Sunday, July 17, 2005

Welcome to the Alhambra blog. Please join me as we dialogue and partner together with God in His work in Alhambra. I am excited for all that God has ahead for us and Alhambra.

Alhambra is located eight miles east of Los Angeles and is often referred to as the "Gateway to the San Gabriel Valley" - an entry point to the cities of the San Gabriel Valley.

Alhambra means red city palace in Spanish. Alhambra, Spain was known as a city kingdom. It was built by the light of the torches, which gave it its red hue.

Alhambra was also known as a place of refreshment and growth because at one time it had the largest vineyards and orchards in the country during the 1800s. Water flowed abundantly into Alhambra. Alhambra was known as a place of refuge and refreshment.

Three symbols: gateway, city palace and place of refreshment.

Erwin McManus writes in his book The Unstoppable Force, “If you can discover and unwrap a culture’s metaphors (symbols), you can begin to understand the essence of that culture…”

Let us pray for God’s redemption of those symbols. We pray for the Kingdom of God to flow through Alhambra, the gateway city, for Alhambra, a city palace, to be a place that reflects the values and reality of God’s Kingdom and that Alhambra will be a place where all find refuge in Jesus.