THE LAWSON’S TRAVEL GUIDE

MILESTONES ON THE JOURNEY TO PLANTING A CHURCH

Leavened bread
is still tasty
Jesus said to His disciples by the sea
one day "Watch out and beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees and
Sadducees." They were confused,
wondering to themselves because
they didn’t bring any bread, much less
any yeast (leaven).

Often it is so tempting for us to

compare ourselves to the disciples in
this passage. Being naive and
ignorant about truth is much more
palatable to accept than being the
person Jesus says to avoid....It is here
I had to begin. One thing I have seen
over and over in my wicked heart is
that sin and lies taste good to me. Not
all of me, but that part of me that
stands in opposition to God’s absolute
reign in my life.
The more we have a taste for the
yeast of sin, the yeast of doctrine that
takes us from the glory and
sufficiency of Christ, the more this
tasty loaf grows, and it doesn’t take
much, just a pinch.
So here we are, enjoying the bread
that is killing us, while Jesus warns
us not of the Pharisees, “those”
people, but of the yeast that they
had that can enter our hearts and
become our own.
In contrast, Jesus gives us an
answer that also helps us recognize
the bread rising up in us that is not
feeding us and giving us life, a
simple answer that in the desire for
the tasty we miss the fulfilling.
Jesus says in John chapter 6 that
He is the bread of life, the living
bread that came down out of
heaven and gives true life to men.
The bread of life is not always the
most tasty, not always the most
beautiful, in fact it is a bread that
has been broken, but it is the only
bread to feed His children, the only
bread to give us life!
 JOHANA
ALDRICH
Born: Pasto, Colombia

Birthday: June 1st

Address: 11120 Plank

road, Baton Rouge, La.
70811

Favorite color: purple

My name is Johana Aldrich and I grew up in Maine. I graduated from Toccoa Falls College in
Toccoa Georgia with a B.S. degree in Family and Children’s Ministry with a minor in Early
Childhood Education. I have a heart to give hope to the hopeless and less fortunate. My passion is
building healthy relationships with children and their families to give them encouragement and
guidance in a fallen world. After much prayer and confirmation from family and friends I feel that
‘The Vine Ministries is the place where God has called me to minister and use the gifts He has
empowered me with to minister most effectively.
It is an act of God that has brought me to this place of ministry. In July, I specifically started
praying about another job. I currently despised the one that I work at because I knew I was not in
the place God wanted me anymore. I started praying on a Monday and He opened the door for me
to leave on good terms that Friday. I started pursuing another job option and PASTOR MARV
then heard about
‘The Vine Ministries’ and felt a large pull towards it, even though I did not know much about it. I
still pursued the other option whole heartedly, but started feeling torn. I did a working interview at
the other job, but knew God was calling me somewhere else. The other place felt the same pull and
we mutually agreed that it was not the place for me. I then flew out to Louisiana and visited the
ministry and fell in love with what I felt God was doing here. The passion in my heart was ignited
as I heard more about my possible job position and I just knew it was the place for me; it felt like
‘home’.
God has blessed me with a parents who encourage me to pursue my dreams
JOE and
AND follow
MERCYwherever
ANNE
God leads. I will be forever grateful for their support and encouragement to follow the Holy Spirit’s
leading no matter the cost. I am grateful to have to the opportunity pursue my dreams and calling
God has placed in my life.
I feel one of the largest prayer needs is that God would provide the financial needs to move from
Atlanta, Georgia, where I currently reside, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I desire to have the strength
to move forward and let go in saying good-bye to things of the past and people that are familiar and
comfortable to me. I desire the strength to stay strong in the faith and start a new ministry. One of
my largest desires is that I stay completely sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in the next steps
in life.
 JASMINE
MENDEZ

Born: Long Beach, New

York

Birthday: March 26th

Address: 11120 plank

road, Baton Rouge, LA.
70811

Favorite verse: Psalms

27

Hello my name is Jasmine Mendez, I am writing this article for my brothers and sisters in Christ and family and friends,
so that you can get to know me a little better. I am a young woman that was born and raised in Long Beach, New York.
I was fortunate enough to get accepted into Nyack Christian College. With the help of the Lord and many mentors I
was able to graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Childhood Education with a concentration in health and science. I
was raised in a Christian environment all my life, but that doesn’t mean it was easy. Through positive and negative
circumstances in my life God brought me through.

Now I am here in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and I am so happy to be joining The Vine Ministry. I have known Nate and
Kara Lawson and their family for about a year and a half now. When Nate called me and asked me about praying to
pioneer a Daycare Care, I felt like I was not worthy of that position. I told him I had to pray about it and I needed
funding and confirmation. I started praying and talking to mentors and everyone told me that it was an amazing
opportunity. I also was praying that my mother, who is my best friend my everything, would approve of me going
because I would be leaving her alone. I needed the peace and assurance that she would be taken care of. Little by
little my mother came around and thought everything through, she told me that as my mom she didn’t want me to go
but she knew that she wanted to see me happy and follow God’s plan in life. This and the peace and happiness that
God gave me were answers to my prayers. Prayer for funding was answered when my plane ticket was payed for,
when my sister and mentor Suzanne I. Mena blessed me with an offering, my mother and boyfriend gave me toiletry
money and also a surprise church offering from my home church Crusade Evangelical Church that covered some
expenses in getting luggage here.

