May 14- A gift picked up, put away, and put back. Tribute to by friend Denise Saturna

Today, plans changed after hearing some unbelievable news. I opened my email yesterday to receive an email that a dear friend that I have not seen in a few years had suddenly passed away on Monday.  Many years ago now, right after Scott and I left First Baptist in Jackson, we set out to help plant a church on Gray Hwy. in Macon.  The church was Martus Fellowship.  There we met a wonderful couple, Joe and Denise Saturna.  The story from there is Denise's story to tell so I am going to try to do justice to it.   Denise was speaking to Scott that we needed to do some sort of hands-on mission.Scott encouraged her that she did not need a formalized mission of the church to go out and do what GOD has laid on her heart to do.  I believe it was the next week that I had a cookout at the office and we had tons of left-over hot dogs.  I gathered those hotdogs  and took them to Denise and Joe's house in Gray.  That Sunday evening we went to the Fountain on the corner of Cherry Street in Downtown Macon and started feeding the homeless and some of the poor living in the Dempsey.  We spent many a Sunday evening on Cherry Street, there my children learned to love others no matter what they looked or smelled like.  One of the greatest memories is seeing Cullen running down the street to meet a new friend and taking him a hot dog.  Here we learned to put a face to the homeless and listen to their story.   

Denise continued the mission, this was her mission after all.  Come to the Fountain was formed, other churches got involved and rotated feeding the homeless.  The meet up had to be moved to a city park, because there was no room at the Fountain.   Denise and Joe sold their home in Gray and bought a building downtown that they renovated for their CPA firm and home on the top floor.  Denise was sold out to ministering to those in downtown Macon.  Eventually, a day center for the homeless called Day Break, was opened.  Here with the collaborative help of other organizations, homeless would have access to showers, computers, job training. 

Denise will be missed in Macon.  We will miss her just knowing she is not here.   

My gifts today are a gift picked up, put away, and put back.  I think these gifts are summarized in Denise's story.

1. Scott and I following GOD's direction to pick up and minister in Macon.
2. GOD allowing us to put away our erroneous thoughts on the homeless
3. GOD allowing Denise to serve with passion in the homeless ministry in Macon.  Denise put back love into the people in Macon.  

We are so thankful for Denise and Joe.  While we were at the funeral home standing in line for a chance to visit with Joe, we received a text that Cade has won CTAE student of the year and will be receiving a $1,000 scholarship.  GOD is good all the time.