This past week, we headed down to Brooklyn again to run another vacation Bible School. The theme was being a superhero for Jesus! We had three moms and their kids from a Bible Study group in Berlin, Maryland, join us for part of the week! We couldn't have done it without them!
The children learned simple truths like Make Right Choices, Stay Away From Wrongs and Be Kind to Others!

Superhero Melissa and Superhero Cheez-it lead us in our theme song every day!
There's not a lot to say, except I know our lives were impacted by the kids we met! I was talking with Allison and realized that I enjoy coming to Brooklyn because they are hungry! Not physically, but spiritually. Things are desperate in their environment. Most of the kids come from not just broken homes, but seriously dysfunctional homes. The atmosphere is oppressive. There are gangs on every block. (Devon witnessed a stand off with two gangs right in front of The Post. They were both had guns in their pockets.) Brooklyn is the largest domestic sex trafficking area on the East Coast. Poverty is the norm. Roaches and mice are the norm. These kids are desperate for love and Truth. It's so easy to "feed" people who are starving.
We saw God do a few miracles. One day, we had a couple new kids and we were short two booklets. I went through every box and bag to find two. When it came time to sit down with the kids, I realized I really needed three. I began to pass out the booklets, meanwhile praying for God to do something...and He did. There were three new booklets in the pile.
That may be a little miracle, but God met us there in Brooklyn and paid attention to even the tiniest detail!

We've decided to start a Kid's Night in Brooklyn. We will be running those the last Saturday of every month starting in August. We are hoping to run a parenting class at the same time. We are looking for volunteers to get involved! Please contact us if you are interested!

Wow! I didn't realize it had been so long since I updated this site! I apologize! I have been spending tons of time here and also some time here.

This has been a really good and really busy year for us! Last fall we started a YWAM Mission Bridge School here in Baltimore. We had 4 different churches represented and we held the classes at St. Luke's on Harford Rd. We had a team of 24! We met for three and a half months preparing our hearts to serve in a missional way. We were originally planning on going to Mexico. But, midway, God redirected our steps to Brooklyn, Baltimore. So, the day after Christmas, our team went and served in Brooklyn at Gospel Assembly Church for 5 days. We ran a vacation Bible school for the local kids, we cleaned up the church, renovated the pastor's bathroom, scrubbed, painted and more! We realized almost immediately, that were were sent there to refresh Pastor Vernon and his wife Brenda and encourage them!! They are on the front lines every day!

Since we were there, one of the young men who brought 3 kids every day, has started going to the church and is building relationship with Pastor Vernon and his family. The church also received a donation of all new hot water pipes! They now have hot water!
The Post (Community House of Prayer) is still partially standing. We tore down half of it last year and this Saturday will be tearing down the rest of it. Our vision is to build a large garage on the front that will act as the Community House of Prayer, and a two bedroom house on the back where missionaries who have a heart for this vision will move in and facilitate full time. We are taking it one step at a time. And to be honest, it has been a very frustrating walk. You can read a bit here. But, we are committed to walking it out. We could really use prayer in this area for wisdom, break through and finances.

We are planning another VBS in Brooklyn this summer. One of the ladies in our house church, purchased a curriculum on the Holy Spirit. We are very excited to get started! We have also been contacted by a group in Berlin, MD who want to come and serve that week! This is a huge answer to prayer and a number of this team teach in a Montessori school...so their talents will definitely be used!

Our house church has spent this year really knitting together and living out community! It has been a beautiful thing to be a part of! We love this family! We have also done a lot of outreach with them! We've been serving monthly at Ridge...lovin' on the skaters there. Word on the street is, the skatepark is going to be torn down by the county. We're not sure what will happen with all those boys! There is a huge need in Parkville for a place for them to skate! Not too long ago, two of those boys came to house church and we asked them, "What does church look like to you? If it could look any way, what would it look like?" They answered, "A skatepark!" Ahh...we are praying about this! How amazing would it be to be able to build a skatepark where church happened?! Didn't Jesus always meet people on their turf? Anyway, more things we have committed to prayer!

