“Why? Why are you helping me? I just don’t deserve
any of this.” “You’re right none of us deserves anything, that’s why Jesus
calls it Grace.” This was part of a conversation that took place near a Sonic
by one of our donors and one of my “outside guys.”
The donor had contacted him early in the morning
to set up a time and place to deliver his Christmas gifts. But, he was really
drunk. He couldn’t remember much after they hung up. An attempt to meet at a
grocery store was set up but he didn’t show. As the day went by he slowly
sobered up. He called her numerous times and another meeting was set. She, with
a heart full of love, willingly altered her plans to go love on this man. She
gave him gifts and knowing he was hungry made sure he got something to eat.
He saw me the following week, dressed in his new
duds. He was sober. He said, “Yeah, I haven’t had a drop in 8 days…<the
donor> found me and gave me Christmas, I don’t know, it’s making me think.”
“About what?” “That maybe I don’t have to stay this way…maybe I’ll get released
by the doc and go back to work…maybe I can find a place to live again.”
Hope. It’s found in acts of kindness, in words of
encouragement, in gifts of love; it’s found when someone reaches down and helps
someone else up, over and over and over again. Hope never gives up. Hope
believes someone can change.
Hope
is Jesus!
"We
have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner
sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on
our behalf.” Hebrews 6: 19-20
Isaiah 58, In His service
loved on 34 individuals and families through our 11th
Annual Holiday Helping Hands Project. Isaiah 58, In His
service gives because we believe in the hope of Jesus and we believe
that God can use the gifts given to bring glory to Himself. We also believe
that healing can be helped along by being thankful. Truly thankful from the
inside out!
THANK YOU to everyone who heeded God’s nudging and
sent a financial gift, adopted families and delivered gifts. To those who pray
without ceasing for Isaiah 58, In His service
we savor your prayers as, “The prayer of the upright pleases Him.” Proverbs
15:8.
Open your heart and rest in the the sincere thankfulness from
those you helped love on this Christmas…
A grandma who has been drug free for 7 years is
now raising a grandchild on less than $800 a month. “I’m sorry I haven’t got
back with you yet. Everything was wonderful I thank you for so much you don’t
realize I got warm clothes for the winter. <Granddaughter> got clothes we
got stuff for her to play with. It just was wonderful I thank you so much!! God
bless you.” I saw her a few days later with her granddaughter and she began to
cry. “<Granddaughter> has new glasses, she can see now, her teacher said
she’s turning into a new little girl…we want to go to church with you…will you
still take us?” Absolutely!
A gruff man who lost his wife during Christmas
four years ago is now mourning the loss of a beloved dog. God put this man on my heart. Without notice I
showed up with a Christmas bag. I’ve known him for a long time. He doesn’t give
eye contact much. He loves cookies but can’t afford to buy such luxuries. Today
we gave him some cookies. We also
provided a gas card so he could go to the cemetery and visit his wife. He
looked at me, put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Life is never better, when
someone remembers.”
A widow and vet lost her housing twice in the past
few months. Her “children” are her two dogs and finding housing that she could
afford and would welcome two dogs seemed impossible. But God used Isaiah 58, In His service and her life group
to rally together around her. Housing was found, the dogs were spruced up, furnishings
and necessities were given and she has a new beginning in a new year. “Am
really excited!! I am so EXCITED about all of this!!! Thank you for EVERYTHING!”
God moved mountains in 2 weeks!
A single Mom struggles to care for her two
children and had to throw out furniture because of bed bugs. “deni this is a
note from one of our ladies who delivered today: We took the presents to this
precious Mom yesterday morning. When she looked at the back of the car and saw
everything, she asked which bag was for her kids. I told her it was ALL for her
and her kids. She was overwhelmed. She hugged us all and said to thank
everyone.”
A senior who was abused during the holidays many
years ago lives alone and can’t get the horrible memories out of her mind. “Oh,
miss deni..oh my gosh…oh these are so precious, thank you so much…oh miss
deni..oh this is so beautiful, my sister and I were talking about um gifts that
I can listen to…thank you so much. I don’t know anything about the um gift
cards, can you tell me what I’m supposed to do. I mean, what can I buy?…thank
you so much…I have a coat, I haven’t had a coat in so long, thank you so much
and my Bible verses I love them, I love them more than anything. Thank you so
much this means so much to me. Thank you so much…”
A senior who lost her mother recently has been
depressed and lives in clutter with her little dog. She takes sleeping pills so
she can’t feel the grief. “Hi deni, this is <senior> and um, I ah, I
looked in, under the tree instead of letting the present lay. (She giggled) And
this is the best Christmas I’ve ever had in I don’t know how long…and He, God
knows how I feel about Him loving me. I just needed to thank you, thank you for
caring about me and <dog>. Thank you so much.”
