Operation Christmas Child [Samartian's Purse]

Collection date for this year's Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is the week of November 14-21. To find a drop off Location near you, look HERE. If you have never participated in Operation Christmas Child before, it is an opportunity for anyone to put together shoe boxes filled with gifts and love for boys and girls all over the world! Last year, more than 8 million shoe box gifts were collected and distributed worldwide sharing the love of Jesus Christ and the joy of Christmas with hurting children. If you are interested in volunteering with OCC, more than 100,000 volunteers helped out last year in the U.S. More information is available about that if you check out their website. This is a fun and easy way to get your whole family (or small group at Church, or boy scout troup, or soccer team, etc)  involved in blessing someone else during these upcoming seasons of Thanksgiving and celebrating Jesus' birth!

Cucpake Kids - RESPONSE!

WoW! I have to tell you that I was a bit nervous about how all this would play out...not nervous about what we were doing or why we were doing it, but nervous about actually seeing people and selling cupcakes!!! What if no one showed up to buy cupcakes and the kids were discouraged? God is faithful and no matter what would have happened through our sales, we would have had opportunity to teach and train the children as God would have wanted us to.

BUT- God allowed us a really wonderful time together and we were able to raise a lot of money!

We met on two different occasions to learn about these children (the ones in the Remand Centers in Uganda - read HERE if you missed that post) and the background and mission of 60 feet. During those times, we discussed how we live and how others live. We were reminded that Jesus died for ALL of the people in the world and discussed how God did not save us based on good works but that being saved by grace alone and being God's handiwork, God prepares us to do good works. It is a natural result of those who love Jesus and seek to glorify His name. Ephesians 2:8-10 says:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We spent time watching a little video with images and facts and then split up into smaller groups to pray for these little ones and the people of sixty feet.


And THEN the cupcake decorating began! Each child brought one or two dozen already baked cupcakes and frosting along with any other decorations they might have had on hand. We had plenty of adults helping and hand sanitizer to keep things clean and edible ;). Some kids made signs during this time as well as little magnets to remind us to pray for all the things we had discussed.

In our own strength, we would not have sold many cupcakes during those two weeks; I am sure of that. In fact, in our own strength that first week, only 1 out of more than 20 places we called would let us sell cupcakes on their property. That one place ended up being a huge soccer complex that didn’t even have any youth games that day! We kept saying "Lord these are your cupcakes and your little ones - your will be done!" God still worked it out and was faithful as He always is; in unsuspecting ways, like He often does. The kids were sharing and talking with other children at the park, walkers, joggers, and a few adult soccer teams. It was such a joy to watch as our 6 and 7 year olds acted with courage and boldness (sometimes individually chasing a group of people down) – having one on one conversations with a diverse population of people, passing out flyers, and doing it all without us beside them. They had the Lord’s help instead, and that was priceless. 

The second week was supposed to go smoothly. We had several high school games and an event that were shoeins for us to sell at...Well, I had read the game schedule incorrectly which meant there was no big night game that weekend. Additionally, rain was forecasted so the other event we were planning to sell at was threatening to be canceled. Again, I was scrambling calling all sorts of places and realizing that even in this little thing, God was calling me to walk by faith. To trust Him and to obey.

Thankfully the event was not canceled due to the weather. The third grade girls had to work hard for their sales, because it was a high school event and most of the people there were kids who weren't going to drop more than 50 cents or a dollar in the jar. The girls again, stood in the cold, worked the crowds, told people about these children and how they could help. And dollar by dollar the money was collecting and adding up.

(Too much sugar possibly?)

The total rose to $705.28 for the two weeks combined! All to the glory of the Lord! According to Sixty Feet's website, here are some things that this money could be put towards:

• $5 feeds 10 children a healthy meal.
• $7 provides school fees for one child for one month.
• $25 provides 5 children with a Bible.
• $75 provides 10 children with blankets.
• $200 provides basic medical care to 30 children.
• $250 provides 10 mattresses.
• $550 provides 5 children a new bed.
• $4,200 provides salary for  hear for a new Ugandan staff member.

Donating any amount provides hope and love.

One dollar on its own doesn't seem like much in helping a broken world and needy people...This is similar to how one person on his or her own doesn't feel very significant or capable of making any difference. In The Hole in the Gospel, Richard Stearns says,

We might imagine that God’s vision for our world is like a great jigsaw puzzle. You and I are the pieces in His hand…The full picture only takes shape as all the pieces come together in their proper places. In this view, no single piece in insignificant….When we, like misplaced puzzle pieces, fail to show up, the overall picture is diminished.

We are so excited to do our best and play whatever small part He has called us to play. We know we are inadequate on our own but can have joy knowing Jesus is our strength! Praying you draw from His endless strength and joy today as you teach and serve so many families and little ones today.

Cupcakes for Kids {Sixty Feet in Uganda}

If you knew of children living in unsafe and non-sanitary conditions, would you choose to help them?


If you knew of children living in their own urine or sleeping on hard floors without blankets, would you want to provide them with a blanket and a clean place to stay?


I am sure there are places like this all over the world.


In Uganda, one in six children is an orphan. Some of these children who are seen hanging out on the streets are picked up and placed in Remand Centers run by the government. Here is a snippet of the story behind the organization Sixty Feet (taken straight from their website):

"Not long ago a woman was on her way out of Kampala and drove past a dilapidated old sign that read “M”: Rehabilitation Center for Children. She was drawn to learn more about the place so she turned down a long, winding dirt road until she came to the end. To her horror, she found rooms of children locked up, young kids chained to windows, and even a 10 day old, malnourished and living in her own urine. She saw hundreds of children with little food and no supervision. As horrific as this was, on that day God began a glorious story of redemption for these children.