Personally...
Devon's business, Ripristino Remodeling, is growing and thriving! Last year was tough. Let's put it this way, the government paid us to have a business! But, God was so faithful! We never missed a mortgage payment and we always had food on the table. We also watched our Father miraculously pour in generous provision in the month of December!! We stood in awe of how He met our needs above and beyond all we had asked or imagined!
Devon has also hired a friend, who is a missionary in Baltimore city. It's been great fellowship! He just landed a big job we've been praying for for over a year! Devon's excited and a bit nervous! But, it's good! He also is waiting for his MHIC license to come any day now! Devon has also been asked to go with our friend Noe to Rwanda in June. He will be going for 7-10 days to serve alongside Noe in the work he is doing their with Africa For Jesus. This is also partially a scouting trip to see what it would be like to take a team there next year.

Kristin's company, LoveFeast Life is gearing up for a breakout year! Her blog that she co-writes with bff Chris Ann, has been a great, creative outlet and has been well received in the blogging community. They are learning tons about social media and are excited about where it will take them! Keep an eye on the blog for fun new adventures! She was also elected to the Board of Directors at the kids school. She will be serving a second term next year. She is also agreed to be Vice President for Safe House of Hope. This is an organization that has been started to help victims of sex trafficking be healed and restored back into their community. Kristin spends the rest of her days being the Transporter!

Kaya is wrapping up his sophomore year! It has been a much better year for him! He will be 16 in June and is eagerly looking forward to getting his driver's license and working this summer to save some money. He has been going to a youth group this year and is now one of their student leaders. This has been an incredible experience for him and we've really seen him blossom!

Nahum is still a straight A student. He keeps us on all task! Right now he is on an Outward Bound excursion with his class. He has been camping, serving and exploring in and around his city! He has also been taking drum lessons and is loving it! He really has a gift with music we hope he continues to explore!

Zeb is also a straight A student. He has matured so much this year and grown tall! He is about to pass Kristin just like the other two boys have done (not that it's hard to do!) He broke his arm this year and missed travel team, baseball try outs. About a week into the season, we got a call from the coach. A kid on the team broke a bone and he wanted to know if Zeb would step in. It turns out the kid played Zeb's positions! So, he's back in action!


Tavi is still working out 9 hours a week with her team. But, she broke her ankle a week after Zeb got his cast off. It was a stress fracture. She got her boot off a week before her States Meet. She did really well considering she was not fully conditioned! We are so proud of her hard work and determination! She is also on a dance team at her school and loving it!

Corban keeps us entertained, daily!! He is sharp and witty...too witty for a three year old which keeps us laughing! He tries hard to be one of the big kids and yet knows when it's beneficial to be the youngest! He loves playing in the new tree house the kids built with Devon and riding his bike!

Thank you all for standing with us and being a part of our lives!! We know we don't talk or see some of you often enough, but we love you! We love the stories and memories we have shared and look forward to new ones!

Our prayer needs right now:
*Wisdom for how to rebuild the house of prayer
*Favor with the office of permits
*Finances for house of prayer to be built.
*That God would direct the planning of the VBS this summer and unify team.
*Devon's trip to Rwanda would be laid out by God and all the steps ordained.
*Finances for Rwanda trip to come through. $2,500.
*Jesus would continue to knit together our house church and give us direction with skaters.

We love you all and thank you!!
In His Service,
Devon and Kristin and Tribe

The Post: Community House of Prayer

We know it's been a while since we updated our blog and we apologize! As most of you know, Chris Ann and I (Kristin) have started a business, Love Feast, that features a blog, http://www.lovefeasttable.com/, and it has taken over a lot of my time. It has been fun and a great creative outlet! But, for today, I wanted to take time to share a bit more personally.

Since the last time we posted, the House of Prayer in Brooklyn, MD caught on fire. We had a time of praying in and around the property and God released many words and visions. A number of people had the verse, "Beauty out of ashes..." and felt there was a wealth of fruit under the soil of the property. Kaya had a name given to him for the property, The Post. He said, "Because a post is a place where messages go in and come out. A post was a safe house in times of war. And a post is driven securely in the ground and does not move." We have adopted this name for the community house of prayer (CHOP).

We had a number of words and leads for putting up a pre fab house in place of the burned down one. Our vision is for a two bedroom house in the back with a large garage on the front that can be opened as a CHOP. Devon walked through the doors calling banks, investors, builders, you name it. Because of the economy, there are no rehab or new construction loans available...at all. We feel at this point, as far as obtaining financing ourselves, the doors are closed.

