Building great people, because great people build great families and great families build great communities.
To God be the glory!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Day 40: Love is a covenant

Where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Ruth 1:16

TODAY’S DARE
Write out a renewal of your vows and place them in your home. Perhaps, if appropriate, you could make arrangements to formally renew your wedding vows before a minister and with family present. Make it a living testament to the value of marriage in God’s eyes and the high honor of being one with your mate.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Day 39: Love endures

Love never fails.1 Corinthians 13:8

TODAY’S DARE
Spend time in personal prayer, then write a letter of commitment and resolve to your spouse. Include why you are committing to this marriage until death, and that you have purposed to love them no matter what. Leave it in a place that your mate will find it.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Day 38: Love fulfills dreams

Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

TODAY’S DARE
Ask yourself what your mate would want if it was obtainable. Commit this to prayer, and start mapping out a plan for meeting some (if not all) of their desires, to whatever level you possibly can.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Day 37: Love agrees in prayer

If two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father. Matthew 18:19

TODAY’S DARE
Ask your spouse if you can begin praying together. Talk about the best time to do this, whether it’s in the morning, your lunch hour, or before bedtime. Use this time to commit your concerns, disagreements, and needs before the Lord. Don’t forget to thank Him for His provision and blessing. Even if your spouse refuses to do this, resolve to spend this daily time in prayer yourself.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Day 36: Love is God’s Word

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

TODAY’S DARE
Commit to reading the Bible every day. Find a devotional book or other resource that will give you some guidance. If your spouse is open to it, see if they will commit to daily Bible reading with you. Begin submitting each area of your life to its guidance and start building on the rock.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Day 35: Love is accountable

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 15:22 NIV

TODAY’S DARE
Find a marriage mentor—someone who is a strong Christian and who will be honest and loving with you. If you feel that counseling is needed, then take the first step to set up an appointment. During this process, ask God to direct your decisions and discernment.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Day 34: Love celebrates godliness

[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.
1 Corinthians 13:6

TODAY’S DARE
Find a specific, recent example when your spouse demonstrated Christian character in a noticeable way. Verbally commend them for this at some point today.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Day 33: Love completes each other

If two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Ecclesiastes 4:11

TODAY’S DARE
Recognize that your spouse is integral to your future success. Let them know today that you desire to include them in your upcoming decisions, and that you need their perspective and counsel. If you have ignored their input in the past, admit your oversight and ask them to forgive you.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Day 32: Love meets sexual needs

The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 1 Corinthians 7:3

TODAY’S DARE
If at all possible, try to initiate sex with your husband or wife today. Do this in a way that honors what your spouse has told you (or implied to you) about what
they need from you sexually. Ask God to make this enjoyable for both of you as well as a path to greater intimacy.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Day 31: Love and marriage

A man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

TODAY’S DARE
Is there a “leaving” issue you haven’t been brave enough to conquer yet? Confess it to your spouse today, and resolve to make it right. The oneness of your marriage is dependent upon it. Follow this with a commitment to your spouse and to God to make your marriage the top priority over every other human relationship.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Day 31: Love and marriage

A man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

TODAY’S DARE
Is there a “leaving” issue you haven’t been brave enough to conquer yet? Confess it to your spouse today, and resolve to make it right. The oneness of your marriage is dependent upon it. Follow this with a commitment to your spouse and to God to make your marriage the top priority over every other human relationship.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Day 29: Love’s motivation

Render service with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men. Ephesians 6:7

TODAY’S DARE
Before you see your spouse again today, pray for them by name and for their needs. Whether it comes easy for you or not, say “I love you,” then express love to them in some tangible way. Go to God in prayer again, thanking Him for giving you the privilege of loving this one special person—unconditionally, the way He loves both of you.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Day 30: Love brings unity

Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. John 17:11

TODAY’S DARE
Isolate one area of division in your marriage, and look on today as a fresh opportunity to pray about it. Ask the Lord to reveal anything in your own heart that is threatening oneness with your spouse. Pray that He would do the same for them. And if appropriate, discuss this matter openly, seeking God for unity.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Day 28: Love makes sacrifices

He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.
1 John 3:16 HCSB

TODAY’S DARE
What is one of the greatest needs in your spouse’s life right now? Is there a need you could lift from their shoulders today by a daring act of sacrifice on your part? Whether the need is big or small, purpose to do what you can to meet the need.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Day 27: Love encourages

Guard my soul and deliver me; do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
Psalm 25:20

TODAY’S DARE
Eliminate the poison of unrealistic expectations in your home. Think of one area where your spouse has told you you’re expecting too much, and tell them you’re sorry for being so hard on them about it. Promise them you’ll seek to understand, and assure them of your unconditional love.

Monday, May 09, 2011

Day 26: Love is responsible

When you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. Romans 2:1 HCSB

TODAY’S DARE
Take time to pray through your areas of wrongdoing. Ask for God’s forgiveness, then humble yourself enough to admit them to your spouse. Do it sincerely and truthfully. Ask your spouse for forgiveness as well. No matter how they respond, make sure you cover your responsibility in love. Even if they respond with criticism, accept it by receiving it as counsel.

Sunday, May 08, 2011

Day 25: Love forgives

What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ. II 2 Corinthians 2:10

TODAY’S DARE
Whatever you haven’t forgiven in your mate, forgive it today. Let it go. Just as we ask Jesus to “forgive us our debts” each day, we must ask Him to help us “forgive our debtors” each day as well. Unforgiveness has been keeping you and your spouse in prison too long. Say from your heart, “I choose to forgive.”

