A Lame Man Leaps

Amen.

Well, open your Bibles, if you would please, to Acts chapter 3.

Acts 3 · chapter mention

!

As the church, in terms of the purposes that we are to fulfill, as belonging to the Lord Jesus, and belonging to one another.

And we got to see over the last several weeks, from Acts chapter 2, verses 42 to 47,

Acts 2:42–47

this church that is beginning to show the evidence of spiritual life.

Life that has happened because of the work of Christ in their life,

and a life that is visible as they are sharing their life with those around them.

It's been a church that we'll continue to see as we move our way into Acts chapter 3 and the continuing chapters.

Acts 3 · chapter mention

The church that is committed to teaching, a church that is committed to fellowship,

a church that is committed to selling possessions and sharing those possessions with others,

ministering to needs, meeting the needs of those around them.

A church that is celebrating and worshiping the Lord together as they're attending temple day by day.

And a church that is seeing and experiencing the work of God among them.

As day by day, the Lord will add to their number those who are being saved.

They get to experience that because of the work of God working in and through them,

showing the testimony, the mark of God's gospel work in their hearts,

in capturing the attention of those in Jerusalem who see it for themselves.

The tangible evidence of that gospel work now is coming to fruition,

and God is drawing people to himself as a result of that.

This morning, as we turn our attention now to chapter 3,

we're going to see this continuing work through the apostle Peter and John,

as they're going to be ministering to a very specific individual,

a lame man who comes to the temple to have his needs met.

And because Peter and John don't just pass up this opportunity,

but see this man and his needs for what they are,

are willing to step in,

then God will do a work again in this man, but also in Jerusalem.

It really is an evidence to us of how gospel ministry works.

It doesn't just happen by other people in other places,

doing God's work in those foreign places,

but it's a work that God has called us to do.

It's a work that God has,

the purpose that God has called us to meet

as we are interacting with individuals day by day

in very ordinary, very mundane places,

stepping into where they are

and seeking to be used of God right where they are.

This is the same kind of thing that happened back in the 1800s,

a name that I'm sure many of you are familiar with,

the name Helen Keller.

Helen Keller suffered from an illness when she was very young,

and as a result of that illness,

she would lose her sight and also her hearing.

Her situation seemed hopeless.

She was essentially cut off from communication,

cut off from the outside world,

unable really to enjoy the benefits of relationship with individuals

because from a communication standpoint,

there was no way for her to bridge that gap.

Her father looked for help.

He wanted to try to help his daughter in this situation,

and he found someone named Ann Sullivan

who had a step into this role.

Ann was no stranger to difficulty herself.

Ann had also been one who had suffered from blindness

because of a bacterial eye infection

that happened also while she was young.

She lived in poverty.

Ann did live in poverty.

She lost her mother when she was very young,

and her father abandoned her,

and she had to go and live in an almshouse

before eventually being admitted to a place

where it could help to rehabilitate her

and help her to learn how to communicate

in the midst of her blindness.

So by the time Ann Sullivan arrived in Alabama

to come help,

she understood that Helen Keller was intelligent.

She understood that Helen had the ability to learn,

but there was just these obstacles in the way.

And she tried to teach her through those hand motions,

doing hand motions in her hands

so she could kind of see and feel the letters,

but it wasn't making any sense to Helen

until a breakthrough happened

when Ann would take Helen,

take her to a water fountain

and help her to see

that this water that she was feeling in her hand

and the symbols that she would feel on her other hand,

the letters that were being spelled out,

actually spelled out the word water,

and then everything began to make sense for Helen.

The breakthrough happened.

The light bulb moment took place.

And then as a result of that breakthrough moment,

Helen would come to learn even 30 words,

30 brand new words that very first day.

You see, Ann Sullivan entered into Helen's world.

She was willing to overcome this obstacle,

willing to address her own personal insecurities

and the difficulties of her life,

and that helped her to step into Helen's experience,

to be patient with the challenges that Helen had.

She did not treat Helen's problem

as too difficult to address.

She took her by the hand.

She worked patiently.

She gave what she had.

And as a result of her faithful,

patient ministry to Helen,

God used that to overcome this challenge,

this communication challenge,

and allowed through patience and through touch

for Helen to overcome this communication barrier.

It's a lesson for us

because if any of us are to step in

and to minister to others,

we need to follow the same pattern.