In our own skin, we began to think maybe we should just sell the property, as is...and in all honesty, we're not sure what to do now. Two thirds of the burned property is torn down. It will cost close to $2,000 to tear the rest down. Which we don't have. Do we begin to pray in the part that's left? Move into the area spiritually and see what God does? Do we sell it as is and take the money and roll it into a property closer to our neighborhood? We are really in a time of seeking God for His direction. We know He sees the bigger picture and that His ways are not our ways. We know He can take the heap out of ashes and restore it into something beautiful...but, it has to be Him! Would you pray with us and for us to make a wise decision. Not based on what makes sense, but on what Jesus wants. Thank you!

Our missional community, Safe House, is coming into a new season as well. As we look back at the past four years, we have seen God's hand of direction moving, changing and shaping us. Last year we began to go out into the community more. This year, we are seeing a greater multiplication of that! We were just recently asked to get involved with the elementary school in our area. We are still preparing and sharing meals once a month with women in our neighborhood. We will start back up this month (now that it's getting warmer) throwing down dinner for the skaters up the road. We have also learned of new house churches popping up in our community and are praying for God to knit us together with them as a way of networking and encouraging one another. We are also making plans to begin teaching Mission Bridge courses(missions training through Youth With a Mission) this year. We have a family leaving us in July to become full time missionaries in Tanzania, Africa http://azali.org/. We are so excited about what God is doing with them! His hand is upon their family and we know He has prepared a place for them in Africa! We are also in the process of filing for non profit status with the state.

We are excited about all that God is doing in our community! He is bringing people together and sending people out!!

We will try and stay in touch a bit more often! Thank you for your prayers and support!

These photos are from The Post. Please share with us any words or pictures that God may give you! We have our hearts and ears open!!

God's grabbing our hearts...

Just this past Sunday, we had a time of sharing stories about what God has been doing in and among our community, Safe House, over the holidays. Once again, God wove a story that only He could do!! We shared how we purchased the property in Baltimore two days before Christmas. We described the property and how it has two houses on it...one for a house of prayer and the other for urban missionaries to move in! We told the story about when Devon went down there to meet the existing tenants. Devon walked into a sex trafficking operation. There were no less than 5 girls and one boss man. (On a side note, God has been moving our group into this type of ministry in the past few months.) So, to walk into this...in the house that God wants to redeem as a house of prayer...of all houses in Baltimore....well, we saw the hand of Jesus! We shared how we felt we should let this man live there for a couple of months while we do renovations. We believe God will give us a door into that community.


Then D shared about a phone call she received from a couple of grad students. They wanted to help her obtain grants for any project she saw need for with regard to the sex trafficking industry. She said, "I want to open transitional housing for girls who need a way out." The students said, "No problem!" Within a couple of weeks a large grant document was written, a free office obtained and four additional volunteers found! The name of this ministry? Safe House of Hope.


Then Irene, who just arrived here from Holland, shared about a word God gave her in prayer back in October...before we even met her. He said, "I will establish a house of prayer in Baltimore City." There was more she shared that confirmed what God had laid on our hearts to do!


Fast forward two days...just last night we met with two young men who have spent time in training at IHOP (International House of Prayer). One went with the intent to come back and open a house of prayer in Baltimore. They both had committed their lives to living in the city, building community with their neighbors and being missional in every aspect of their lives. We shared our vision for the house...they shared theirs...not totally sure where this all will take us...but confident there is a spiritual convergence happening!


So, we continue our journey! It really is fun to hop out of the boat, not sure if you will walk or drown, but time and again, Jesus is the hand that holds us up!!


On January 25, from 3-5, we will have a time of intercession at our home specifically for the Baltimore house of prayer and Safe House. If you have a heart for this, or know someone who does, please join us!! Our prayer is that God will unite brothers and sisters all over Baltimore to fall on their faces for our city.


If you have any questions, please feel free to call 410-262-5785.

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

2008 Wrap Up

As I sit and think back to this past year and all the suprises and gifts it brought, I am humbled.

