a post from Oct. 2009

Just felt the need to repost this...Maybe there is someone out there hurting .......

 

     There is a saying I use often BEEN THERE DONE THAT OWN THE T-SHIRT... However the one thing I have not done is live on the streets... This past Saturday at our last stop there was a young lady --she looked to be about 25 years old.. her name was Lolita... We shared food with, hugs, prayers and the opportunity to leave the streets. Her response was she knew what she needed but she just couldn't. She didn't feel that she was in charge of her life. Several of the team spoke words to her in love and truth--still she responded when I get this way I am not in control.. I can't even talk straight.... I backed off because in an instant I knew that even though I never lived on the streets I was looking in a mirror of myself when I was her age.. you see beginning at the age of 14 my mom would take me drinking with her- she used to get me drunk and use me to get the men she wanted=so she could get the drugs she desired=- believe you me it doesnt take a 14 year old long to become dependant on alcohol.. There were days that I could not and cannot to this day even remember--I am sure at this point thatthe Lord was protecting me... And for many years to follow I allowed myself to be controlled by the alcohol. I thought it could protect me from the big bad world.... I used it to drowned my hurts and rejections... As an alcoholoc I knew how to keep people from knowing the real me because ...to me if I took down my wall then they would see me hurting... I could not allow that to happen..
    I say all this to say.. Lolita doesn't see that there are so many people that love her and want to help her overcome her addiction-- Please continue to pray for her --that she allow the ultimate healer to take it all away--- and she won't even need a 12 step program....

 

No matter what your hurts are...or what  you are facing..... take it the ultimate healer......  he can wipe it all away and restore what you think can never be anymore.....

 

 

LIFE.......

What does yours say about the person you are.....

Jesus Adventure 2011.........

I’m not the first person people think of when it comes to feeding the hungry/helping the poor/working on a farm. Okay maybe I would be on the top of that list.  And even though every aspect of life including School/work is really intense right now and this is not a good time to go on a mission trip. But I’m not sure if there is ever a “good time” to go on a mission trip. And I could probably come up with a list of reasons why I shouldn’t go, but I keep coming back to the one reason I should – God loves people.

I’ve been trying to live that in the life I currently have. I mean it’s easy to pray for far off places and far off people, but loving who you live and work with is a challenge. I’ve been trying to see my life as a mission field, not just this trip. And it’s been cool to see the way God has used this new approach to everything from the way I tip at restaurants to the way I treat people in traffic. But now, it’s time to take the things I’ve learned to a region of the world I believe God has made my second home..

I’m going to Peru for 14 days. Going wasn’t a hard decision. When it comes down to it, Jesus laid out a pretty simple religion for us, didn’t He? Love God, love others, and love ourselves. Nope, deciding to go was easy. Paying for it however, is a real challenge.

To be honest with you, I just don’t have $$$$$, laying about the house. So, instead of selling my kidney, I decided to send this letter to people I know love helping others when they can so I am asking each of you to consider donating $5.00  as financial support for me  on this mission trip. A little, a lot, any would be great but if every friend I have on Facebook donated $5.00 I would have over $2000.00. Do you know how many pairs of socks and school supplies that will buy in Peru. Let’s just say enough for a small village. And if you want to know more about the trip, please let me know and I will give you a call or message you. .

The one thing that is free that you can help me with is prayer. Those of you who have gone on these trips or been involved in any type of ministry know that PRAYER is vital.. If you could pray about the trip, that would be great. As much as God loves mission trips, other people don’t. There will be a whole host of obstacles that pop up and entangle themselves around our minds and our bodies as we prepare to go love the people of Peru. And knowing that you are praying would mean a lot to me.

Thanks for reading this rambling letter and make checks payable to:

The Praise Center

and on the memo line  Peru 2011 Missions

All donations are tax deductible

Be Blessed,

Jean

Unconditional Love on the Streets....

     We all know that this past Monday was Valentine's Day. A day filled with love .... and for us teachers many, many ....way too many gifts of Chocolate Hearts.  I sent and email to all my co-workers stating that if anyone had any extra candy that they could not use I would be happy to take it to my friends on the street who otherwise would not be eating any chocolate's.
     I was overwhelmed as always by everyones generosity and kinds words of encouragement for what I do. Funny thing is no matter what was said or not said I would be doing what God has called me to do...Love the Otherwise Forgotten People ........ 