Since I have been here God has been showing me how to let him love me and provide for me. He has shown me the
love of a family. Right now all I could ask for is for prayer for doors to open, the doors for funding to start The Vine
Café and The Vive Daycare Center. Also I personally need prayer for decision making on going back to college to get
my masters, and for discernment on what college to attend and what major I should pursue. I also would like to ask
for prayer for my mother, friends, and families health and all needs that they may have.

One thing you should know about me is that I have a heart to help all that may need it. I come from a broken home
and many unhealthy relationships throughout my life. I am also a survivor of the AML Leukemia cancer and the streets
of Long Beach. I know what it feels like when you feel you are worth nothing and not love yourself. I can tell you that
my journey with Christ has not been easy; it has been a roller coaster. I am pleased to say that although I may have
good and bad days, I now know that I am loved and not doing it on my own and for the first time in a long time I can
really believe that. I look forward to helping and ministering to everyone I may meet, young or elderly with the heart
that God has given me. I look forward to building relationships and being a part of the The Vine Ministry Family!
 THE VINE APARTMENTS
•••
THE VINE APARTMENTS
Jasmines apartment is ready, even
includes a pull out couch, chairs and
tables from Waveland!
The paint was dried, the carpet was
down, the tile was laid, and the drops
of sweat were dried to. We had
prayed that God would be gracious in
our inabilities and shortcomings and
help us to finish the apartments in
the first 100 days, but we have three
done and the fourth mostly
complete, and it is about a month
since that prayer!

At each setback, rotted floors, mold

and mildew, broken door frames,
thousands of square feet of
work...God gave grace and continues
Johana’s apartment, all she needs is a
to give grace.
fridge, some paint in the bathroom, and
on her cabinets and she will be ready to
There was one day last week that I
go!
looked around at all the people
moving around doing things in the
apartments. Men working on laying
tile in the hallway, men putting carpet work so much bigger than us, so Our prayer now is simple: God show
into apartments, ladies painting, much harder than our feeble us what you want for the rest of these
ceiling fans being put in, ladies willpower. He showed me in our apartments. Each corner, every
cooking, ladies painting, all of us, weaknesses how much He loves to window, door frame and cabinet is
from the kids to the adults sweating, demonstrate how perfect His strength yours and we want these to be used
smiling, laughing, and working can be. for Glory. We ask as you read this
toward the same thing. In that that this would be yours as well!
moment I saw God in the midst of a

CULTIVATING THE PLANT: ANSWERS TO PRAYER

Projector
$500
Projector screen
$150
Sound System
$2000
Apt. Renovation $1000
The first answer to prayer is God’s provision is sending Jasmine and Johana. They have
Curriculum
$200
jumped right into the work with no complaints and no hesitation! They have been putting
flooring down, pulling carpet, painting, staining, cutting, and cleaning, and then meeting
bathroom stalls $1000
with us for staff meetings after having been with us 24/7. Their patience and
understanding in the messiness of church planting has been a real blessing. Second, we
Total needed
$4850
have some guys who have become a special part of the ministry and our family, Greg and
Brian.
Answers to prayer from the Vine cont’d.
•••
"The little estimate we put on
prayer is evidence from the little
time we give to it."  E.M. Bounds

They are part of the Christian Life

Center in Waveland Miss., and have
generously and sacrificially come on
numerous occasions and gave of their
time and expertise in order to help us
with their skills (and boy have we
needed it!) The whole crew from
Waveland and from New Orleans have
been instrumental in our own hearts,
in the process of getting the center
ready, and in support for everybody
on staff.

The supplies for the Vine Cafe

counter, tiles for the hallway, and two
apartments have been purchased
thanks to the Canadian team who
came down the first week of October !
and helped in the ministry center!
Jasmine and Johana’s apartments
are near completion, and a fourth
apartment has been carpeted. The
ladies are itching to move in,and
hopefully will be ready to do so soon!

One of our prayers coming down was

that the kids would be able to
transition well when they came down.
Last week we got news that two kids
were on honor roll, and the third was
one grade away! We also are
celebrating two birthdays this month,
one of which is the big 13!

The crew from Canada, Chris, Rob, and Adam!

THE KID’S CORNER
 NATE & KARA
Married: 11 years

birthdays: Aug. 15th &

May 1st

Anniversary: October
30th

Address: 11120 Plank

road, Baton Rouge, La.
70811

Children: Kyra (12),

Nathan Jr. (11),Victoria (10)
Cooper the dog (5)