It brought us a funny and animated Corban! He has the vocabulary of a three year old! It is so wild to have a glimpse into a one year old's mind through his words. Just the other day I told him it was time to take a nap. He rolled his eyes at me and said, "Gimme a bwreak!" We find it hard to not laugh...he is so adorable!

Tavi has found her passion...gymnastics. Or as she told me the other day, "I think I'm addicted to gymnastics!" She has taken rec gymnastics for two years, but was wanting to stay at the gym longer and longer. She tried out with a new gym and the coach placed her in level four and said she'd be ready for competition within the year. She has three days of practice a week, at three hours a pop! She is loving it and very dedicated!

Zeb has found his place at his new school. (Tavi and Nahum also go here.) He has been a junior coach, assisting all classes during lunch in organized recess games. He was also chosen to be on a junior engineering team, designing a roller coaster out of recycled materials. He is thriving at this school! He is counting down the days until travel baseball tryouts!

Nahum has also fallen in love with his school. He thanks us almost daily for finding this school. He is on the National Academic league and his team is undefeated! He loves his history teacher, Mr. Ruby, who has made scoping the globe interesting and fun! He loves writing and it shows in the imagination that comes through his stories! He is still aspiring to follow in Devon's footsteps and be a chef!

Kaya is finding the balance between the rigorous requirements at his school and extra curricular activities. He has a long day, 8-4. Half of his day is spent in acting classes and the other half, in academic classes. He loves his school more than he thought he would! He just wrapped up the show, Les Miserables, with CPM and a traveling show of Pocket Full of Rhymes at the Baltimore Museum of Art. This year has brought much change in his life, between going to high school and meeting his biological dad, Bart and half sister, Taylor for the first time. He has handled it with grace and strength. Bart is quickly becoming a part of the family and we stand in awe of how God has worked things out for His glory.

Devon's business, Ripristino Remodeling is thriving and growing! He had to hire numerous people this year just to keep up! (We're so glad Marc made his way up from GA a couple of times, just to help out!) He loves what he is doing! Last week he just settled on our first investment property in Brooklyn, MD. It has two houses on it. One we will renovate and rent out and the other, we have dedicated to God as a house of prayer for Baltimore. We are not sure how God will fill it and use it, but we step out in faith knowing that He has a plan!

I started a business with my friend Chris Ann this year. We are in the middle of writing a cookbook memoir based on meals we have shared over the years (using Devon's recipes of course!) We also started a blog http://www.lovefeasttable.com/ to begin to journal our thoughts on love feast. I am so excited to have this outlet and to be walking this road with Chris Ann! We have had a lot of fun and laughs already. Who knows where it will take us. As we say, "We're big in our own minds!"

Safe House, the missional community we are a part of, has transformed this year! God has taken us on many adventures that are outside of the walls. We have thrown down love feasts for skateboarders, for ladies in the neighborhood and given out Thanksgiving dinners. He is teaching us about unity, love and service. We are blessed to have such a diverse and creative group to do life with!

It has been quite a year! Really too much to share in a single letter. Hopefully this gives you a glimpse!

I was reading this morning and was struck by a passage in Ephesians 5:2 "...live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

That's our goal as we enter into this New Year, to live a life of love.

May Jesus pour out His love and fragrance to you and your family this year!!

In love,

Devon, Kristin, Kaya, Nahum, Zeb, Tavi and Corban

Thanksgiving 2008

Golden beets, red beets, turnips and parsnips roasted to perfection! Sweet potatoes married with fennel and baked. A big plump turkey, steaming hot and sparkling ruby red. Sausage, sage, sundried tomato stuffing finished with the perfect crunch of walnuts. Garlicky mashed potatoes. Did I mention a nice glass of red wine? Family. Friends. New aquantances. This made up our Thanksgiving! It was a wonderful evening! But, as we washed the dishes at the end of the night and sliced a piece of apple pie, I couldn't help but think back to the morning. At 8am on Thanksgiving morning, about 50 people came together at a local church. Some had made turkey and others had baked muffins! We had enough food to make 200 dinners. It was amazing! The group that came together, represented 4 different churches! We heated turkey together, mashed potatoes together, plated food and washed dishes together. We circled up for a time of prayer and in unison, recited the Our Father. About 6 teams went out that day. We spilled out all over the city. Some groups didn't have enough food to give out. Others had to hunt in back alleys and unknown places to serve a meal. It was the body of Christ, representing the Thanksgiving table in a tangible way. I met new people that morning. I met Ira who reminded me that there is always something to be grateful for. I met a grandmom who wanted extra plates to share with her friends that were shut ins. I met a lady...who was just talking with a friend and wondering how they would get food that morning.