We need to be those who are willing to encourage

and help those around us

by using what we have,

stepping into their situation,

and being willing to address their problems patiently

as ministers of the Lord.

As we come to chapter 3,

we're going to see a number of situations

in the next several chapters

where things will happen that seem quite unexpected.

This morning in chapter 3,

we're going to see that Peter will heal this lame man,

this man who's been lame since birth.

And we need to begin to ask ourselves this question.

The ministry that the Lord Jesus had

and the ministry that we'll see

in these first several chapters,

is it a ministry that God has called us to have as well?

A ministry of miracles.

A ministry of working wonders.

And so we come to understand

that Acts is this transitional book.

And it's describing things

that are happening in the here and now,

but aren't necessarily those kinds of things

that we can anticipate

that God has instructed us to do as a church.

The technical word is,

it's descriptive, not prescriptive.

It's not instruction orders

or the marching orders

that God has given to the church

to then carry out miracles

in and among ourselves as well.

Now, God can do miracles.

He does it through prayer

as we are asking the Lord to do things

for the people around us.

And He does.

He heals.

He delivers.

He saves.

He preserves.

He helps.

God is in the business of answering prayer.

But what we're going to see

in the ministry of the apostles,

they're laying foundations.

This is an apostolic work.

And you remember from Ephesians 2, verse 20,

Ephesians 2:20

that God allowed the apostles and prophets

to lay this foundation for the church.

And Jesus Christ Himself

was the chief cornerstone.

This was a unique time.

An unprecedented time.

This was a time that hearkened back

to the Lord Jesus

who also helped to heal lame and blind men.

We find that in Acts 2, verse 22.

Acts 2:22

Peter will say,

Men of Israel, hear these words.

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man attested to you by God

with mighty works and wonders and signs

that God did through Him in your midst

as you yourselves know.

God confirmed His message

through Jesus by miracles,

by signs, by wonders.

And God was going to do the same thing

in this apostolic era.

He was going to confirm the word,

the teaching that we saw last week,

confirm this teaching through His apostles

through miracles.

So we find ourselves in Acts chapter 3,

Acts 3 · chapter mention

and we pick up the story there in verse 1.

Let me read this for you.

If you have a pew Bible,

or if you're using the pew Bible,

let me encourage you to turn.

It's on page 911.

Here's what it says.

It says,

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple

at the hour of prayer,

the ninth hour.

And a lame man from birth was being carried,

whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple

that is called the Beautiful Gate,

to ask alms of those entering the temple.

Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple,

he asked them to receive alms.

And Peter directed his gaze at him,

as did John,

and said,

Look at us.

And he fixed his attention on them,

expecting to receive something from them.

We're going to see a number of things

through this passage,

and there are more verses for us to look at,

but I want to just draw your attention

to some directives,

some things we see in the apostle Peter and John

that help to inform us

in the ways that we also

should relate to the people

that God has put us

in communion with,

in relationship,

with the spheres that God has allowed us

to interact with others.

And the first is this.

We learn the lesson

of being attentive

to notice hurting people.

Be attentive

to notice hurting people.

Peter and John are here.

They're going up to the temple

at the hour of prayer.

It's the ninth hour.

And what's important to observe

right at the start

of this account

is while something spectacular

will happen,

it all comes out

of a very ordinary experience.

It was an ordinary day.

It was just like any other.

Peter and John are doing

what they have done

now for the last several years.

They've learned.

The importance,

the rhythm of going to the temple.

They do this

during the time of prayer.

And this at the ninth hour

was the third and final time

of prayer

for a Jewish individual.

It would happen,

it would coincide

with about three o'clock

in the afternoon.

It would begin

the first hour of prayer

was happening there at,

actually it was the third hour

of prayer.

It was happening

in the morning

around nine o'clock

in the morning.

Then three hours later

there'd be another

designated time of prayer

at noon.

And then three hours later

at three would be

this other and final

time of prayer.

This time of prayer

was also coincided

with the morning

and evening sacrifice.

A time where the priest

would go into the temple,

he would offer

a sacrifice of a lamb.

It was a symbol

of the forgiveness

that God was offering

his people

through himself.

also in the morning

and the evening

were the time

where incense

was being burned

at nine o'clock

and at three o'clock.

You remember this

from Luke chapter one.