Saturday, May 07, 2011

Day 24: Love vs. Lust

The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:17

TODAY’S DARE
End it now. Identify every object of lust in your life and remove it. Single out every lie you’ve swallowed in pursuing forbidden pleasure and reject it. Lust cannot be allowed to live in a back bedroom. It must be killed and destroyed—today—and replaced with the sure promises of God and a heart filled with His perfect love.

Friday, May 06, 2011

Day 23: Love always protects

[Love] always protects. 1 Corinthians 13:7 NIV

TODAY’S DARE
Remove anything that is hindering your relationship, any addiction or influence that’s stealing your affections and turning your heart away from your spouse.

Thursday, May 05, 2011

Day 22: Love is faithful

I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord. Hosea 2:20

TODAY’S DARE
Love is a choice, not a feeling. It is an initiated action, not a knee-jerk reaction. Choose today to be committed to love even if your spouse has lost most of their interest in receiving it. Say to them today in words similar to these, “I love you. Period. I choose to love you even if you don’t love me in return.”

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Day 21: Love is satisfied in God

The Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire. Isaiah 58:11

TODAY’S DARE
Be intentional today about making a time to pray and read your Bible. Try reading a chapter out of Proverbs each day (there are thirty-one—a full month’s supply), or reading a chapter in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). As you do, immerse yourself in the love and promises God has for you. This will add to your growth as you walk with Him.

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Day 20: Love is Jesus Christ

While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:6

TODAY’S DARE
Dare to take God at His Word. Dare to trust Jesus Christ for salvation. Dare to pray, “Lord Jesus, I’m a sinner. But You have shown Your love for me by dying to forgive my sins, and You have proven Your power to save me from death by Your resurrection. Lord, change my heart, and save me by Your grace.”

Monday, May 02, 2011

Day 19: Love is impossible

Let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

TODAY’S DARE
Look back over the dares from previous days. Were there some that seemed impossible to you? Have you realized your need for God to change your heart and to give you the ability to love? Ask Him to show you where you stand with Him, and ask for the strength and grace to settle your eternal destination.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Day 18: Love seeks to understand

How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding.
Proverbs 3:13

TODAY’S DARE
Prepare a special dinner at home, just for the two of you. The dinner can be as nice as you prefer. Focus this time on getting to know your spouse better, perhaps in areas you’ve rarely talked about. Determine to make it an enjoyable evening for you and your mate.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Day 17: Love promotes intimacy

He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 NIV

TODAY’S DARE
Determine to guard your mate’s secrets (unless they are dangerous to them or to you) and to pray for them. Talk with your spouse, and resolve to demonstrate love in spite of these issues. Really listen to them when they share personal thoughts and struggles with you. Make them feel safe.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Day 16: Love Intercedes

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. III John 2

TODAY’S DARE
Begin praying today for your spouse’s heart. Pray for three specific areas where you desire for God to work in your spouse’s life and in your marriage.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Day 15: Love is honorable

Live with your wives in an understanding way . . . and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life. 1 Peter 3:7

TODAY’S DARE
Choose a way to show honor and respect to your spouse that is above your normal routine. It may be holding the door for her. It might be putting his clothes away for him. It may be the way you listen and speak in your communication. Show your mate that he or she is highly esteemed in your eyes.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Day 14: Love takes delight

Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life.
Ecclesiastes 9:9 HCSB

TODAY’S DARE
Purposefully neglect an activity you would normally do so you can spend quality time with your spouse. Do something he or she would love to do or a project they’d really like to work on. Just be together.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Day 13: Love fights fair

If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.
Mark 3:25

TODAY’S DARE
Talk with your spouse about establishing healthy rules of engagement. If your mate is not ready for this, then write out your own personal rules to “fight” by. Resolve to abide by them when the next disagreement occurs.If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Day 12: Love lets the other win

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

TODAY’S DARE
Demonstrate love by willingly choosing to give in to an area of disagreement between you and your spouse. Tell them you are putting their preference first.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Day 11: Love cherishes

Husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. Ephesians 5:28

TODAY’S DARE
What need does your spouse have that you could meet today? Can you run an errand? Give a back rub or foot massage? Is there housework you could help with? Choose a gesture that says, “I cherish you” and do it with a smile.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Day 10: Love is unconditional

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

TODAY’S DARE
Do something out of the ordinary today for your spouse—something that proves (to you and to them) that your love is based on your choice and nothing else. Wash her car. Clean the kitchen. Buy his favorite dessert. Fold the laundry. Demonstrate love to them for the sheer joy of being their partner in marriage.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Day 9: Love makes good impressions

Greet one another with a kiss of love. 1 Peter 5:14

TODAY’S DARE Think of a specific way you’d like to greet your spouse today. Do it with a smile and with enthusiasm. Then determine to change your greeting to reflect your love for them.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

THE LOVE DARE!

We have started posting a forty day journey to improve your marriage / relationship. It cannot be taken lightly. It is a challenging and often difficult process, but an incredibly fulfilling one. To take this dare requires a resolute mind and a steadfast determination. It is not meant to be sampled or briefly tested, and those who quit early will forfeit the greatest benefits. If you will commit to a day at a time for forty days, the results could change your life, and your marriage. Consider it a dare, from others who have done it before you.

As you can see we are through the first week, however you can easily scroll down through the older posts to Day 1. Enjoy!

