Tuesday...."Your Story is Important...Tell it!" (Part 2)...7/25/17

Good morning, 

This is the conclusion (for now) of the story of Shelly and Keith. They left with faith to follow a thought of finding a new home. Then they were sensitive to what God really wished for them in His plan. They were obedient and headed back to the place that they had not thought was for them any longer. They realized that there were reasons to return to what they knew. They will move in to their new place on July 29th, and they have the peace of God about what they decided.

Live well and prosper, Keith and Shelly! Welcome home!

God bless
Kelly and Corinne
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Today's Writing

by Shelly Keith

"On the Road Again...Back Home"

Scotty and I always wondered what the Lord had planned for us, we wanted to go on this wonderful adventure and travel to Glacier and Yellowstone and South Dakota not knowing what would happen or where we would end up. We were constantly looking at housing and jobs and the cost of living everyplace we went, “is this the place Lord?” But as we look back on our time together, God just wanted us to have a great vacation, nothing more...nothing less. Just keep it simple.  ENJOY

There were so many God moments, I call them.  The encounter at the Helena, Montana historical museum where we got to pray with a gentleman who was having a bad day.  He was struggling with depression, and the doctors could not find the right medication for him.  The museum was packed with people, but, at the moment when we needed to pray with him, there was no one in the exhibit hall.

   Or the time,  when we were coming back and arrived in St. Regis, Montana.  We went into the store to get some things, and, as we were coming out there was the motor-home filled with maybe 10 young people. They were covered with tattoos and piercings. They were dirty, and I saw them eating from the trash and picking up cigarettes from the dirt.  Yes, I am sure drugs or alcohol were involved, but they were young maybe mid 20’s.  One of them came up to Scotty and asked for money.  They talked a bit, his name was Nathan.  They said they were on their way to Oregon, they had a farm there.  We walked past them all on our way to get an ice cream.  

On our way back I asked, “Do you have a refrigerator in there?” they said “no only a cooler but we are hungry so nothing will go to waste.”  I said “don’t go anywhere we will be right back.”   Scotty and I went back to our trailer and cleaned out our freezer, we had chicken and hamburger and sausages in there.  We gave them fresh vegetables and chips and cookies, everything we could fit into bags. Then to the bathroom; soap, toothbrushes, towels and toothpaste. We gave them blankets and some other stuff. We loaded up our bags and went to their motor-home.  "Here," we said, "This is from Jesus, He loves you guys! Bag after bag of supplies they accepted, and they looked at us with surprise.  “WOW this is amazing, thanks you guys” they said.  “Who are you? “ 

We shook hands and wished them well. We walked away, and I started to cry. I wondered who they were and where were their families?  What happened to them?  My heart was breaking; there were 3 young girls traveling with them. We have a daughter, and we would be devastated if we did not know where she was, What had happened?  

The Lord wanted us to see the broken families and the pain people are experiencing.  And that you don’t have to go here or there to show the Love of Jesus; you will see that everywhere. The question is do you just pass them by and do nothing, or do you give them your best and ask for nothing in return. 

We learned some other things, too. We learned to trust each other.  Scotty did all the navigating and driving, we were on roads where we did not see a car in front or behind for miles.  We stayed in so many campgrounds we did not even know what state we were in sometimes  We had our chores when setting up camp or breaking down. We learned our way around the RV parks.  Only in the RV world can you say with confidence “Can we dump here?” 

Oh, the router, WiFi is important on the road. Sometimes you have a signal; sometimes you don’t.   Another problem we are having on the road is our pants are shrinking.  I think it is those campground dryers.  For $1.75 you can dry your clothes for 60 minutes and they don’t have special settings either, just ON or OFF. I am sure it is not the “All you can Eat Prime rib buffets,” or the free ice cream social, or the all you eat pancake breakfast, or how anything cooked on the camp BBQ  just tastes better.  Wink! Wink!   

The message we received at every church and every person we met was to just LOVE others.  Don’t try to figure them out, don’t concern yourself with how they got there.  I think every person should wear a sign that says, “Damaged- Handle with Care,” because we all have something today or in the past that we carry around with us.   The freedom in all this is that we can give it to God, his burden is light; we don’t have to feel bad  or ashamed.  We saw John 3:16 thru out our travels, on signs, the overpasses, and bumper-stickers, but what about 1 John 3:16? “By this we know Love, because he laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."  

Looking forward to seeing everyone back in California. 

Our Love always,

Scott and Shelly

"THE SAME LOVE" 

sung by 

Paul Baloche

Live Loved,

Shelly Keith

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Here is an uplifting graphic

for you to think about.

Reach out to others!

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you 

by the Staff Writers of 

Women's Focus Ministry

  Jan Andersen,  Cathy Friberg,  Sandy Billingham, Beverley Napier, Shelly Keith, 

Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  Karen Bennett, 

Carol Steficek, Amie Spruiell, and  Corinne Mustafa

Occasional Contributors
Kathy Bireley,  Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,

Terri Baker, Beverley Napier, Kelly Dobyns

Glenna Williamson, Lisabeth  Lipp, Nandita Bhatnagar