Hello All,

It has been a while since I have sent a message and been in contact with many of you. But that is because the summer has flown by with many new and exciting opportunities, some of which you are already well aware like my recent marriage to the most wonderful man in the world…its been four months today. I can’t believe it.

I also can’t believe that I start my final year of graduate school next week Monday…its been a long three years and by time I am done it will be four. I am excited that this chapter of my life is finally nearing its end, its been a good chapter but I must move on to the next one. What it will be, though, I am still trying to wrap my head around.

My increasing passion is for missions and reconciliation, and thereby exalting the name of Jesus. My desire is for his name to be glorified, and for me, whatever stands in the way of that being accomplished has to be dealt with. What I see as deterrents of that mission is the perpetual injustices that pervade upon those who are less fortunate and the extreme hatred that people seem to have toward someone who is not like them, which even exists in the church. I do not know how, but this must change, so that people will know that Christ is Lord of all.

What that means for me is doing missions and ministry, for that matter, in a way that is holistic and encompasses all areas of a persons life. I cannot preach Jesus and yet be okay with the person that I am preaching to starving or being without. I cannot preach Jesus and yet be so against someone who does not look like me or have my values. My faith must be accompanied by God works, contrary to the sentiment of Martin Luther. Yes I am saved by grace through faith, but that also means that the same grace that I have been given must be given to others.

It also means pursuing, yes, another degree. But that wont be until the fall of 2011, so that I can take a little breather from school and prepare to be in school for another 4 years as I earn a Ph.D.

In the meantime, I am STILL promoting my book. Do you know about it? Dancing on Hot Coals, my brainchild, which I finally gave birth to earlier this year, is available. Its about my life and the struggles/ trials that God has enabled me to endure in order to be a testimony to other people. If you have not do so yet, purchase your own copy…please! You can purchase your own from Amazon.com- http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Hot-Coals-Ebony-Hatch/dp/1440497834/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253716377&sr=8-1. This is a sincere request, as I am really trying to build a sustainable network. If you would like to find out more about the book, check out my blog https://ebonyjohanna.wordpress.com/a-peak-inside/.

If you already own a copy, please spread the word to someone else. If you can just forward this message to 5 people, that would help so much.

Ebony A.