A DROWN RAT

I am not sure if you noted the rain yesterday. It rained--most of the day. I never have liked the rain much but "not liking the rain" brought on new meaning. 

Yesterday when it rained I looked for a bridge to hind under. You know something? When you hide under a bridge you can make some new friends. I did. I sat in their "house" made up of boxes, and a million old blankets (no, I was not alone, relax) we sat there, talking, drinking hot chocolate. It was quite enjoyable, except being soaking wet and freezing cold. 

By the end of the long day I smelled like pot and looked like a drown rat. The small team I was with was to meet the rest of our group at a shelter to eat, touch base and be with the people there before we went back to the "office". 

I stood in the food line, a man asked me how many hot dogs I wanted. I wanted one. He looked at me with pity, he kindly told me I could have more if I wanted. No, one hot dog is good with me thanks. I walked away.

I was sitting in a chair, eating and talking. A women walked by, I wondered what church they had come from. I asked her nicely, she looked at me, her eyes dashed every which way, she gave me a very quick, very rude answer. It clicked.

"OH MY GOSH THEY THINK WE ARE HOMELESS" 

We looked it, we smelled it, we should be it. That was why people has been so strange all day.  They acted like I was a child, or a bad girl, casting sorrowful...with a hint of guilt glances my way. As pieces fell into place  I vowed to never treat any human in such a way. 

Forgive your people Lord, please, have mercy on us!

missing you, 

-jocelyn elise

I bought this cup of hot chocolate for one of my friends, Bill a dear old man, I took the lid off to show him the "pretty flower". He smiled at me, telling me I was kindest girls in the state--and this was the best hot drink he had ever had. As I smiled at him I felt my loving Jesus smiling with us. Pray for Bill.

RESCUING THE BEAUTY

We came in from all over the nation WA, TX, MI, FL, MD. A team of 9 people who love Jesus Christ and their cameras very, very much. 

We spent the first day praying and getting to know each-other. I mean you are going to live with these people for over a moth you need to know what their first pet was, what their favorite movie is and why the heck they came to Portland to love and document street kids. 

The answers to the questions varied but the mission was the same. to expose what really goes on down there. To ask the question: what can we do to help--even in small things. To distribute hope. To share with the word what God loves and expose what He hates. To find the potential beauty in all things. 

We had "street training" today. Whatever that is. Bottom line: be ready for anything and react to nothing. 

Tomorrow we start "street life" Please pray for us.

Much love and gratefulness,

-jocelyn 

the team Whitney, Jake, Kaitlan, Caleb, Christina, Aaron, Tyler, me and Lauren 

dance dance forms a bond that will last forever--we think 
prayer and study time together...

ps. So in WA you pump your own gas -- Very much NOT COOl, so please thank your local gas pumper today, its a very important job!  

the least

Jesus has this deal for no-nothings. 

He has an intense thing for failures. 

He has a deep love for the unlovely.  He is attracted to the unattractive.  He desires the undesirable. 

Among thousands he stopped for ONE poor blind man...on the way to die for me. He spent time with the dirty women, the ones who sold their bodies. He touched the lepers. He loved the little ones. He ate with the tax collectors. He fed the hungry. He loved the lame, the poor, the sinners, the captives, the lonely, the possessed, the least, the last. 

the words 

F O L L O W   M E 

strike a chord of fear in my flesh. Because Christ has a thing for dirty, uncool people. He delights in small acts of service that no one  takes notice of. It is becoming more and more daunting, yet addicting, endearing to FOLLOW HIM. Cause HE likes to go to the ENDS OF THE EARTH to SAVE ONE. The one whom I least expect. 

Viewing the world through Gods eyes is a painful and fulfilling thing. The rush of God's pleasure is worth my temporary discomfort. 

There is a connecting thread of radical obedience and active trust between what I say about God and the world and how I live in it. 

**

The month of March I will be working on a photo documentary with a video, photo and journalist team. Showing who the homeless in Portland are.  I will be spending most every moment with people who have nothing.  Watching them, talking to them, feeding them. Then in grace distribute hope to them, telling them of the only one who can PULL THEM OUT of darkness. 

I will do my best to keep you informed, there will be more detail soon. Please, please pray for me, for safety, this is no small feat. I feel I am in quite over my head. 

-jocelyn 

Cambodia

“I was walking the streets today. The little girls come running up to sell me books, water, jewelry, postcards, candy…I watch the older ones selling themselves.

I cannot help but wonder

WHY NOT ME?

Lord, why is my life so different then the rest of the world?”
- from my journal, day 2

For the Lord is a great God and a King above all other Gods. In his hands are the depths of the earth-the heights of the mountains are His also. -PS 95:3

God is Wonderfully Sovereign be thankful for all you have dear ones,
-jocelyn

so long 07...its been great!

The other night I drove around the airport for an hour and a half. No kidding. It was close to midnight when I started. The person I was picking up had left their cell off. And…it has been a very long day before all this!

On my millionth time past the yellow vest whistle man I was telling Jesus how very sleepy I was and how very much I was looking forward to my bed…and how annoying it was to be waiting this long for them! GOSH!


Jocelyn, are you not glad I waited for you? Was whispered to my heart.

Just as any year does this last one had it ups and downs--awesome and terrible moments. Moments I knew exactly what I was going to do and how I was going to do it. Others when I question my very existence.

Through both of those times there was God. Leading, loving, watching, caring and understanding. In the times I turned my back in rebellion and broke His heart He brought me back willingly, with words of tenderness and love.

I leave you with this, a quote that sums up my year.

“I don’t think I want hinds feet if it means I have to go on a path like that” The Shepherded was a very surprising person. Instead of looking disappointed or disapproving he actually laughed. “Oh yes you do. I know you better then you know yourself”. -Hind’s Feet on High Places (read it if you have not)

Here is to 2007 (and my longest post ever!:)

Love and gratefulness,
-jocelyn elise

let it snow!

cousins