Furniture Need for Local Family

A local family of 6 in Creedmoor is in need of living room furniture and dressers.  They recently moved out of the Durham Rescue Mission into a home in Creedmoor.  They have a kitchen table and beds, but they do not have anything to sit on or use in the living room.  They also do not have dressers for their clothes.

There are 4 children in this family....a set of 1 year old twins and two older children.

If you can help - please get in touch with us ASAP!

Thanks,

Melissa

CHRISTmas is Coming!

CHRISTmas is coming - are you getting excited?  We surely are!  It's one way we get to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Every day is a day to celebrate Him - but this season allows us to share it with others even more!

There is an elderly apartment complex in Butner that we have been out ministering in before.  We love to visit with the elderly....talk with them....love on them....and just bless them with goodies.  I would like to make baskets for each of the residents for Christmas.  A lady that helps with our ministry regularly has agreed to make up the baskets all nice and fancy once I've gotten all of the items together.  I am thinking of putting some goodies, fruits, lotions, soaps, gloves, socks, etc. in the baskets.  I will start shopping for items soon - so if you have some things that could be donated for this project - let me know and we'll meet up!  I believe there are 24 residents in this complex.

When we last checked in with you, we were doing a service project at Heather's house.  The situation was not good when we got there and we found lots of mold and mildew and damage all throughout her trailer....due to old wood and leaky windows and roof.  We are working on finding some assistance for her.  She is staying with her mom right now so that they are not living in this hazardous environment.  I am hoping that we will be able to help her find another place to live altogether - unless the landlord agrees that the problem is partially his and agrees to come in and make wall, floor and roof repairs.

We were able to get her yard cleanup done and we pressure washed the trailer.  A big thanks to Antioch Baptist Church youth and members for joining with us and helping out.

Since then we have been able to join forces with them to help out two of their church members with yard/garage clean up.  We had a great time and hope to be able to join up with them again soon!

We have been doing many food deliveries to needy families in the area.  God has really blessed us with some food access lately and we are sure to praise Him every time we receive the means to meet a need.  Our food pantry is always in need of non-perishable items, so please let me know if you have some things you'd like to donate.  I can set up a time to meet you.

We have also received many baby/kids donations recently - so we will be sorting clothes and toys and finding good homes for all of these items.  Thank you to all that have donated!  We greatly appreciate them all and really appreciate your trust in us.  (If you would like to help me sort and organize one day - please let me know!!  I would love to have you over for a couple of hours.)

I found a ministry that ministers to the homeless in downtown Durham on Wednesdays.  They serve a hot meal and a great message from the Word of God.  It has been a huge blessing to be able to serve with them for the past few weeks and I hope to be able to continue.  This is the perfect mid-week lunch break and is an excellent refresher in the middle of a work week.  I have already started forming bonds with these folks and have enjoyed being able to share the love of Jesus with them.  We have been able to provide shoes, blankets, coats and Bibles so far.  Thank you to those who have donated items for this also.

Dean has continued his crosswalking and is loving every minute he gets to spend on the streets sharing about Jesus.  He has had some wonderfully interesting encounters and conversations and has even spoken at a couple different places about his endeavors.  My husband has an evangelistic heart and would love to go out witnessing and sharing Jesus every day of his life if he could.

He also tagged along with Pastor Terry (Bull City Outreach) to jail ministry last Tuesday.  He really loved that too and will be starting that regularly, Lord willing :)

Prayer night continues at our house each week and we would love to have you join us!  We do rotate days of the week - so if you're interested, let me know and we can keep you informed of the day for that week.

I am starting the Love Sex and Lasting Relationships study again....lol.  The date has been changed several times....but we are officially starting this Saturday at 1pm at Bethel Christian Center on Rose of Sharon Road in Durham.  This study is for girls of all ages.  It is free of charge and will be very informative and lots of fun.  We would love to have you there and you can email or call for more details on that.

I hope I have covered everything and I'm sorry it has taken so long for us to update the blog.

Loving Radically Through Christ,

Melissa

Update On Urgent Need

We posted about an urgent need for a lady named Heather.  A big shout out to Kyle and Beverly Mulholland of Antioch Baptist Church for stepping up immediately and offering to help out. 

Dean called to touch base with Heather today to see when he and Kyle could come over to make a list of necessary supplies, and Heather was able to report that her previously unresponsive landlord came over and got the repair done! 

Praise the Lord!

