So here’s Paul’s final remarks and greetings at the end of the book of Romans. I think it’s just dandy the way he closes his letters… He urges his brothers and sisters in the Lord to join him in his struggle by praying to God for him…doesn’t this look a lot like us and our current burden of asking for partners? both prayer and financial…? I think we can all learn a lot from Paul and the bold attitude he displays….along with the confidence he has in the body of Christ to respond.

He then starts the last chapter of this book with: “I commend to you our sister Phoebe…” and goes on to tell/ask the church at Rome to care for her and “give her any help she may need from you…” and I just love the way he KNOWS they will do what he asks. How can we get the church there? Back there….With deception, dishonesty, and selfishness that flood the poeple of the world today, can we as a church avoid the “red tape” of church-hood and do what Paul and what I believe Jesus Himself sees to be the CORRECT action/behavior of the body of Christ!?! I feel like there will be many opportunities in Seattle, and there are opportunities now to do just that. While giving without frugality is not necessarily what I am suggesting, there has to be a way (with the discernment of the Holy Spirit) to love and give and BE who we are supposed to be. I think of Kristine’s emotion and desire to LOVE LOVE LOVE people in Seattle….and it pains me to think of the churches of today that have to vote, pray, wait, stall, and not just act on the groans of the Spirit….I am unsure what any of this looks like for us, but the groceries we have received, the meals we have prepared and fed even some of you, and the TIME that we spend praying for/with eachother is going to build us into whom I see us needing to be….(rambling, so I am done…)