Helping people help themselves

One of the best things happening is instead of just sending clothes and money and the like to countries, people are being taught to produce and market products. What is our role? To buy the products. That is right, buy the things that people produce in other countries so they can purchase more materials and continue to grow their business. Here is an excellent opportunity for you. Go to http://livefashionable.com/ and check out their product line of scarves. WOW- scarves made by Ethopian women so they can break the cycle of poverty. Here is a video message of the Director - Barret Ward of LiveFashionable

Please spend freely and help the people out. Thanks

Is this a sacrifice?

Last night was Monday night, the night I get to serve at the rescue mission in Long Beach. Is this a sacrifice? To get to hear people talk about how God has transformed their lives? To hear about how they have six months, nine months, a year of sobriety and they have managed to turn their lives around because of the God centered program at LBRM? What a great God we truly have. I have been continually blessed at the LBRM and many of my friends have experienced the same type blessing. God is so good to us. Just simply feeding the hungry a plate of hot food and a cold cup of water is such a great time of focus on him. I am starting a 40 day tap water as my only drink on Feb. 17th. I figure in 40 days we will be able to give about 200 dollars or so we usually spend on Juice, coffee, milk, and other drinks. Please pray for me that I will remain focused and turn over to God those things which distract me from my daily focus on him. God bless you.

Loving others

So- in my last post, I talked a bit about learning to love our neighbors. So Susie and I were able to bake a small amount of goodies and took them to the 5 neighbors who live the closest to us. We delivered them over personally to each of the houses, just wished them a Merry Christmas and God Bless you and a brief, maybe 3-5 minute conversation. So- since that time, one family has been over twice, the teenage daughter actually showed up on Christmas with a handmade card she made for us to say thanks, the next night her Mom came over and dropped off some fresh avocado's and made Susie give her the recipe for how she made the treats. Our next door neighbor has been waving and talking to us quite a bit when we see them. The lady from across the street waved for the first time in a while and actually said hi. What a blessing..this is a start. Tonight- to the LB Rescue Mission. One of my favorite things to do every week. God bless you all and thanks for reading.

Been way too long

Man, this place is dusty- looks like it has been a while since I have been here. Well, it is almost Christmas. The birthday of our savior. For most of us it means the additional pressures and responsibilities of getting "ready" for Christmas. The shopping, mailing, spending, giving, and finding ways to get in the holiday season. Get in the holiday season? What does that mean? What if this year, I spent less on those who probably don't need what I will give them, and spent more on those who do, the homeless, the poor, the missionaries, the children from around the world. What if acted differently to my neighbors. If I reached out and touched them? If I showed them the love of Jesus in my heart? What if I made that a start? A time to being living relationally with those around me. To become as involved as they are willing to let me. To (hopefully) let them see Jesus through me. What if I actually bothered to knock on their doors and said hi, maybe gave a small gift and personally told them I like having them as a neighbor? Is it so hard? Is it so hard to love those around us? To live as though we are neighbors? Remember those people that Jesus said to love as ourselves? Wow- what a concept. I will let you know how it is going. Thanks for reading.

Brazil

I was blessed enough to spend about 14 days in Brazil recently working with Phil Warkentien ministries. It was a glorious experience, doing work on Samaritans purse activities to get presents ready for children in Brazil who have never received a Christmas present before. These will not only be part of a gift giving effort, but also part of an outreach and a gospel presentation. Phil said he had no idea who would have done it if we hadn't been there. It was another great example of how great our God is and when you hold up your hand and say here I am, God send me, he will find a place to use you beyond your expectations. We also got the chance to speak to several groups and to do some other work with people from Phil's church. What a wonderful time we had.