This is where

Zechariah,

you remember,

during this time

of prayer

would go into the temple,

he would offer incense

at the holy place.

It was a picture

of God,

the prayers

that would ascend

to the Lord.

And so this was

the moment,

this was the moment

in the rhythm

of praying,

God's people coming

to pray.

I think what's important

for us to understand

is that while this

church age

was beginning,

these individuals

who had come

to Jerusalem

had not lost

their Jewishness.

They had not lost

the rhythm

of the things

that God had

called them to do.

And even in the

mundane things,

the ordinary things,

the routine things,

here they are

again offering

prayers to God.

And now,

it captured

new meaning,

it had new purpose,

they were doing

it with new energy,

they were doing it

with renewed hope

because of what

God had accomplished

for them

in salvation.

It amplified

their worship.

And in this way,

it's important

to note that

structure

and routine

can be beneficial,

it can be helpful.

Those routines

that we develop

maybe once a week

as we come to church

on a Sunday

or the routines

that you have

in spending time

with the Lord

in prayer

and in Bible reading,

while they may seem

kind of routine

and pattern,

God can use

those patterns,

those routines

to encourage your heart

to do,

to do the things

He's called you to do

and help to amplify

worship to God.

And Peter and John

have come together.

We're going to see

this duo.

They are regularly

together.

And we're going to see

that as we move

through this book.

We'll see them here

in Acts chapter 3.

Acts 3 · chapter mention

We're going to see

them again in chapter 4.

They're arrested

together.

We're going to see

them in chapter 8

where they go up

to Samaria together.

This group,

this duo,

Peter and John

happen to do

ministry together.

But it was an

ordinary day.

It's an ordinary day.

And God will do

some of His greatest

work in your life

and through your life

on ordinary days,

on mundane days,

the unexpected days.

You're working

through the rhythms

of life

and all of a sudden

this unexpected

opportunity will come.

Will we serve

the Lord

and have eyes

that are open

to ordinary,

ordinary days?

Well, it wasn't

just an ordinary day.

We're going to see

in verses 2 to 5

that it was an

opportune moment.

An opportune moment.

Notice,

verse 2 says,

a lame man from birth

was being carried

whom they laid daily

at the gate of the temple

that is called

the beautiful gate

to ask alms

of those entering

the temple.

Seeing Peter and John

about to go into the temple,

he asked to receive alms.

And Peter directed

his gaze at him

as did John

and said,

look at us.

And he fixed his attention

on them

expecting to receive

something from them.

They encountered

this man,

this lame man

who is being carried

to this position

where he was going

to ask for alms.

This being carried

helps us understand

that he was still

in transit.

It was still

in process.

He hadn't quite arrived

at his spot yet.

But seeing Peter

and John,

he capitalizes

on this moment

to ask for some help.

Here we are

at the beautiful gate.

This is a perfect place

to ask for alms.

This is one of the

three places

we find throughout

the Gospels

that beggars

will come.

They find themselves

either asking

from rich men

like Lazarus

did to the rich man

sitting at his house

or coming to

very populated areas

the highways

and byways

to try to capitalize

on people

who are moving past

or in the temple

whether it was

at the beautiful gate

or other places

at the temple

so they could ask

for help.

We find that he was

crippled from birth.

Lame from birth.

His case

was hopeless.

He had experienced

this affliction.

This affliction

that no doctor

and no other individual

could help to resolve.

And here he was

a man

who we find

in chapter 4

verse 22

he's been lame

not just for a little bit

of time

he's been lame

since birth

and he's

40 years old.

This was part

of his routine.

His situation

seemed hopeless.

And his condition

was well known

to those

who were there

in Jerusalem.

We find that

in verse 10.

It says

they recognized

him as the same

man who used

to sit begging

at the temple

gate called

beautiful.

It's fascinating

to think.

I wonder

how many times

Peter and John

having gone

up to the temple

had passed

this very lame

man as he was

sitting there.

I wonder

how many times

had Jesus

in the three years

of his public

ministry

having gone

up to the temple

this same

lame man

sitting at this

beautiful gate

how many times

had Jesus

passed this

lame man

and knew

in his mind

this day

was going to come.

I wonder

how many times

the religious

men and women

who were

moving up

to the temple

didn't even bother

giving a glance

at this man

who was sitting

there.

