Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Pastor Kevin's Experience So Far -- Let Us Hear Yours!
After taking a week to think and pray about what to do, Nancy, myself and younger daughter, Audrey, took the Pointe Project to Audrey’s high school soccer game last night. We bought the first twenty tickets for those in attendance and then at half time passed out homemade brownies and cookies to everyone in the home and visitor stands. Audrey handed out bags of candy to her soccer team before the game. Our approach was to try and touch as many people as possible and encourage them with the cards to pass on acts of love to others. Besides just feeling good doing something for others, I was intrigued by how many people looked with skepticism on our acts of love. There were enough looks of hesitation about receiving our gifts that made me think about how foreign grace really is and how misunderstood it can be. The “nothing is free in life” mentality is alive and well in our culture and acts of grace and love truly are “invasions” into our normal way of living. No wonder Jesus’ message today is so hard to believe for so many. I hope to do my part in changing that mentality and extending God’s invasion of grace. --Pastor Kevin
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6 comments:
Hi Kevin,
On Sunday 10/7 after the service it was very rainy & cold. So we decided to take part of the money given to us to go to the Goodwill & get 2 nice winter/rainproof coats with hoods & go give them to 2 homeless men on the entrances of Hwy 512. We also gave them each a hot lunch, hot coffee & a bible.
On Thursday 10/18 a lady & her 4 children had to jump from the 2nd story of their burning home in the Augusta neighborhood here on South Hill. Their home is a complete loss & they have lost EVERYTHING ! They got out with their pajamas on & that's it. That night they were staying at a neighbors home & we took them some necessities: Shampoo, Soap, a board game for the kids & a card with $50.00 in it. They were extremely thankful.
This was a WONDERFUL experience !!!
God is GREAT !!!
Thank You !
Jim & Linda Lowden
After leaving church on Sunday I was so excited to do something positive!! However, I just wasn’t sure what to do and I wanted it to be meaningful. Our small group had a project in mind, but just last weekend I got an email from my husband’s unit. A family in our Battalion had their house burn down and lost everything. I knew I was meant to receive this email and that was where our money should be spent. The email gave a list of needs for their 4 daughters and themselves. My oldest daughter, Ashley, and I went shopping and spent the $100 on four outfits for the six-year old twins. They have two older daughters too but Ashley said, “Mom, you can’t pick out clothes for teenagers!” So, I opted to chip in our own money and purchased a gift card for the older girls so they could shop for themselves. Today I delivered the purchases to the Battalion and was overwhelmed by the amount of donations piled up in the foyer. I know the kindness of others will really help this family and I am happy that my family was able to be a part of it.
Traci & Ed LaRosa
I want to tell tyler that goes to parents partners parents and all you thank you so much. I have been trying to make a life and death decission. I live in tacoma a single mom just put her boyfriend of 4 years in prison for domistic violence. I want to leave this state and go like tennesse they have homes for 9000.00. I was wondering how i was going to come up with all this money. i just need half of it know. I have been praying asking god to help me make the right decision and not out of anger then this morning the 25th of october I go to drop my 3 beautiful kids off and the daycare provider has this envelope. I open it its from tylers parents Saying they are doing a project through there church and god bless. I was in shock. I left started driving to work and started crying with a voice saying I will always be there for you if you only let me in and help. I love my lord so much and all of you because you guys just helped make it that less stressful on the money and when i get on my feet i will go to the next person and help them out. I just want to say god bless to everyone I love you all
kim from tacoma
We have decided to donate the money to two sixth graders familes at a local elementary school. Each year the sixth graders attend a year-end camping trip which some have a hard time affording due to cost. This year the cost has gone up further. Envelopes will be provided to the families helped which contain the Pointe Project card. Hope to have additional pay it forwards in 2008. Thanks for the great opportunity and god bless.
So far I've given away all but $25 of the $100...it proved to be much more difficult than I initially thought it would be. (I was encouraged to hear there are many others who feel the same way.) I prayed and ended up pulling into a transmission shop on Meridian where I asked the owner to please put $50 towards someone's bill. I handed him a Pointe Project card - he was very surprised and I had to fight the urge to reassure him I wasn't from some cult or a "weird-o". I hope he checks out our web site/blog and gets to know more about High Pointe too!! The other $50 went into two Wal-Mart gift cards. I wandered over to the children's department were I saw a mom picking up some clothing for her little girl. I passed by but felt the strongest urge to turn around and give her the card...I was shaking but managed to hand her the card, telling her "Hi, this is for you....have a super weekend!" Then I made a bee-line for the opposite end of the store! I wanted it to be totally about the Holy Spirit and I pray she checks out our site!! I'm gonna have my daughter Lauren give away the last card - it was a great experience, one I hope to continue in small ways. Way to go High Pointe!!! Thank you Lord for using us!!
So last night Jeff and I tried to get through our story when we were cut a little short by a fire alarm going off. So I thought I would blog about my experience and let Jeff blog about his tonight.
The day of the Pointe Project was here, and I was VERY excited...for many reasons (my mother-in-law was in town, and I wanted to know what this was all about). I went horseback riding that morning and ended up in the ER for breaking my arm. I thought that I would get a cast and be on my way, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. I was admitted for several days. Thankfully, Jeff and I were still able to participate.
After leaving the church service on 10/21, we headed to Costco. Right when we got there I had found out that my grandfather was not doing well and it would just be a matter of time before he passed. I had a little meltdown in the car and we almost went home. But I said, I really want something good to happen today. I wiped my tears and we went into the store.
Jeff and I both had a $20 bill and a card that we were going to give to someone. Jeff said that I had to go first. I tried to do that while we were eating, but it didn't feel right, yet. So we wondered throughout Costco and we were both a little nervous and wondering when I was going to make the move. Jeff said, "If you don't do it soon, I will...", I replied, "No, I want to go first" :0)
I finally found a family, it was an older man, his wife, and a lady w/ her 2 little girls. I went up to the man and said, "Excuse me sir, but I would like for you to have this"...I handed it to him and immediately he said, "Oh, no, she needs this more than I do", and he handed it to the lady w/ the two little girls. She looked at me puzzled and asked what it was for. I explained that our church was doing a project for random acts of kindness, and I wanted her to have it. She looked at her girls, and I could see in their eyes that they really needed it that day, and they said thank you to me. I just smiled and said have a great day. It was such a rush!
Then it was Jeff's turn...
To fill you in, later that day my grandfather did pass away. I was sad about that but overjoyed that I was able to help someone who needed that helping hand. I would like prayers for her and her girls that they would know God and maybe pay it forward someday.
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