This Thanksgiving, my table grew a few feet and my "thank you" list, grew a little longer.

just for a moment...

Just for a moment...she was a normal woman, hanging out with friends...eating homemade chicken noodle soup and chicken curry salad on a roll. Just for a moment she engaged in conversations about living, eating, kids... Just for a moment, her stomach was satisfied and her story was heard. For a moment, she was warm. For a moment, she mattered.

We threw down a different type of love feast last week. It was a ladies luncheon. There was only five of us. A homeschool mom. A hair salon owner. A momma with three adopted children from Africa (with foil in her hair...she took a break to eat while the color was setting up!). A neighbor and her daughter. A single mom who is head of the local PTA. And a woman who is a victim of the sex trafficing industry. We set the table, like we would in our own home. We used the china and brewed the coffee. D brought homemade chicken noodle soup and I made homemade apple caramel cake. We sat together. We talked. We laughed and we cried. We knew the Holy Spirit had joined us.
I can't even begin to explain what unfolded. To the outsider looking in, it was just another ladies luncheon. For us, we felt a touch from our heavenly Father. It was a moment. A moment of knowing He had laid this feast out for the five of us. A moment where we knew we mattered.

Love Feast at Ridge

I'm writing this after having gotten back from our second Love Feast at Ridge. Tonight was a bit different than the first. The kids greeted us and waited patiently for the food to be finished. While it was cooking, about 20 of us headed out with shovels, rakes, brooms and trash bags. We quietly hit the perimeter of the lot, cleaning up the heaps of cups, broken decks, empty spray paint cans and plastic bottles. Looking at it, I thought we'd never make a dent. But, within minutes a number of the skaters asked if they could help. We filled 14 contractor bags.

Some of the kids lingered this time. They shared their stories and told us about their art. At one point tonight I thought..."have you ever had a moment, the moment, when you know you are exactly where you are meant to be?" Tonight was one of those moments for me. It was a love feast. We met these guys at their table...in their world. We served and ate with them. We listened and we shared. We left knowing, this is just the beginning.

Love Bombing

Last weekend we threw down a love feast at an underground skatepark not far from our home. For the last five years, skaters have come in droves to an abandoned parking lot. They have made it their own. As you walk into the area, past the metal gate you notice immediately this is sacred ground. You know you are walking into the precious territory of a misunderstood culture. It is an art installation...an expression. It reflects hurt and hope. It reflects love and hate. Above all, it reflects passion. These boys were passionate! The youngest one had to be 9 and the oldest, in his college years. (I couldn't help but think of the movie the Lost Boys. )

A couple of us went early the morning of our love feast to do a little prayer tagging, as we like to call it! We prayed over the area and asked Jesus to use us to bring more love to that place.

In the evening a group of us piled in trucks and vans with a grill, food and the tables we had made out of broken skatedecks we had taken from the area. We arrived and set up in a corner of the park. It didn't take long for a the line of hungry skaters to form...I think the smell of bacon cheeseburgers on the grill is enough to get anyone's attention! The kids began to ask, "What are you doing this for?" "What are you promoting?" I listened as our group answered. "We just thought you'd be hungry." "We wanted you to know someone cares about you guys." "We're not promoting anything...we like to call this a love feast." Some of the kids couldn't believe it. One kid said, "No one likes skaters. My mom wouldn't even feed my skater friends."

We ate with the kids, hung out and watched them skate. I can't help but think of worship when I see kids skateboarding. I can't help but think of the absolute abandonment they give to their sport...there is no fear. They ride and perform as if no one is watching. They give everything to that moment. I'm teared up just thinking about it. What if I gave everything to the moment...without fear. What if I worshipped with every part of my body, mind and soul not caring about who was watching? I know...they may not know who they're skating for...but, I know in my spirit, God knows. He is watching them and enjoying their expression. He is longing for them to turn their faces upward and have them see His smile. He wants them to feel his pleasure in their worship!

