Maria and I have been furnishing one duplex in The Living in Simple Faith House as a community center. This block in the inner city was once a friendly neighborhood where all the residents knew each other well and looked after each other. Forty years ago there was a true bonding in a sharing community and Maria (who lived here forty years ago) and I have made a commitment to use the duplex as a community center where some of the block's residents can learn English, others can learn to use the computer, all can gather for block 'potluck' dinners. God has made his plans for this duplex, too, and he's rapidly putting everything in place for his purposes.

E. S. Pittman, a retired minister/carpenter/farmer lives in the mountains hundreds of miles from the city of Indianapolis and had never heard of me or my house. Some months back, he received a supernatural message to sell his cattle and be prepared to travel. After the cattle were sold, instead of packing suitcases so he and his wife could travel, he fell sick. One day as he lay in bed, the message came to go to Indianapolis to pray. E. S. didn't try to explain to God that he was too sick nor did he ask what he was to pray about. He agreed to go if God would see he was well enough to make the trip--his recovery was instantaneous--E.S. and his wife, Lily, arrived in Indianapolis the next afternoon.

As they visited with the people they knew, E.S. continued to listen intently for clues as to whom or what he was to pray over. When they arrived at his wife's sister's home, Maria was bubbling with excitement about the duplex project. After E.S. listened to her talk a while, he knew where he must go to learn more about his purpose for the trip to Indianapolis. E.S. and Maria spent the evening in the duplex and as he talked, and shared and prayed, he knew those suitcases would be making many trips to Indianapolis.

While we continued preparations for E.S and Lily's return, Maria's daughter who was working on the house at the time of her death Thanksgiving evening, was spiritually visiting with many friends and relatives. When her co-worker, Marti, tried to return alone to complete their work on the house, she was aware of Debbie's perfume in her truck. Marti was so astounded at the thought of Debbie's presence, she was unable to return and complete the work and we have moved on without the carpentry work being completed. I have wondered out loud to God why Debbie's presence has been felt by so many, yet she had not returned to her last project or visited me.

Shortly thereafter, Debbie came to Maria in a very short but intense dream and told her, "I see sickness differently now; I see everything differently; I even see prayer differently." Maria and I have gone over this dream many times, so wishing Debbie could tell us just how she sees things differently. We realize we are not likely to have the complete answer on this side of the Great Divide. We are satisfied to know God has a purpose in our being told this much and its purpose will become clear with the passage of time. In the meantime, we have been alerted to reexamine our attitudes and to be open to possible adjustments in our beliefs.

Most recently, I went shopping for those few miscellaneous odds and ends one always forgets till the last minute. As I moved from the home furnishings aisle to the home and office area, I brushed by the posters. The display was opened to the most beautiful poster, "And He Shall Be Called (listed all the names by which he is known) Jesus Christ." When I got home with the poster, I laid it on the one remaining picture frame which had been donated to the center. It fit perfectly! We had been puzzling over the appropriate handling of the landing at the head of the stairs and the picture seemed like it would be good there. After I hung it, I moved back down the stairs, turned to look and was nearly knocked over by the power emanating from the picture, especially the words 'Jesus Christ'. I knelt on the steps, read all the names out loud while praising God for His Awesome Being.

I left the duplex for the evening, but could not stay away. I fixed a dried floral arrangement to place under the poster and returned. As I climbed the steps with the arrangement, I smelled Debbie's perfume and I knew she was there. Jesus and the angels were visiting the duplex. Maria had been saying all along that Debbie was there, but that's just not the same as experiencing it for oneself.

Another day has passed and I cannot look up those stairs without trembling and feeling the awesome rush of power flowing downward from the poster reading

AND HE SHALL BE CALLED

Lover Of Your Soul, Author & Perfector Of Your Faith, Foundation
Almighty God, High Priest, Man of Sorrows, Root Of David
Chief Cornerstone, Comforter, Advisor, King of Kings
Lord of Lords, Redeemer of Your Soul, Great Healer, Rock
The Answer to Our Prayers, the Right Hand of God, Mountain
Prince of Peace, Only Perfect Man, Sinless & Blameless One
Son Of God, God's Faithful Servant, the Double Edged Sword
The Truth, Our Fortress, Our Vengeance, Father of the Fatherless
Our Salvation, the Forgiveness of Our Sins, Our Footprints In The Sand
The Everlasting Father, the Destroyer of Death, the End Of Darkness
The Bright & Morning Star, the Coming Glory, the Gentle Sheperd
The Lily of The Valley, the Rose Of Sharon, Our Advocate
Adversary of Evil, Alpha & the Omega, First & the Last
Beginning & the End, Blessed Assurance, Savior of the Oppressed
The Beautiful Savior, the Apple of Our Eye, the Sacred Heart
The Healer of the Broken-Hearted, Burden Carrier, Champion
The Great "I Am", Jewish Carpenter, Our Superior, Bridegroom
Commander of Righteousness, Messiah, Incorruptible Judge
The Ancient of Day's, Our Victorious Leader, Master Disciple
Word that became Flesh, Word of God, Bringer of Our Inheritance
Owner of the Heavens, Way, the Truth & the Light, Glory Of God
End of Sorrows, the Finder of the Lost, Our Majesty
Master Teacher, Narrow Gate, Immanuel, Son of Man
The Only Begotten Son, the Amen, the Dayspring, Shiloh
Image of the Invisible God, Light of the World, Our Anchor
King of the Jews, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Branch
The Mediator, the Living Water, the Door, the Bread of Life
The Faithful & True Witness, the Beloved, the Resurrection
Bishop of Souls, the Ultimate Father, The Word, Author Of Life

JESUS CHRIST

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The second night after the poster went up was a sleepless night. There were no concerns plaguing me, yet no sign of drowsiness was apparent. The poster was in my thoughts--the poster seemed to be pulling me--so in the middle of the night I grabbed my pillow and headed for the duplex. Sleep came easily as I lay down below the poster, next to the wall where the sunlight has once displayed a dagger superimposed upon a cross in answer to a question I had asked God.

I was not aware of dreaming, but I awakened feeling as those I had been speaking with someone who had explained my emotional reactions to the poster. The powerfulness of the force emanating from the words Jesus Christ, was not representative of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, but of Jesus the Conqueror. It was necessary for Debbie and I to have an opportunity to meet and to get to know each other before her spirit transitioned in order for Maria, E.S. and Lily, to assume their roles in the project. My first group of carpenters was doing a good job so the street bullies were allowed to harass them until they left the job. Marti and Debbie had been chosen to do the work on God’s project; my error in hiring the wrong carpenters had to be corrected.

I have been left with the understanding that, like Debbie, my part in the project has been completed. The new leadership has arrived.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The above was written nearly two years ago and so much has sprung from this beginning.  E.S.' time here brought Jerome and Tiffany Greenwood, who now live here, and are devoting their lives to the following of Jesus' examples as they work in the community, the neighborhood has organized itself into a block club determined to make Churchman Avenue a peaceful, safe, neighborly place to live. 

It is a wonderful time in my life as I just stand still and watch so much unfold in front of my eyes.  As Joe Mazzella repeatedly tells us, there's such joy in this life with God.

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