Eight thousand miles away, word of “M” made its way to the shores of America. Several families in Atlanta heard about “M” and their hearts were completely broken. Living amidst a sea of abundance and well cared for families, they could not begin to fathom the pain and suffering that these children endured on a daily basis.  The thought of orphaned children held in these circumstances with no one to advocate or care for them was too much.

So in early 2010, the men began to pray that God would send someone to help. They quickly realized God was planning send them. It was clear they were being called step up and do something, so they responded and went. They wanted to see first hand how God was at work, and how they could serve.

Their experience was life changing. After witnessing the gospel in action and the heart of God poured out on orphans and imprisoned children, these men realized that God was calling them to not only proclaim the gospel but to live it.

Sixty Feet was born out of a desire to participate in God’s work at “M.” It was born out of a yearning to share the love of Jesus Christ in a tangible and meaningful way. To care for and minister to orphans who are otherwise treated as common prisoners. In short, Sixty Feet is a response to the gospel."

A friend of mine recently visited "M" and that is how I learned of these precious children and the loving people trying to help them. In response to the need, children all over have been holding cupcake sales. In fact, more than $60,000 has already been raised to help the ministry of Sixty Feet through cupcake sales alone!


So - we are going to hold one - actually two - one for our smaller group of friends and one for all the interested third grade girls and their moms at my daughter's school. If you are interested in coming out or ordering some, email me (see contact page) and I will give you all the info!

Shoes for Haiti - RESPONSE!

THANK YOU!!! Between everyone who helped out, we were able to donate more than 75 pairs of athletic shoes in decent condition to the people of Haiti! AND - many of you donated shoes that were not athletic shoes, and God provided wonderful opportunities for those as well. Our local Church was collecting Crocs and Croc-type shoes to send to 100+ specific people in Honduras. We had about 10 pairs of nice Crocs to donate. I had packaged up the remaining shoes to take to Goodwill and donate them when I had heard about another opportunity to donate SHOES! The local mall was hosting a shoe drive for an organization called Soles for Souls. "Soles for Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you (and me). The charity distributes these shoes to people in need. regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria." 


So THANKY YOU for taking a bit of time to clean out your closest and help someone in need!

Shoes for Haiti

How many times do we have old shoes we need to get rid of AND we wish we knew someone we could share them with who would actually find them useful? Well, we do!!! If you have recently gotten new shoes for school and have an old pair or two laying around (they can be adults or children's), consider donating them to the people in Haiti!

We have a great opportunity to provide these new or used tennis shoes/athletic shoes (in decent condition) to these people - which helps us to get rid of unneeded shoes and helps others to have a pair ( a double blessing!!) Friends of ours just returned from a trip there and had this to say, "While working the shoe depot at Lifeline Christian Mission, we were able to see how the simplest act can be life changing. A five year old boy had to be carried to the shoe depot because his shoes were so small that he wouldn't walk. Upon finding a pair of shoes that were the right size, this sweet child was able to run out the door!"

Please consider donating any ATHLETIC shoes that you have but do not need by contacting me (see contact page). I will make sure that they are delivered to the appropriate people who will put a new pair of socks inside each pair, band the shoes together, mark the bottoms with size and separate the shoes (Women’s, Men’s, Boy’s & Girl’s) into boxes before shipping them to the Haiti shoe depot.

Operation Backpack {Volunteers of America}

Less than 25% of homeless children graduate from high school and nearly 12,000 Ohio children in enrolled in grades K-12 are homeless. You can help lessen the burden these children face on the first day of school by making a donation to Operation Backpack, a campaign benefitting homeless and at-risk children in Central Ohio. Through Operation Backpack, Volunteers of America provides backpacks and school supplies as well as a variety of support services to homeless children in our after-school and summer program. To learn more, visit our Operation Backpack page. (August 1-19, 2011)

Children's Hospital {Local}

A group of friends and I have decided to get together at least once a month to do some type of service activity and Bible Study with our children. We are realizing how we live in an affluent world and we have lots of opportunity to help and serve others - to show them God's love and encourage them. We are keeping a notebook of ideas, so feel free to share any with us!


Our local Children's Hospital has on their website ways that people can help the hospital and the patients and families being treated there. On their website, there are two lists:


~ There is a list of items needed to be donated - some purchased, some handmade. Some things mentioned were books, games, puzzles, craft kids, mobiles, age-specific toys, game systems, handmade pillows, dolls blankets, etc.
~ There is also a list of ways you can serve by volunteering your time. 


And of course, we always know the importance of prayer. One of the needed items on the list was books. So we gathered our infants through third grade children and either purchased new books or found gently used books in our own homes. We made beautiful cards. We read in God's Word about loving others. We purchased a bunch of colorful balloons from the dollar store and headed to the Children's Hospital.

With our crew, the traffic to get downtown, and all the germs associated with a hospital, it would have been much easier to send one mom down to drop everything off, but we felt it was important for our children to play a part in the whole experience. So, we headed on our drive downtown, took what seemed like forever to find a parking place in the garage, and headed to the main entrance. All the while, our kids were taking in all the sights and sounds of the hospital and this part of town and seeing why prayer and encouragement is needed; learning to be thankful for the life God has given them; and realizing they have a part to play. Because of the risk of infection to patients, we were not allowed beyond the desk, but the ladies working there were so kind and thoughtful and were grateful for our donations. We left the building and found a place in the grass right in front of the building to pray for the people who work there; the children being treated there; and the families spending so much time there.

It was a huge blessing to all of us and we are so thankful for God for the opportunity.