Dear Friends,

My heart and my vision for ministry is one of restoration. Soon the Coffee House that God has placed into mine and my husband's hands will become a place where restoration occurs. These vignettes are samplings of lives and only a small representation of the hurt and pain that is present among God's people and with those who are seeking "Something more." the people in them are not real, but their stories are real in many lives today.  So many of God's people have fallen into sin or have just plain given up on trying the live the Christian life. So often they are labeled useless, and it should not be so. I want to rally Christians to rise up and take back the people of God and restore them as did the Father of the prodigal. This is where God is leading me and I gladly will follow. Be looking for the coffee house to host a small group that is just for this purpose. And if you can't come to the coffee house then be looking for the web site (under construction) to be posting these studies on restoration. For now, let me hear from you. Email me your story - it's a beginning.

Caleb was raised in a Christian home with parents and siblings who practiced their faith. He had given his life to Christ at a very young age and was committed to reading his Bible and following Christ. He did well until junior high school. The pull of the world was great and he often found himself relinquishing his principles as a Christian for the sake of "Fitting in" with his peers. He was handsome and winsome and the kid everyone loved to be around, but he didn't believe that about himself and so he just followed the crowd until at the age of 16 he followed them right into sexual indiscretion. Now, at the age of 25, he believes he cannot get back into the Christian race. He tries to go to church and do what is right, but still lingers on the edge of a lifestyle that he feels he cannot shake - "Anyway," he laments. "What good Christian girl would want me now? I might as well accept my fate." Caleb got lost at an early age on the battlefield of promiscuity and cannot find his way back. It seems every time he thinks he is heading in the right direction an enemy appears to push him back into hiding. He has no battle buddy to help him out - left alone, he will wander in this desert and die - emotionally and spiritually. Can he recover?

Sarah grew up in a home that always struggled for survival. They were poor and work was scarce. Dad was present in their home, but not emotionally so. She suffered abuse at the hands of relatives and grew up with a love/hate for the men in her life. She gave her life to Christ at the age of 40, but still struggles in relationships. She is now on her 4th marriage and ready to chuck this one as well. She is so used to taking things into her own hands and it is no different in her relationships. She says she doesn't need anyone. She never learned how to rely fully on Christ and as a result her walk with Him has taken a turn away from His guidance and pushed her deeper into a mindset of self reliance and self sustainment causing her to fall further away from the changing power of Jesus in her life and leading her closer to self-destruction. Now, at the age of 65 she feels all of her dreams are over, so why bother with life or change? She goes to work and comes home and lives out her life in hopelessness when the power of Christ is within reach. Is it too late for her?

Samuel is a youth pastor - at least for now. One of his elders just found out that he has an addiction - pornography. He is afraid of the consequence of being caught. He knows this means his career as a pastor may go down the tube. His family will suffer great loss and it is possible he may lose them. But he also knows that he is tired of hiding and feeling the guilt of this addiction. He falls to his knees and tells the Lord he is sorry and that he is willing to suffer the consequences, but begs God's Holy Spirit not depart from him. His heart is bleeding over his sin and his remorse is great over the effect it will have on the youth he has been leading. He believes that God will forgive him, but people will not and as a result he will never be an effective minister in the name of Jesus. He thinks he might as well forget ever trying to serve God and people again.  Has God given up on him?

Saleena has never heard about Jesus except what little is mentioned at Christmas when she is around other family members, Her family is solid, she has good friends and over all life is pretty easy for her. But she doesn't understand why she keeps feeling like there is something more to life. It often makes her sad and her family gets frustrated with her because they think she has nothing to fret about. She sees all the awful things that make school and neighborhood an unfriendly place, and even though none of it affects her directly, she believes that she should be able to do something to make it better. She looks for a breakthrough that will somehow restore the broken thing that she cannot even recognize. Saleena in lost is a world of goodness, yet has never heard the good news about Jesus. Does she need to experience restoration?

Many are the broken hearts, broken lives and unfulfilled dreams. Soldiers of Christ have set out on a journey of walking with Him and have found themselves taken out on one of the enemy's battlefields. Sin plagues our world, and all too often targets the man or woman of God and the arrow of the wicked one lands in the heart of that soldier of God. Sadly, when this happens, many believe it is all over for that person, and that he or she will never get back up and put their face to the wind again and press on for Christ.

Jesus knew even before Peter would fall on such a battlefield that he would deny Him, and He gave Peter words of restoration and let him know that he would come back,

Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." Luke 22:31-34

Dear Warrior, there is always a way back. The enemy's lies are his weapon, but Jesus said that you will know the truth and it will set you free. If you are lying on that battlefield right now arise and move toward Christ.

Dear Christian, Soldiers in an army are taught to never leave a fallen warrior. Why would you? If you know someone who has fallen, don't leave him. If you do it is likely that the enemy will surround him and either kill him or enslave him. You, who are strengthened by the power of Christ - go and pick your brother up and carry him to safety,

Dear Lost soul. Keep seeking - Jesus will not overlook you. He sees your heart and your desire to know why it is that you have been created. Know that the army of the Lord approaches and brings with it hope and insight and good news about that thing you want to make right, but do not understand.

There is a balm is Gilead!