Sunshine and Rain!

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May I have your attention please?!

Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,

The Lord has been faithful to keep us busy this summer!  The Storehouse has seen a steady stream of clients.  The Lord has provided volunteers to help us keep the place neat and donations processed while Dennyr (our lead volunteer) has been in California visiting family. He's also graciously provided beds this summer, which had been in short supply lately.  We were able to help some folks who had been waiting on our list for months with new beds.

Clients driving away with new beds.

Most of our clients come to us in some form of crisis, usually caused by their own poor choices. One of our clients came to see us needing a crib.  According to her, a person she and her husband were letting stay with them shoplifted some things from a convenient store when she had stopped to get some cigarettes.  Because she was driving, she got arrested as an accomplice to theft under $500.  Her 9 month old daughter got taken to the Department of Children's Services (DCS) while they booked her, because her husband was at work.  The police impounded her car, which was promptly repossessed by the dealer because they were behind on the payments.  Her husband, who was driving his mother's car, went to DCS to pick up their daughter after he got off work, but he didn't have a carseat (it was in the repo-ed car).  DCS refused to release their daughter until he got a car seat, and opened a formal investigation into their home.  A home inspection revealed they didn't have a crib, because their daughter had been sleeping with them.  DCS told them if they didn't have a crib in a couple of days, they would take away the little girl.  And so, she'd come to the Storehouse looking for a crib, which on that day, we had, and I gave her.  People's lives are messy.  Who goes to pick up a kid from DCS without a car seat?  Finding the balance between personal responsibility and compassionate aid is the the fine line we walk every day. On July 9, I got to share a message at First Baptist Church of Greeneville on Christian Responsibility and the Materially Poor.  I would love for you to watch it and hear your feedback.  I will post it online to Facebook via my vimeo channel next week.

Our food distribution on July 3.

Despite the holiday week, we serve about 50 families and had a fantastic group of volunteers to help!

I was also blessed to preach on Sunday July 13 at Landmark Baptist Church in Greenville, NC.  They're presently looking for a new senior pastor, and one of my best friends is the chairman of the search committee. It was my privilege to share with them a message titled Awkward Questions: How to Eliminate Pastoral Ministry Candidates.  My prayer for them is that the Lord gives them patience and discernment as they sort through candidates and seek their next shepherd.  That video is already online if you'd like to watch it.  If you can't see the embedded version, just click here.


Awkward Questions: How to Eliminate Pastoral Ministry Candidates from Daniel Shrader on Vimeo.

This Sunday, we will have our big volunteer meeting for JobsforLife.  Over the last month I've spoken to a number of individuals who have expressed an interest in serving as volunteers.  Please pray that we have an excellent turn-out on Sunday, and that we gain the momentum we need to have a successful launch in September.  Coming out of Sunday's meeting, we will begin recruiting our first round of students, so please also pray that the Lord would begin to stir the hearts of those who He would have us contact.

As a family, we've had a great summer.  The kids are growing right in front of our eyes, and their story is best told in photos, below.

Things you can be praying for...

1. Please pray for our JobsforLife volunteer meeting on Sunday, that the Lord would send us a fantastic group of volunteers motivated to help transform our community.
2. Please pray for  our friends at Landmark Baptist Church as they seek the Lord's direction for a new pastor.
3. Please pray for Mrs. Earlene.  She'll he having back surgery sometime next month to help ease some nerve pain that's slowing her down. (Sorry Charlie, the cats out of the bag).
4. Please pray for my back. I know, we're a mess right now.  I pulled a muscle in my back on the 4th of July, which pinched  my sciatic nerve (read that, OUCH!)  By God's grace, I'm walking again and beginning to return to normal, but I still can't lift any significant weight, which is something I have always taken for granted.  Please pray that it will heal well, and that I will be patient and not overstress it until it's fully recovered.

After a dry spring, rain has finally returned to East Tennessee! She's so big, it's hard to believe she's just 3, but she'll be 4 next month.

When we reminded Lily that we have been praying for rain, she threw up her hands and said "Praise the Lord! He answered our prayers!"  Beautiful, simple gratitude.

Now soaking wet, she wanted to be Mary Poppins and play with her umbrella.

Some of  the Shrader clan came to see us the week of July 4th!

Hosea with his cousins Joanna and Cameryn.

He loved playing with his cousin Hayden. He loves to hold someone's hands and walk!

Showing off his new teeth.  A month ago he was toothless.  Now he has 4.

At his 9 month checkup, the doctor asked Meredith "Is he always this happy?" Yup. Pretty much. We're blessed.

9 months old!

Just too cute.

Meeting baby Lydia, Lily and Hosea's newest cousin.  My brother Josh and his wife Rebecca lost baby Cora last July, but were blessed with Lydia this June. She was born June 16th.

These two are a delight to watch.  He adores her and she does a great job sharing.

Meredith's uncle Troy (middle) was diagnosed with cancer in May.  Watching Meredith and her daddy double team Troy with the Gospel to make sure he understands where he's going when he dies was a sight to see.  He professes to be a believer, which gives great hope in the midst of his treatments.

Snapped a picture of Lily "nursing" Buddy Buffalo on the way home.  She's such a good "mommy to her kids."

I like to EAT!

Happy! Happy! Happy!

See ya next time!