Day 8: Love is not jealous

Love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire. Song of Solomon 8:6 NIV

TODAY’S DARE
Determine to become your spouse’s biggest fan and to reject any thoughts of jealousy. To help you set your heart on your spouse and focus on their achievements, take yesterday’s list of negative attributes and discreetly burn it. Then share with your spouse how glad you are about a success he or she recently enjoyed.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Day 7: Love believes the best

[Love] believes all things, hopes all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

TODAY’S DARE
For today’s dare, get two sheets of paper. On the first one, spend a few minutes writing out positive things about your spouse. Then do the same with negative things on the second sheet. Place both sheets in a secret place for another day. There is a different purpose and plan for each. At some point during the remainder of the day, pick a positive attribute from the first list and thank your spouse for having this characteristic.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Day 6: Love is not irritable

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. Proverbs 16:32

TODAY’S DARE
Choose today to react to tough circumstances in your marriage in loving ways instead of with irritation. Begin by making a list below of areas where you need to add margin to your schedule. Then list any wrong motivations that you need to release from your life.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Day 5: Love is not rude

He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be reckoned a curse to him. Proverbs 27:14

TODAY’S DARE
Ask your spouse to tell you three things that cause him or her to be uncomfortable or irritated with you. You must do so without attacking them or justifying your behavior. This is from their perspective only.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Day 4: Love is thoughtful

How precious also are Your thoughts to me. . . .How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. Psalm 139:17–18

TODAY’S DARE
Contact your spouse sometime during the business of the day. Have no agenda other than asking how he or she is doing and if there is anything you could do for them.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Day 3: Love is Not Selfish

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor. Romans 12:10

TODAY’S DARE
Whatever you put your time, energy, and money into will become more important to you. It’s hard to care for something you are not investing in. Along with restraining from negative comments, buy your spouse something that says, “I was thinking of you today.”

Friday, April 15, 2011

Day 2: Love is Kind

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

TODAY’S DARE
In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Day 1: Love is Patient

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 NIV

TODAY’S DARE
The first part of this dare is fairly simple. Although love is communicated in a number of ways, our words often reflect the condition of our heart. For the next day, resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all. If the temptation arises, choose not to say anything. It’s better to hold your tongue than to say something you’ll regret

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Acts of Random Kindness

Good Morning Saints

As some of you may know it has become my "Mission" to bless (at random) different business locations in Osoyoos. My plan is simple - I go get several boxes of Timbits and drop them off at locations the Lord lays on my heart - I leave the box with an ARK card and a "Happy Tuesday". It started out as two boxes a week and grew to three. I have "Tagged", Home Building Centre, Good Shepherd School, Osoyoos Medical Centre, RCMP Detachment, OK Tire, Post Office, Town Admin Office, Sonora Centre, Osoyoos Elementry School and the Osoyoos Times. Some have been tagged more than once.... several comments have returned to us via e-mail - comments such as:

"Thanks for the free coffee this morning! It was indeed a pleasant surprise !
May God continue to bless you and your ministry."

"Wow, thanks for the ARK today - not sure if I want to share them, but I will. I will definately keep the ARK going!"

Aaron the manager noticed that I come in every Tuesday and buy TimBits, he thought what we were doing was great - He commented that he wished there were more people like us (good testimony PTL) however this Tuesday as I went to get my three boxes there was an extra box - Aaron ARKed me! He smiled at me and said "I want in on what you are doing".... cool hey?

Saints we must remember that both Good and evil increase at compound interest.
In other words the smallest good act today can in a few months lead you to go on to victories you never dreamed of.

FYI - Many people spend upwards to $2000.00 to go on a one week mission's trip - at $10.00 a week (3 boxes) I can have a fun filled mission's adventure every week of the year for under $600.00.... "I'm love'n it, to God be the Glory"

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

God bless you all for who you are in Him - P Ed

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

The Application of Christ’s Second Coming

Ten "R"s as a result of our prophetic knowledge.

1. Refrain from judging others: Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. I Corinthians 4:5

2 Remember the Lord’s table: For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. I Corinthians 11:26

3. Respond to life spiritually: If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ m God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3: 1- 4

4. Relate to one another in love: And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. I Thessalonians 3:12-13

5. Restore the bereaved: But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. I Thessalonians 4:13-18

6. Recommit ourselves to the ministry: I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. II Timothy 4:1-2

7. Refuse to neglect church: And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25

8. Remain steadfast: Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:7-8

9. Renounce sin in our lives: And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. I John 2:28-29

10. Reach the lost: Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Jude 2:1-23

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Some Osoyoos History

The Aboriginal People roamed the Okanagan Valley for centuries. They stopped at Spotted Lake above Osoyoos, for physical and spiritual healing. They made Osoyoos a favourite meeting place, and they named our town "Sooyoos" a Native Okanagan word meaning the “narrows of the lake” or “meeting place”.

The narrows afforded a natural crossing, so that, even before the days of the brigades, there was a junction at this point of important trails. Osoyoos Lake is British Columbia’s warmest lake and it crosses the border into the United States. Osoyoos, a version of that word, is pronounced: O-sue-use.

The "O" prefix is not indigenous in origin and was attached by settler-promoters wanting to harmonize the name with other O-names in the Okanagan region (Oliver, Omak, Oroville, Okanagan).

In the 1800’s, Osoyoos was merely a rest stop for fur traders seeking a better route for sending their furs back to Europe.

The extension of the Canadian Pacific Railway to the town in December of 1945 gave orchardists and producers a better way to market their produce.

The first school opened in 1917. There were six pupils.

In 1946, Osoyoos was incorporated as a Village and the railway arrived. Rail service was discontinued a number of years ago, but the Village has grown to be a Town.

In the early 1950's, immigrants from Portugal settled in the South Okanagan. Over the years they proved themselves expert orchardists, proudly making their mark as successful growers of fruit and vegetables and vital members in the community. In recent years, more land has been cleared to make way for vineyards, and the orchards are being redeveloped by an enthusiastic Indo-Canadian Community.

