We have a special name for those who faithfully support Greenhouse by giving, praying and advocating. We call them Greenhouse Builders. Thank you for being numbered among them. Your intercessions are a gift to this quiet ministry.
This month, 23 seniors will complete their time at Greenhouse, and 31 students will finish eighth grade. Please pray for the students and their families as they mark important milestones. Pray that the seniors will finish well. Pray that they will make wise decisions as they enter the next season of life. Pray that they will grow faithfully as servant leaders throughout their lifetime. At our Year-End Celebrations we offer personal words of affirmation to each eighth grader. Please pray that what Mary Kiel (for the girls) and Tom Spacek (for the boys) share will encourage each student as they transition to high school.
Commencements, birthdays, and anniversaries are milestones with familiar features. Other milestones are unexpected and powerful. Among those are the transforming encounters with Jesus Christ that many have experienced. Consider this passage in Luke.
LUKE 17:12-19 (ESV)
As [Jesus] entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
No doubt, all ten lepers were thrilled to be free of disease and rejoiced over their good fortune. But one, realized that the Giver was more important than the gift, and returned giving praise to God. Perhaps being a spiritual half-breed in that culture made him all the more amazed to be the recipient of God’s kindness and healing. May we remember anew the ways in which the Lord has brought His healing to us, and may our hearts swell with gratitude and praise. Let us be quick to share our stories to the praise of His glory.
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P.S. In response to last month’s prayer email, many of you were praying about Flourish ’26, which was held last Monday. We bless the Lord that the evening was truly encouraging and God-honoring. About 20 people joined our cadre of intercessors (Welcome to you!), and so far over $106,000 has been raised toward the $125,000 goal.