July 2015
The Mordecai Project
The Power of Investing
July31,2015 WE CAME, WE SHOVELED, WE SWEATED. I love this photo by Paula Roig MartĂnez of the trenches we dug in Guatemala this past week. Our team worked hard to dig the foundations of our women's shelter in El Rosario. Now Pastor Otto Morales will oversee the construction as we raise the funds. If you would like to help us you can donate at themordecaiproject.org.
Luis-Cynthia Roig- Que honor el poder realizar este viaje con un hombre humilde, dedicado y ungido. We honor the power to make this journey with a man humble, dedicated and anointed.
TODAY WE SAID GOODBYE to our friends in El Rosario, Guatemala. This is Otto Morales, pastor of the church I have worked with there for 12 years, Iglesia Nuevo Visi贸n. We have partnered to build a women's shelter in his community. I'm committed to helping this man for the rest of my life.
Three Relationships Every Christian Needs
Jesus made friendship a priority. (漏 Istockphoto/skynesher) When Jesus began His ministry, He did not rent a coliseum for an evangelistic campaign, start a mailing list, or put billboards all over Jerusalem announcing His healing ministry. No, the first thing He did was assemble a group of close followers. He called them His friends. Mark 3:14 says Jesus appointed the Twelve "so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach." Notice that His relationship with them was not just about the work of ministry. He was not just calling followers to perform a task. He was not a foreman employing
hired hands. He wanted their fellowship first—and then he would let them preach out of what they learned from Him. Jesus is all about relationships. And He specifically told His disciples that He didn't want this relationship to be performance based. He said: "No longer do I call you slaves ... but I have called you friends, for all things I have heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). In many parts of the church we've forgotten about the essential need for fellowship and tried to build the church without it. We developed a sterile church model that is event-driven and celebrity-focused rather than genuinely relational. We build theater-style buildings where crowds listen to one guy talk. The crowds are quickly whisked out of the sanctuary to make room for the next group. Many of these people never process with anyone else what they learned, never join a small group and never receive any form of one-on-one discipleship. Because we lack relationships today, we have tried to fill the void with technology. We think if we can create a wow factor with cool video clips, 3-D sermons and edgy worship bands, the crowds will scream for more. I don't think so. Trendy can quickly become shallow. I've had enough of this sterile religion. I've learned that ministry is not about getting big crowds, filling seats, tabulating response cards or eliciting raucous applause. It's not about running on the church-growth treadmill. Religion that focuses on externals cannot produce life. If our faith does not flow out of relationship with God, and result in deep relationships with others, then it is a poor imitation of New Testament Christianity. Do you need to go deeper in your relationships? I tell Christians all over the world that they need three kinds of relationships in their lives, apart from family relationships: 1. "Pauls" are spiritual fathers and mothers you trust. All of us need older, wiser Christians who can guide us, pray for us and offer counsel. My mentors have encouraged me when I wanted to quit, and propelled me forward when I lost sight of God's promises. In the journey of faith, you do not have to feel your way in the dark. God gave Ruth a Naomi, Joshua a Moses and Esther a Mordecai. You can ask the Lord for a mentor to help guide and coach you. 2. "Barnabases" are spiritual peers who are close, bosom friends. They know everything about you, yet they love you anyway. They are also willing to correct you, bluntly if necessary! They provide accountability in areas of personal temptation. They offer a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. And they will stay up all night praying for you when you face a crisis. Everybody should know the benefit of Proverbs 18:24: "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." But you cannot find faithful friends without seeking to be one first. Don't wait for your Barnabas to come to you—go and find him. 3. "Timothys" are the younger Christians you are helping to grow. Jesus never told us to assemble crowds, but He did command us to make disciples. Relational discipleship takes a lot of time and energy, but investing your life in others is one of the most fulfilling experiences in
life. Once you have poured your life into another brother or sister and watched them mature in Christ, you will never settle for superficial religion again. Like Paul, we must go out and find our Timothys. We must invest in them personally. It's not about preaching to them; they want a relationship with us that is genuine. They want spiritual moms and dads who are approachable, accepting, affirming and empowering. If we don't mentor them now, there won't be anyone running alongside us when it's time to pass our baton. The Christian life is a vibrant, love relationship with God—but it doesn't end there. I pray you will open your heart and invest in the people around you. J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter @leegrady. He is the author of 10 Lies Men Believe and other books. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, at themordecaiproject.org. PRECIOUS MOMENTS. The Lord brought healing to many marriages in our final conference in El Rosario, Guatemala last night. Thanks to Luis-Cynthia Roig and Andy and Marcia Butcher for the excellent teaching.THREE CHURCHES WERE A PART OF OUR TEAM in Guatemala for the past week.
