This past year has been the year I have learned about love. Not the words ” I love you” but the depth of our Fathers love, of Abba’s love. It shows up in many ways, through us all, His hands and feet, through blessings and by witnessing miracles.
As a doing it all myself, receiving anything from others without immediately feeling the need to repay them or at the very least the universe was to put it lightly nearly impossible. So impossible I was blind to all the love and blessings that have been supplied to me from God because I did not know how to receive His love. I could give like a champ, my time, my gifts, my everything and I was full allowing God to flow through me to others, but knew nothing about His love for me.
That all changed at the beginning of this year when I met our guests today. I know if you listen carefully and really receive this HGU you will feel His love in a few way too and with it begin to see and receive all kinds of blessings in your life.
Allen and Debbie Kemp have recently moved from New York where they pastored a church for 23 years to a new home in Hampton, Virginia. Their home is called “Father’s Place of Rest.” Their new calling is to bring God’s love as Father into the heart of Hampton and out to the world.
There are 3 basic parts to their call: First is their home, with the “ministry of the front porch” where they meet neighbors and people walking their dogs and get to know them and pray with them. They invite people to come and stay while to rest and be restored, to experience Father’s love and healing there. Second is their call to bring Father’s love to their neighborhood and city which is primarily African American and has many urban kinds of challenges. Third is their teaching ministry across the USA and in countries like Uganda, Kyrgyzstan, and Haiti, again, bringing the love of the Father to the nations.
To get and stay in touch with Allen and Debbie – email them at – avkemp@gmail.com. They are partners with PRMI now and people can get tax deductions for donations to us through them, Presbyterian and Reformed Ministries International, (PRMI), PO Box 429, Black Mountain, NC 28711-0429.