Good evening everyone. My name is Marissa Bradley-Ward and I am a person in long term recovery from Substance Use challenges.

I recently had coffee with a friend who was sharing frustration about a coworker who neglected or ignored duties.

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so, through him, the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” NIV

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him, the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

This is my Council Report for the month of April. Before I begin, I want to congratulate Anna Ferguson on becoming the first EBCI (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) member to serve in the North Carolina House of Representatives.

A plethora of verses can be found that reveal how all of Israel, except for the disciples and followers of Jesus, discounted Him as Lord.

I have been in the workforce since 1976, so for about half a century.

I grew up here. People know me or my family. Everyone is friendly, but no one is actually inviting me to things. I feel lonely, which makes no sense because I’m not new here. What do I do? How do you make friends as an adult, it feels pathetic even asking this?