But here we find

Peter and John

on this occasion

they stopped

they looked

and they speak

they address

this man

and get his

attention.

Typically donors

would flip a coin

at a beggar

on their way

into the temple

but on this

occasion

Peter fixes

his gaze

on him

and he says

look

look at me

this was not

going to be

just a chance

occasion

this was going

to be a deliberate

opportunity

that Peter

will capitalize

on.

No doubt

this man

is expecting

some temporary

relief

he's in

dire straits

he needs

some help

and no wonder

now that he's

getting some

attention from

Peter and John

there's no doubt

that he is

expecting something

to happen

and to come

his way.

Peter is going

to capitalize

on this

but I wonder

I wonder

how many of us

would have missed

this opportunity.

Just a couple

days ago

on Friday

I was on my

way back

from Cedarville

on my way

back to Columbus

and as I

was getting

on to the

on ramp

to get

on to the

freeway

there was a

man with a

sign standing

there on the

on ramp

and it said

Columbus

and he's

standing there

he's got his

backpack there

and I noticed

him

and in this

split moment

this

very brief

moment

I'm trying

to process

what I'm

about to do

and I'm

driving up

up the

on ramp

and by the

time I finally

decide

you know what

it would probably

be a good idea

for me to

pick this guy up

and take him

to Columbus

I was already

on the freeway

making my way

in my heart

there was not

a readiness

in my heart

there wasn't

quite

an awareness

I had things

on my mind

there were

things to do

there were

pressures ahead

there was a

desire to

get home

and because

of not

being ready

and not

being aware

I missed

an opportunity

I wonder

how many

mundane

opportunities

we have

moment by

moment

day by

day

that we

just pass

right on

by

but Peter

and John

they step

in

they step

into this

moment

and they

are willing

to address

this man's

this man's

lameness

how easy

might it have

been for

Peter and

John to

say hey

listen

listen man

I'm on my

way to

pray

or hey

I've got

I'm going

to the

temple

right now

I've got

some really

important

spiritual

things to

do right

now

or how many

might have

said

you've been

here for

40 years

every single

day I see

you here

I'm sure

I'm going

to see you

tomorrow

and by the

way

Jesus

didn't heal

you

so I guess

tough luck

it'd been

very easy

to have

passed him

by but

Peter and

John step

in

Peter and

John are

willing to

address

this man's

problems

you see

life is

full of

mundane

moments

are your

eyes open

to them

is your

heart ready

and willing

to step

in

have you

already

begun

to tune

your heart

to the

moments

that God

may put

in your

path

in this

coming

week

are you

asking

the Lord

to fill

you with

a heart

of compassion

and are

you asking

the Lord

to bring

to your

attention

those opportunities

that he wants

you to

address

see Peter

and John

stop

they turn

they notice

this man

they get

his attention

and they're

willing to

step in

they capitalize

on this

opportunity

you see

we need

to be

alert

to notice

hurting

people

next

we're

going to

see in

verses 5

and 6

that we

need to

be available

to give

what you

have

be available

to give

what you

have

verse 5

says

and he

fixed his

attention

on them

expecting to

receive something

from them

but Peter

said

I have

no silver

and gold

but what

I do

have

I give

to you

in the

name of

Jesus

Christ

of Nazareth

rise up

and walk

be available

to give

what you

have

it would

have been

very easy

for Peter

to have

made excuses

but they

didn't

they didn't

make excuses

it would

have been

very easy

for Peter

to have

said

sorry

Charlie

I got

no money

to give

to you

I've got

no silver

no gold

no help

so I'm

going to

be on

my way

no but

what Peter

does

and he

models this

along with

John

they're willing

to give

what they

have

Peter

makes two

statements

that I'm

sure would

have shocked

this man

I have

no silver

and no gold

but what I

have I

will give

I don't

know what

you're asking

for

or I don't

have what

you're asking

for but I've

got something

better

I've got

something

better

and what I

have I'm

going to

extend to

you

in this

important

phrase

what I

have I

give to

you

it's similar

to what the

apostle Paul

will say

to the

Thessalonians

in 1st

Thessalonica

chapter 2

verse 8

he says

so being

affectionately

desirous

of you

we were

ready to

share with

you

not only

the gospel

of God

but also

our own

selves

that's the

essence of

Christian

ministry

the essence

