Shiloh's Shenanigans - Rough Road Ahead

By Shiloh The Shepherd’s Sheep Dog 

Mommy - Cheryle M. Touchton

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9


“Traffic jams in the mountains usually mean something terrible has happened,” Mommy muttered as we sat there. We waited for over an hour as one by one, they turned each car around. I warned Mommy about everything passing us but she didn't seem to appreciate it.

“I have no idea how to get where I’m going,” Mommy told the man when it was her turn to turn around. Since Mommy usually tells people how to get to heaven, I knew she probably wasn’t talking about heaven.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

Mommy, I thought. That’s what you usually ask.

“The KOA Campground.”

 “It sure is going to take you a lot longer to get there,” he said.

Mommy sighed. “It really will take a long time if I don’t how to do it. I don’t see but one way there on the map and I tried reprogramming the GPS with a roadblock but it just says route unavailable.”

The man rattled off a series of several highways, towns, and turns. I've traveled enough with Mommy to know she still didn't know how to get there. It sure would have been easier just to tell him how to get to heaven.

“Please say that again,” Mommy begged. The man looked hot and tired but he repeated it.

Mommy turned Hallelujah around and immediately called Daddy.

“Reroute Tom Tom using the roadblock feature,” Daddy suggested.

Mommy sighed again. “That was the first thing I tried. Tom Tom doesn't think it can be done. The worker seemed to think it could.”

“Where are you?” Daddy asked.

“I don’t know. Hang on.” I knew Daddy was sighing. Everyone is happier now that Tom Tom has a Where Am I? button.

When Mommy finally told Daddy where she was, he was quiet for a few minutes. “It sure is going to take you a lot longer to get there.”

 “That’s what the man said. I know the first two turns but remember nothing after that.”

“What are the turns he told you about?”

“I've already made them.”

“But what where they?”

“Bob!” Mommy said. “Breathe. I can hear your blood pressure rising through the phone. I’m safe.” She told him what the worker said.

“OK,” Daddy said. “I see what he’s doing. Here’s what you do.” He repeated the instructions a couple of times. Mommy kept getting confused and suddenly lost cell coverage. Poor Daddy and Mommy.

“Shiloh, we’ve got to do this on our own,” Mommy said. No we weren’t. We had God. He would help Mommy remember. Besides, eventually Tom Tom would find us.

“This road sure is bumpy.” She didn’t have to tell me that! Mommy quietly concentrated on navigating the bumpy twisty roads, remembering what Daddy said, and avoiding colliding with the bumper-to-bumper frustrated drivers in both directions having the same problem.

“Oh no,” Mommy wailed. “The sign says rough road for the next 3.5 miles. How much rougher can it get?” I’m young but even I have learned not to ask that.

I thought about our first year together. It was like that bumpy road. We thought it was bad with all the twists and turns but along came a sign that said Rough Road Ahead and sure enough, the road got rougher.

When I first moved in, Mommy had been on a bumpy road. She was still sad about my older sister Belle and her Aunt Ka Ka dying. Mommy tried to train and play with me but it was hard to enjoy my puppy antics when she was so sad.

Just as she was getting better, the road got rough again when Granpap got sick. We rushed to Jacksonville to take care of him. Mommy went to the hospital and I spent most of my days in the laundry room. When Granpap got better, we went back to State College and I was happy because I had Mommy back.

Then Mommy got sick. She was in the hospital a week. This time, I was locked in the apartment bathroom during the day. When Mommy finally came home, she had to rest. I kept doing what puppies do and Mommy wasn’t very happy.

Finally, Mommy got better and we left for our first journey. I’ll admit I didn’t behave very well that first week but in my defense, Mommy’s rough road had caused my training to be bumpy.

We had enjoyed the first 10 days of the trip when suddenly the phone rang and there was another sign –Rough Road Ahead.” Grandpap had had a stroke. We were in Texas and made a mad dash for Jacksonville. Mommy went to the hospital and I went to the laundry room. In just three days, Granpap went to heaven. I stayed in the laundry room as Mommy and Uncle Vaughan made funeral arrangements and tried to take care of Ginny.

