DPM Update – 2016 June – Big News!

Dear Friends

Big news!
There is a new human being on planet Earth… Charles Lee Shaw is the newborn son of Chris and Lydia Shaw.  Mama, baby and Daddy are doing just fine. They’re back home and now discovering the joys of parenting.  And speaking of parenting: Can you believe it, our baby just had a baby?  How does that happen!  BTW…both grandfathers have the middle name; ‘Lee’.  It’s pretty cool to have my name carried on.

Debbie and I were in Redding, CA to welcome our new family member.  While there, Debbie did things that mothers do… attending to Lydia’s needs, cooking, cleaning, and smooching on Charlie… and she’s staying an extra week in Redding.  I did the ‘daddy do’ things, plumbing repairs, car repairs, fix-it things… and agreed with the mothers about how cute Charlie is. 

More big news!
And speaking of really ‘grand’ children, Debbie and I will have another ‘grand’ addition to our family next January.  Markus and Allison Hendrickson are expecting their second child. We’re so excited for them!  We were Skyping with them a while ago when we realized that Avalee’s shirt said, “Big Sister”.  Surprise!  It took us about 10 minutes for the meaning of the shirt to sink in.  Kids!!!  They’re always coming up with some way to pull a fast one over on their parents.  Keeps life interesting and fun.   

More stuff
While in Redding, I climbed a couple mountains (a 2000’ and a 5000’ climb).  What’s a dad to do when his son and daughter-in-love are in training for a scheduled 7000’ climb to the top of 14,000’ Mt Shasta this Saturday?  I had to join them, of course.  What kind of dad would I be if I couldn’t keep up with my son?  O, the ramifications are horrible!  🙂  And besides, every mountain I’ve ever seen has begged me to conquer it… so we conquered at least two of them.  It was very rewarding in lots of ways… family time and stunning views… and I still have aching muscles.  But it was well worth it!  So I’m ready for more mountains… natural and spiritual… because that’s just what pioneers live to do.

During our two weeks there, I helped lead a couple house churches and a monthly pastors meeting in Anderson, CA.  And Father’s Day just happened to occur while we were there… (Hmmm, I wonder who planned that???)  It was a great day with family and friends.

Angels are real!
Did you know that angels love when you talk about them and celebrate their ministry to us?  Well, here’s a cool story about an angel that seems to indicate just that. 

One morning I was meeting at a coffee shop with my friend Paul, and his son Jarius.  Our conversation gravitated to angel activities and applauding their attendance in our lives.  We actually experienced a little ‘God-swirl’ while talking.  The time came to leave to drive to Paul’s job nearby… a flip-house he had bought 2 weeks earlier.  As we left the coffee shop, I said, “Let’s see if we can find an angel on your job.”  I was half joking… but I’m convinced more and more that we should expect and integrate with our angels’ presence around us. 

The house was in the middle of serious remodel – tear out, rebuild, drywall/mud and paint – from top to bottom.  When we walked into a basement room, I exclaimed, “Paul! What is that up in the corner?”  It was an angel figurine.  To which he exclaimed, “I can’t believe it, I’ve been in here for two weeks and haven’t seen that angel!”  We both were taken aback at the remarkable timeliness of that angel when we said not more than 20 minutes before that we were going to see if we could find an angel on the job.  And how often do you even see an angel figure of any kind?  So cool!

Did a previous owner hang it and the angel was kept hidden from Paul until we could see it together and give it more gravity of meaning from our recent conversation?  Or did an angel create it in the minutes before we entered the room – complete with cobwebs – in order to confirm and validate our subject of angels?  I really don’t know.  But in any case, it caused our hearts to soar in faith for even more integration and participation with our “fellow servants”, the angels (Rev 19:10).

Exciting changes
This is an exciting time of great spiritual discoveries and growth.  I hope that you are right smack dab in the middle of the Good Stuff.  God is big… and He’s so good… and He’s delighted to give us the Kingdom! (Lk 12:32)  What a God!!

We love you!
Mark and Debbie

PS  If you’d like to follow us more frequently, check out our web locations below:
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Dwelling Place Ministries
Hendrickson
11011 Olive St
KC, MO 64131
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