of Christian

ministry

is to

give

what God

has entrusted

to you

especially

the grace

that you

have enjoyed

the benefits

of God's

goodness

and kindness

first

in Jesus

of giving

himself

of forgiving

you of your

sins

of bringing

you to the

point of

salvation

and to

extend that

blessing to

those around

you

but also

the benefits

the physical

and financial

benefits that

God has given

to us

to step

in

to give

what we

have

this is what

I love

we're not

ever expected

to give

what you

don't

have

but God

wants to

take

and to

multiply

the little

perhaps

that you

do have

and he

can use

that

instrumentally

to change

the people

around you

just give

what you

have

I think

Peter

was prepared

in that

moment

to address

this situation

to allow

this very

personal

ministry

to happen

because Peter

himself

had experienced

the personal

ministry

of the Lord

Jesus

and experiencing

that ministry

from a very

personal

savior

Peter

is willing

to step

in

and express

a very

personal

ministry

it was

Jesus

who modeled

this to his

disciples

Peter

would see

have seen

this in the

life

in ministry

of Christ

Jesus

who mixes

it up

with all

kinds of

people

he's a

friend

of tax

collectors

and sinners

Peter

got to see

that

first hand

and Jesus

who gave

himself

personally

to people

he expended

himself

he served

people

late

into the

night

he was

willing

to serve

people

when it

was really

inconvenient

when he

was on

vacation

as it

were

and feeds

the 5,000

and it

was really

inconvenient

but the

crowds

just keep

coming

he wanted

to get

away

with his

disciples

but the

crowds

kept

coming

and what

does he

do

he doesn't

push

them away

he serves

them

and Peter

would have

seen this

this model

of the

Lord

Jesus

he was

willing

to have

personal

ministry

with others

he was

willing

to

rub

shoulders

with the

lowest

of the

low

he

was

willing

to

weep

with

Mary

and Martha

in a

moment

a tender

moment

of pain

that they

were

experiencing

he had

compassion

on the

masses

he bounced

babies

on his

lap

he made

sure

his mom

was in

good

hands

when he

was

hanging

on the

cross

and ready

to die

Jesus

was

constantly

thinking

about

others

in his

ministry

Jesus

was a

personal

man

who

extended

personal

ministry

so here

we find

Peter

Peter

touched

and encouraged

by the

personal

ministry

of the

Lord

Jesus

is now

extending

this same

personal

ministry

to this

lame man

this is why

I think

it's important

for us

as the

church

to understand

the significance

of personal

ministry

yes it's

good to

give a

check

yes it's

good to

come and

sing

and to

praise

the Lord

together

in this

place

but if it

ends there

without a

personal

touch

without this

personal

element

you miss

the opportunity

that God

wants us

to capitalize

on

this personal

Christian

ministry

that includes

this personal

touch

and perhaps

the reason

why Peter

didn't have

any money

to give

I'm inclined

to think

that he

along with

the other

apostles

were kind

of setting

the stage

of what we

saw in the

last part

of chapter

two

remember

they're

selling their

possessions

and they're

distributing

to anyone

who had

need

I think

the apostles

were in

the front

of the pack

as it were

in doing

that

for others

and so

Peter

didn't have

anything to

give

because he'd

already

given it

all away

so they

didn't make

excuses

they had

lots of

reasons to

make excuses

but they

didn't

but they also

saw the deeper

need here

and I see

we turn to

verse 6

and we see

this again

Peter said

I have no

silver and

gold

but what I

do have

I give

to you

in the name

of Jesus

Christ of

Nazareth

rise up

and walk

you see

Peter

didn't let

this lack

of funds

cause him

to pass up

on this

man

he saw

the deeper

need

the deeper

issues

that were

at stake

yes there

was a

financial

need

yes there

was a

physical

need

but I

think

Peter

saw

even

deeper

than that

and he

recognized

there was

a spiritual

need

that needed

to be

addressed

and that's

why he

says

in the

name

of Jesus

Christ

rise up

and walk

you see

it's the

giving

that Jesus

wants

from us

is the

giving

that originates

from him

in the

name of

Jesus

Christ

rise up

and walk

it's a

giving that

points to

him

it's a

giving

that's

strengthened

by him

it's a

giving

that gives

glory

to him

it's a

it's the

kind

of giving

where Jesus

receives

the praise

so Peter

what he does

here is

significant

and it's

really easy

to miss

it's easy

to miss

that Peter

is not just