A single Mom and her toddler live with her Dad. She
hasn’t been able to find a job and the toddler’s Dad is nowhere to be found. They
live in a trailer way out in the middle of nowhere. She was waiting for me. I
walked inside with her and in the corner was a Charlie Brown Christmas tree,
small and white with a few lights and nothing beneath it. Her little one was
eager to open each package that we put beneath the tree. She said, “I got a job
today! It’s a ways away but its work.” She smiled. One of the gifts we gave her
was a gas card.
A Grandma who lives alone dissolved into tears
because her birthday came and went and no one remembered. She lives near her
children and she baby-sits her grandbabies, but no card, no phone call, no
gift. The despair and expression of unworthiness was written all over her
face. “My kids are ungrateful and I don’t know why I still let it bother me
so.” In a big envelope we put a birthday card and some gift cards and a HOPE
card that was colored by a 4th grader from my church. A Sunday
school teacher asked her kids to make HOPE cards to give to Isaiah 58, In His service so we could pass them
on to folks who needed a touch of hope. The verse on the handwritten card says,
”God makes everyone new – even you. Casting all your cares on Him because He
cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7. We sent another card and more gift cards for
Christmas…I saw her yesterday from quite a few feet away. She lifted her arms ready
to give a hug and hurried towards me shaking her head and crying, “You
remembered, you remembered, you remembered…”
A single Mom of 4 children received a large bonus
from work and she stuck it in a pocket that had a hole. She lost all of the
cash, just before Christmas and before her oldest son’s birthday. She was
crushed and so angry at herself she couldn’t stand herself. She reminded me of
everything she was going to do with the cash and now she had resigned to get a
fast cash loan…I said absolutely not. We paid her rent and gave her a gift card
to buy food, a birthday gift and a cake for her son. “I almost wrecked my van
when I saw what was inside!!!! WOW!!! That’s awesome. He will be happy…thank
you…<later> Got everything we needed! I paid <birthday boy> phone
bill as his gift, he wanted cupcakes with the dinner…he’s happy! Thank you for
everything! Happy New Year!”
A little one stopped breathing and the family was
bedside while she was put on life support and a drug-induced coma. My heart
broke. I’ve walked with this family for a long time. I remained in close contact
with the Mom and Grandma. The Grandma and a sibling came to see me. When
Grandma saw me, she grabbed my neck and sobbed. She shared her heartache and I
prayed for them, I cried out in pain for this family, I asked for God’s divine
intervention. A number of days passed and I heard from the Grandma, “SHE OPENED
HER EYES. The nurse asked <little one> to open her eyes and she did then
she asked for her to squeeze her hands and she did! Shortly thereafter she
vomited, then really started moving, she tried to pull her tube, ended up
kicking the nurse…I think the nurse got a little more movement than she
expected!”
While I was writing
this I was contacted by the little one’s Mom, “They just now took the
ventilator off!! She’s officially breathing on her own!!! Thank you so much for
your healing thoughts and prayers!!!” PRAISE JESUS, our God of HOPE!
On Christmas Eve I called lots of people to ask
them to join me for our Christmas Eve service at church…they all declined. God
had something else in mind. I got to church and ended up parking on the south
side of the building, which I rarely ever do. I looked over to see a person
curled up in a blanket on the stoop at the church across the street. A donor
had made 25 blessing bags to give away to anyone needing a blessing. I grabbed
a bag and crossed the street.
She smiled when she saw me. I’ve known her for
years. She’s gotten close a number of times to leaving the streets but her
addiction continues to pull her back. She said she came to the church because
she figured she’d be safe and didn’t want to stay with the gang she was with.
“I’d rather be outside than to put up with their drinking anymore.” “It’s
Christmas Eve there’s no one you can stay with?” She forgot it was Christmas
Eve and she began to cry.
I helped gather all of her belongings and helped
her to my car. She was freezing so I cranked the heat. We drove to a motel and
once I got her into a room I went to buy some food for her. I returned and gave
everything to her. She began to sob and covered her mouth with one hand and grabbed
me around the neck with the other hand and I prayed for her; “Father this is
not the life you have planned and purposed for your child. Give her the courage
to take a dedicated step towards You…Father help us to be there for her no
matter how many steps it takes…”
1
John 2:6 says, “Whoever claims to live in Him must WALK AS JESUS DID.” Thank
you for walking this walk with us. The road is long and the journey continues
and the needs are many. You’re needed now more than ever before in ways you
could never imagine…
You are what making a difference looks like!
Our thankfulness and appreciation is whole hearted!
Know that you are prayed for…
In His service,
deni We
can do more. We can do better.
"We
always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and
Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your
endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
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