I wondered if our rough road would get smoother but it got rougher when Ginny was rushed to the hospital. Just 29 days after Granpap went to heaven, Ginny joined him there and I went back to the laundry room while Mommy and Uncle Vaughan made more funeral arrangements.

Mommy was sad a long time. She leaned on God and gradually got better. She started training and playing with me again. I got to meet a Mommy who wasn’t having to concentrate so hard on navigating bumpy roads. This Mommy was fun and I wanted to learn from her. I got excited when I realized what an important job I had – I got to tell people about Jesus. We were both excited when we led the first person to Jesus together.

But back to the rough road in New York. We arrived safely and Mommy finally got to call Daddy. His directions had saved the day but you and I both know that it was nothing short of a miracle that Mommy found her way through dozens of mountain roads without Daddy or a GPS.

Since we left home 6 days ago, Mommy and I have led 5 people to Jesus together and talked to many more. I’m not perfect – I still get too excited about birds and Mommy doesn’t like it that I can get out of every restraint she puts on me but at least I’m listening to her. We’re a team! Mommy says all Christians are a team too and everyone needs to do their part proclaiming what the Bible says about salvation.

We found out later that like Mommy suspected, a terrible accident had caused our roadblock. I sure hope someone had told the people who died in that accident about Jesus. Their rough road either ended forever because there are no more tears in heaven or the road just became unbearably horrible.

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The Step Into Eternity

By Cheryle M. Touchton

The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady

“How old is your dog?” I asked the campers sitting across from Hallelujah.

I’d planned to walk briskly back to my camper when suddenly I felt that “drawing” sensation that means the Holy Spirit wants me to begin a conversation. I’d just left the showers. My hair was dripping wet, I had no makeup on, and my towel, pajamas, unmentionables, and toiletries were trying to escape my bear hug. I regretted not rolling stuff up in my towel and wondered what embarrassing articles of clothing were visible. I thanked God I’d at least changed out of my pajamas.

“Today is her 1 year birthday. We gave her a hot dog to celebrate but she’d never had one so she didn’t know what to do with it,” the wife said.

“Wow,” I said. “My dog eats everything I drop – food, paper, plastic, or medicine – she doesn’t discriminate. She sits around waiting for me to take my eye off of my food. She would eat a hot dog in one gulp.”

They both laughed. “Where are you from?” I asked.

“Just a couple of hours from here. I see you’re from Florida.” the husband said.

“You are observant. You saw my tag,” I said. “I don’t really know where I’m from.” Again, they laughed as I explained that I lived in Pennsylvania but have a house and two vehicles registered in Florida. When I told them why I was in the campground without my husband, they laughed that same way people always laughed when I told them I was Cecil Milligan’s daughter. Daddy was quite the character so I think that is a good thing.

“Yes,” I sighed. “My life is unusual. You probably saw me fighting with my rambunctious puppy today. Birds are her undoing. You’re dog hasn’t made a peep since I’ve been standing here.” They grinned and didn’t argue, which meant they’d seen the scene we made when Shiloh bolted up and after the bird in the air and I got tangled up in Shiloh’s leash...all while still in my pajamas. I took solace in the fact that the people I was talking to were also still in pajamas. That’s life in the campground.

“I’m a Christian,” I said. “I like to ask people where they go to church.”

“I’m Methodist and she’s Catholic,” the husband said.

“How long have you been married?” I asked.

“48 years,” he said.

“48 years and you still haven’t got that worked out yet?” I quipped. They both went to laughing.

“I go more than he does,” she said. “I’m Catholic. We’re scared not to go.”

“Do you ever go together?”

They looked at each other. The wife answered. “He went for the children’s Christienings.”

“Do you both know where you are going in the next life?” I asked.

“Can you really know that kind of thing?” the wife asked. “I hope I go to heaven. That’s why I go to church so much.” The husband was silent.

