Before I sit down to write our newsletters I always spend a good deal of time in prayer. I wait until I feel the Holy Spirit is guiding me and as a result most times the words flow so quickly I can harder type fast enough. But, on occasion the thoughts are more measured, the proper words more elusive. It’s not that the Holy Spirit is silent, in fact it’s quite the opposite. It is during these times that the Holy Spirit is revealing and reminding me of so much that it is impossible to properly condense it all into these few pages. I must discern that which I should share and that which I should keep for Kendra and myself.
The writing of this newsletter falls into the latter category.
Operating our food pantry and thrift store ministries requires a great deal of book keeping. We have records upon records. These are a necessary inconvenience. We can tell you exactly how many individuals received food and/or clothing assistance, how many were children, senior citizens or disabled, and how many where black, white or neither. We can tell you how every penny we receive is spent. And we can back all this up with our records. We do this because we are a 501 c 3 non-profit corporation and are required by law to do so, and because it is being a good steward.
Yet perhaps the most import things we do are not recorded. One evening, back when the Care Mission was less than a year old, Kendra listened as an evangelist friend of ours and I shared about all God had done through our respective ministries. That’s what some Christians do, we share testimony about what God has done through our ministry. We don’t brag or boast because that would be a sin, so we share. But, when we share the number of individuals saved, healed or somehow restored through our ministry must always be greater than the other person’s ministry. So, after our friend left, Kendra told me that our sharing sounded a lot like bragging and boasting. She wasn’t pleased. She’s a wise woman.
We decided then and there that we would no longer keep count of the number of people we prayed with or ministered to, nor how many were healed or led to Christ. We reasoned that by not keeping count we really wouldn’t know, and if we don’t know, we can’t share or boast about these things.
So, even though over the years many have communicated to us how God had used the Care Mission to make a difference in their lives, we cannot truly say just how many individuals that would be. Well, that is except for two. Of all the souls the ministry of the Care Mission has touched, none have been impacted more than those of Deon and Kendra. We have been more blessed than any blessing we might have been a part of.
When this journey began, we both desired a closer relationship with Christ. We didn’t know exactly what it was we were looking for, but we agreed that we were both unsatisfied with what we had. That was nearly 25 years ago. The Holy Spirit continues to lead us through a maze of spiritual land mines, opportunities, valleys and mountain tops. We’ve experienced tremendous victories and gut wrenching failures. Our maturing process began with small leadership roles within the walls of the church, then expanded to youth ministry and more challenging, more accountable and more visible work.
As the Holy Spirit continued to develop us we began working more and more outside the walls of the church. Local mission work led to foreign mission work, which led to even more local mission work, which soon became a life style. All along the way the Lord has been faithful to surround us with Godly men and women for support, direction, encouragement and rebuke when required. We are forever grateful to these individuals whose love for us remains in spite of our flawed selves.
This year will soon conclude, surrendering to the march of time. But, as the Body of Christ we cannot surrender to the circumstances of our time. There is much work to be done. We, Kendra and I, believe that 2015 will include seemingly overwhelming attacks of the enemy, yet those very battles will bring joyous victories for the Kingdom of Christ. It is our vision that over the next year God will use the Care Mission in a deeper, wider way to heal the hurting, restore the hopeless, free the chained and lift the fallen…above and beyond that which is already being done.
We cannot possibly express the depth of our gratitude for each of you who have supported this ministry over the years. That you have allowed God to use you is a testament in and of itself. Still, we are not done. Please do not grow weary. We desperately need and desire your prayers and support as we push through the busyness of the holidays and into the new year. It is imperative that we remain dedicated to the very reason we celebrate, that our efforts bring Him glory.
Amen.
Win a $500.00 BI-LO Gift Card!
We are raffling off a $500.00 BI-LO gift card, tickets are $1.00 each or 12 for $10.00. Tickets can be purchased at the Care Mission during regular business hours or from any board member. A winner will be drawn on Friday, December 19th, 6:00 pm at the mission.
