Last month I attended a concert in Sedalia, where the band The Museum was headlining. Afterwards, my daughter and I met and talked to the guys in the band. They were very nice, and down to earth.

They partner with Not For Sale Campaign to help fight against human trafficking. Here is blog post by Ben, a member of the band. It’s so informative and shocking. Please take a moment to read it, and offer support in STOPPING human trafficking.

Click here to read the blog.

Thanks.

….but it came with great cost.

Lives were and are being lost.

I’m even more grateful for the freedom that Christ has given us through

….His life nailed to the cross.

We’re no longer in bondage to sin.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Galations 5:1a

We’re free.

….and that’s worth celebrating, because

….everyday is our Independence Day!

…………..but

Did you know for the price of one new iPhone you could provide four-seven Africans with clean drinking water….

…………..for their entire lives?

We walk into out kitchens and just turn a faucet on for clean drinking water. Not everyone around the world can do that.

Need vs want.

Water vs phone.

I remember one day in particular, he was rolling on the bathroom floor, moaning and crying, praying for God to take his pain away. As the pain continued, he muttered to me, “it makes me think God doesn’t care about me”. My heart broke. I cried. His Dad took over migraine duty. I thought how Satan plants the seed of doubt that God doesn’t love us, at such a young age.

We took him to a Neurologist, and he prescribed preventative medication, as well as meds to treat the migraines when he gets them. And I praise God his migraine occurrence has reduced by 90%, and when he does get them they’re more manageable.

I also praise God for living in a country where we have excellent doctors, medical facilities and medicines available to us. I’m also grateful for insurance that pays for most of the cost. The medical bills are quite high.

That’s not the case with Achile, the child my friend’s son sponsors. This 8 year old little boy, lives in Burkina Faso and has a congenital heart defect known as tetralogy of Fallot.

Because of Achile’s heart condition, he has been in pain for five years and hasn’t been able to attend school regularly and receive the full of benefit of sponsorships through Compassion International. Compassion International has provided medical care for Achile for the last two years at the National Teaching Hospital Yalgado Ouedraogo in Burkina Faso in western Africa. However, doctors there now believe his condition requires urgent heart surgery, which is not available in Burkina Faso.

Achile will be transported to a specialized hospital in India for a lifesaving operation that will cost an estimated $20,449. Please consider donating to help with the cost of this surgery. And please pray for him as he has his surgery and recovers that he’ll know without a doubt how much God loves him, and that we love him too.

Click here to donate.

Thank you.

“Our great need is to fall before an almighty Father day and night and to plead for Him to show His radical power in and through us..” –David Platt

The word that really struck me was “plead". It paints for me a picture of a child with intent eyes, on his knees, with hands clenched together, begging for something. Something he craves so much, that he just doesn’t ask half-heartedly, but with such intense, great passion puts aside every external consequence to make his plea.

And it made me wonder.

What if every follower of Christ made this plea?

What an impact it would make in this world.

Sadly, in these times, when a dollar is being stretched as far is it can go, giving stops. Charitable donations drop off considerably. We stop giving to the things that really matter.

I think this is a great time for the Church. And, there couldn’t be a better time to step up the giving. This is a time the Church could shine. A time when we can take care of others in Jesus’ name. A time when we put others before ourselves.

Our family has had to make some adjustments, but we could still make more. Giving doesn’t always have to come in the form of money. So what does giving without money look like.

Our kids are nine and eleven and growing by leaps and bounds. They’ve outgrown most their clothes from just a few months ago. I plan on having a garage sale in a few weeks and give away the things we no longer need. Yeah, I could sell them for a quarter or a dime, but really I don’t need that. Quarters and dimes add up and could maybe buy a meal for a family. That’s just one way our family will help those less fortunate.

Other ways could be helping a neighbor out with house or car repairs by offering tools and a little time. Maybe the local clothes charity needs help sorting and hanging clothes, or the local food pantry may need help stocking shelves. Perhaps offer free babysitting for kids whose parents have to take multiple part time jobs just to make ends meet.

There are many ways to give. Be creative. Think of what your skills are and use them. What adjustments can you make in your lifestyle to help provide for others? Pray for God to reveal to you how you can help. Pray for opportunities to serve others. The needs are great.

….’Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40″The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Matt 25:37-40

Yeah, times are tough…..

……but there is no better time……

for the Church to shine!

God came to this earth in human form and his name was Jesus. He came to give us life because God loves us so much. Jesus took on all the sins this world is plagued with and restored our seperation from God. Now, through Jesus, we can have the relationship with God that He so longs to have with us.

Jesus walked this earth loving and serving people. He performed miracles and spoke with authority, but wasn’t arrogant. He was the picture of meekness.

Religious leaders didn’t like him, because he was making proclamations that in their minds could not be true. They felt threatened, so they plotted to arrest and kill him, and they did.

Jesus died, and was buried. Taking the punishment that we all deserve. But he didn’t stay dead, a couple of days later he rose from the grave and walked once again among the people. Later he ascended into heaven to be with God.

And the good news is, HE LIVES TODAY! Through those who believe in him and make him Lord and King of their lives. As his disciples, it is our privilege to get to show the love of God, by loving and serving others. Why? Because the Hope (Jesus) lives in us.

HOPE LIVES TODAY!

THAT’S REASON TO CELEBRATE!

AND NOT JUST ON EASTER MORNING, BUT EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR!

20″My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24″Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25″Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

John 17:20-26