“It beats going anywhere else. Your church offers you an alternative that your husband and I don’t have but purgatory doesn’t sound very good either.”

“No,” they both agreed. Up until that point, the conversation had been light with laughter. However, I noticed the haunted look in her eyes. She was worried about the afterlife.

“The Bible says we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We know everything we’ve done wrong which I’m sure is why you’re worrying about where you are going in the next life.” She nodded solemnly. The husband remained silent.

“The Bible does say that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. Do you both believe that Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead?” They nodded.

“My favorite line in the whole scripture is ‘All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” The wife sat frozen, listening to every word. The husband abruptly stood up and went inside to finish packing. I was disappointed that they wouldn’t be meeting Jesus together but I continued. She didn’t seem to notice that her husband had bolted.

“Can I lead you in a prayer calling on Jesus to be your personal Savior?”

“Please,” she whispered hopefully. We prayed together, confessing her belief in Jesus, asking again for the forgiveness of her sin, and finally asking the big unasked question - Jesus would you come into my life and be Lord and Savior. The relief on her face was instant.

“You’re really good at this!” she exclaimed.

“All I did was share what the Bible says about salvation. The Holy Spirit did the work. He called me over here. The Holy Spirit testified to the truth of what you were hearing and convicted you. You were willing."

I went to my camper, fixed my hair and face, and returned to give her a copy of my book, The Secret to Everything. The husband grinned, welcomed me back, and was back to his jovial self. He made no mention of what had happened but she hugged and thanked me.

Like many faithful church attendees, she’d already done the hard part – she believed in the virgin birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. She knew she was a sinner and was desperately trying to be good enough for Jesus. I love the look on people’s faces when they realize how simple it is to have what they crave so much – grace. The step into eternity is such a simple step – but it changes everything.





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E'sy Encounter - The 6 E's of Divine Encounters

By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady



I confess – I love alliteration. It is probably corny but it makes me smile. Besides, it makes it E’sy to remember. This blog post is about the 6 E’s of Divine Encounters. At events geared specifically to evangelism, we spend most of our time doing just 1 of the E's, Evangelism. During these journeys though, God sends at least 6 different kinds of Divine Encounters – which I’m pretty sure include all the 4 meanings of salvation as described in yesterday’s blog post as well as the rest of the Great Commission.

Evangelism

In the last 3 days, I’ve had at least 3 evangelism encounters. Two heard about Jesus and took the Jesus Challenge, which is to ask the Jesus you don’t believe in to prove He is real. One prayed and asked Jesus to be her Savior. Evangelism is proclaiming to the lost what the word of God says about salvation and inviting them to meet Jesus.

Exhortation

Exhortation is a little like fussing at someone but for other Christians only, with Holy Intentions, always over a clear Bible principle, and under the clear direction of the Holy Spirit. Shiloh and I were at Wal-Mart on Monday night doing our usual “thing” of asking people where they are going in the next life.

“I think I’m going to heaven but I sure haven’t been to church very much,” a woman said.

“When you get to heaven and God asks why He should let you into heaven, what would you tell Him?” I asked.

“Because I’ve asked Him to be my Lord and Savior,” she answered quickly. “But I won’t have to tell Him because He will know me.”

“So you know the answer. If Jesus is your Savior, you’re right. What has you doubting it?”

“I don’t really. I think I feel guilty for not going to church.”

“Guilt is the enemy’s favorite weapon to make us doubt our salvation. Why aren’t you going to church?”

“Because I moved here to help my daughter and I have to drive my granddaughter to work on Sundays.”

“You’ve made this conversation easy. The Holy Spirit is talking to you. Do what it takes to get back into church. God wants you in church – the word of God says it and the Holy Spirit is leading you to it. Find a church that works with your schedule – churches have gotten very creative with church times – but get back in church!”

“You’re right,” she said. “I will.”