Here I am with the people from my local congregation, Church of the New Covenant in Winter Springs, Fla. We worked alongside brothers and sisters from First Assembly of God in Sioux Falls, S.D. and Casa Del Padre in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. We flowed together in amazing unity and built lifelong friendships.
Un día muy pesado, en la construcción de " Casa de Ester " Sabemos que muchas mujeres y niños serán bendecidos por este proyecto. One day very heavy, in the construction of ' house of Esther " We know that many women and children will be blessed for this project.
REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN AMERICANS COULD LEGALLY RIDE IN THE BACK OF A TRUCK? Well it's still legal in Guatemala. This is how we got to the work site today.
REALLY GLAD TO HAVE MY FRIEND QUENTIN BEARD on the Guatemala trip. He brought an amazing team from Sioux Falls, South Dakota along with his wife Dianne and two sons. We have one more day on the work site today and it's supposed to be 97 degrees.
Escucha a las 9:00am (hora Guatemala-11:00am PR) a Lee Grady, Pastor Quentin-Dianne Beard y Pastor Luis Roig en radio Rendici贸n. www.rendenciongualan.com Listen at 9:00 am (time Guatemala-11:00am PR) Lee Grady, Pastor Quentin-Dianne Beard and Pastor Luis Roig on radio surrender. GOD CONTINUES TO POUR OUT HEALING ON THE WOMEN of Guatemala. Tonight I ministered to these women in El Rosario with Cynthia Roig from Puerto Rico.
IT WAS WORTH THE TRIP TO SEE THE SMILES on the kids' faces in Guatemala after our ministry times here. They loved the clowns, the balloons, the songs, the sandwiches and the hugs. And many of them prayed to receive Jesus. Please continue praying for us, we are here until Thursday.
THE ALTARS WERE FULL LAST NIGHT IN EL ROSARIO, GUATEMALA with people seeking more of the Holy Spirit's presence and power.
Enriker Paz & Lee Grady
THEY ARE ALL CLOWNS! Quentin Beard, his wife Dianne and their two sons Hunter and Tanner all performed for the kids today in Guatemala.
My friend Jeffrey Onix from Casa del Padre Church in Puerto Rico has been a great blessing to our team this week in Guatemala. Today he led our team devotions and then he and I worked on digging the foundations of the women's shelter. I used the pick and Jeff used the shovel. We are learning a lot about teamwork this week.
How do you say "huge papaya" in Spanish? Papaya gigante!
DAY #2 ON THE WORK SITE IN GUATEMALA with my dear friends from Puerto Rico, Luis-Cynthia Roig. We got cloud cover today, so it was 84 instead of 97. Thanks for praying!
TWINS ARE A DOUBLE BLESSING especially in the case of these guys, Emmanuel and Israel Garcia. They are from Puerto Rico and joined our mission team to Guatemala. The also came to Bold Venture Puerto Rico.
WITH SOME OF MY MUCHACHOS ON THE WORK SITE in Pata Galana, Guatemala. It was really good that Captain America was on our team.THIS IS THE LARGEST TEAM WE'VE EVER
BROUGHT to Guatemala but there is so much grace on our time here. Today we broke ground for our women's shelter, Casa de EstĂŠr, and then we dug the foundations using picks and shovels. Did I mention it was 97 degrees? Nobody was complaining. The children standing with our group are from the local community.
OUR GUATEMALA TEAM IS SO BIG it's going to be hard to get everyone in a photo. But here is part of the Puerto Rico team with their special shirts. So happy to have lots of Spanish speakers here!
When I arrived in Guatemala today my friend Abraham Cortez Cahueque met me with a belated but very welcome birthday sign and balloons.