caught up

in this

moment

but Peter

is being

instrumentally

used

by God

in this

moment

to minister

to a need

and to draw

attention

to Christ

we find

in verse

7

he looks

at him

he took

him by

the right

hand

and raised

him up

and immediately

his feet

and ankles

were made

strong

notice the

features of

this miracle

that's important

for us to draw

attention to

that it

sets itself

apart from

the so-called

miracles

that happen

today

that the

healing was

done in

Jesus's name

the healing

was instantaneous

the healing

was complete

it involved

the totality

of all that

this man

needed

his feet

his ankles

were strengthened

in totality

it wasn't

incrementally

but happened

all at once

and then there

was this

immediate

skill

to walk

there was

this

coordination

there's

this

motor

skill

there was

this

proficiency

you see

God

overcame

not only

the physical

needs

of strengthening

but also

whatever the

mental needs

might be

to help

with coordination

and proficiency

happened

instantaneously

that for

a man

who was

40 years

old

to be able

to walk

and as

we're

going

to see

leap

here

in just

a moment

that

he is

able

to do

this

because

a miracle

has happened

it was clear

it was unmistakable

a work of

God

had just

taken place

because Peter

and John

were willing

to give

what they

had

I wonder

this morning

what do you

have to give

today

whatever

small

whatever

large

what

what do

you have

to give

in terms

of your

life

in addressing

the hurt

or the pain

or the

challenges

that somebody

in your

circle

is experiencing

maybe as

simple as

a word

of encouragement

maybe

it's as

simple as

a note

that you

write

whatever

that is

what is

that ministry

what do

you have

to give

today

we need

to see

that God

has

strategically

placed

us

he has

placed

you

he has

placed

me

in the

spots

where he

is already

working

he's

working

ahead

of us

he's

put

people

in

our

spaces

he

wants

ministry

to happen

and he's

given us

the opportunity

to do that

we just have

to give

what we

have

and you

are qualified

you are

qualified

if you

are a

recipient

of God's

grace

in coming

to faith

in him

you are

a recipient

of grace

and so

you have

something

to give

you have

the grace

of God

to give

the ministry

of God's

grace

imparted

to you

to encourage

and bless

those around

you

and finally

not just be

alert to

notice

not just be

available to

give

but be active

to point

people

to God

be active

to point

people to

God

we see that

in verse 8

it says

in leaping up

he stood

and began

to walk

and entered

the temple

with them

walking

and leaping

and praising

God

and all the

people saw

him walking

and praising

God

and all the

people saw

him walking

and praising

God

and recognized

him as the

one who sat

at the beautiful

gate of the

temple

asking for

alms

and they were

filled with

wonder and

amazement

at what had

happened to

him

you see what

happens here

do you notice

what's taken

place

now this man

is not

limping

he's not

shuffling

he's not even

just walking

he's leaping

he's leaping

because a

miracle

a miracle

has happened

it's moved

him from

hopelessness

to joy

it's led

him to

from being

kind of

self-focused

to being

God-focused

it's moved

him from being

one who is

carried

to one who

is moving

on his own

he's moving

with direction

he's moving

with purpose

he's one

who's rejoicing

in his

physical fitness

but also

rejoicing

more importantly

in his

spiritual fitness

that this

has created

joy

this personal

ministry of

Peter and

John

has led to

joy

in God

it's been

directional

the apostle

Peter has

ensured

that God

would get

credit for

this

that he is

doing this

in the name

of Jesus

Christ of

Nazareth

and I wonder

if any of you

have had an

opportunity

to be part

of that

to see

that

or experience

that for

yourself

that your

ministry

to someone

else

however big

or small

that ministry

might be

that it leads

to joy

in them

have you ever

experienced

that

and seen

that

this past

week

as I was

driving

to Cedarville

my odometer

turned

233,333

it was

notable

just because

of all the

threes

that were there

but it reminded

me of how

that car

came to

being for

us

it was a

family

a family

10 years

ago

when

actually

I guess

it was

16 years

ago

now

because

my son

Timothy

was just

about ready

to be born

and this

family

in this

church

decided to

give us

a gift

it was a

gift that

was kind

of targeted

to helping

us as a

family

get things

going

and get

some supplies

for how