This Sabbath I had the special treat of having my friend Vanessa and her baby boy Ruben come to spend the day with me. Vanessa is a sweet little Hispanic girl (barely out of her teens) that Dave introduced me to last Christmas. We've gotten together to make cookies, but she has also been wanting to come to church with me for awhile. In fact, she planned to attend "Restoration" back in February, but it never worked out. And since then, every time I asked her if she wanted to come, something always came up! But finally, this Sabbath.....things worked out! Praise the Lord!

Vanessa has not been to church since she was a child, and she's never been in an SDA church at all. But she seemed to love the experience and told me she wants to come back again. She attended the "FAST Scripture Memorization Class" that I've been teaching and soaked it all in. Then during church when they passed around the offering plate, Vanessa went digging in her torn jean pockets. "I only have $1 dollar left, but do you think that will be enough to give?" I smiled at her. "You just do what God is telling you to do. He will bless your giving!" She happily plopped in her $1 dollar bill into the offering plate. ("If only all of us gave with such happiness and generosity!" I thought to myself!)

While Vanessa is already a mother of four, her sweet childlike innocency and simplicity amaze me! After we left church, we went to my house and talked and talked.....about God, about the future, about how to get ready for Jesus coming. Ruben played happily at our feet, oblivious to the important topics at hand...

After a delicious vegan potluck (many more new experiences for Vanessa and Ruben), we took her home! We plan to get together again soon, and she hopes to come to church again next week. But I know the devil will not be idle....

Pray for Vanessa....and for all her family, and for her cousin Junior whose already been exposed to much of God's love, but still sits on the fence. She sooo desperately wants to see them all saved! And I know her heart is in earnest...but it is a tough environment that these kids come from...and no victory will be gained without a serious fight!

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." II Pet 3:9