What I'm already doing

I've mentioned before that we live in East Lake. This is an area of town that is filled with poverty. When we first moved here, for me, it was more out of obedience to God's word - James 1:27 & Luke 6:46. Now I am not only here out of obedience, but I have a desire to be here, I am really developing a love for the people.

In the beginning I wasn't sure how to minister to my neighbors as I had so many other things in my life to get in order (home schooling 3 little ones, new baby on the way, boxes to unpack, starting a new adventure with a house church...the list went on).

A year later (can you believe we have been here a year!) I am starting to see how I can really share God's word with my neighbors. Ben and I talk a lot about taking something we are already doing and invite others into that. Example. Ben and some other guys from our church workout & pray together every MWF. That is something they are already doing, so now when they met someone from the neighborhood they can ask them to join in. They aren't meeting new people then trying to figure out a context that they can minister to them in. That context is already there - working out three days a week.

So I thought, ok what do I do on a daily basis? Laundry, dishes, taking kids to and fro, home schooling...then a light bulb went off! I teach my kids at home. Education is something that is lacking in this community. The public schools nearby, we'll lets just say they aren't getting the top scores. So after talking to my neighbor across the street I found out she has one little boy who isn't school age yet. He's 4. The exact age of my Isabel. So why not teach her little boy when I teach Isabel. So that's exactly what I do.....something I was already doing anyway.

Every Thursday he comes over for a couple of hours and we have school. We were blessed to have the opportunity for are two older boys to attend a co-op on Tues & Thurs which meant I just have Isabel & Cannon at home. God knew what he was doing when those spots just "happen" to open up at the co-op. Really don't think I would have been able to teach 1 more with all 4 of mine at home. Especially with doing pre-k, 1st & 2nd grade. Doing all three every day can get a little overwhelming some days.

I know it's only one day a week, which isn't much, but it's what I can handle. Amazing thing is, it has also opened up doors for his mom & I to have a relationship as well.