Let me repeat - exhortation is only for Christians. It is telling someone a truth that resonates with what the Holy Spirit is already saying. It is NOT giving someone your opinion about what they should do – it is encouraging them to be obedient to the word of God and what the Holy Spirit is saying to them. To non-Christians, the Bible says this would seem foolish so don’t waste your time and get yourself in trouble for nothing.

Educate

“Do you know what an evangelist is?”

“No,” answered the young woman who had just asked what I did.

“An evangelist helps people come to faith in Jesus Christ by giving them the good news of what Jesus has done for them. I travel the country helping people meet Jesus. Do you know where you are going in the next life?”

She didn’t but now she does. In this case, educating her about what evangelism was became the doorway to her meeting Jesus. By the way – the purpose of this blog post is education.

Ease

This is about easing pain. “My husband died five years ago,” a woman said, shaking her head as if she could shake away the still raw grief. When I care enough to look for it, most people reveal in the first five minutes what is hurting them the most. It is as if physical or emotional pain follows them like a cartoon rain cloud showing up in every square regardless of where they are.

“I’m so sorry,” I said touching her shoulder.

“It’s been a long time,” she said, literally stepping back.

Moving closer I said, “But it still hurts. Do you know the Great Comforter?” She did but she had forgotten and needed a reminder.

The point of these encounters isn’t to offer human comfort – it is to help them allow the Holy Spirit to ease their pain. We usually have about 60 seconds to respond or in their hopelessness, they will also shake off our attempts to help. Speak scripture – it won’t return void. Pray with them for comfort. Ask others to pray for them. I have a collection of grief scriptures on my website and usually carry a give-away grief scripture card.

Encourage

“Have you read your Bible yet today?” I asked after bragging on two 13-year-old girls for so clearly stating their faith in Jesus. They stopped their bikes and laid their fishing gear on the ground to pet a barking Shiloh. They were cousins, born again, knew they were going to heaven, and had been baptized by their born again grandfather.

“Not yet,” one smiled and quickly answered. Great answer – truthful but offered me hope they would take the encouragement I’d just offered.

“The bay you are headed to is beautiful.” I held up my iPhone. “My Bible is on this phone. I was just there reading it and praying and saw some others fishing. Make sure you take your Bible the next time you go fishing.”

“We will!” they said happily as they picked up their poles and bait and rode away.

There is a fine line between encouragement and exhortation and it is all about motive. I was truly impressed with these sweet and faithful girls and didn’t want them to miss what I had just experienced at that bay. It wasn’t about obedience. I wanted to help them to soar as if on eagles wings.

Exorcise

“I won’t go anywhere!” Her speaking tempo had increased. Her tone dropped at least two steps. Her eyes narrowed. She’d just been relaxed and giving me friendly advice about the town. When I told her I was a Christian and asked where she was going in the next life, everything changed. When something changes that fast, I know I’m dealing with the enemy.

“Who do you say Jesus is?”

“He is just a man! Not God.”

“If Jesus were really the truth, the way, and the life as He said he was, and no one came to the Father except by Him, would you want to know it?”

“Not really,” she said. It wasn’t a no and she didn’t ask me to stop so I continued.

“If all who called on the name of Jesus could be saved for all of eternity, would you want to know it?”

She softened and paused for just a moment. “I don’t know.” That was it – what I call the Holy Spirit hook. It was permission to take it one more step.

“That wasn’t a no. It is enough for you to take the Jesus challenge.”

“What is that?”

“Ask Jesus – the Son of God – the Jesus you don’t believe in if He is real. Ask Him to prove it to you beyond your ability to disbelieve.”

She agreed. Her agreement was enough. I left before she could take back her commitment.

The secret to dealing with the enemy is pray silently to bind the demons, show no outward fear – which means to take no offense or argue with what they say, and to speak scripture. The enemy has no power over us if we arm ourselves with prayer and scripture. The second we begin to argue with the enemy, we've already lost.