3 Things Miley Cyrus Just Doesn't Get
Obviously, Miley Cyrus just doesn't get these three things. (Facebook) Pop star Miley Cyrus is all about shock value. She gyrates on stage in a nude bikini. She sticks her tongue out with bad-girl attitude in glitzy photo shoots. She peppers every interview with at least a dozen F-bombs. She's the queen of sassy. She's rude, crude and angry at the world— and many people follow her stage antics, if not out of appreciation then out of sheer curiosity. The former Disney-clean singer, who is now 22, has completely shed her innocent Hannah Montana image. Today Cyrus has evolved into a one-woman media circus. She's part vaudeville clown, part porn star and part angry poet—and she has millions of young followers who can't wait to see her latest wardrobe malfunctions or read her unprintable comments. But this girl is just getting started. The attention-loving performer (and daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus) has now become a social justice crusader. Her cause? She's speaking out on behalf of transgender teens who feel misunderstood. Last month Cyrus launched her Happy Hippie Foundation, an effort to showcase transgender youth and their struggle for acceptance. Since she has 23 million followers on Instagram, she posted artsy photos of 11 transgender people. The subjects included a 19-year-old film student who has transitioned from female to male; a blond woman who used to be a guy; and a 24-yearold who identifies as neither male nor female. (He/she prefers to be called "queer, bi-racial and agender.")
Why does Cyrus care so much for this issue? She says she's tired of gender labels. She thinks if you were born a boy but feel like you're a girl, then you should be free to embrace your new identity. "People try to make everyone something," Cyrus says. "You can just be whatever you want to be." To underscore her point, Cyrus has told reporters in the past few weeks that she has had sexual relationships with both men and women—and that she might have a husband or a wife in the near future. She also says she felt androgynous long before she ever heard the hip new term "gender fluid"—which describes someone who doesn't identify fully with being male or female. "I didn't want to be a boy," she told Out magazine. "I kind of wanted to be nothing. I don't relate to what people would say defines a girl or a boy, and I think that's what I had to understand: Being a girl isn't what I hate, it's the box that I get put into." I can't compete with Miley's huge following on social media, and my opinion will never be as popular as hers. But I wish more people would think before they drink her Kool-Aid. There are three basic truths Miley Cyrus just doesn't get: 1. Gender is fixed. For thousands of years people have been fairly content to function as male and female. We didn't need categories for "bigender," "pangender" or "genderqueer"—three of the 56 new gender categories you can now choose on Facebook. Look at nature and you can see that all living species are male and female. It is insane—and really, really bad science—to pretend that human beings are exempt from this rule. 2. You can't just "be anybody you want." I appreciate Miley Cyrus' ambition to help confused teens find acceptance. But she's not helping anybody by telling them they can change their gender just by having surgery, hormone injections or wardrobe changes. A male who has a sex change is still a male inside. And to tell a teenager that he or she should get a sex change operation should be considered child abuse. Back in June we all learned that a white woman in Washington, Rachel Dolezal, pretended for at least 10 years to be black. When she was questioned about her fraud, she said she "identified as black." She was laughed off the public stage because everyone knows you cannot "decide" to change your race. So why are we applauding people who "decide" to change gender? And why, why, why would we encourage immature teens to do this? 3. Ultimately, gender is God's idea. Sorry to get religious about it, but the argument finally comes down to fundamental ideas from the Bible. God created the world, and when He made people He created gender. "So God created man in His own image ... male and female He created them" (Gen. 1:27). He didn't create gender to put us in a box of limitation; on the contrary, we will never know true freedom if we don't embrace the identity He gave us. Miley Cyrus wants to help people with gender confusion, but she's actually confusing them even more with her latest campaign. It's time we tuned her voice out of this discussion.
A CUBAN, A UGANDAN AND A GRINGO. I had a special meeting today with two new friends. Alex Herrera (who came to Bold Venture in May) and Mukisa Muzafaru who is from Kampala, Uganda, where I'll be preaching next February. I love kingdom connections!
CHRIS MAXWELL DESERVES TO BE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION TODAY. Happy birthday to a friend who has encouraged me, prayed for me and lovingly rebuked me for 18 years. We love you. From the Bold Venture band of brothers.
MAKING A MARK ON THE NEXT GENERATION! One of the youth from Cumberland Worship Center wanted to take notes on my sermon today and she didn't have paper. So she wrote the outline on her arm. — with Chris Palmer. THE TENNESSEE GANG. We had a very special weekend at Cumberland Worship Center in Crossville, Tennessee with Pastor Chris Palmer and his wife Desirae. I was blessed that Jeremy Backstrom and his wife Amy along with Paul Boylan and his girlfriend Tiffany could be with us for lunch.
MY FRIENDS ROMAN AND INA Kotelevskiy just got more wedding photos from the big day. I am so glad I got to share that special day with them in Seattle back in February. I challenge everyone to write a caption for this random picture. (FYI, the background is I went to the world's largest treehouse in Crossville, TN with Jon Grogan, Sam Kyle and Chris Palmer, and we needed a bathroom. We found this portable potty on the grounds, but when Jon opened the door
there was this odd wood carving of Jesus, made with a chain saw. Only in Tennessee!)