We were given the opportunity to tell about the Care Mission the Lafayette First Church of God during their recent Mission’s Sunday. Good food, good fellowship.
We received a donation and were given the opportunity to speak at the 2014 Patton Memorial Fund presentation hosted by the Lafayette Presbyterian Church recently. We received a donation while speaking at the Merry Christian Circle Group II of the Lafayette First Baptist Church as well.
We were blessed by a visit from the GA’s, Girls in Action, of the Lafayette First Baptist Church this week. The young ladies donated personal hygiene items, took a tour of the food pantry and asked lots of good questions. We always enjoy their visit.
God has kept our food pantry well stocked. Alchemy 2014, which was held at Cherokee Farms, donated approx. 550 lbs. of non-perishable food items they collected on our behalf. The Lafayette Branch of First Volunteer Bank collected approx. 200 lbs. and during their open house the Fort Oglethorpe BI-LO Store collected approx. 11,500 lbs. of non-perishable foods. Praise God!
When our community learned that we needed tote bags the response was overwhelming. We thank you all for your donations. These bags help those walking or on bikes carry their food home. The Lafayette Shop-Rite, Ace Hardware and CJ’s Restaurant each donated a case of bags as well.
BI-LO 2014 Holiday Hunger Relief
During the 2014 Summer Hunger Relief program the Lafayette, Rossville, Mission Ridge and Fort Oglethorpe BI-LO Stores collected just over $4,300.00 for us to use in assisting Walker County and Fort Oglethorpe area families in need. We praise God for their staff and customers. Their 2014 Holiday Relief program begins Wednesday, November 19th and will run through Christmas. Any funds collected at these four stores will be donated to the Care Mission, so please give knowing that you are assisting local families. And be certain to thank the folks at BI-LO for their support.
Community Prayer Walk
The Care Mission and Kids 4 Christ are hosting a Community Prayer Walk on Saturday, November 22nd. We will meet at 2:00 pm at the Care Mission for an opening prayer and then divide into groups and assign prayer areas. We will regroup at Kids 4 Christ at 3:00 pm for a closing prayer.
All Prayer Warriors or anyone who believes in the power of prayer are encouraged to participate. We feel it is important that we cover our city and community in prayer. As the Body of Christ we must take a stand against the enemy. Please make plans to attend or to join us in prayer from wherever you are.
Interested in learning more about us?
We are always honored to tell about what God has done and is doing through the Care Mission. If your church, Sunday school class, cell group, civic group or workplace is interested in hearing about or supporting local mission work, please let us know.
Please keep in your prayers;
- Those who serve at the Care Mission and their families.
- All those who come to the mission for assistance.
- All those who support the work of the mission.
- Our community, our nation and our world.
Food for thought;
I have a pen pal. He was in middle school when I first met him at Kids 4 Christ. In his high school years he became active in our Youth Ministry. As a young adult he would sometimes help out at the mission. Eventually however he began to run with the wrong crowd and made some destructive choices. Today he is in prison and will be for a while I’m afraid.
We write back and forth. I send him copies of the lessons I teach in our weekly “Jesus Study”. However, in his last letter there was a lesson for me tucked between the lines of chit-chat.
He wrote, “I am glad God has allowed you and your wife to continue working at the Care Mission because there are some people out there who He can show love to through you two.”
I almost missed it, the lesson I mean. God has allowed…allowed? So often in the muck and mess of doing God’s work we can begin to ask, “God, why are you making me do this?” We somehow feel we are being made to do this or that as if we’re being punished. When in fact it is a remarkable honor that we have been chosen by God to be used.
I can’t speak for you, but as for me, I am so unworthy, so unrighteous that any good thing I might do is only because God has allowed me to operate under His grace.
Thanks for your support and Be Blessed,
Deon and Kendra