In summary, all of these encounters and more happened in the last three days and while I haven’t had as much sleep as I normally require, I feel as if I am soaring on eagle’s wings. When we wake up to prayer, meditation, and Bible study and ask God to send us out, He does. It feels like automatic doors open up before us in any direction we head. Don’t miss it.



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Pocket Full of Quarters Trek 2014: The Calling

By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady


It always starts the same way. “God, do you really want me to go?” It is actually a two-part question – do you want me to go again and do you want me to go now? I get an answer from God and then I argue – with God and Bob. I say things like, “The signs seem like I shouldn’t go” or “maybe God is trying to tell me to delay.” My personal favorite is, “Maybe God is trying to tell me it is time to stop traveling.”

Hubby Bob won’t argue about this. Supporting this call to ministry is a call on his life and he takes it seriously. His life scripture is James 1:5-6. His shortened version is, “Ask God and don’t blink.” My paraphrase is ask to God for wisdom and act or you will get seasick. Once either of us hears from God, Bob forges ahead with the preparations…without blinking. When I want to slow it down and examine things, he sees that as blinking – which of course I argue with because I don’t want to admit that I blink so much. The reason Bob works so hard preparing for these trips and at ministry events is because He has heard the call, said yes to God, and refuses to blink until He hears differently.

I wish I could say it is that black and white for me but it isn’t yet. It is easy to talk myself out of going on these journeys across America – especially if I’m walking by sight and not by faith. I don’t know anyone else (with the possible exception of Jesus and the apostles) who actually travels the country proclaiming what God says about salvation so I can scare myself into thinking it is a little nuts. I doubt myself and wonder if I heard God wrong. If I tried to describe how hard getting ready for these trips was, you would think I was exaggerating so I dread the preparation. I love my husband and miss him when we are apart. These trips are physically and financially challenging and even potentially dangerous so I can get almost anyone who loves me to try to talk me out of going. Gas prices are high. I could evangelize anywhere – why not just stay home and evangelize? Oh…and let’s not forget the business person side of me – there are more cost effective ways to evangelize. If I look at it by sight, traveling around simply makes no sense.

Here is the thing. The Bible promises that I can have wisdom from God – that I can have knowledge of God’s will for me and the power to carry it out. I don’t have to depend on signs from God, all I have to do is ask, listen, and act. In fact, trying to read the “signs” from God is a little like trying to read tealeaves and is potentially just as dangerous because when God calls us to do something, the enemy usually puts roadblocks in front of us. Those roadblocks can look alarmingly likes signs from God and we could end of doing the enemy's will instead of God's.

Here is what God said to me first in 2002, in each year afterward, and again in 2014. I’m called to proclaim what the word of God says about salvation and to help other Christians learn to do the same thing. Specifically, I’m called to do this in America – in all 50 states. It is my call to patriotism because I know that Jesus is the only hope for America. Even more specifically, I’m called to demonstrate living by faith by allowing God to lead me where in America He decides to send me, do what He says, and then testify to what I see God doing. Tools like campers, cars, tents, blogs, Facebook, computers, iPhones, specific events, and even dogs may change, but the call is the same – help Americans hear and proclaim what God says about salvation.

So what does God say about salvation? All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. The Greek word for “saved” is Soza and it means four things; 1) saved for eternity, 2) healed, 3) preserved, and 4) delivered. The big events God calls this ministry to do are thrilling – they are the fruits of what you and I faithfully do together. After all, the Bible says that the harvest is ripe and we are blessed to be called to reap. At events, we work fast and do one thing – we lead lost people into an eternal relationship with Jesus.

These events are so amazing that this year, I asked God why I couldn’t do less wandering and focus on more events. Events are shorter and less time away from Bob, sometimes Bob gets to go, more people get “saved,” and events cost less than wandering. It made sense to me. God promises understanding and while I’m sure He sighed heavily, He blessed me with a deeper understanding of His purpose for these trips. Yes, on these trips, people will still get saved for eternity but there is so much more to salvation. On these trips, I can slow down, live by faith and go where God sends me, dialogue with Christians and non-Christians, spend hours or even days with them, deal with the rest of what it means to be saved – healed, preserved, and delivered and take the time to share stories with you. Christians who stop at what we jokingly call “fire insurance” because it keeps them out of hell are cheating themselves out of the rest of their salvation. When God instructs this ministry to proclaim what He says about salvation, He wants us to proclaim the complete definition. Like Paul Harvey was so famous for saying, these trips are “the rest of the story.”