HANGING OUT AT THE WORLD'S LARGEST TREEHOUSE in Crossville, Tennessee, with my buddies Sam Kyle and Jon Grogan. They have been helping me minister at Cumberland Worship Center this weekend with Pastor Chris Palmer. A TASTE OF GUATEMALA IN TENNESSEE.
My buddies Jon Grogan and Sam Kyle from Oklahoma are traveling with me in Crossville, Tennessee. Tonight we had a real Guatemalan meal with Pastor Claudio Franco, his wife Maribel, their daughter Sophie and their friend Dario Perez from Mexico. Maribel cooked carne asadas, frijoles bolteados, tortillas, cebollas asadas, queso fresco, and platanos fritos. And to drink, horchata de arroz.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL THE BIRTHDAY WISHES! I had a great party and I was surrounded by special friends. I got a new briefcase, workout clothes, photo frames and a selfie stick! And my wife gave me luggage because my suitcase is worn out! I also got lots of voice messages from friends all over the world. Sergio Martin Isoza wins the prize for most creative voice message, since he recorded original birthday music for me! And I got to play with this kid, Phillip Muzichuk, son of Paul Muzichuk. Phillip calls me Uncle Lee but I'm old enough to be his granddaddy.
Today is your bday! How do I describe you?! Mentor, friend, pastor, counselor, brother, teacher, and the list goes on. I'm so grateful for your life! I wouldn't be standing here today if God had not put you in my life. And for that reason I just can wish you all the blessings from above and many year of life! You can never leave this earth so rapture better come soon! I mean it! lol Love you very much. - Leonardo Vieira Happy birthday to my husband Lee Grady! It's been a great adventure with you—you are a gift to me! Love you Honey! - Deborah Delk Grady
May the Lord bless you in a powerful way today and during the many years ahead. Thank you for your love, your guidance and friendship! We are so blessed to have you in our lives! FELIZ CUMPLEAĂ‘OS!!!!! - Mayra Palencia Sanchez
Happy birthday to one of the most influential person in my life! Love you Lee! - Pedro Henrique Codo
8 Reasons Why Watching Porn Is Just Plain Stupid
Looking at pornography isn't smart. Here's why. (iStock photo ) I have prayed for countless men who admit they struggle with porn. After we prayed together they got a level of victory over the habit, but some came back to me asking for more practical steps to freedom—because porn is assaulting us from all sides today.
My response: You must be ruthless. Paul told the Corinthians: "I discipline my body and make it my slave" (1 Cor. 9:27, NASB). You must ask God for the power to control your urges, and run every time you feel tempted. You should also consider that it's really dumb to look at porn, for the following reasons: 1. Porn is a huge waste of time. A 2008 study of graduate students found that 48 percent of young adult males look at porn weekly, and some view it daily. The statistics for women aren't as high, but numbers are rising. The problem is that the more porn you look at, the more you need—and porn addicts spend hours (and sometimes lots of money) looking for bigger thrills. You'd be a lot healthier if you spent that time exercising, studying or hanging out with friends. Or praying! 2. Porn imbeds images in your memory. Philippians 4:8 says: "Whatever is pure ... dwell on these things." A Christian who indulges in porn is filing thousands of unholy images in his or her brain. Those images will emerge during a conversation, during sleep or even during worship at church! Why would you want those movies showing in your brain every day? 3. Porn changes your view of sex and other people. Porn addicts begin to view people as body parts. And married men who are addicts often try to force their wives to engage in degrading acts they've seen in films or photos. I've counseled guys who find it difficult to enjoy married sex because it's not as satisfying as the porn they consumed for years before marriage. Psychologists have proven that teenage boys who watch a lot of porn become much more sexually aggressive and assume girls want to be treated roughly. 4. Porn harms your sex life. Secular counselors have released countless studies proving that the human brain is "rewired" (in other words, damaged) by watching porn. The chemical dopamine is released when we feel sexual stimulation, but a porn addict needs higher and higher levels of this to be stimulated. He will search for more hard-core porn to satisfy the urge —and in some cases will experience erectile dysfunction because he can't satisfy the need for a thrill. 5. Porn grieves the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:30 says: "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God" (MEV). When you grieve someone he gets quiet. When a Christian makes sinful choices, the Lord does not condemn us but He will withdraw the sense of His presence so we become desperate for Him again. A mature Christian learns to avoid anything that offends the Holy Spirit. 6. Porn brings condemnation and shame. Many Christians go through life feeling spiritually defeated because guilt weighs them down. Romans 8:6 tells us: "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace" (NASB). If you focus your attention on porn, you will live in a depressing spiritual rut. Get up, repent, receive forgiveness and learn to overcome your habit by trusting in His indwelling power. To find total healing you should admit your struggle to someone else (see James 5:16). Transparency brings freedom. 7. Porn is filthy. The Covenant Eyes ministry has reported that 66 percent of porn performers have herpes, and 7 percent have HIV. Porn is full of disease. It's gross. James 1:21 says: "So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives" (NLT). The Greek word for "filth" (rhyparia) can mean "obscenity" or "moral defilement." The next time you are tempted to look at a porn site, imagine yourself standing in a latrine, up to your neck in human waste. Don't soak your soul in filth!
