Archive for November, 2005
Posted by
Sudi in
General on November 23rd, 2005 at 05:42pm
Have you ever heard the old hymn?
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done
Sometimes we’re asked, “What are you thankful for?” and we say something like “Um well, I’m thankful for….. everything”.
Today I find wisdom in the words of this hymn:
Count your blessings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7…
Name them one- by- one.
Thank you Lord for family, country, freedom, health, faith.
The second verse reads:
Are you ever burdened with a load of care,
Does the cross seem heavy, you are called to bear.
Count your many blessings every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
The best antidote to saddness and worry?
Again, count your blessings 8, 9, 10…
Thank you Lord for everything that brings me closer to you.
Thank you for the promise of Heaven.
Thank you for your purposes for my life.
Thank you for the gift of Hope.
Thank you that you are in Control.
13, 14, 15…
The one day of the year we set aside to thank YOU!
The Source of all good things.
The Fountain of all Blessing.
The Giver of eternal gifts.
Thank you Lord for dying on the Cross for my sins.
Thank you, Jesus!
16, 17…
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.1 Chronicles 16:34
Posted by
Sudi in
General on November 15th, 2005 at 09:07pm
Prison Fellowship was founded in 1976 by Chuck Colson. Prison Fellowship partners with local churches across the country to minister to a group that society often scorns and neglects: prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families. PF leads Bible studies, evangelistic events and discipleship groups in prisons. It also has a pen pal ministry that connects a prisoner and a mentor, who serves as an encouragement. Millions of prisoners have met Jesus in prison.
As part of the ministry to families, Angel Tree ministers to the children of incarcerated men and women. It is estimated that 80% of children of people in prison end up in prison themselves, that is why it is so crucial to introduced these young boys and girls to Jesus at a young age and offer them the hope of a better life.
Angel Tree leads a mentoring ministry, a summer camp ministry and a Christmas gift ministry. The Christmas ministry consists of buying a gift to a child on behalf of their parent who is in prison. The family is contacted to find out the needs/requests of the child, usually clothing and a toy and then the churches recruit volunteers to purchase and wrap these gifts. Lastly a week before Christmas volunteer drivers deliver the gifts to the children’s homes. All across America millions of children who have a parent in prison know they are remembered and loved.
Steven and I are part of the Angel Tree Leadership Team this year at our church. Shadow Mountain launched Angel Tree 2005 last Sunday with 1000 gifts assigned, all of which were taken between our two services. It was wild to see hundreds of people so eager to give and share. In the coming weeks, we will gather, sort and deliver these gifts to a thousand children in our area.
In Matthew 18:5 Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.”
Gifts for Virena, Vanessa, Precious, Cinthia and Darrell
Posted by
Sudi in
General on November 1st, 2005 at 12:06pm
Since Steven and I got married we have been very blessed by the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. SP is one of the largest Christian Relief Organizations in the world. Their headquarters are in Boone, NC and their president is Franklin Graham. Days after the Tsunami, Katrina, the earthquake in Pakistan and now Wilma, SP rushed to these disaster areas with medicine, food and water. SP is also ministering to thousands of displaced people in Darfur and they are rebuilding the Church of Sudan.
One of our favorite branches of their ministry is called Operation Christmas Child. SP gathers millions of gift boxes yearly and distributes them to children in the poorest and most remote villages. Millions of children who would otherwise not receive gifts are recipients of these boxes. Steven and I have been wanting to participate since we got married and this year we were finally able to.
We filled 10 boxes, 5 for boys ages 5-9 and 5 for girls ages 5-9. We had so much fun! The girl boxes have gum, soap, tooth paste, a tooth brush, a purse, a teddy bear, flip flops, a Winnie the Pooh pad and pencils and hair stuff all in pinks and purples. The boy boxes have gum, soap, tooth paste, a tooth brush, a teddy bear or “praying monkey”, a big truck, a coloring book, crayons, and 3 smaller cars or trucks of which one is a race car. They are awesome little cars. I was tempted to keep one. 
Delivery week is Nov 14-21. So if you want to fill up a box you still can. My favorite part of this ministry is that SP delivers more than toys as gifts. Operation Christmas Child brings to each child the ultimate GIFT, Jesus Christ! Each box is delivered with the Gospel Message in that child’s language. Thousands of children after receiving their gifts have accepted Christ as their Savior, many enroll in Children’s Bible Studies, and many have shared the message of hope they’ve received with their parents and relatives.
Steven and I are privileged to be part of this. It’s exciting to think these boxes will go to far ends of the world on a big plane, and then on busses, boats, trains and in some cases even donkeys to get to these 10 special children whom God knows by name. We are praying for these children who will receive these ten gifts boxes….. ten tokens of love, ten messages of Hope and Redemption.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord”.