Osoyoos Indian Band The Osoyoos Indian Band has lived for thousands of years in the desert, harvesting fish, roots, berries, and wildlife for food and clothing. Today, over 400 people live on 32,000 acres of Osoyoos Indian Reserve land and have continued their resourceful ways. The band also regularly holds ceremonies at Spotted Lake that it owns and values for its healing properties. One must be creative in order to live life in the desert, and the Osoyoos Indian Band is a living proof of how this can be achieved.

John Carmichael Haynes In the mid-19th Century, the settlement of Osoyoos was born. Haynes had decided to make Osoyoos home after riding on horseback through the area and being struck by Lake Osoyoos' beauty. He is credited with being the first non-Native settler of Osoyoos as well as its first colonial officer and judge. While he did not build a hotel or restaurant, he and a partner did establish cattle ranches to feed nearby mining camps. Osoyoos’ commercial fruit-growing industry was born when an engineer purchased some of Haynes’ land and planted 30 acres of plums, apricots, apples, and other fruit in 1907. Soon after, the Irrigation Canal was built to supply local orchards with water so that crops could be reliably grown. Haynes Point Provincial Park and the Haynes Point Wetlands Trail are named after Haynes in honour of his importance to Osoyoos’ establishment as a community.

Osoyoos is home to Canada’s only official desert.

Fruit production remains a major industry, but Osoyoos has grown into a hot tourist destination since its first hotel was established in the 1920’s. Osoyoos today has retained its agricultural heritage. The ideal climate has resulted in the area producing a variety of fruits, vegetables and vineyards, catering to the early seasonal markets. The climate also has attracted many visitors who flock to the area beaches to enjoy the warm waters of Osoyoos Lake.

Never Before

Never before in our life time have we been aware of such devastating news and medical epidemics. Wide range food shortages, record high fuel prices, and natural disasters of floods, earthquakes, cyclones, tornados and volcanic eruptions, housing defaults, and foreclosures are reported daily. Food prices have fuelled riots in Haiti, Cameroon, Egypt, Mexico, Philippines, Indonesia and Ivory Coast. And most recently the earthquake in Japan. Looking at all this, one cannot help but wonder “What in the world is going on?”

We at the Gathering Place believe that it is of the utmost importance to be in right relationship with Almighty God. I know churches can let you down, and certainly Christians can let you down, but the Word of God is Rock Solid. The Bible can be trusted as the one source of reliable information about the meaning of the events of our day and what those events tell us about our hope for the future. The lyrics of an old country music song written by Roy Acuff and Odell McLeod (recorded by Hank Williams) say it all.

There’s a mighty battle coming and it’s well now on its way.
It’ll be fought at Armageddon, it shall be a sad, sad day.
In the book of Revelation, words in chapter sixteen say:
There’ll be gathered there great armies for that battle on that day.

All the way from the gates of Eden to the battle of Armageddon
There’s been troubles and tribulation, there’ll be sorrow and despair.
He has said “ye not be troubled for these things shall come to pass.”
Then your life will be eternal when you dwell with him at last.

Turn the pages of your Bible, in St. Matthew you will see,
Start with chapter twenty-four and read from one to thirty-three.
In our Savior’s blessed words He said on earth, He prophesied,
For he spoke of this great battle that is coming by and by.

There’ll be nation against nation, there’ll be war and rumor of war.
There’ll be great signs in heaven, in the sun, the moon, the stars.
Oh, the hearts of men shall fail them, there’ll be gnashing of the teeth.
Those who seek it will receive it, mercy at the Savior’s feet.

A message of hope from “That” Church in Osoyoos, The Gathering Place. www.thegatheringplace-osoyoos.com

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

ABLE MEN

Today, we're going to talk about men. However, this doesn't mean our sisters should tune out, they might learn something.

Average Christian congregations in Canada will draw an adult congregation that is 61% female and 39% male. About 24% of married women attend without their husbands. Sadly, the majority of men, who actually show up for services are there in body only. Their hearts just aren't in it. In general women are the participators, men the spectators. Thankfully this is not the case with our fellowship - we must ensure that it stays that way.

Consider that our faith was founded by a man and his twelve male disciples. So why do Christian churches around the world experience a chronic shortage of males? Why are church-going men so hesitant to really live out their faith, when men of other religions willingly die for their faith?

Interestingly many churches don't mind having more women than men. After all, women are the key to having a smooth running congregation. Women keep the activity machine going, they sing in the choir, care for the children, teach the classes, cook for the potlucks and serve on the committees.

But over the long term, a lack of men, real men will doom a congregation. If you want a healthy church for the long haul it's been proven, you have to attract men. Jesus' strategy still works today. But there's one little problem. Men don’t like going to church. Quite a few men go to church only to keep their wives, mothers or girlfriends happy.

Churches around the world are short on men. No other major religion suffers from a shortage of males. In the Islamic world, men are openly, publicly, unashamedly religious. Of the world's major religions, only Christianity has a consistent, nagging shortage of real men.

The Old Testament shows that two entire nations were taken into captivity because the men turned their backs on God. But, there was one group of men that proved their faith. I Chronicles 9:10 Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin… v13 and their brethren - 1760 they were found to be able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

God called and is still calling able men to serve Him.
The problem is, it's getting harder and harder to find men who’ stand against the cultural norm and say, "as for me and my house, we will serve God."

God is still looking for able men who will put on the armor of God, take up the sword of the spirit, and fight the good fight of faith.

There are four attributes of a man of God. These four points can also be attributed to women, but I'm focusing more from the male perspective.

