looks at us. We are all created equal in GOD's eye sight." She went on, "They put GOD first and then they prayed about it and then they came and prayed over us and the apartment. They can't go wrong with us. They put GOD first before they planted the seed now its left up to us to let it grow....I am a living witness that GOD is real, and alive, because He sent you guys to Village Oaks and I been blessed ever since." And finally, "And I thank GOD because He made you guys and he already knew you guys together was gone come and fight that devil and stop him from destroying Village Oaks and the kids and the grown ups."
Genius on so many levels. She's got it pegged on God's eye sight, for example. And she gives the Glory for anything good to the right One...and she even respectfully spells His name with all CAPS...GOD. When we put Him first we can do anything. He answers prayer. He is real. He is alive. And He has defeated "that devil." Praise the Lord for you, LaWanda. We are privileged to be your friends and we love you as brothers and sisters in GOD.
-- Behind Every Door Ministries