Thank you to everyone who helped me this week gain a deeper understanding. Thank you Bob for continuing to prepare for this trip while I was busy blinking. Thank you to everyone who cares enough about people and your country to be a part of this amazing call from God. Let’s go out and together, proclaim all that God says about salvation.

To those of you who get just as excited about how many people get saved for eternity at special events, don't be disappointed if you don't see the numbers as high when I walk by faith across America. Remember the rest of the story, read the blogs, look at your life and make sure you are experiencing all that is available to you through your salvation, and help Christians around you do the same thing.


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He "Really" Got Saved

By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Change Ministries

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:14

"Daddy really got saved,” a woman called to tell me.

Puzzled, I answered, “I remember.”

“No, I mean really,” she said excitedly. “I know you prayed that little prayer with him but I questioned him later. He didn’t understand what he had done. I said, ‘Daddy, do you have any idea what you just did?’ He didn’t know what to say. We had prayed for him for years so I wanted to make sure. Everyone had talked to him. After you prayed for him, he sounded the same for a while so I know he wasn’t saved. Then someone else began teaching him and he changed. He even started going to church. I don’t know when it happened but now he is really saved.”

I tried to explain but she didn’t understand. Such is the life of an evangelist. Good thing we don’t do it for the credit. We wouldn’t be fulfilled. Her daddy had called on the name of Jesus and was saved back in November of 2013. I saw the Holy Spirit do a mighty work in his life. I knew he was lost and had prayed for an opportunity to give him the gospel. Miraculously, he came into the same bank I was in the day I prayed for that opportunity. I gave him the gospel. As usual, he argued but finally prayed to meet Jesus. His daughter witnessed the entire thing. She wept and hugged me. For a few minutes, she enjoyed the miracle.

Then doubt set in. She expected her daddy to be instantly changed. She wanted proof. The poor guy. His daughter interrogated him. I know him well and I can just imagine that interesting curmudgeon’s response to her grilling. He wasn’t ready to drop 90 years of ranting about Christians or admit that he’d been wrong. He knew what he was doing with me and I saw the moment he reluctantly surrendered to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. This man is strong willed. Trust me, no one could talk him into doing something he didn’t want to do. He needed time to process. His family pushed the panic button and didn’t trust what had happened. Instead, they doubted that God had answered their prayers and rejected their miracle. The result was months of unnecessary fear – all because of trying to apply human logic to supernatural events. I love this family and hate that they suffered unnecessarily.

Here is what really happened. God heard the prayers of the family. God answered my prayer and sent my friend to the bank while I was there. Her daddy met Jesus. Unfortunately, he didn’t pass his family’s test for salvation but he did pass the Bible’s test – he got saved. When you call on the name of Jesus, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a package deal. God sent someone to disciple him and because this man now had the Holy Spirit, what used to be nonsense, made sense. He even eventually even went to church – which is what new Christians do. God sent one miracle after another. That is how the Holy Spirit works when people call on the name of the Lord to be saved. I know it because the Bible promises it and I’ve seen it happen. That wasn't a "little" prayer - it was the prayer of calling on the mighty saving power of Jesus.

I’m thrilled that this daughter is finally sure of her father’s salvation but he got saved there in the bank. Everything that happened afterward was expected but slow growth. If someone you love gets saved, trust it. We often don’t see signs of the fruits of the spirit for weeks or even years after someone gets saved but the Holy Spirit is working once he is invited in. In my experience, most people don’t completely change in a heartbeat and neither did this man but it began when God opened the door and sent him to the bank. No one will ever take the wonder of that away from me because I expect and receive miracles often enough to recognize them. Trust the process – trust the Bible – trust the Holy Spirit. Expect miracles and believe them when they happen.