Availability:

God is looking for Available, able men. It doesn't matter what abilities you possess, if you're not available to God, you're useless to the cause.

Isaiah 6:8 I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I send me."

Isaiah gave himself completely to God, and completely to His cause. It was a ready response – "here I am, send me." It was a faithful response. He didn't specify where or when, he just wanted to be sent to do the work of the Lord here.

We often look at men like Isaiah, Abraham, Moses, David, Paul and many others as men with tremendous abilities. But the truth is, they were men, just like you and me.

They were ordinary men who made themselves available for Almighty God. God then did amazing things through them. What it is, is a matter of commitment, being there, being available and being committed to what God wants you to do.

So many today are not available. Men in society have put up the "Do Not Disturb" sign when it comes to their church attendance.

Far too many things going on, they just don't have the time to serve God and His people.

So I have to ask, "Do you have too many irons in the fire? Are you too busy? Do you feel like you can't catch up?

I Kings 18:19-21 Elijah was told to go and present himself to Ahab. And he knew it wasn't a safe thing to do, but he made himself available anyway. He did so and set up this challenge with the prophets of Baal. But there were others that day that sat on the sidelines, as spectators waiting to see what would happen. So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people… not just the prophets, but to all the people there of Israel, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him."
But the people answered him not a word…nothing.

Nobody stepped up, Elijah was alone. Elijah was man enough to stand alone, but the rest were unavailable. Elijah was looking for someone from the nation of Israel man enough to stand up with him. He said, "Is anyone available? Are there any more men that will stand with me against Baal?" But no one would.

2. Dependability (Dependable Able men)

In the Apostle Paul's time, a steward would completely run a property for the owner. These steward's were to be faithful, and dependable. I Corinthians 4:1 consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God….. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

You got to like it when, someone says, "I'll be there." and they are. When they say, "I'll do it" and they get it done.
We like dependable people. People who are faithful to their word. One day Christ will say to His servants, "I knew I could depend on you, thank you for being faithful and dependable."

3. Mobility

Mobile, able men. Men were not created to sit on their spiritual recliners, but rather to actively live and share the good news of the gospel of the kingdom. If we want to do God's work, we have to participate.

In everything we do, God living in us – should be seen.

We have to be about our Father's business. Growing, learning and developing in the grace of God. As Peter told us in II Peter 3:18 "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…"

Reader's Digest recently asked, "What has six eyes and cannot see?" The winning answer – three men in a house with dirty laundry, with overflowing trash cans and a sink full of dirty dishes.

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem…then He continues… and (but also) in all Judea and Samaria, and…you shall be witnesses of me…to the end of the earth.

Three verses later we read…. Men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven? Acts 1:11

With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be actively mobilized as men in God's church. We can be witnesses of His way of life to all corners of the globe.

4. Stability

We are in a spiritual warfare, the world is falling all around us, unless we stand fast, we may fall with it.
How many members of the church have you seen over the years that have not been able to stand for the faith once delivered to them?

How many have become entangled again in the yoke of bondage, overcome by their own human efforts?
I Corinthians 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

The Modern King James Version puts it this way: Watch, stand fast in the faith, be men, be strong.

God is looking for stability in His congregations. Looking for stable, able men. There is strength and stability that comes from us working together in God's church. Every man needs a band of brothers, friends. And we need strong friendships in the faith. Jesus began His ministry by assembling a team of men.

Men need a band of brothers standing around them.

Why should we be more involved?
Why should we stand fast?
Why should we present a stable foundation in the congregation and in our homes?

Here's one reason – Children with involved fathers are more confident and less anxious in unfamiliar settings, better able to deal with frustration, better able to gain a sense of independence, more likely to become compassionate adults. Children with involved fathers are more likely to have higher self-esteem, more likely to even have a higher grade point average and more sociable. That's in the family, but the same thing can happen in the congregation.

It makes for a more stable congregation when you have stable men involved. God is looking for available, dependable, mobile, stable, able men to stand up, to stand firm, to do His work.

Will you be that man?
Will you be the one who will put on the armor of God?
Will you take up the sword of the spirit, and fight the good fight of faith.
Will you be an able man for the house of God?
Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Will you be an able man in the house of God?

