Newsletter - April, 2001

Sometimes I feel like a little lost lamb, hiding under a rocky overhang, hoping the shepherd will come and find me. How did I get separated from the flock? The wolves came, the hireling fled...or maybe I just wandered off. It doesn't matter. There's a bit of grass, a stream flowing by and some safety in a corner of the rock. Will the shepherd come find me and carry me home rejoicing? Sometimes I get tired of waiting.
Official Pastors are too busy keeping their own little boats afloat to be out searching for lost sheep. So who is looking? Who?

THE GOD CHASERS by Tommy Tenny gives an awesome account of God showing up at a church in Houston, Texas. Stir up your hunger for God's presence. Christ in you, the hope of glory. ($12.99 New)

BOXES: March's box of books go to the Assemblies of God School of Theology in Malawi, C. Africa. In their last letter of thanks, they closed with "We will be much happier if you can donate more." Shipping for April's box has been paid for by George & Judy, the pastors of our summer family camp. Registration forms are now out for that camp which is the week of July 22 in Oakhurst near Yosemite.. If you'd like to go, let me know.
Meanwhile, we have folk committed to paying for a monthly box of books shipped over seas through October. AND I've been told about a new way to mail them which may be cheaper. If you know of other places that might appreciate Christian books, email me.

A MAN THERE was, tho' some did count him mad / The more he cast away, the more he had. -John Bunyan, preacher (1628-1688) [Pilgrim's Progress] We don't have Pilgrim's Progress in the store, but we do have his autobiography, GRACE ABOUNDING. $5 to ship it, cheaper if you come in and find it.

SPIRITUAL ABUSE - BREAKING THE SILENCE is a 10 tape series that found its way into the store. It does an excellent job of articulating signs of an abusive church system, ways we get caught, and the depth and impact of wounds caused by spiritual abuse. Teaching tapes at The Word Shop sell for $1 each t ape....a real pass- around price.

One of the nice things about Toastmasters, unlike most churches, is that everybody gets to talk. AA also has that advantage. I recently won Toastmaster's area Tall Tales Contest, and go on to compete at the district level at the end of the month. (Just incase anyone needs a fairly bizarre 5 min. entertainment--have mouth, will travel.) My next Toasty speech is going to be about my experience working with Billy Graham's organization.

Everybody also gets to talk at the FIRST TUESDAY WRITER'S GROUP, which is on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm. Last Tuesday Steven talked about e-prime, which is about eliminating all forms of the verb, to be. Led to some interesting dialogue. Like, what happens to I AM THAT I AM? In May we're focusing on the writer's work space.

The Holy Spirit Shelf is jammed. Hopefully the Holy Spirit hasn't become passe'. Basham, Pache, Hinn, Hayford, Sumrall, Frost, Watson, Bennett, Sherman, Weeks, Torrey...mostly *ubufd* (used books under five dollars). Jane wrote that she liked our UMPH program. (Ask for a Pass it On Card and you can have a free *ubufd* book to give away.) UMPH indeed. If you don't know about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit you can find out for less than the price of a Latte.

We are not retreating - we are advancing in another direction. -General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964)

Blessings,
Alliee +