Cheryl Papion's Page

My Sister

Most importantly, if you like to talk about it I am STILL available. In the past, you know that I have always tried to be there to help whenever it was possible and in biblical order to do so.

Still, there is a biblical and proper way to handle the situations you mentioned by going directly to the people involved instead of to others. If that doesn't work then take credible witnesses. If that doesn't work then take it before the church in an orderly fashion with coordination of the church leadership. [Matthew 5:21-48]

I know that I have personally called you a few times and you never responded to me and then when I asked other leaders if they had talked to you they mentioned that you wouldn't respond to them either. At first I was curious why you stopped coming but after a while once you never responded I left matters alone.

Two things I don't do is try to make people be some where they don't want to be or to feel a certain way that they don’t sincerely feel because I am not capable of doing so any way. As much as I had at first thought otherwise, I can’t pastor anyone who doesn’t allow that relationship to take place. Contrary to what some have been led to believe I am not called to rope anybody up and tie them down and make them to anything against their will. It is a waste of time trying to make grown folk do something that they don’t want to do. There is not time or space available to tell you how many people make all kinds of excuses for not coming to every church, however at JHOW, no excuses are necessary because we all will have to give an account to God, starting with me. I can speak of hurt all day; simply put there is no way possible to be in God’s family, do God’s work and not get hurt. When serving God, hurt is guaranteed, I just thank God that He heals me more than anyone could ever hurt me. One of the million lessons that God has began to teach me is not to waste valuable time worried about what people say or don’t say. I refuse to let anyone move me from where God put me. I refuse to let anyone stop me from doing what God told me to do. Its as simple as that. Many were there before me and many will come after me but right now I’m where God told me to be. That’s the only thing you need to be sure of…being where God told you to be. When we do that … God takes care of the rest.

Not only that… there are no perfect people or perfect churches anywhere on the planet. We all have problems; including myself, the only solution that I know for all of us is to stop running from problems and to deal with them truthfully and head on as God says to in a biblical manner. Anything short of that only leaves us going in endless circles.

God wants Joshua to be a place where the love of God abounds unconditionally and where worship comes to life. No doubt, we are still a work in progress but we have certainly come a long way. We are committed to the journey no matter how long or whatever it might take to get there. Unconditional love means that we are to love folk matter what their situation is, but unconditional love is never to be mistaken with condoning any of the sin or wrong doing that we do. As pastor, I’ve give every leader the responsibility to hold me accountable to living my best for God. That doesn’t mean that I won’t make mistakes and fall, but I can never afford to stay down when I do. When we truly love someone we ought to tell them the truth even when they don’t want to hear it an even when it might risk hurting their feelings. This is the type of church that I am trying my best to lead. May God and others forgive me where I personally fail but know this, I am fully committed to becoming everything that God already said I am.

No matter what, you are a beloved child of God with many decisions to make, may God give you His own sacred guidance and the courage to do what pleases Him. May God truly heal your hurts even further and allow you to withstand even more because surely in all honesty there is much more to come. Lastly, my love for you remains no matter where you are for you are still my sister in the Lord and nothing that you do or any one else for that matter will ever change that. No matter how you might feel, you will always be a part of the JHOW family, don’t continue to let your feelings misguide you. Again, I am just as available as I have always been whenever you choose to meet.

be blessed my sister...............