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Cheryle M. Touchton, the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady, is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries.  She and the Missionary Dog Shiloh travel the country as missionaries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org.  This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep Shiloh the Missionary Dog and the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road leading people to Christ, you can donate at

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Go Home

My Childhood Home

If I told you to go home, where would you go? When my parents went to heaven, many referred to it as “going home.” The Bible says that this world is not our home so I know that I will never be completely “at home” on earth. Nonetheless, I often confuse my friends by saying, “I’m home.” I have a house in Jacksonville, Florida and an apartment in State College, Pennsylvania so since I get confused about home, I understand their confusion. In Jacksonville, I have many churches that welcome and love me but I’m visiting. My home church is Calvary in State College, Pa. My church is as close to “home” as I can get while on earth. That means when I get back to my church, I breathe a sigh of relief. It is more than corporate worship – it is being members together of God’s household - studying the Bible, praying for each other, serving together, and being there spiritually, emotionally, and physically for each other.

Not all that carry the name “church” are happy “homes.” I hear many tragic “home” church stories. Some of you come from abusive “homes” – your supposed “church family” was just mean. Your “home” may have neglected, ignored, or judged you. Did you come from a broken “home” who fought constantly and then split up? Did your church have “pet sins” that they used as an excuse to be self-righteous and practice hateful prejudice? Some of your “homes” may have been dreary – boring, no fun or laughter, no joy of the Lord. Others preached fear – fear of sin and sinners and of displeasing God. If that is the kind of “home” you grew up in, it would be no surprise if you ran away from “home.” Here is the thing – this world is not our “home” and while we are here, we will always be restless as we long for our true “home.” The only antidote for that restlessness is finding an earthly “home” that will give us a glimpse of our final “home” with Jesus.

Calvary in State College, Pennsylvania - My Church Home

 So I beg you – Go Home! Join a church “family” who loves you unconditionally while having a vision of who you can become in Christ. When picking a “home” listen for laughter. God gives us the delights of our hearts. You aren’t “home” unless people are demonstrating the joy of the Lord. Make sure your “home” is the real deal – that they worship God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, believe in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and make the Bible the final authority for life on earth. Listen – do they preach and practice loving God with their entire heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving they neighbors as themselves? Do they greet you and seem glad you are there? Are they interested enough to check up on you? They won’t be perfect – no “home” is – but you will know when you are “home.”

Once you find “home,” jump in with your entire heart, soul, mind, and strength – become an active member of the family of God. Support “home” with your money and time. Discipline your thoughts about what is “lovely” and build your family members up. Respect and support the leadership of your “home.”

Go Home! The rewards are magnificent.

Scripture

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. Eph 3:10-12

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Eph 2:19-22

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Heb 13:17

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  Ephesians 4:11-16

Topic: Being Members of God’s Family

• The manifest Wisdom of God is made known in church – Don’t miss it
• Enjoy being fellow citizens with God – join God’s household
• Work together with your church family to become the dwelling in which God lives by His spirit
• God sent our church leaders to watch over us – let them.
• It isn’t good for us when we make our church leaders miserable – be kind to church leaders
• God sends family members with various talents to teach us – learn from them
• Be unified as a family – otherwise you feel like you are being tossed about by waves
• Build family members up

Evangelism Tip: Invite People Home

When you meet people who have run away from their church home, listen to their reasons. Don’t try to explain or defend the church. Simply apologize on behalf of the family of God for what happened to them. Invite them to your church.

Evangelize America

Shiloh the Shepherd's Sheep Dog - Helps Me Give the Gospel

 This has been what I’m calling “church week.” I went to two Bible Studies, a worship service, and lunch with a fellow sister. Every Divine Encounter I had was with Christians who have run away from their church home for one reason or another. I’ve had the pleasure of inviting several people to worship services and programs at my church. Shiloh the Shepherd’s Sheepdog was also very helpful this week. She performed her tricks perfectly and helped open the doors for conversation. I think she will be ready for the summer missionary journey. Bonnoroo is coming up in June and we still need funding. Pray about it.