8. Porn will pull you into worse sexual sin. Never downplay the power of temptation. You may think you can "manage" your sin, but the truth is that porn is a beast. It is stronger than you are. It is a cruel taskmaster that will take control and make you do things you regret. I have counseled men who admitted to me that porn was their first step toward adultery. If you are struggling to stay free from porn, tape this article to your computer screen and read it before logging on. You may even want to write the words "DON'T BE STUPID" at the top of this list to remind you that purity is still important in this pornographic world. Get a grip. Use selfcontrol. Don't let porn destroy your life—or your relationship with God.
TOPHIGHLIGHTS OF MY ECUADOR / BOLIVIA TRIP: 1. Meeting Jerry Smith, his wife Janice Smith and their son "Quique" Henry Smith, who lead Centro Cristiano de Guayaquil. What amazing leaders. They left America in 1985 and built a church of 9,000 in Ecuador. We need more humble leaders like them. 2. Taking my Venezuelan friend Daniel Palencia with me to Ecuador, and watching the look on his face when I told him he would be translating for me in a meeting of 1,700 youth. He did an awesome job and God stretched him so much! 3. Discovering the taste of maiz tostados---toasted corn kernels that you put on Ecuadoran civiche. There is nothing like it!
4. Seeing the spiritual hunger of the people in Ecuador. Even though Centro Cristiano has three morning services, some people came back because they heard I was doing different messages. And people gave their hearts to Jesus in every service. 5. Meeting Susi de Arellano, a doctor in Guayaquil who has had a dream to have a shelter for abused women in her country. By God's grace we are going to partner together to make this happen! 6. Taking my Canadian friend Jason Chifan with me to Bolivia. He prayed his heart out in all the services when people came to the altar. And he won the hearts of so many youth. We will never forget the night we prayed for young adults in Sucre and 14 were baptized in the the Holy Spirit. 7. Eating beef tongue in Potosí, lamb in Oruro (we avoided the sheep kidneys and sheep testicles), and the maracuyá smoothies! 8. Being hosted by my friend Mario Bohorquez, who sacrificed so much to translate for me in six Bolivian cities. It was also very special to make friends with David Zeballos and Geyson Rivero, who served me and Jason throughout the trip. We especially loved the day they took us on the Teleférico, a huge skyride that crosses the city of La Paz. 9. Seeing so many salvations in every city we visited. People got saved in El Alto, Oruro, Sucre, Cochabamba, Potosí and La Paz. I will never forget the man who had alcohol on his breath in Potosi. He told me he had never been to church with his wife and daughter, but he gave his heart to Jesus that night and wanted help to overcome his alcohol addiction. 10. Spending time with Alberto Salcedo and his wife Silvia Camacho de Salcedo, the pastors of Ekklesia Church, which has a combined 20,000 members in the cities of Bolivia. They have recently written a history of the Bolivian revival which started in 1971. I also got to tape two programs on Silvia's "Vaso Fragil" program. The message of freedom for women is reaching the masses! 11. Getting to know the pastors in Sucre (Marcello and Vivi), Oruro (Alejandro), Cochabamba (Juan), and Potosí (Edwin Jorge Avinchez Encinas). And I am so glad I met Hugo Castillo who is the youth pastor in the city of Tarija, where I am going next summer. The Holy Spirit knows how to connect people. 12. One of the most special memories was praying with a husband and wife who were experiencing abuse in their marriage. The husband was under the grip of the machismo attitude and he had been hitting his wife. But he made a firm decision to stop and he and his wife will be getting counseling now. God healed many marriages during the 9 days in Bolivia and I am grateful to God for the Spirit's power that sustained us on this trip. Thanks to all of you who prayed for us!