(She was in a rent-to-own situation with this mobile home and her two year maintenance agreement with him had literally just expired.)

We will probably go by sometime this weekend to check out the repair and see what else is needed for this single mom of 4 kids.

We do know that only one burner on her stove is working, and the oven doesn't work at all.  So if you have a working stove that you would be willing to donate or sell for cheap, please contact us immediately.

We will probably be setting up a date soon to go over and help her with yard work, roof sealant, and any other minor repairs and cleaning that she would like to do.

We would love to have any fellow brothers and sisters join us and show the love of Christ to this family.  This also makes a great youth group project!!

Loving Radically Through Christ,

Melissa

URGENT NEED - Heather

URGENT NEED:  Heather, single mother of four kids, has a issue with the floors in her mobile home. Moisture seems to be the problem. The floor in her living room is buckling up from moisture damage, and in some areas the sub floor is rotting and falling in.  She doesn't have the money to repair it.  They are having to stay with her mother because mold and mildew from the moisture is causing them to be sick.  If anyone is willing to help us out please contact us via email at radicallifeoutreach@yahoo.com or either call (919) 665-8997

Thanks and God Bless!

Dean

Love Sex and Lasting Relationships Study

I will be starting a 10 series DVD/study workbook lesson on Love, Sex and Lasting Relationships.  The series is done by Chip Ingram.

http://livingontheedge.org/about-us/chip-ingram

I really felt led to do a study that related to this area, because as a teenager and young woman, I struggled immensely in this area.

This series will deal with what society, the media and Hollywood think about love, sex and relationships - and then it will more importantly turn it around and tell us what God and the Bible say about these issues.

This will be a great study for moms/teenage daughters and also young women (or women of ANY age) that still find themselves lacking in this area and want to know what God's Truth has to say about it.

Please feel free to call or email me with any questions about the study.

I believe it will begin next Wednesday night at 7pm at Bethel Christian Center in Durham.  You do not have to be a member of Bethel Christian Center to attend this study. 

Loving Radically Through Christ,

Melissa

919-529-2486 home
radicallifeoutreach@yahoo.com

Dean's Account of the NC Pride Parade in Durham

The skies gave way to rain as I walked toward the Gay Pride Festival near Duke's East Campus. I was on somewhat familiar ground, as I was here last year to share the Gospel. I could hear music in the distance, and as I drew closer suddenly a man shouted out to me, "Dean!" I turned to see who it was. It was an ex-member of my church that had left his wife and children for a man. I did not speak. I just walked on by.

Now some of you may think that I was being rude, but I would like to point something out to you on why I took this stance. This man proclaims to be a Christian, yet he is living in a sinful homosexual relationship. God's word tells us in

1 Corinthians 5:11 - But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

We must obey God and not worry about what man thinks.

I continued walking down Ninth street, and a group of teenagers came up to me and asked for a picture.They were obviously there supporting the parade. They had on their rainbow colored clothes and had rainbow tattoos displayed on their faces. I was obviously there supporting Jesus, in my robe and a cross on my shoulder. I told them about Jesus, but they were more interested in the parade that was about to start. I would find out later that they were actually there to march in the parade.

As I continued down Ninth Street I got the usual stares and laughs, and snickers and jaw dropping responses that I usually get.

I turned around and headed towards Duke's East Campus area. People would grin as I walked down the sidewalk. I could tell some people thought I was crazy.....or just plain stupid. (A girl actually told me that she thought it was stupid to carry a cross around with a wheel on it.)

Good thing I'm not working for her or I would have been really discouraged. But when you know God has sent you, nothing falters your faith. As a believer, if we're running from persecution, then we are running from the very thing that will open up the blessings of God for not only us, but those who think what you're doing is foolish.

1 Corinthians 1:27 - But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

I walked to where the parade floats were all lined up. I had decided to get amongst the people this year and try and engage in conversation with them. I didn't want to make myself unapproachable. Many came up to me asking for pictures of course, but also curious about what I was doing. I explained God's Word to many of them without compromise. I shared how I was there to share the real Gospel of Jesus Christ, and how He came and redeemed us. I shared how homosexuality was a sin, but that so was lying, stealing, fornication, murder, and etc.. Jesus died for those sins, and if we believe in His sacrifice for sin, we will be a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

I decided to stand by the brick wall that was near the road. I stood there looking at the people and felt compassion for them. I pondered on what road had brought them to this place in their life. Then I noticed a man with a camera looking at me. He asked if it was okay if he took my picture. I nodded my head yes, and he began snapping pictures. He then approached me and asked me what I was doing. I begin to tell him about Jesus, and what my mission was, and he listened intently as I talked. He asked me if I was uncomfortable being out there at the parade. I told him, "No, I don't. Jesus would do the same. He hung out with prostitutes, and other sinners and expressed His love for them by showing them the truth." I thought that was the last time I would see or talk to this man, but days later after the Parade he contacted me by e-mail. This is what he said and I quote...


