Behind & Beyond Closed Doors

Closed doors can be a blessed thing when they allow you to separate yourself from distraction, responsibility and routine in order to separate yourself unto the Lord, if only for a few days. That’s where I am… back out at our borrowed farm; house & animal-sitting for folks who are becoming new friends.

Internet access is only available in the main house and we stay in the guest house. Up to this point we’ve never even asked for the Wifi code, wanting this place to remain a retreat. I’m making an exception this time only to be able to post for you.

Oh, by the way I haven’t escaped all responsibility. I was feeding animals & mucking out stalls by 8:00am. 🙂

Behind Closed Doors

Thursday morning, I arrived at the farm and closed the gate behind me. I won’t leave until Sunday morning, for church, after which I’ll return until Tuesday night. I’m here by myself this time and I’ve never been so happy to be behind closed doors.

This is how I spent Thursday afternoon.

The lines in the top picture (of the guest house) indicate that I was sitting in the hammock-chair (below), reading. I picked up a new e-book before coming out here: “The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming your Inner Life will Deeply Transform your Church, your Team, your World“ by Peter Scazzero. I have 5 days here and hope to finish it during that time (look for a review at some point down the road).

With the new rhythm of the boys at school and the need to help them with all aspects of their homework at this point, it’s been hectic. This chance to “sharpen the pencil” comes at a good time.

Beyond Closed Doors (part 1)

Farm life isn’t the only highlight of the week. Another was heading out to the Atlantic Ocean with Sophie.

This was our first time there since April when we attended a service with the Gomez family in their apartment. They are originally from Columbia but have been living there for a couple of years and staying busy! Though they struggle with the language, they’re fierce evangelists. Their weekly service (again… in their apartment) will see 10-12 adults and 10-15 children attend. Bro. Gomez teaches in Spanish and Sis. Gomez translates into French as best as she is able.

Soph & I went out Tuesday, not for a service, but for a home Bible study.

Two ladies expressed a desire to be baptized after hearing Bro. Gomez teach on it, but the Gomez’s asked if I’d come teach them in either English or French (common languages to both ladies) so that they’d be sure to have understood as much as possible, since it was such a big decision.

It looks like the Gomez family will soon have the first two baptisms in their little sea-side church! Praise the Lord!

While I was there, another lady came in with a separate question and we prayed with her as well. A sweet, sweet presence of God touched her. God is doing a work in her life and that of her family.

A day that already started out as great quality time with Sophie – quickly visiting the ocean and collecting sea glass – wound up a time during which we laid a foundation for souls to be added to the kingdom. What a great day!

Beyond Closed Doors (part 2)

As many of you are aware, for reasons of municipal bylaws and building codes, we can’t yet do things like put a sign on our building (indicating that we’re a church) or do widespread evangelism; inviting people to church. That all is in process, but administration is S-L-O-W here.

In the meantime, we can use the building for private events, with members of our own group. So this Saturday (Sept. 24th) we will be holding an area fellowship for other churches in the west, all of whom are a fair way away from possibilities for regular fellowship with churches in the Paris area.

Châtellerault is quite central to all of these churches and the Lord blessed us with a large property so we will be having a music fest, where each church participates and a pic-nic on the grounds.

Please pray for this event. We’re excited to be a blessing to our sister churches in the west (including the Gomez’s church in Sables d’Olonne).

Thank you

…for stopping by again this week! Like Paul said to the church in 2 Corinthians… let’s you & I be “living epistles”… written by those ministers & fellow Christians who have helped form us, with the Spirit of God, so that we can be “read of all men.”

Someone is watching (reading) you today… Be a great letter!

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