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Blessings,
Cheryle M. Touchon

Let's Leave the Lights On

What does it mean to be salt and light in the world? I’ve been pondering this since visiting a Bible Study on this topic. As I listened to salt and light examples being tossed about, I grew more uncomfortable by the moment. Some turned their wine glasses upside down at weddings to be clear that they were avoiding the “devil’s brew.” Others suggested stands on moral issues like homosexuality and pro-life. Laments went up about high divorce rates and marital infidelity among Christians. I suggested that possibly love was what demonstrated salt and light but this since group didn’t know me any better than I knew them, their discussions continued and I quietly grew pensive.

That thoughtful sadness continued throughout the week as I finished emptying my childhood home and walked around letting memories flow. It will soon belong to someone else. As I stood on the corner double lot staring at the two-story white and green frame home, I pictured it lit up as it had been every night I returned from a date. My parents believed in “leaving the lights on” for me. The house and its residents were an unchanging light on a corner in a ever changing neighborhood. Generations of neighborhood children – many latchkey kids- grew playing in that yard, eating popsicles from their freezer, and calling my parents Ginny and Granpap. Just two blocks from our church, our house was the “after church” young gathering place. I remembered dances, barbeques, and majorette practices in the side yard and slumber parties and dates inside. The lights greeted us on prom night as my friends gathered for a late night breakfast. My brother and I left home but the lights stayed on.

They Sat Here Daily Greeting Schoolchildren

Mail carriers looked forward to the encouragement they would receive there. The house is ½ block from an elementary school and Mama sat outside daily before and after school handing out treats, returning restored toys, and offering words of wisdom and encouragement. When Daddy cut his grass, that riding lawn mower continued into the neighborhood. My parents loved their church and God and everyone knew it. They were private people who didn’t tout their good deeds so they were uncomfortable when I used them as an obvious example for the world. Daddy told me once not to bother helping people if I wasn’t going to enjoy it or expected a thank you.

To me, that is salt and light – quiet demonstrated love, leaving the lights on, and glorifying God right up to the end of an earthly life. No, I never saw my parents drink at weddings. The thought of abortion broke their hearts and there was no divorce or marital infidelity, but that wasn’t why people from preschoolers to the aged wept like babies at their funerals. They wept because the lights went off at 1110 Wolfe St. I may never live up to that humble legacy but I ask all of you to join me in using their example to leave the lights on for the world.

Scripture

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

Topic: Salt and Light

Be the salt of the earth.

Make sure your salt stays salty.

Be the light of the world.

Don’t put your light under a bowl.

Give light to everyone so people can see your good deeds and glorify the Heavenly Father.

Evangelism Tip

Let the world know you are Christians by demonstrated love.

Is your home a happy place where people want to visit? Do you neighbors see your demonstrated love? Do people look forward to your smile? Will people weep at your funeral? Do your loving deeds glorify God? There is no better way to evangelize.

Evangelize America

This has been a week of evangelizing and ministering through social media and e-mails to people literally all over the world. Right from the beginning, a major part of this ministry has been evangelizing on the web and I feel a responsibility for the growing number of people this ministry touches through this. The world is changing and the effectiveness of electronic venues for helping a struggling world is growing. I would ask a favor. Help us minister to others electronically. Would you repost our posts and post links to our blogs? Forward this Moment to friends and family and suggest they subscribe on their own. Suggest me as a “friend” or someone to “Tweet” with, like The Pocket Full of Change Ministries and the Cheryle M. Touchton Auther Facebook pages, and ask to be added to the Facebook Evangelize America group. These take an enormous amount of time to maintain but the resulting salvations and discipleship growth makes it worth it. If your friends and family reach out, I promise to respond.