I learned a lot this weekend. There is something beautiful that happens when we go out of our comfort zone and open our hearts up to a different perspective. Our God is so creative and so immense!! There is no limit to the way He expresses Himself...and no limit to the way He has created us to express ourselves! I am so thankful for partaking in this love feast!

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.

Yahweh I need your help

Yahweh...I need your help
"Yahweh"Take these shoesClick clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoesAnd make them fit
Take this shirtPolyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirtAnd make it clean, clean
Take this soulStranded in some skin and bones
Take this soulAnd make it singYahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is bornYahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn
Take these hands Teach them what to carry
Take these hands Don't make a fist
Take this mouth So quick to criticise
Take this mouth Give it a kissYahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is bornYahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn
Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean This love is like a drop in the oceanYahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now Why the dark before the dawn?
Take this city A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break

by U2

Be obedient to today....

We know it has been a while since we have updated everyone on where we are and what we are up to. The last time we sent out an update, we told you we were praying about setting up a YWAM base here in Baltimore. We went and met with Ramona (the YWAM northeast director)in Georgia. She listened to us, prayed with us, asked us questions and just processed with us. There were no immediate answers from God whether we should or we shouldn't proceed. We came back here and continued to seek Him and take a look at our lives and where we, as a family, are headed. God began to slow down our thinking...bring things into focus...quiet other noises and sounds. He began to show us our lives, in the moment. He spoke to us about a couple of things. One, that we are raising five kids. That is more than a full time job. In order to do that well, we need to focus on them and on building a healthy family and a secure launch pad for their lives. This is our primary ministry. Second, He told us to look at what He was blessing in our lives...He pointed to the house church that meets in our home on Sunday nights. He showed us the fruit that has come out of it in the past two and a half years. Third, He has opened our eyes to our community around us...our neighbors. We know, none of this is major revelation...but, in it's simplicity, it is!

"Be faithful with what is in front of you..." that has been the resounding theme here in the Potler household. So, we are not moving forward with YWAM. We are going to continue to put our hand to the plow that God already has our hands on. We are going to raise our kids. Love our neighbors and build into the relationships within our house church community.

Some of you might know, Devon switched careers last fall. It was a total leap of faith. But, Devon felt God's strong leading. We are so humbled by God's blessing on this venture. He has provided for us in ways that we never could've imagined! Devon loves what he is doing! He is doing home remodeling on his own. He is planning on applying for a contractor's liscence this year. He has tons of work, and because it is his own company, has the freedom to take off. He went to Mexico with the Espositos in May. God began to open up doors there for coffee house ministry as well...more on that another time!

Kaya starts high school at the end of August. He is excited and nervous. Kaya also had a really important thing happen this spring...he met his biological dad, Bart. It was God ordained timing. We didn't know where he was, Bart never knew about Kaya, but Kaya knew about Bart. We just always trusted God's timing in the whole situation. Our brother in law (who knew Bart) heard from him out of the blue on My Space in December. We took a deep breath and contacted Bart right away. He was suprised, excited and nervous to meet Kaya. It turned out that he now lives about 10 miles from our house. It also turns out, that he went to the same high school that Kaya will be attending. They have since met, hung out and are getting to know one another. Kaya also met his half sister, Taylor. She is a year younger, but looks a lot like Kaya (see pic). She is a musician as well! Kaya is soaked with the creative gene!

So, this spring brought a lot of suprises, blessings and answers for our family! Our family has grown! Our business has grown and the house church needs to find a new place to meet.

We truely are in awe of God's ways and His process. We are done trying to figure it all out...we are learning about just being obedient to today, the moment... We don't want to miss a thing that He has for us.

I know this is a long blog...bear with me for one more moment...a friend of ours is sick, very sick. I asked her recently why she doesn't rest, why she's still working...she said to me, "Time is not my own. God put me on this earth to do a job. I will use my every last breath, doing what God made me to do."

We don't want to miss a moment.

We love you all...we will continue to post updates here on this blog site (instead of loading down your email with high content files!) Please let us know how you are doing!

We appreciate your prayers and your standing with us in this life thing. Please pray that His voice becomes clearer to us...that every day, we hear what He has...

