Christ Made Ministries

A church in Alabama sent a youth group mission trip to serve in Clarkston this week. 

Part of the team has been in our complex since Tuesday and have shared Bible stories with over 62 kids so far!

They have shared the stories of Jonah and of Jesus calming the storm through story time, science, arts and crafts, and sports. 

It has been a blessing to see the preparedness and intentionality of this group as they work and play with the kids we love.

Pray for the youth and adults on the team as they finish their week here: that they would draw closer to God and go home changed for His glory.

Pray for the lives impacted and seeds planted in the complexes they are serving in: that the seeds would sprout, roots would deepen, and lives would be changed for eternity.

I am praising God for nearly four hours of discipleship, spiritual counsel, and spiritual conversations today.

Everyday I am seeing God do a move around us.

Over the past few months I have been working tireously around the clock setting up a digital ministry. Everyday there are millions of people playing video-games, watching gamers, and seeking to fill an area of their life with entertainment.

Many of these people are starving for social connection, looking to escape from work, and relax at the end of the day. Over the past several years I have used gaming as such a platform.

However, God has placed it in my heart to be more intentional with the people He has placed in my life. Over the past year we have grown a small community of believers that are being discipled and making disciples.

One of the guys last night was “taken-out” in game and instead of screaming down a microphone at the opponent he stopped and shared the gospel with him. His opponent responded with, “I needed this more than you even know”… revived him and they finished the game together.

Another guy, I have been discipling for months has been pouring into this guy. They are both trying to surrender their foul language to the Lord. The Lord is doing huge things in their lives.

Alongside this, another guy is actively pursuing his wife to Christ.

She is not a believer and we are praying daily for her to come to know Christ. We are starting to see little inklings of God working to draw her to Himself.

Please please pray.

God is using digital spaces to reach people from all over the world.

Apart from prayer none of this happens.

As I was loading our daughter into the car to pick up her birthday cake, I got a call from our Nepali family. I was surprised to hear the oldest daughter’s voice. She asked if I could give them a ride, so I decided the cake could wait.

Mom, the two oldest daughters, and two of the younger daughters (both with special needs) missed the bus that would’ve brought them home from the pharmacy- after having been at doctor appointments for the younger two all day, they now had a long walk ahead of them.

They had already called several people who weren’t able to help and mom had resigned herself to walk all the way back with her brood. The oldest daughter, who only recently returned home, asked for her mom’s phone and said, “Let’s call Patti.”

I was happy to help and to keep them from having to walk any further. I was honored that she thought of me.

This renewal of connection has been a blessing. We were invited to the twins’ birthday celebration the night. I got to help in the kitchen, clear my own plate, and get a water from the fridge- none of this is culturally appropriate unless you are family. Our relationship was honored in front of other guests and family.

We were asked to pray for another appointment, which of course we did, and brought a smile to mom’s face when we followed up the next day to see how the surgery went.

I love how God is opening this door that seemed closed by shame and reclusion on their end. All glory to Him. Pray for continued healing in their home and in our relationships.

As we were driving down the road, I recognized the mom and young daughter paused in a driveway that isn’t theirs with several heavy bags at their feet.

I turned around, pull up beside them, and asked if I could give them a ride home. They live in our complex and we often spend time together on the playground.

They were very grateful for the ride and asked us to come visit their home. We took them up on that invitation a short while later. I talked with two older sisters (one in college and one in middle school), drank tea, and watched the youngest daughter and my daughter play. It was a fun afternoon.

Please pray for the mom and oldest children to find jobs soon. The husband passed away in Afghanistan years ago, so mom is on her own with 6 children and has been unable to find work.

Last week we asked you guys to pray for the guy who was breaking into all the homes around us. Thank you for praying.

(Sorry about the bad audio… I had to chop up the audio to cut out the bad wind… I’ll do better next time)

The leadership core of our homeschool group consists of myself and two other moms. We call ourselves The Pod.

We have been doing life together regularly since last fall and expanded beyond our trio earlier this year. It has been a blessing to walk closely with them as we strive to follow Jesus and lead our children well.

We make, approve, and organize activities for about 12 other moms and kids with whom we gather on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

We have reached the point of needing to discuss and outline who we are as a group, what we will and won’t participate in, membership of the group, etc. so that we can best present our core values to current and potential future homeschool moms.

Please pray that we would be led by God’s wisdom in these decisions, that we would have grace in our conversations, and that our group would flourish for God’s glory in the families we gather with and minister to.