Better Together
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (New Living Translation)
9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.
10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone?
12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.
Yesterday was our 33rd wedding anniversary. I usually post a great photo of us smiling with a title that says something along the lines of, “30 years of love.” What is it about social media that brings out this show-off side for many of us? We want to let everyone know that we are not just surviving; we are thriving! Just look at the dazzling photo of us having the time of our lives.
So here’s what happened yesterday.
My plan was for us to grab a coffee, take a barefoot walk on the beach, and then have lunch at our favorite spot.
Grady has a lot on his mind as he’s been job hunting these past few months. This week, we received a letter announcing a significant increase in our mortgage. No big deal—God is faithful, and He will show us what to do.
Mid-morning, we headed out, stopping along the way for coffee. We got back in the car, but Grady couldn’t get it to start. He jumped out, lifted the hood, made some adjustments, and off we went on our merry way. It was foggy at the beach, but we walked and talked about our plans for the coming year. The next stop was lunch at our favorite spot. Then, once again, the car wouldn’t start! Grady called a friend for help while I went to pick up a few items from a nearby store. Divide and conquer—no big deal.
I got a text from some friends wishing us a “magical” anniversary. I laughed out loud. “I would not call today ‘magical,’” was my immediate thought. At that very moment, I was reminded of a friend’s quote above her living room cabinet. It said:
“This isn’t home sweet home. Adjust!”
Over the past couple of years, we’ve been through several big life challenges: serious illness, job loss, moving states, and starting over. With the support of friends and family, we have stood back-to-back like strong pillars, refusing to be defeated by these challenges as we renewed our minds to the truth of God’s Word. With Jesus at the center of all we face:
“No weapon formed against us will prosper, and every tongue that rises against us will fall.”
— Isaiah 54:17“One can put a thousand to flight; two can put ten thousand to flight when God is on your side.”
— Deuteronomy 32:30“Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”
— Ecclesiastes 4:12“What shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake, we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
— Romans 8:31-37
Why did I choose to tell you a story about a day at the beach with little glitches that don’t amount to much in the grand scheme of things?
In the Song of Solomon, known as the greatest love song, there is a part about the “little foxes that spoil the vine.” It reminds me that each day, little things present themselves that we can choose to react to or allow to spoil our day. Why cry over spilled milk (or a dead car battery)?
We didn’t go to lunch. We drove home, took care of the car, made Grady his favorite meal, and watched a show together. That was our day. It wasn’t particularly magical. It had highs (the beach) and lows (the car troubles). Life is like that—there are lots of little foxes and some giants to overcome. We choose to adjust and course-correct. Some days are easier than others.
But as Paul said in Romans 8:37: “No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us.”
Now that’s something to stand on.
As this year comes to a close, we reflect on all we are truly thankful for.
We are so thankful for each other, our family, our friends, and Jesus, who loved us first so that we, in turn, can love one another.
If you are already partnering with us and subscribed to our newsletter, thank you so much!
Wishing you a very joyful and prosperous 2025!
Feast!
“Meals are more than food. They’re social occasions. They represent friendship, community, and welcome.”
Nothing shouts "Feast" more than Thanksgiving. It’s our family’s favorite holiday. We come together to celebrate all we are thankful for, with lots of food, fellowship, and fun.
On a recent trip to Rome, we enjoyed a beautiful meal in the Jewish Ghetto. The menu itself really caught our attention with this bold statement.
‘Hospitality is sacred‘
I thought about its meaning long after our trip. Grady has been in the hospitality business for many years. This statement confirmed his response when someone asked him recently, “Can you sum up in a word what ministry means to you?” Without hesitation, he said, “Hospitality.”
It may not be everyone’s idea of ministry, but it is definitely a good starting point.
Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines "Hospitality" this way:
HOSPITAL'ITY, noun [Latin hospitalitas.] The act or practice of receiving and entertaining strangers or guests without reward, or with kind and generous liberality.
A bishop--must be given to hospitality
1 Timothy 3:2
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
Hospitality requires thinking outside of ourselves and putting others first.
In the gospel of Luke 10:25-27 someone asked Jesus a question
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”
Jesus told him that he had answered correctly.
The more I thought about the statement on the menu, the more I was reminded of the scripture in Luke that talks about the 'Son of God' and what He came to do.
In Tim Chester’s book ‘A Meal with Jesus’ He writes
Meals are an important part of hospitality-fostering grace in our communities.
Food matters. Meals matter. Meals are full of significance. “Few acts are more expressive of companionship than the shared meal… Someone with whom we share food is likely to be our friend, or well on the way to becoming one.”
The Son of Man came…
In the New Testament we are told that the Son of Man came to do several things.