In Jesus,

Devon, Kristin, Kaya, Nahum, Zeb, Tavi and Corban

We Are Legend

Last night, my husband and I watched the movie, I Am Legend with Will Smith. The movie itself was okay, but some of what was said, has been with me all day. At one point, Will Smith's character quotes Bob Marley. Bob Marley believed that in order to stop violence and hatred, more love and music should be interjected, therefore diminishing the power of violence. My mom used to say, "kill them with kindness...it's like heaping hot coals upon their heads." The idea is if more of us rise up with love, it will overshadow hate.
Lately, God has been talking to me about this very idea. As brothers and sisters gather in His name, as we have community, love one another, meet for meals...we bring the light. The more believers, the more light. As we build relationships and share the love of Jesus, the light gets bigger...it pushes out the darkness.
What if a house church meets right in a community and neighbors come to know Jesus. The house church grows so that another house is needed up at the top of the street...then another around the corner...or over a block. The light is being brought into darkness. Because Jesus is being lifted up, all men are drawn unto Him.
I had a vision last year of "safe houses". I was standing in a field, and dotting the field were white tents all aglow. It was night...but the tents were glowing. To me, they represented safe houses, places where Jesus offered safety, healing, restoration, family, fellowship, nourishment, refreshing...from the darkness.
I think this is what He wants to do with His church in this season. I think Jesus wants there to be safe houses all over our neighborhoods and in our cities. He wants to interject more light than darkness...more love than hatred...more peace than violence.
But, just like in the movie, I think we need to be willing to lay down our lives. We need to be willing to be uncomfortable. We need to be willing to lay down our fears. We need to be willing to be on guard and watchful all the time. We need to be willing to be inconvenienced.
I'm tired of seeing so many people living in the darkness. I'm tired of meeting so many broken people. Just in the last two weeks, in my neighborhood, I have witnessed three drug deals, two prostitutes being picked up, crack addicts smoking a pipe, squatters making a home under a porch, all of my husband's tools be stolen out of his car, suicide and violence in the elementary school. Everything in me wants to run away...but, I don't want to give into fear. I don't want it to control my life or my kids lives. I want to stand and believe and hope that the light can be bigger. But, from experience, I KNOW, my light alone can not push it all away. I need "us", my brothers and sisters...I need community...I need the church.... My neighborhood needs love to be bigger than the darkness. My city needs Us to be Legendary.

My dining room table

Two Sundays ago, we opened our home for worship. We were blessed to have three gentleman from Nepal. It was an amazing time! There was only 6 of us, and yet when the night ended, Devon and I looked at each other and wondered at how amazing God is!! He gave us a gift. He gave us a glimpse of what heaven will be like. He showed us what the church should be.

We had nothing planned...no agenda. The guitar passed from hand to hand as three men took turns leading us in worship. At times we prayed. At times someone would share what God had been showing them that week. One brother shared about what God was teaching him with regards to Eph. 4:1-16. With passion he talked about all the ligaments working together. He had such a light and joy as he spent time exploring what God meant. "From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament grows and builds itself up in love, as EACH part does its work." (v.17) He went on to say that in a house church setting, each person is given room to do his part. Because it is in an intimate setting, everyone has the space and safety to operate in their giftings.

I can't help but think about my dining room table. When Devon and I sit around it with our children eating dinner...each one plays a part. Nahum is not like Kaya...nor Zeb like Tavi. They are created uniquely each with their own gifts to bring. With each passing meal, we grow, we mature as a family. Our unit gets closer and the bond stronger.

The verse that is most striking to me in this passage of Ephesians is verse 13, "...until we all reach unity in the faith in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." It is in this unity, this working together, that we mature in Christ. It's when we work in our giftings, to benefit the body, that we mature. It's not sitting in a pew and digesting what is being preached, it's in operating in that gift God's given "so that the body of Christ may be built up" v. 12.

"But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." We've all been given a gift, not just some chosen few. We need each other to operate in that gifting. If some don't, then we are not a healthy body...or a body reaching it's full potential. We will be stuck as infants being tossed by what life hands us...unless everyone participates.

Tonight when I sit at the table with my kids, I will listen. I will learn from my kids. I will participate and give. I will share with them what I have learned...and together we will grow.

can I trust God with my kids?