8 of 8 An Angel in Queens

An Angel in Queens: Every weekday, Jorge Munoz starts his shift at 5:15 a.m. He drives a school bus, picking up elementary schoolchildren at a bus stop and dropping them off at a few schools on Long Island in New York. As part of his regular route home, he passes a food factory.
Something always bothered him: "These guys, they were throwing away a lot of food." One day in 2004, Munoz couldn't stand seeing good food go to waste. He pulled over and asked if they would give him the goods. He knew some families having trouble. Two weeks later, he got some food and gave it to about 10 families that didn't have food. Only two people in those families had a job."
The food he received from the factory turned out to be a one-time thing. Munoz scrambled to continue helping the hungry families. He collected small food donations from local businesses, but those weren't enough. He started to use money from his own salary to buy food, brown-bag meals, and handed them out to eight day laborers, three times a week.
The eight soon tripled to 24. A few months later, Munoz and his mother started cooking meals for 45 people in his shoe-box-sized apartment. The economy worsened, and the hungry population grew. More than half of his weekly salary of $700 went to buy food, drinks and packaging.
The act: For the past six and a half years, Munoz has been delivering home-cooked meals every night out of his white Toyota pickup. He has missed only one night, when a snowstorm shut down all lines of transportation. These days, about 140 people -- many of them homeless, jobless immigrants -- line up some times stretching nearly one block.
His makeshift meal program has turned into a well-oiled nonprofit called An Angel in Queens. A handful of volunteers, including his mother and sister, begin prepping the food around 1:30 p.m. When Munoz returns from his day shift, he switches gears from bus driver to good Samaritan, with a 10-minute break for coffee in between.
The volunteers have learned to work in a tight space, shuffling past each other in the apartment turned soup kitchen. The kitchen and living room look more like food pantries, stacked with crates of small juice cartons, produce bags, and trays of hot food. There's always the smell of onions cooking in oil, beans, and meat, but the menu changes nightly, ranging from ham and cheese sandwiches to beans, rice, and chicken. The family multiplies whatever they're having for dinner by 140.
Munoz attributes his motives to "God. God and my mom. My mom since my childhood teach me to share, and that's what we are doing here."
And he shares the family spirit with every person who receives a meal. "They feel like a part of the family. Most of them, they are alone. I got my mom, my sister, my nephew, my friends, a lot of members of my family are out here. But they are alone. But at least they feel like they have a small family taking care of them."
The ripple: Munoz's generosity has been contagious, and his friends and the community have chipped in. "A couple of times a week, I go to collect food from my friends. Some buy extra oil and rice. Other friends, some have restaurants tell me to go pick up extra food they cook," Munoz says. "Whatever I don't have, I go to stores to pick up." In June of 2008 a couple of volunteers helped him set up his website and nonprofit.
Soon word about An Angel in Queens spread through local, national, and international media. The blogosphere blasted his message. His selfless act has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, Univision, and Telemundo. That coverage has inspired the global community to reach out with support: monetary donations, appliances, food, drinks and lots of thanks.
Munoz has received personal recognition as well. Renowned chef Jamie Oliver featured him on his cooking show, "Jamie's American Road Trip." He also got a presidential nod. Munoz, his mother, sister, and nephew visited President Barack Obama at the White House in August and received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian honor behind the Medal of Freedom.
His biggest reward comes from those he serves. "You have to see their faces, when they smile, that's the way I get paid," Munoz says. "When they smile, I thanks God, this guy got something to eat tonight."

7 of 8 Secret Agent L

Secret Agent L: By day, blogger Laura Miller, 32, worked as an administrative assistant at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her busy workload -- booking schedules, managing projects, and fielding inquiries from students and the public -- didn't allow much time for another important thing she neglected on her to-do list: good will.
The Secret Agent L idea blossomed in July 2009, after she asked one of her blog readers, whom she had befriended, what she wanted for her birthday. Her friend replied, "Don't send me anything; just do a random act of kindness for someone else." Caught up in the excitement, Miller even made Secret Agent L business cards with her blog address on it.
Mission No. 1. Miller attached a homemade business card with thick green ribbon to her first gift, a stem of lavender hydrangea, and left it on a stranger's windshield wiper. The first blog "Unleash the kindness" said Today we start to unleash anonymous acts of kindness and day-brightening all over Pittsburgh.
The act: Her gifts, about $5 to $10 each, fit her admin salary: coffee gift cards, a roll of quarters wrapped in pink and green ribbons at a Laundromat, sunflower bouquets at graves of fallen soldiers on Memorial Day, colourful cards filled with inspirational quotes in public parks and bathrooms.
The first three weeks she carried out and blogged about her mission every day, signing her entries Secret Agent L.
Quickly, words of appreciation filled her inbox. Nearly a month into the project, though, she realized that giving every day would bust her budget. She called for backup and encouraged readers to execute their own secret missions across America.
The ripple: She received a few responses at first, then dozens. Soon, Miller recruited more than 80 worldwide secret agents in Canada, Denmark, Germany, England, Japan, and Mongolia. The clandestine acts were both creative and practical. One agent gathered a note, a coupon, and enough cash to buy a bag of diapers, then left the items at an diaper-changing station in a public bathroom.
Miller blogged about her drop-offs and Affiliate Agents' good deeds. A local Pittsburgh TV news station featured the secret project. Then other TV networks, bloggers, and websites helped her message go viral at Kirtsy.com, the Huffington Post, Reader's Digest, CNN, and Fox News.
These days, Miller receives about 1,000 daily blog hits, and she's received more than 2,500 email testimonies about these simple, thoughtful, inexpensive gestures. Nathan in Pittsburgh emailed, "I sat down on the park bench next to the package and read the words on the front of the envelope over and again: "For you! Yes ... you!" But, surely, it couldn't have been for me. Why would it be? But then, what if it was...? I was touched by this random act of kindness. Just when I was losing hope in myself and life's purpose, something like this comes along."
George from Massachusetts wrote about finding a card in a restroom on top of Mount Everett, the fifth highest peak in Massachusetts. "When I first opened the card, I was overwhelmed -- I sat there and cried, wondering how did you know, how wonderful it was that you thought to leave that card for me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Exactly one year after Secret Agent L launched her project, she revealed her identity. "I saw the positive response the project was getting. I wanted to get out in the community as a real person to see what I could do to spread kindness," said Miller. So far, she and her Associate Agents have completed more than 300 missions. "How easy it is to pay attention to the people around you," Miller says. "Imagine what 2 to 3 minutes could do to brighten someone else's day. It's the easiest and simplest thing to do."

