Abide in the Lord
Street Ministry in Whalley BC
January 20th, 2024, an amazing day started in the morning with going to Tim Hortons to order lunch for 25 Care Packs. Chilli with bread buns, Muffins, Hot Chocolate and Coffee. Then we went to, Celeste’s, a friend who owns a clothing store, to pick up 3 bags full of beautiful sweaters, shrugs, jackets, some of which were designer clothes.
From there, we returned to Tim Horton’s to pick up the lunches and packed the Care Packs in the mall including the Daily Bread.
While we were there, a couple passed by, introduced themselves as Mitch & Karen and asked what we were doing. We told them that we were preparing to go on the streets to share the Gospel. Then Mitch said “we are also Christians let me pray for you” and he prayed for us and the outreach. It was definitely a “God moment” We literally sensed the presence of God while he was praying. We also prayed together for a lady and another man for healing (who Mitch mentioned) is in hospital.
Some of us can go on the streets and some cannot but we can all pray. Please pray for the community of people living on the streets. Some go to shelters for the night as its winter but some cannot. Frostbite and hypothermia are very real dangers in winter for anyone sleeping outside. Please also let’s pray that they will read the Daily Bread/Gospel of John and receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
Street friends who we met on this outreach were grateful and thankful for the warm clothing and the care packs, the hot chocolate and coffee.
I am deeply thankful to everyone who is supporting Sound of the Lord Mission in so many ways so that we can continue the ministry. God bless you all and may your reward from the Lord be abundant. You are truly ‘doing’ the Word with us, and sharing God’s love and compassion.
With joy,
Rochelle Soza
Sound of the Lord Mission
The Marble Run
Psalm 127:1
Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
I sighed as I saw the unfinished wooden marble run project still on the dining table. Intricate little tools and wooden pieces, some a tad bigger than a nail head, lay scattered about, a few buried underneath the instruction manual.
It was our DIY Christmas gift to our daughter with 700 wooden pieces neatly embedded into wooden boards. She had to snap out the pieces in order, one by one as per the instructions, and build a Marble Run.
At first, she went at it with enthusiasm and spent hours on it. Reading the instructions, snapping off a piece from the board and fitting it into place. The marble run slowly took shape. It was a painstaking process but she kept at it. And then alas… the excitement wore off because she couldn’t figure out where to insert one piece. Discouraged, she gave up altogether.
As I looked at the unfinished structure, I couldn’t help but draw a parallel. Our life as builders of God’s Kingdom on this earth can sometimes resemble this scenario.
Most people would fall into one or more categories below though it’s not an exhaustive list.
- They have given up building because of past experiences and their own negative assumptions that have led to doubt and lack of hope.
- They are juggling too many pieces in their haste to build faster than God, and are frustrated due to lack of planning and structure in their lives.
- They are preoccupied looking at the design and structure of others, comparing and falling short in their own eyes, forgetting that everyone’s gifts and callings are not the same.
- They have designed their own blueprint for themselves and are building a different structure, and are left with mismatched pieces they have borrowed from others, not depending on God’s Word or His voice for direction.
- They look at their skills and have decided the project is too big for them. The calling involves too many sacrifices and have given up, and are content to pray about it.
- They are too engrossed with ‘fixing’ the issues of their life so they have no time to build.
- They are praying, reading the Word and have fallen into a state of faith only, and no works. Faith without works is dead.
Our Father loves us too much to give all the pieces of the ornate, intricate building He is fashioning out of our lives at the same time. He gives us the building blocks piece by piece. He is also a builder. THE Master Builder. We cannot build His kingdom unless we allow ourselves to be built up by Him.
We need to work in partnership with Him. Even if we have the Word of God, we cannot run with it and build on assumptions and our own logical thinking. Everyday is a ‘piece’ that will strengthen the foundation if we abide and obey His Word.
We can spend our whole life praying about things and never really begin to do.
James 2:25
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Let’s be willing to build with what God has given us and show Him our faithfulness in the little things so he can entrust more into our hands. He will give you another piece tomorrow if you faithfully serve Him with the piece He has give you today and in due time He will raise you up.
I guess 1-800-daddy will have to be called to finish this marble run but I know the moment daddy fixes the issue, my daughter will be back to continue.
In His Service,
Sohani Faria
Sound of the Lord Mission
We would love to pray for & with you!
Prayer requests can be emailed to
soundofthelordmission@gmail.com
Redeem the time and maintain a strong prayer life. Stay Blessed!
Rochelle Soza
Founder, Sound of the Lord Mission
1 thought on “Abide in the Lord”
Since you used the theme ‘abide in God’ and utilized the book of Mark to teach on Jan 25, I have found myself learning and reflecting after each class. It has been a personal journey of growth and understanding. I humbly thought that perhaps sharing these insights on your website might be beneficial, as we can all uplift ourselves and derive wisdom and inspiration from the experiences I have encountered. It is my hope that these reflections may inspire and encourage us all.
😊 Isabel Tse
(Comment posted by Administrator)