I thought I'd start sharing our experiences living in Baltimore city as a family of seven. It has been an adustment and yet God is teaching me something new every day...or letting me revisit lessons I'm too hard-headed to learn first go around.

I know that God has my kids in His hands, they are His. I trust Him to give them food, shelter, health...but, the new ones I'm learning to hand over to Him, are their education, safety and future. Living in the city, we figured I'd homeschool. We'd heard, as many have, that Baltimore city schools are Bad. Poor education, unsafe conditions...When we found out we were expecting baby Corban, we assumed I'd keep homeschooling. Well, this momma had multi tasked to the max. I had nothing left to give and need a year or so of "mental health!"

So we enrolled our four kids into the public Baltimore city school up the street. There is not a day, I haven't leaned on Jesus and handed them over to him. I am aware daily that my kids are lights in dark places. We talk about being missional and living as missionaries wherever we are...easy for the adults to walk out, but not so easy to trust your kids to walk it out. And some would argue it's not their place. Keep your kids safe...move into a safe neighborhood...work hard to give them a private education...protect their eyes their ears from seeing and hearing things that are bad...I desperately want to choose this path, and yet there is a still small voice that says, "The safest place for them is in My Will." "But, God, (i argue) I can't protect them from the violence, the brokeness, the abused." that still small voice again, "I can...and I am planting in them seeds for their future."

This is an exercise I'm finding difficult. When my third grader comes home telling about the kid in his class arrested for stabbing three kids with the back of a pointed comb, or when I get a call from a mom letting me know a 7th grade pedafile has been transferred into the school...I want to run up, withdraw them, bring them home and lock the doors. Wouldn't that be easier?

But, then there are the times my kids come home and tell a different story. Zeb's (3rd) teacher shared with me that the vice principal was in class. She was talking about racial and cultural differences and how we need to embrace all people. Zeb raised his hand and said, "We're all the same. We come from the same place." The VP asked what he meant and he went into share the story of Adam and Eve. His teacher is a Christian and she said, "I knew where he was coming from and was so touched he was sharing his faith." Another time he was telling his class about being in China where he couldn't share his beliefs. The teacher asked if he was scared. He said, "No, I just had faith." Or the time that Nahum (5th) set up a meeting with the principle , on his own, to share his idea of raising money for orphans. He wanted to sell bottles of water to raise money. She asked him what the money would go for, he said, "To buy the orphans blankets and bibles so they can hear the gospel." He was turned down flat...but, who am I to argue with the seeds God is planting? Or the kids they bring home...the little girl and her sister who show up on cold wintery days, wearing shorts and flip flops...they haven't had breakfast and proceed to tell me they aren't allowed to wake up their mom or the other four men that live in the house......one smells of urine...they come and we feed them breakfast and lunch. But, as we buzz through the house laughing and carrying on, their huge eyes taking in our every move, speak of a different kind of hunger. When they leave Nahum says, "See, I told you they have a hard life."

Who am I to argue with what God has for my kids. What He's teaching them? What His plans are for their future? How He will use them to minister love to those who don't know Him? I know every day, I will have to continue to give my kids to Him...some days I choose not too...I choose fear and control, but those days are pointless and painful. I am reminded of Abraham with Issac. The God of the universe, the Father of my kids...He knows what's best for them.

Will this lesson get easier? I'll keep you posted.

Kristin

Panzano, Italy

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Brunello di Montalcino in Panzano
Nothing describes Italy as well as this picture....
an INCREDIBLE bottle of wine...it kept on giving, notes of mushroom and chocolate...
an incredibly simple yet elegant meal...my favorite, pear, mushroom and cheese salad tossed with a hint of aged balsamic and olio!
my husband and love of my life, by my side
my new baby, cooing and kicking back enjoying the view of the fig tree
two of the best friends in the world, with us and enjoying great conversations about traveling the world with all of our kids (9 total!)...
a view of rolling vineyards, sun shining, sitting on the terrace
Italian grandmother sitting on the sofa watching TV
a proprietor pouring our "nectar" into a decantar...
a roving attorney turned waiter...traveling the world and sharing with us his stories...
huge jars full of the corks...
a woman hanging her laundry on her roof...
tiny roads...
poppies...
and, did I mention, an incredible bottle of Brunello di Montalcino 2001!!