Love God, Love others

Im going to warn you now. I'm exhausted so I'm sorry if some of this is a little off. Just bare with me. :)

This verse keeps coming to me over and over. I love it and I think it really describes what we do at Sabbath very well.
-Ephesians 2:7-10
Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

At SEVENS we are doing the work that God has gotten ready for us to do. Its all him. All of our relationships we've made with people is because the Holy Spirit has opened our friends hearts to accept what we have to offer them. Love.
When Im on the Pearl Street Mall I start to feel a strong sense of happiness. I know I'm about to see my friends. And possibly meet new friends and start new relationships.
We we go to Pearl Street Mall we just start walking. If we see a homeless man or woman or some travelers we stop to tell them about whatever upcoming meal we are bringing soon. Sometimes this sparks a conversation and we just sit down and talk just like you would a new person in your office. You make friends and being to want to know these amazing people more and more.
On Wednesday my group went to the Pearl and brought sandwiches to have a picnic as we always do when there is a group in. We were only sitting there about an hour maybe two when a lady named Sherry (the beautiful woman in the picture) joined us. She ate some and then sat there the rest of the time with us which was two more hours. She sat right next to me the whole time and she had the most beautiful spirit about her. She told me over and over how beautiful I was and how she could tell I had a beautiful soul. I felt so uplifted because of her. She was so passionate about life even though her daughter had been having troubles as well as her son and Sherry herself was a homeless lady that came to us for her meal that day. The strength she had and her compassion for others blew me away.

Love God. Love others.
These are the two greatest commandments. That hits me pretty hard. We always put a lot of other rules ahead of these it seems, but God says in Matt. 22:34-40 The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And the second greatest commandment is Love your neighbor as yourself. It is so simple yet so hard at times. Love God. Love others. Try it.

If you read about SEVENS and what we do and you are wondering what you can do next time you see someone flying a sign on the corner or see a homeless man or woman walking down the road, its as simple as this. Get a small cooler to have with you in your car and put water bottles and oranges in it. Or you can do what I do because it is always a great need and buy TUBE socks. Not short ankle socks. They cannot use those. Get some tube socks and ask if they could use some. Dry clean socks are one of the most needed things you could give.

If you have any questions or would like to talk more about Sevens and what we do then find me on facebook or feel free to email me.
jorden.lemons@gmail.com

Our third group of the summer left this morning and our last group is getting in tomorrow around 2. Please please please pray for rest for all of SEVENS staff and pray that the Spirit is speaking through us.
I love you all and I am so thankful for your support and love.
Great things are happening and its changing my life.

LOVE LOVE LOVE,
Jorden

PS. Its been decided that I am going to stay on with Sevens as a part of staff and stay in Colorado. :D
More info on that soon!

Sox Place

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/07/08/denver.homeless.youth/index.html?hpt=C1

If you go to that link it is a story and video about some of our homeless friends in Denver and about Sox Place. Sox Place as Ive mentioned in previous blogs is a four hour a day hang out for whoever is hungry and anyone that wants to get on the internet or watch movies. If they need socks they also hand out sock and/or clothes.
It brings joy to my heart knowing that attention is being brought to the homeless. Hopefully people can start realizing that its time for them to move and put some action into helping others.

Love Love Love,
Jorden

1st week of Sabbath

It has almost been two weeks since I arrived here in Colorado. I have already grown and learned so much. I am meant to serve in this ministry. The need is great and my love for these people is so deep.
Our first Sabbath group was from Westlink Church of Christ in Wichita, Kansas. We all had such a great week! Some teens had their eyes opened to things they may have never seen otherwise.
The first part of the week was hard for most of them because we just had time to unwind and just think. It was time to get out of their normal routine and just pray and focus on the days ahead.
On wednesday we took them on what we call a Turf Tour, which is where Benny takes the trough some areas of Denver where many of our street friends hang out. He stops a few times along the way to point out some specific places and talk a bit about those.
Thursday and Friday the group splits up and one group goes to Pearl St Mall with benny to have a picnic and hang out with our friends and any new travelers or homeless that need a meal or just want to hang out. The other half of the group goes with Niki to Sox Place which is in Denver and its a place that is open 4 hours a day with computers, tv and movies, and we cook a hot meal for them. Both of these places are great but so different in their own ways.
Saturday morning our Westlink friends left and are hopefully home thinking of ways to serve the Lord and people in their community.
It was a great week and I cant wait to see where the Lord takes our hearts during the rest of the summer. :D

Ps please keep praying over this ministry.

Love, love, love,
- Jorden "KJ"

THE GUTTER

By: Craig Gross.
Go pick it up tomorrow and be ready for your life to be rearranged.

Niki mailed it to me and told me it is a must read for our work in Boulder this summer
and just in the 35 pages Ive read I have been encouraged beyond belief.

As Christians we really need to open our eyes and not be content to stay in the pew.


"Gutter residents aren't notches on a Bible or marks on a Christian scorecard- they are real, hurting people, people who are so lost they'll break your heart." - Craig Gross
I love this quote because this sums up many peoples thoughts on getting into the dirty gutter of suffering people, "helping them", then getting out quick like tearing off a band-aid then its over.

Take this as a last thought and mull it over. Ask yourself what you should be doing in your life to find the gutter and change your life.
"Don't blame the dark for being dark. Blame the light for not shining on the dark."

- Love, love, love,
Jorden

Ps. 8 MORE DAYS! :D

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

I have almost reached $1,000 so far! Thank you all so much for your support and prayers! It means the world to me. I am just so eager to get started!!
Only a little over a month until I leave.
Yess!

Here I go

This is the beginning of where my life is headed.
In two months Ill be headed to Boulder, Co to intern for SEVENS.
Go check it out :D ---- www.sevensonline.org

When I'm there Ill be posting about what we've done that day and letting you into our summer adventure. Be sure to check back regularly!