6 of 8 Phoebe's Food Bank

Phoebe’s Food Bank: Five-year-old Phoebe Russell asked her mother “Why do the homeless live that way?” In Phoebe's city, San Francisco, the homeless population ranges between 6,200 and 15,000.
Phoebe's mother, explained about hunger and homelessness. That led to another question: "Who helps them?"
Phoebe also took this question to her preschool teacher, Kathleen Albert. I explained to her some people don't have homes and jobs; some people have really bad things happen to them." Phoebe was determined to help.
Her family would often take cans to the grocery store and recycle them for cash. She asked her parents, "We collect cans at home -- can we do that for the food bank?" Her goal: $1,000 in two months when the school year ended.
Phoebe also recruited her preschool class in her new project. Albert didn't think it could be done. "At five cents a can, one thousand dollars.. A bit unrealistic. But Phoebe was adamant.
The act: Albert and the classmates were onboard. Phoebe spent her recess crafting a handwritten letter and sent them to 150 friends and family members. In neatly written, oversized letters, she wrote: "My charity project is to raise lots of money for the food bank. They need money. Please give me your soda cans."
Phoebe's enthusiasm was infectious. People dropped off checks, cash, and cans at Phoebe's classroom door. The first couple of weeks, a few bags filled with cans showed up. Over the next few weeks, thousands of cans poured in. Once a week for two months, Phoebe counted every single bill and coin herself. She stowed the cash in a box she decorated with shiny star stickers and hand-drawn flowers, dollar signs, and the words: "Phoebe's Project. SF Food Bank." A local columnist got wind of the project and wrote about her effort. Word of mouth also carried her message.
"I've never seen so many cans in my life," Albert said. "People would leave them at the preschool door; others put cash in the mailbox.
The ripple: By the two-month deadline, just before summer break, Phoebe nearly quadrupled her goal, raising more than $3,700, equalling 18,000 meals. A social networking site devoted to inspiring stories posted an online video about Phoebe's project, and it went viral. Six months later, the total reached $20,202, or about 80,000 meals. The video was submitted to Tyson Foods' Hunger Relief Challenge, which led to a donation of 15 tons of chicken, bringing it up to 120,000 meals.
Phoebe's determination to feed the hungry created a "Yes, we can" preschool campaign.
Phoebe, now 7, is in first grade, and her family and friends volunteer at the San Francisco Food Bank. Perhaps more importantly, she inspires her preschool protégés and fellow classmates to pay it forward. Three students at her former preschool raised more than $5,300. That makes a total of more than 135,000 meals served in her community. "It makes me feel good," she says politely.
Her first question -- "Why do the homeless live that way?" -- may never have a good answer. That second one -- "Who helps them?" -- she answered on her own.

5 of 8 Wonder Capes

Wonder Capes: Like many superheroes, Amy Pankratz a stay-at-home mother from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, discovered her powers by accident. One cold winter day, her then four-year-old daughter Isabella said, "Mommy, I want a superhero cape." Pankratz says, "I told her OK." But then she couldn't find capes for little girls at the store, so she sewed her own. Months later, when Isabella fell ill with a double virus and had to be hospitalized, the power of the cape multiplied and transformed into Wonder Capes.
The act: During a brief hospital stay, her daughter begged Pankratz to pack her pink princess cape. "On the third day, Isabella asked if she could wear it in the hallway. Pankratz says. Kids with IV poles looked on in awe. "That's when Isabella put the cape on another hospitalized child." Every other pediatric patient on that hospital floor wanted to soar through the halls. Pankratz started creating, sewing, and donating customized superhero capes: more than 4,000 and counting.
This mom has full days but at night she sews capes. It takes her three or four hours to customize a cape, she considers each child and gives their capes a special blessing. "I read their stories, think about them, their hobbies, favorite colors; I pray over them," she says. "If, even for a moment, the cape brings some relief, comfort, and hope to them, it's worth it,"
The ripple: The Wonder Capes project inspired Angie Kappenman, a mother from Madison, South Dakota. "The cape made [my son] Nicholas feel strong. He’d fly through the hospital halls to receive his treatments.” The cape inspired the Kappenhams' backpack donation program, Stay Strong, Carry On, at the local hospital. The backpacks include coloring books, toys, and activities and can be used as organizational tool for the formidable amount of hospital paperwork.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Children's Miracle Network, and St. Baldrick's Hospital are teaming up with the supermom to give her special capes to sick, injured, or disabled children and their siblings around the world.

4 of 8 Operation Beautiful

Operation Beautiful: Caitlin Boyle was writing environmental compliance documents for a land developer. But writing legal docs and analyzing the development's environmental impact from the confines of her home office was too technical for her taste -- and too solitary. The 25-year-old yearned to do something more creative and self-directed, and wanted to connect with people on a more personal level.
Boyle was taking night classes, hoping for a career change, and on one "really bad day" felt completely overwhelmed by work and school. Boyle realized that her own self-image was holding her back: "I thought I wasn't smart enough to go to work and take night classes at the same time. I'm going to fail my chemistry final. I'm bad at math and can't do this. I was suffering from negative self-talk," she admits.
The act: So what's a woman to do? Brighten up someone else's day. She scribbled "You Are Beautiful" on a piece of paper, posted the note in the ladies' room at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida, took a photo, and blogged about the moment. She wrote, "If this little blog only does one productive thing, I hope it helps readers realize how truly toxic negative self-talk is -- it hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically."
In three days, 75 notes with photos of people posting their own messages flooded her inbox. On the fourth day, Boyle launched her site, Operation Beautiful.
The ripple: The viral message has inspired tens of thousands of anonymous, positive notes, posted in public spots: bathroom mirrors, libraries, hospitals, and gyms. Boyle blogs six days a week, sharing stories with heartfelt messages of hope. Her favourite is from a gym: "Scales measure weight, not worth." Others include "This is not a trick mirror, you look this awesome" and "Take a diet from your negative thoughts, fill yourself with positive ones."
Boyle's mission has touched girls on every continent except Antarctica, sparking impassioned online discussions on the notions of beauty. A girl headed to the roof of a parking garage spotted a note: "If there's no you, someone else will be as alone as you feel now. Turn around. Operationbeautiful.com"
She turned around and called a friend to pick her up. The friend wrote this email to Boyle: "Thank you so much for starting this project. She’ll never admit it, but she owes her life to this project."
Boyle's positive message continues to multiply: "The Today Show," "The Early Show," the Oprah Winfrey Network, and many other mediums are spreading the compassion. As for her career, Boyle is literally writing the next chapter of her professional life. She continues to blog for a living and has been commissioned to write a book, appropriately titled "Operation Beautiful: Transforming the Way You See Yourself One Post-It Note at a Time." "It created a circle of random acts of kindness, proving you're never alone, you can change a life and you can do something nice for strangers," says Boyle.

