Selah!

"Selah!" The word is used in wisdom literature, particularly the Psalms, to remind the reader (aloud or silent) to pause, breathe, allow the spirit of God to move within the words and the heart, drawing the two together, doing the work that only God can.

And so this week, six women have gathered - carrying with them the prayers of Selah! Ministries for Women at Geist Christian Church, and of the entire congregation.

It is a remarkable gift of ministry that THIS is the kind of thing I get to do ... bring five women who, with one mother-daughter exception, didn't really previously know each other and witness the creation of something wonderful. Relationships. Faithfulness. Community. Power. Spirit. Justice. Service.

Another snowy Saturday morning saw the group into the SUVs and out onto the highway.

(L to R: Jacquie Berry, Aftan Cox, Sarah Walker, Brianna Oliver, Courtney Richards, Myrta McQueen) (Special thanks to Pam Trapp for: being Trip Info Woman ... bringing us Cookies For The Road ... and taking the picture!) (Diane, get well soon!)

Making good time (and they said it couldn't be done!), we overnighted in Grenada, MS and drove the rest of the way (today) into Covington, Louisiana, with plenty of time to get settled in, lay in supplies, and begin to hear the stories we will live into this week. The more-than-appropriately named Grace Disciples of Christ Church is our place for rest, renewal and lodging at the end of the day.

We will work this week in {edited 3/6/07:} Chalmette, in the area known as "the infamous St. Bernard's Parish, or Da Parish", as my friend Matt pointed out! (Thanks, M!) (Covington/Mandeville, where we're staying, is in St. Tammany. Duly noted!) We are joined by Rich and Donna, two members of Speedway Christian Church, and led by George and Dixie Smith, from Carmel Christian Church. Each of these four adds IMMEASURABLY to the spirit and power of the week. You will hear more of them as we go.

For now ... for now?

Just know that every time you write a check or hand me money and say "We can't go but we want to help" ... every time you let me know that you're praying for me and for this group while we travel ... every time you think of us while we're away and wonder how things are going ... every word of support you offer to the spouses and children who are at home with part of the family away consumed in this work ... we know.

We feel it. We sense it and breathe it deeply into our week. We use that energy and that blessing that is YOU ... it fuels our work, and inspires our laughter, and nurtures our sense of purpose and mission and direction and witness.

You are each part of this, as much as we who sand and paint and carry. And we are each SO. VERY. GRATEFUL.