Manna and visions

God gave me new revelation the other day on my walk. I asked Him to reveal something new about Himself to me. He did. He's so cool! God gave the Israelites a vision of the Promised Land. He gave them manna to nourish them, sustain them and bless them. It was enough for the day...no more.

The Tangible Kingdom

I am in the middle of reading The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. You can find their blogs over to the right. I highly, highly recommend this book! It has been so exciting for Devon and I to read a book that so closely resembles what our journey has been these past three years with regard to building a house church...or as they call it, a missional community. It is such a cool thing to have, in writing, what we have been wrestling with and the conversations Devon and I have been having these past couple of years! I think we may go through this book with our missional community! We would love to see this grow all through Baltimore! It's grassroots, it's organic, and it's Tangible to everyone. If you read the book....let us know your thoughts!off to save Corban from the candy drawer!
Kristin
http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1496398223

September Potler Update

It was one quick summer!! I'm sure you all feel the same way. It was jammed packed for us...days at the pool, baseball games, gymnastics and a long road trip out west! We saw the arch and traveled to the top, in St. Louis. We visited the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse and saw a shoot out in Deadwood, South Dakota. We spent a wonderful week with the Brekhus' in Minnesota and shared wonderful meal, after wonderful meal! We returned to get ready for school. All the kids began a new school this year. Kaya started as a Freshman at a School for the Arts. Nahum began middle school at their new school...and Zeb and Tavi started there as well. After the first week and much driving, the consensus is that everyone loves their new schools! Zeb said, "I can't wait for next week!" This is a beautiful change from last year!
So now we are getting back into the school groove! Zeb is playing fall baseball. Nahum is playing soccer. They both have a new love for skateboarding! You should see the ghetto skatepark in our back yard! Tavi is moving to a new gymnastics team. She was evaluated and is training at level 4 and the coach thinks she will be ready to compete come January. She is a determined athlete! Corban is talking a mile a minute!! He repeats everything he hears! We have to watch what we say! :) Kaya is focusing on getting into a routine for high school. It is a demanding school but he is loving the challenge!
Devon's company, Ripristino Remodeling, is growing quickly! He is busy! We still stand in awe everyday that this new career change is working out! He loves what he is doing.
We have been praying a lot about what God is doing with our house church. We feel like He has given us some specific directions for this year. Our house church will be doing monthly outreaches around the city this coming year! We are really excited about what we have planned...more on that later!
For now, please stand with us in prayer as we put our hand to the wheel and try and balance family, Kingdom building and work. May Jesus always be the reason we do what we do!
Thanks for reading!! As always, please let us know how we can pray for you!
In His Service,
Devon and Kristin and Tribe

Baptism by fire light...two years ago, remembered

"As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is the water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away." Acts 8:36-39

As Steve read this passage, I thought "Yeah, why shouldn't they be baptized ?" I know it's dark and our only light is from a couple of tiki torches but, I looked at the faces assembled...how they glowed. I felt the warmth and peace only the presence of the Holy Spirit could bring. A eunuch...a person typically set apart to serve the king...I looked at Damon. He was stretched out in his wheelchair, a cigarette slowly burning in one hand and he said, "I just want to say one thing...I repent for my thoughts, for my lusts, I repent for all I've done and for being a hypocrite..." He laid back, draped his head over this chair and Steve, Devon and Mike encompassed him. "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit..." The words resounded and sang to the rhythm of the flowing water. Tears moistened Damon's cheeks. There was no eruption of applause but we all felt the deep joy, the peaceful joy of Damon's promise to be set apart to serve his King.

Devon moved onto Zeb. He laid his hands on his head. "How many father's get this opportunity?" I thought. Devon prayed a father's prayer of blessing, of publicly recognizing a 7 year old's heart desire to be baptised. He had begged for this to happen. We were all assembled because of his persistence. "I baptize you..." The water rushed and drenched him. Applause and rejoicing broke out. Faith like a child.

Eric walked up for his turn. His chest bearing the wounds and the scares of a life lived apart from God...a life lived on the streets, the visual marks of sin. Yet, emblazoned over his heart was a cross...sacrifice, mercy, forgiveness. He bows his head ad prays, "Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. Thy rod and staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies..." (water, washed white as snow) "You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows." I went to hug him and he was trembling. Forgiven.

As we began to go back in the house, all I could think about was the poem God had just written. Each stanza had it's own rhyme and yet came together to create it's own hymn.

Wait. Everyone begins to file back outside towards the galvanized tub of water. The torches still flickered and Kristen walks up to be baptized. Kristen? She grew up on the mission field. She emanated the Spirit of God. "Haven't you been baptized already?" "Only as a child," she said. "I have the chance to make this declaration for myself."

The children lit their sparklers. "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit..." The rushing sound of water, a sparkling light...I layed hands on Kristen to pray for her. I began to laugh. I looked at her and said, "Only Jesus would be so creative to give you sparklers at your baptism!"

Here we were in the dark, but we were lights that broke through the darkness. We were His painting, His song. We had just experienced His anointing. Set apart for the King. Forgiven. Faith like a child. A light in the darkness.