The Extra Mile: 2010

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

God with His People

Monday nights are bursting at the seams with God’s incredible presence. I am honored to work with such an amazing team, who long to see God’s people find love and peace. We are seeing these signs of God’s redeeming love.

Yesterday, I was working with a gentleman who is staying out on the streets and he shared to me how God was speaking to him. He attended a Monday night worship service and was intently watching and listening to the illustrated parable of the Prodigal Son that Pastor Karen was sharing to us. In the reading as the father saw his son in the distance he ran towards him with arms extended open. When the gentleman heard this, he felt God touch his shoulder and he started to weep. He then continued to share to me that he has been struggling with addiction and longs so much to break free from this habit, but in the midst of the struggle still feels God’s love with him.

How powerful and precious is God’s presence and love with His people!

Blessings & Peace,

Mary Gunderson King

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

In the Garden with God

Yesterday I had the most wonderful opportunity to go out to the community garden, at the Orchard House, and work alongside the families who have garden spaces. I was a bit apprehensive at first with the heat and humidity, but the gentle breeze that crossed the expanding field made the work so enjoyable.

Michael was proud to show all that was growing in the garden. Lettuce, beets, radishes, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and more. He put me to work harvesting the lettuce and spinach for last evening's Trinity 6:34 meal. As I bent down to gather with my bare hands the fresh greens I was reminded how often Christ went to a garden to pray...to find peace...to be with His Father.

It is written in Genesis that God walked through the Garden of Eden...did He walk alongside humanity as well? Did He gather the harvest with Adam and Eve? I feel as though God placed a special blessing on gardens, wherever they may be. That we get to feel the very essence of His creation and His gift through the soil and the seeds...through the watering and the harvesting.

As summer knocks on our doors I pray that instead of retreating into our air conditioned lives that we would step outside...step into the garden...dig our hands in the soil...wait for the gentle breeze to enfold us...and just be with God in the garden.

“The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there.”

A Quote by George Bernard Shaw