make a difference

Psalm 34:8 NLT

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

One of the brightest parts of the upcoming weekend is having Manny and Tracie Ohonme as our special guest. Manny and Tracie started Samaritan’s Feet in 2003 which is an organization serving children around the world and sharing hope in Christ by washing feet and giving new shoes. Like the back2school project the Ohonme’s are committed to sharing the hope found in Jesus with those they serve.

Several years ago a friend of mine, Ron Pegram, worked with Manny and encouraged us to add shoes to our back2school work. The rest is history, as the saying goes. It really has been a huge blessing to partner with Samaritan’s Feet and their great team, and this year we are excited that Manny, Tracie and Bryan Boan will be with us. Actually we will be having a special event on Friday evening August 3rd for our back2schoolleaders and others to hear about our partnership and about the impact that Samaritan’s Feet is having.

If you would like to be part of this special event called a Hope Gathering, please send me an email (pastormh@gmail.com) with your request to attend. It is going to be an awesome night!

Manny shared with us the last time he was here for back2school. He talked about three kingdom principles, challenged us and gave an eye opening look at being a servant. Here are those principles and some verses to go with them.

1. You cannot change what you avoid.

2. You cannot complain about what you tolerate.

3. You cannot impact what you run from.

Joshua 1:9 NLT

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Many people have chosen to avoid things rather than confront them. It is easy to allow things to just happen or to sweep things under the rug. Yet when we compromise, we end up making things worse. If we want to make a difference in the lives of people, we cannot avoid people and needs.

We ought to seek answers when we share problems or issues, but some people are going to complain about everything. When we run from difficult situations, there will be even more difficulties. By digging deeper into tough situations and in meeting needs, we stop running and start facing challenges, big and little ones, wrong and right ones.

My prayer is that we would continue to make a difference in our community. Manny said, “if your community is not a better place because you are there, you better ask why you are there.” God called us to make a difference. The back2school outreach for eleven years has made a difference and will continue. At least five people accepted Jesus as their Savior on Saturday.

To make a difference we have to deal with our challenges head on and ask God to use us to make a difference now and in the future!

1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you

why is it Good Friday?

Holy Week is the time we focus on God and His gift of salvation. We come to Friday. The day we remember the cross, Jesus’ death and all God has done for you and me Why do they call this day “Good Friday” because it doesn’t seems good? Jesus was treated as a criminal. He was beaten so much that He could not recognize Him. His pain would have been too much for you or me to endure. That is especially from Scripture I’ve read or as in the movie the Passion of the Christ . Yet it is a good day. It is Good Friday because God had our good in His heart. What Jesus did that day changed our forever direction. Here are some thoughts that come to me: He is Redemption and Redeemer He too our Pain and Punishment He is our Righteousness and Reality He is the Savior and Life All of those happened from the cross. It was meant for the worst lawbreakers. It was not meant for a Savior who never broke a law. It was lifted high so that onlookers could see the price Jesus. Look

Day 8 in Cuba

We have just come off and incredible weekend, and it is day 8 of the mission trip in Cuba. Thank you to all who have been praying for this trip, the mission team and the impact it will have on those we serve. Please don’t stop praying. Last week Alex and I served with a mission team in the mountains of southern Cuba. There were several challenges, but God gave us safety, provision and opportunity to serve some of the sweetest people I have ever met. No running water… sporadic electricity generated by a small, logo dammed up river, no transportation other than animals, limited food sources and more. These people love the Lord and sharing their faith with others. Over the weekend we made our way back to Havana. On Friday our vehicle broke down leaving us on the side of the road for several hours. We then boarded a bus and rode 14 hours. We arrived safely and even got some rest. Sunday was so, so good. We visited two partner churches. In the morning we were with one church that

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