MINISTRY UPDATE: AUGUST 2021
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“So, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:4
Oftentimes when I see a child running around and playing, I am amazed at the freedom and liberty they easily possess. They don’t seem to be worried about the opinions of others, whether they get dirty, or how the rest of their day will pan out. I can watch them and see their hearts are content and full of the wonder of the moment. It doesn’t take much for them to believe in something or to have the courage to ask for what they may need. They know they are protected, watched over, and properly cared for. They don’t doubt these things. Actually, they properly recognize and live according to these things. Children are powerful.
One Friday night, when our Father's Love team was on the streets of the red light district, we encountered a girl who was marked by a child’s touch. We had spent most of the night doing what we usually do - greeting, praying over, and giving words of encouragement to the women and men we come across. It was a beautiful night in all regards, several hearts were touched by God in various ways. Towards the end of the night, with one of the last groups, two of the team members approached and embraced a pregnant 17-year-old girl. They talked with her, learned some of her story, offered uplifting words, and then began to pray for her. While praying, they asked if they could lay hands on her stomach and pray for the baby as well. When they began praying for the baby, the young girl became overjoyed and seemingly amazed. They discovered that while they were praying for the young girl’s baby, which was 4 months at the time, it began moving around abundantly! The movement was much more than the mother had ever previously felt. This, to her, signaled the presence of God and stuck a deeper desire for a wholesome family within her heart. This encounter stayed with the young girl. She ended up leaving the streets that night because of her changed desires. What power a child possesses, who knows and recognizes the goodness of their father. Father, we praise you for identities being discovered and restored! We ask that you continue to give us the words to break through the shields we hide ourselves behind in order to truly get to know and speak life into those we encounter. Help us to be like the littlest ones, trusting in Your care and Your provision always, even when we don't know the next steps. Amen! Text by Michael Smith, Shores of Grace Missionary - Recife
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Kingdom Identity
Want to take a deeper dive into learning more about your true identity in the Father? Check out this free devotional on The Bible app or website, called Kingdom Identity! It is a short, but powerful 5-day study.
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Shores RioOpen our eyes Lord - so that we can see the identity of others as YOU see them. One of our missionaries to Shores Rio (Maria, who served for 5 years in Recife) shares how this transforming way of seeing others in their identity is having an impact on the streets of Rio:
Every other week, we go to a location where several families live, and the majority of people there are children. In addition to this, we are doing weekly discipleship with two women, and one of them is the leader who keeps everything in order there. We have seen through eyes of faith what God is going to do through her life in Rio de Janeiro, and that was one of the reasons we started discipleship with her. It has been a time where God has shown us areas of her life that need to be healed and transformed; a time where Light will overcome the darkness.
In both areas, we have really lived out one of our core values, Urgency and Consistency, very intensely. Just as the beginning of every new journey requires a lot of dedication and effort, our new discipleship relationships haven’t been any different. At times we have encountered some resistance from them, but we know what is really behind it, as Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians. Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and we know that what has come against us are these powers. But we know there is a greater power, which is the power that comes through Jesus Christ, and intercession has been fundamental for those times of resistance. I have been battling through some spiritual warfare, together with my brothers and sisters here, in hopes that through our prayers, the Lord's kingdom would be established in Rio de Janeiro. We understand that this battle is first won in the spiritual realm and only then can it come into existence in the natural. That is why we pray and act, as He has directed us.
May we ALL have these eyes to see the identity of those around us... especially those who challenge us the most. May we love like He loves, because He first loved us and called us good as He created us for good.
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Shores PhiladelphiaThere is a School of the Streets training on August 21 from 10am-3pm at Lighthouse UMC in Glenside. Lunch will be provided. We hope to help build our outreach team for Hope Park, but all are welcome to learn how to see the identity of people through the holes in Jesus’s hands and love them as Jesus loves! You can sign up for the training here: https://forms.gle/7Z36tWK9Rdw7eyga7
On Labor Day weekend, we have a big event here in Germantown called the Extreme Tour. It’ll be a concert at the church with artists who are trying to get signed. The Extreme Tour will happen on Sunday September 5th from 6pm-10pm at Servants of Christ UMC church yard in Germantown.
You can see Luke and Alisan with Shores Philly at Jenkintown UMC where Luke currently pastors. Visit them and catch the Shores Philly vision. https://jenkintownumc.org/
Shores Philly Prayer Requests:
- We are excited to be able to serve our community, but with new COVID restrictions going into place, it's a little scary. We are praying that we get a good turnout at the Extreme Tour and that people are touched by the Christian artists that will be performing!
- We would like to start hosting weekly meals in September, however, we need prayers and wisdom on how to go about that safely.
- Pray for our kids as they get ready to go back to school. They haven’t been able to be at school in-person since March 2020.
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We want to hear from you!
Will you help us? We want to be serving you as best we can on social media! Can you take a few minutes to complete the quick survey below? It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes and would be incredibly helpful for us to determine where our team spends their time and energy to best serve you! Thank you in advance! :) |
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Praises“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.” - Psalm 9:1 - Demolition has begun on our new home for Vila Betania and we are fully funded for the renovation - praise God!
- On September 1st, we celebrate one year of CICAF, our legal defense center, being open!
- Shores Cafe has been so successful since its reopening at our base. Check out more at @shorescafe on Instagram!
- We have been really focusing on the prophetic during our staff worship times. It has been beautiful to see God speak to one person through another!
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Prayer Requests“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” - Romans 12:12 - Please pray that the Vila Betania renovation would continue moving forward in a smooth, safe, and budget-friendly manner!
- As you can see in the pictures above, construction has begun on our Studio container at our base! This will be a multi-use, soundproofed space with plans for it to be used for inner healing sessions, recordings of podcasts or songs, psychologist or social worker appointments through our defense center, and more! You can be praying that it would be completed in a timely fashion and that all of the creative endeavors and healings happening would be multiplied in this new space!
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