Mark 10:45
“The son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many”
Luke 19:10
“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”
Both of these statements talk about his purpose.
Luke 7:34
“The Son of Man has come eating and drinking…”
The third is a statement of method: How did Jesus, the Son of Man, come? He came eating and drinking.
Luke’s Gospel is full of stories of Jesus eating with people:
In Luke 5 Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners at the home of Levi
In Luke 7 Jesus is anointed at the home of Simon the Pharisee during a meal.
In Luke 9 Jesus feeds the five thousand.
In Luke 10 Jesus eats in the home of Martha and Mary
In Luke 11 Jesus condemns the Pharisees and teachers of the law at a meal.
In Luke 14 Jesus is at a meal when he urges people to invite the poor to their meals rather than their friends.
In Luke 19 Jesus invites himself to dinner with Zacchaeus.
In Luke 22 we have the account of the Last Supper.
In Luke 24 the risen Christ has a meal with the two disciples in Emmaus, and then later eats fish with the disciples in Jerusalem.
Robert Karris concludes: “In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.”
Meals are more than just food; they’re social occasions. They represent friendship, community, and welcome.
Peter Leithart says:
For Jesus “feast” was not just a “metaphor” for the kingdom. As Jesus announced the feast of the kingdom, He also brought it into reality through His own feasting. Unlike may theologians, He did not come preaching an ideology, promoting ideas, or teaching moral maxims. He came teaching about the feast of the kingdom, and He came feasting in the kingdom. Jesus did not go around merely talking about eating and drinking; he went around eating and drinking. A lot
This article is adapted from A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table by Tim Chester.
You can read the whole article by clicking on the link above. There you will also find a link to his book ‘Meals with Jesus’
However you plan to celebrate Thanksgiving, we hope you experience joy and thankfulness in your heart that stays with you throughout the holiday.
We are thankful to know you and for the blessing of having you as a part of our lives.
With love,
The O’Briens
Proverbs 15:15
"He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."
Thank you for your continued prayers and support this past year.
Please explore our website for updates, testimonies, and partnership information.
Notes:
Smith, Justin. "The Son of Man Came Eating and Drinking." Crossway, 3 Aug. 2017, https://www.crossway.org/articles/the-son-of-man-came-eating-and-drinking/.
Webster, Noah. An American Dictionary of the English Language. 1828. "Hospitality."
The One!
This September, we took the trip of a lifetime to Italy. We had been planning this trip for quite some time. There were several reasons we put it off: COVID, a move to Florida to be close to our children and grandchildren, along with an unexpected health challenge.
Just when it seemed like Italy was just a dream way off in our future, our students presented us with an unexpected gift. They came together and gifted us an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy. We were blown away by their generosity and thoughtfulness. Everything about our trip was just fabulous! We posted lots of photos on Instagram and Facebook. But what we really want to share with you is one of the many encounters we had while we were there.
Those of you who know us well know how much we like meeting people. We truly love nothing more than making friends wherever we go. Running errands could take all day because we end up ministering to the people we meet along the way. Italy was no exception! One evening, while we were visiting Florence, we sat down to dinner next to an attractive couple. Grady started up a conversation with them, and before long, we found out that they were newlyweds visiting Florence from Venice. They were both very interesting and fun. The husband asked us how long we had been married and made a comment about how happy we seemed. Then he asked us, “What do you do for a living?” We told them we were ministers. Sometimes, when we say that, the conversation can be cut short. Not everyone is excited about talking to ministers of the gospel. But not this couple. The husband's eyes lit up! He told us about their wedding day and how he experienced so much joy that he said to his new bride, “My heart is so very happy! Surely there has to be a God!”
He had so many great questions for us. We sat with them sharing the good news of the gospel and how Jesus wants to have a relationship with us. It was such a special evening. We were so impacted by this supernatural encounter that we have shared it with so many of our friends and family.
You may be thinking, “What’s the big deal?” We thought that too. Here we are in this beautiful country experiencing so many wonderful places; why did this encounter stand out so much?
I asked the Lord during my prayer time about this, and the Holy Spirit reminded me to read over the story of the lost sheep in Luke 15.
Here is what it says:
Parable of the Lost Sheep
Luke 15:1-7 (NLT)
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.
This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
So Jesus told them this story:
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?
And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.
When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’
In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”
Imagine how all of heaven rejoices when we put value on one person. God values everyone, everywhere. There is absolutely no one who does not matter to God.
John 3:16 says, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Think about that!
God loves everyone. This includes friends, family, and even our enemies.
This is God's love. It’s not a human kind of love based on good behavior. It is the unconditional love of a loving Father.
