Happy Firstfruits!

Hosting a Passover: (essentials for the skimmers)

• All baby doctor visits have gone well. We'll find out the gender in a few weeks.
• New photos! The top 5 sets are new.
• Racheal is still taking classes and will finish the semester in May.
• I'm still plumbing.
• We have officially applied to the IMB. May 8 we will visit Southeastern Seminary to have an appointment with one of the candidate consultants.
• New updates on the SMOi site. Please add Tivis to your prayers.
• The Bible study at my house for guys is still going well, working our way through Galatians.
• Racheal and i just got back from Laurel Ridge last Sunday where we had a 3-day weekend teaching middle schoolers from my parents' church about our identity in Christ.
• PrayeRequests below.

Picking up hitchhikers: (extras for the readers)

Dear family, friends, and foes,

We've been so stinkin' busy lately. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers as we would have likely broke down this month. I'd like to share some stories with y'all...

Meet Matt, Ricky "Spoon," and Chase and their dog Zoidberg. When i first saw these guys on March 28, it had been raining for 3 days and chilly. They were on Hanes Mall Blvd. in Winston-Salem trying to petition a ride from motorists who might be headed east. They were "traveling folk" as their cardboard sign put it. I wasn't headed east, but i did have a warm dry car. And, i know what Jesus said (in spite of what our society or our flesh says about self-preservation). "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ... And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'" - Matthew 25:35, 40. Please please PLEASE know that i DID NOT pick up these guys up because i am a male or a big strong man or i had a firearm under the seat for protection or i had any sense of false security in case these guys tried to pull something. The truth is, i was very vulnerable with one riding shotgun and two in the back seat (3 if you count Zoidberg) as we rode in the Buick. I PICKED THEM UP BECAUSE I WANTED TO PICK UP JESUS AND SERVE HIM. I invited them home where several of my family and friends had gathered (many without knowing the 3 with me were coming) and we had a feast of homemade sushi. They took showers, washed their clothes and sleeping bags, and slept in a warm bed. Late that night before we went to sleep, the Lord made it clear that i had earned the right to share with them about the real reason i picked them. The Gospel. They had many honest questions of skepticism, which i appreciated their honesty. A seed was planted and the next morning i drove them to the highway after a hardy breakfast and sent them on. They were headed to Virginia Beach. If you're in that area, perhaps you'll see them holding their sign. What will you do then? (For more on this subject, see my old post, "Thoughts on Hitchhikers")

A couple weeks ago we celebrated Firstfruits (It's the same day as Easter, if you're pagan.). The previous Wednesday night was Passover, a traditional and symbolic meal eaten by Jews across the globe to commemorate their release from slavery some 3450 years ago. We partook of the Passover Seder with our church, La Iglesia Sin Fronteras. What a time! Christ is so evident symbolically in a meal that God instituted so long ago. I hope you found the true Afikomen, Jesus Christ, as did we; for whoever finds the Afikomen receives a great reward.

This past weekend was an amazing time to love and fellowship with our siblings from another church. Almost a month ago my dad asked me if we would help out with the middle school retreat for his church. Racheal and i consented, but later found out that we had actually been put in charge of the whole weekend. "C'est la vie." What a blessing in disguise! With the help of some other leaders, we were able to be used by God to minister to about 15 middle schoolers. We taught about our identity in Christ as the Temple of God, the Body of Christ, and the Bride of the Lamb.

Racheal can feel our baby moving now in the mornings. She has only 2 weeks left of school this semester.

PrayeRequests:

• Ocean's/Fisher's growth.
  
• Next doc appointment in 2 weeks. Time to discover the gender!
  
• We'll be meeting with Alan, a candidate consulate for the IMB on May 8.
  

Quote of the Month:

In front of the travelers and the other guests:

"Hey look! Corey brought some hobos home for supper!" -Austin Walsh, 9


Amor,
†il the whole world hears,
corey reid pendergrass

PS. "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body." - Hebrews 13:3. Please take a moment to sign the petition to release your brother, Gao Zhizheng, from prison, who has been their for his faith in Christ for 78 days. Thanks.