3 of 8 KIDSWING

KidSwing: Ben Sater was 3 years old when he received his first surgery for trigger finger. When he was 10, he had surgery on three other fingers at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, an orthopaedic facility that treats about 40,000 patients yearly, at no charge.
"He thought we forgot to pay the hospital bill after his treatments," chuckles his mother. She explained that the hospital relies on the generosity of donations. “I was more confused than amazed," Ben recalls. "I didn't understand how this huge hospital could run on donations and charity events, so I wanted to give back." He later pledged to himself that he’d donate a million dollars to the Dallas hospital before going to college.
Despite his big thinking, his initial attempts to raise money were modest: car washes and lemonade stands. Sater's parents inspired him to think a little bigger.
The act: Golf enthusiasts, Ben and his father came up with the idea of holding a children's charity golf tournament at the sprawling courses of Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas, Texas. They formed two committees, adults and children. Kids aged 7 to 18 were asked to raise $100 to participate.
The tournament became so popular that organizers added another at the Stonebridge Ranch Country Club in McKinney, Texas.
The ripple: Local golf professional Cameron Doan was inspired by Sater's efforts and organized KidSwing to continue the charity fundraiser. In the fourth year, the number of kids who took a swing on the green tripled. The running total: just over $500,000.
In July 2010, KidSwing surpassed the goal, with $1,026,000, plus change. From his dorm room, Sater's still in awe of the journey. "I can't really explain how I got to this day. I was just a 10-year-old kid with an average GPA. I just wanted to do something simple to give back."

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

ARK Part 2 of 8

Daily Ocean: For as long as Sara Bayles could remember, she's loved the ocean. When she took a trip to the big island of Hawaii, Bayles leapt at the chance to swim with the sea turtles and spinner dolphins in the warm Pacific waters. After her trip, though, she was taken aback at the contrast between the stunning Hawaiian sunsets and the Santa Monica beach, where birds pecked at plastic bags and rubbish was strewn along the sand.

After more research, she was shocked to discover the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area in the Pacific Ocean where the currents swirl together, collecting about 10 million tons of trash.
Of her home beaches, she says, "I saw so much trash on the beach and thought, What could I do?"

The act: In between book writing and teaching art for a local nonprofit, 34-year-old Bayles set a goal: pick up trash for 20 minutes a day for 365 (non-consecutive) days.
Collecting, weighing, and blogging findings on her website, the Daily Ocean. Every blog includes a tally: garbage weight and a countdown to day 365.

The ripple: More than 165 days along, Bayles has collected more than 665 pounds of junk. Across the country, Danielle Richardet started collecting cigarette butts in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, for 20 minutes at a time and posting the results on her own blog. She writes: We all impact each other. Sometimes we don't even know we've made a difference in someone's life.

Monday, January 03, 2011

Abby's Lemonade

Eight-year-old Abby Enck frequently accompanied her 6-year-old brother, Cameron, born with cerebral palsy, to Lutheran General Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. Abby noticed that the other pediatric patients liked to color, but many of the crayons were broken. She wanted to buy a few new 24-count boxes of crayons. Her parents agreed to match any number she could buy herself.

The act: Abby, with help from a friend, decided to raise the money through a lemonade sale. Abby loved the idea of creating bottled-water lemonade kits with a packet and homemade tag. Her slogan: "When life gives you lemons, color!"

In that first summer selling to her Chicago neighbors, she raised enough money to buy 18 boxes of crayons and donated 36 to the hospital. This summer Abby gave 1,000 crayon boxes.

The ripple: Abby assembled 52 water-bottle lemonade kits and recruited family and friends to sell them for $1 each. The local press publicized Abby's efforts, and the response was sweet.
Abby exceeded her goal, raising a total of $551. She and her parents purchased 1,009 boxes of crayons,140 boxes of markers and 125 boxes of colored pencils.

Educational magazine Weekly Reader wrote about Abby's project, sharing her message and method with more than 250,000 teachers and 8 million students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. Other children in the community, including Abby's Brownie troop, are brainstorming ways to give next summer.

An important life lesson: "Everyone can make a difference," Her mom has learned from Abby too, saying, "Children don't see the obstacles. Adults create obstacles that stop them from achieving their goals."

Changing Your World

This past Sunday morning we talked about Changing our world – “What man is a man who doesn’t change for the better the world he lives in?”

Changing the world starts with one simple act. Everyday acts, things so simple that we could easily contribute. Everyone, after all, has the power to give kindness.

We talked about people who saw an injustice or a void or someone down-and-out who needed a little help. Micah 6:8 He hath shown you, O man, what is good; and what the LORD requires of you, but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

If their stories which will follow in future postings inspire you, let God know that you are willing to take action and encourage others. Who knows your ripple of kindness might become a wave of change.