Hi Dean,


I have been thinking about our conversation last Saturday at Duke East Campus...

I got two or three shots of you, and I stole your insights from your website to post a few lines to support this one picture here... (bilingual).

Off the record - and although I am not a man of faith - I think I might have met Jesus twice in this country - especially during tough times for me.

And there might not be a third time, I am afraid.

Best regards,

**Name Withheld**







The parade started and the crowd begin cheering as each float would roll by. Wave after wave of human indecency would parade itself...from men dressed as women, blasphemous signs about God, people yelling obscenities...then to my shock, women walking around totally topless bearing their breasts with little children looking on. Even more shocking is the fact that the authorities saw this and continued to let them walk around nude.

The Bible speaks of a generation of people like this in the last days.

2 Timothy 3 - But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

This is what has become of this society and nation. Children are drowning in the ocean of this society's self indulgences, and men and women are blinded to it. But these little ones have their eyes wide open, they are taking it all in and it is molding them into what they will become.

Mark 9:42 - “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

Repentance is the only answer. Turn from sin by excepting Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, Jesus said in

John 14:6 - “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

God has made a way for humanity.

JESUS!

He is the savior of the world and for all that will believe in Him they will not be put to shame.

Soon the parade was over and once again I picked up my cross and walked toward Ninth Street. The paraders, still marching, began to chant a phrase they had memorized to express how they felt about all those that opposed them and their beliefs. It was the same one they chanted last year. As I continued to walk several people kicked my cross as I passed by. As I drew closer to Ninth Street a man approached me and said mockingly, "I would have thought Jesus' second coming would have been more exciting!" He became very angry when I didn't acknowledge him or respond to him at all. Many people want a fight, but I was not there to fight. I was already victorious. When you have already won the battle, no fight is necessary.

We have to realize our battle is not with human beings, but with the devil.

Ephesians 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The devil knows that if can get us in the flesh, so that we get angry at the person, He has won a great battle. If you get in the flesh you will never be effective in reaching the lost. Besides, if you are a living a godly life in Christ, you signed up for this.

2 Timothy 3:12 - Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

I was approaching the last store front on Ninth Street when a photographer from The News and Observer begin snapping pictures of me. He took about three pictures of me, then he asked me what my purpose was. I told him that I was there to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how He died, so that we could be free from all sins. I hear homosexuals say they were born that way, and I'm not totally opposed to that. The Bible says that we were all born into sin. But we have to be born again...

John 3:16-17 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Some of you may wonder why I allow people to take pictures of me. I do that so I can tell them about Jesus. If I tell them "no" to a picture, sometimes they will not even let me talk to them. Plus, when they show someone else the pictures I believe it will invoke conversation about their meeting with me. So then they become a preacher too, because in turn they may tell them the message I gave them about the Gospel.

To God be all the glory for what was accomplished at the parade. I believe the Word of God is powerful and will not come back void. It will accomplish His will.

Please pray for our ministry that God will continue to give us boldness and compassion and a fervent desire to reach the lost!

Living Radical For Jesus


Dean

This past weekend we were blessed by Bull City Outreach Ministries with shoe donations.  Thank you so much to Terry and Angie for your donation to our ministry!  Brothers and sisters in Christ working together - out of love for the people!  AMEN :)

These were brand new shoes that we knew we could give out to needy kids/families in our area.

We were able to venture out last night to a familiar neighborhood in Butner and visit with some boys that we have grown to love over the last couple of years.

They were very excited to get the shoes, and we were excited to be able to remind them again that we love them because Jesus loves them.

There are 4 boys in the pictures.  We were also able to give the mom a pair and Dean will be heading back over there tonight to give the dad a pair.

They did manage to make me squeal like a little baby when they brought out the snapping turtles....but hey, that's what a house full of boys gets you - right?

Loving Radically Through Christ,

Melissa