In Romans 8:38, Paul the apostle says this:
“For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
If you are “in Christ,” there is absolutely nothing that can separate you from His love. We are fully persuaded that God has called us to share this good news with everyone everywhere who is searching for the truth.
Not sure? Click on the “Contact” tab at the top of the page. There you will find our contact information. You may send us an email or give us a call. We are happy to walk you through the steps to help you understand what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
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Big News! May 28th
It’s been quite some time since we have shared any news with friends and family. We tend to post our day-to-day updates on social media. This news is a big deal, though—at least it is to us. After 23 years of being part of Charis Bible College, first as students and then as directors in Belfast, N. Ireland, Miami and Naples, FL, and Charlotte, NC, we are delighted to announce that we are stepping out into ministry as the evangelists God has called us to be. It's a big change for us, but…
Change can be an exciting new challenge for all of us. Our last year with Charis was truly one of our best and most challenging. Our graduating class was full of compassionate people who loved the Lord and had a great understanding of how much He loves them. In the spring, God started to speak to us about stepping out on our own. It's easy to ignore the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit, but as we prayed it through, we realized we would be missing out on His plan for our lives if we did not put our complete trust in Him.
We have had a lot of encouraging words from friends, family, and partners to go for it, but in the end, it's really up to us to put our faith in His faithfulness.
Hebrews 6:10 says, “God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do.”
We have been so blessed to be a part of Charis Bible College and Andrew Wommack Ministries. Charis is a great place to sit under the Word while being equipped to reach others with the gospel.
This is a new season for us. The message has not changed, but we are going about it differently. For us, stepping out means that we get to go out into the world and love others by sharing the good news of the King and His Kingdom, with signs and wonders following.
We are thankful to Andrew and Jamie for speaking the truth into our lives and trusting us with the Charis students. We love you both dearly.
We are so thankful for all of our students and volunteers at all of our Charis locations. It has been an honor to be a part of your lives. Thank you for helping us in so many ways. The list is too long to write out; you go above and beyond all that was required. We are forever grateful.
A big thank you to Wendell and Linda Parr. You have been the best examples to us of a godly couple, and we are just so thankful that God brought you into our lives. We love you both dearly!
To all of our friends and family: thank you so much for your continued support. You have stepped in and helped us through all of life’s challenges. Your prayers for our family, financial support, and fellowship have made the journey much sweeter. We truly love you.
This is the scripture we stand on:
In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”
Let's get out there and shine His love in the darkest places.
May His kingdom come, and may His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support over the years.
Big News…
It’s been quite some time since we have shared any news with friends and family. We tend to post our day-to-day updates on social media. This news is a big deal, though, at least it is to us. After 23 years of being part of Charis Bible College, first as students and then as directors in Belfast, N.Ireland, Miami, Naples Fl and Charlotte, NC, We are delighted to announce that we are stepping out into ministry as evangelists that God called us to be. It's a big change for us, But…
Change can be a challenge for all of us. Our last year with Charis was truly one of our best and most challenging. Our graduating class was full of compassionate people that loved the Lord and had a great understanding of how much He loves them. In the Spring, God started to speak to us about stepping out on our own. It's easy to ignore the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit, but as we prayed it through, we realized we would be missing out on His plan for our lives if we did not put our complete trust in Him.
We have had a lot of encouraging words from friends, family, and partners to go for it, but in the end, it's really up to us to put our faith in His faithfulness.
Hebrews 6:10 God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.
We have been so blessed to be a part of Charis Bible College and Andrew Wommack Ministries. Charis is a great place to sit under the word while being equipped to reach others with the gospel.
This is a new season for us. The message has not changed, but we are going about it differently. For us, stepping out means that we get to go out into the world and love others by sharing the good news of the King and His Kingdom with signs and wonders following.
We are thankful to Andrew & Jamie for speaking the truth into our lives and trusting us with the Charis students. We love you both big time.
We are so thankful for all of our students and volunteers at all of our Charis locations. It has been an honor to be a part of your life. Thank you for helping us in so many ways. The list is too long to write out; you go above and beyond all that was required. We are forever grateful.
A big thank you to Wendell and Linda Parr. You have been the best examples to us of a godly couple, and we are just so thankful that God brought you into our lives. We love you both dearly!
To all of our friends and family. Thank you so much for your continued support. You have stepped in and helped us through all of life’s challenges. Your prayer for our family, financial support, and fellowship have made the journey so much sweeter. We truly love you.
This is the scripture we stand on.
In John 10:10, Jesus said. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
Let's get out there and shine His love in the darkest places,
May His kingdom comes, and may His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support over the years
Please check out our website for Updates and Testimonies