POPE SPECIAL! A restaurant in La Paz is cashing in on the pope's Bolivian visit tomorrow. This '"Vatican Special" offers "Chicken with Pope," "Portion of Pope," and "Pope Sausage." ("Pope" in Spanish is the same word for "potato"). This special is only valid during the pope's visit!
TONIGHT I PREACHED AT CENTRO CRISTIANO DE GUAYAQIL in Ecuador on "Building Your Marriage on the Rock." Hundreds came to the altar for healing in their marriages. God is breaking the machismo spirit and men are repenting from abuse. Thanks for your prayers.
GOOD NEWS! Today I met with these two women at Centro Cristiano de Guayaquil in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The woman on the right is Janice Smith, who pastors the 9,000member Assemblies of God church with her husband, Jerry. The woman on the right is Susi de Arellana, a doctor who has been working to help abused women for many years. We are now discussing a partnership to build a shelter in Guayaquil for the many women who are at risk from domestic violence. The women are standing in front of a painting of Transito Amagua単a, a famous Quechua woman who fought for the rights of women in Ecuador. Please pray for this project!
HANGING OUT WITH THE IGUANAS in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and feeding them lettuce. No, I do not plan to eat an iguana.
BACK IN FEBRUARY I WENT TO DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA and encouraged the leaders of His Church to engage in relational discipleship. One of the interns there, Renier Billy Geldenhuys(4th from left), was inspired to start a discipleship group with young men. He messaged me yesterday with this photo after his group finished their first 7 week session, with more to come. Good job Billy! The best way to share Christ is to pour your life into others like this.
I AM NOW IN GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR and I'm traveling with my friend Daniel Palencia who lives in Canada. (He is Venezuelan and he translated for me today.) I preached to 1,000 students who attend Centro Cristiano de Guayaquil's school. We will be doing meetings at CCG all weekend.
Last Thursday we had the honor of having Lee Grady teach at Global Summer Intensive! Some people have no idea how many lives they've impacted!! Two years ago I attended a Woman's Bold Venture event that Lee hosted and it started a journey of inner healing and learning my identity in Christ. Lee you have no idea how large of a ripple effect you are having on the world. You are a voice for the women that lost their voice. Thanks for all that you do!!!! - Yelizaveta Semerik
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THIS AMAZING WIFE, MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER! Be sure to wish Deborah Delk Grady a happy birthday today. I love this woman! Some things you may not know about her: 1. Her dad was in the Air Force so she lived in Texas, Georgia, California, Minnesota, Delaware and Florida as a child. 2. She is a Florida State Seminole (even though her dad and brother went to the University of Florida!) 3. She majored in Child Development in college. Then she "developed" four children and is now helping to "develop" two grandsons. 4. She loves quirky science fiction--including "Dr. Who" 5. She is a computer genius. 6. She has written a novel and it waiting to publish it. 7. When we were first married she sometimes could not understand me because my Southern accent was so thick. Feel free to add your own thoughts about Deborah!
TODAY I READ GENESIS 21:1-2 WHICH TELLS HOW ISAAC WAS BORN. FINALLY! Abraham was 75 years old when God told him that he and Sarah would have a child. Twentyfive years later the promise was fulfilled. And Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me" (21:6). You may not feel like laughing right now if you are still waiting for the promise. Delay is painful. But remember that one day the answer will come, and then you will laugh. Hang in there and keep believing. - Lee Grady
I DIDN'T KNOW THEM PERSONALLY, but the nine people who were killed in Charleston last week were my brothers and sisters in Christ. May their lives continue to bring healing as we remember their sacrifice. Shown: Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Rev. Sharonda Singleton, Myra Thompson, Tywanza Sanders, Ethel Lee Lance, Cynthia Hurd, Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, and Susie Jackson. - Lee Grady
WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND in Harrisburg, Pa. with all my friends from Bilingual Christian Church. Today my buddy Dennis Melnichuk from Global School of Supernatural Ministry joined us. Devin Ernce traveled with me from Florida and we are shown here with the one and only Carlos Lugo. He and his wife Michelle just had their first baby a few weeks ago.
Lee, I may not always be able to talk to you, dig with you, and spend time with you. Their isn’t a day i don’t think of you, pray for you, stay up with what you are doing, and think about ways i can help. I love you, and i wanted you to know i was thinking of you! Love your son, Steven Craig Semones II