Broken Covenant…? -1-

The early Saturday morning drive was marked by a brisk fall breeze as I got into my 2004 Honda Civic to visit Sue (not her real name) at the rehab center 40 minutes away. A couple of weeks ago she showed up with her mom at our little ‘home church’. Mom traveled 30 minutes up the Garden State Parkway, desperate for something or someone to help her beautiful 19 year old daughter kick her crack addiction.

We didn’t have any money, no food, clothing or rent assistance to give. While I am sure they could have used all of these services they weren’t the purpose of their visit. That evening huddled in our living room we shared the only thing we had to give…His name is Jesus. They came back the next week and asked for a Bible. We have been focusing on the importance of staying in the Word every day.

As I drove to see her I knew there would be no one to approve a voucher for my gas expenditure, there would be no one asking for an account of my visitation schedule, and instead of catching some extra sleep Monday morning, I would be back at my little office working the first of 2 jobs in order to pay our bills.












I walked past the guard at the door, dressed in my 15 year-old sports jacket, purchased prior to one of the Officer Family Life retreats our family was privileged to attend. He looked at me and said, “Salvation Army Man” My immediate response was, “Yes” then that changed to, “Not any more”

Where did he know me from, how did he connect me with The Army? Maybe it was the 4 year-old navy blue pants I was wearing that got hours of use while serving in the Salvation Army canteen following Hurricane Katrina? Perhaps it was the Bible in my hand, yea, I carried it everywhere as an officer, and it has my name embossed on it.

As I sat through the required 1 ½ hour orientation before seeing Sue that was led by 2 Nar-A-Non mothers, who volunteered to share their own journeys about their loved ones addicted to drugs, I wondered what it was that tipped him off to my 21 years as an officer.

The visit with Sue went great.


Blessings!



Jeffery Bassett

Jeffery is the Founding Pastor of Living Water Church Ministries. He has a BS in Bible and MS in Organizational Leadership from Philadelphia Biblical University where he teaches as an adjunct professor. Jeffery is employed full time by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association where he serves as the Director of Development.
Living Water Church Ministries
1813 Central Avenue
Wall, NJ 07719
USA 1-732-280-1690
pastor@livingwaterchurchministries.org