     After a stop at Value Village to buy a size 11 shoe for a friend on the street we were off...didn;t get far...the interstate was shut down in both directions due to 5 brush fires....so with Rita Garmin in hand Amber found us side roads to get around all the traffic and we arrived at Peachtree armed with blankets, clothes and hygiene kits and lots and lots of chocolate HEARTS.... As we handed out the clothes one of the guys says in a kind voice," you would not happen to have any Valentine candy would you...its been a while since I have a candy heart" our response was Yes we do and we began to hand it out.... and we save the valentine candy flowers to take up to the women who are blessed to be inside for the night. Prasie God tonight all the children were gone and there were only about 7 women there. So we began to hand out the flower roses and they were amazed they were chocolate..... Pam here is the picture I promised...maybe next time we can get more...

Nannette was very pleased to recieve a rose as you can see she even posed with it. Simple things we take for granite made the night for some special women.  As I continued to pass out hygiene kits one lady in the corner just sat and smiled at her flower as she twirled it in her hand

John 15:12

"This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you."

Love is just what we were able to spread tonight because of the love and generosity that each of you have given by donating clothes to our ministry. 

It hurts me so much to look into a face and see the pain of hunger  like we did tonight as we were leaving  when a young lady came up to us and ask if we had any food,"  we told her we had some more chocolate and she said, " I will take anything."

 In closing,please be in prayer for a lady  the intake person has been trying to find her a place to go...he said," it amazes me that some places will not take you if you are NOT on drugs or an alcoholic".....ummmm what is wrong with that picture. Her only vice is that her Aunts boyfriend threw her out of the house.  I gave him the number to The Garden and said call them they may have room for her....

The Giving Hearts of Children

     Tonight as we ended the youth service a friend, the grandfather of  a pre-teen came in to say they needed to see us in the hall because the girls had something they wanted to give us. You see this group of young girls between the ages of 6-10 have been selling pictures to raise money for our bridge ministry. While they had set a goal of $50.00  they actually made $55.00. That may not seem like a lot to some of you but to me that is like handing me a million dollars.
     As I held back the tears of joy to thank them. I thought about how there are so many people out there that just don't care and then there is this group of young ladies who worked very hard to raise money in hopes of making a difference is someone's life. We should all follow in their footsteps.  I shared with them about some of the children their age that we have met and how much what they have done will mean for them. We also let them know how much we appreciate what they had done and that we wanted them to continue to make a difference in the world. To the parents of the young ladies, thank you for raising such awesome, caring and giving young ladies.
   

Never Hide Your Light

Tonight we joined together to celebrate the life of a fellow co-worker. It was an awesome celebration and I just want to say you don't find too many Spirit- Filled Methodist churches. We serve an awesome God. The strange thing was that even though I had known her for three years and really got to know her this year. I discovered tonight that I didn't know her at all.  And because I do not wish to hurt anyones feelings all I want to say is NEVER LET YOUR LIGHT THE LIGHT OF JESUS CHRIST grow DIM let it SHINE. At home, on the streets, in the workplace, everywhere you go because you never know who is watching or whose life you may change or have a positive impact on. Just because the government has taken God out of the classroom doesn't mean they take it out of you.


I shared this a few years back in Peru.... and it holds true today and everday.....
Our Father -

--He wants us to call him daddy
--He wants us to know we can talk to him about anything

Who Is In Heaven
--While we cannot see him with our eyes he wants us to know he is always there
--He desires to live inside each of us

Hallowed Be Your Name
-- He desires for us to make a special place in our life for him
--He wants us to know how special each of us are

Your Kingdom Come
-- When we love one another-- he is there because HE IS LOVE

Your Will Be Done On Earth as It is In Heaven
-- He wants what is best for us
--He desires for us to chose to follow the path he has chosen for us
              ..........to realize that we cannot go this journey without him

Give Us This Daily Bread
--He wants you to know he walks with you daily
-- He will help you find joy in living
-- His bread will nourish your heart

Forgive Us Our Sins As We Forgive Those Who Sin Against US
--God knows it is not easy for us to forgive
--He wants us to know he is waiting to forgive us and to give us strength--HIS STRENGTH to forgive others.

And Lead US Not Into Temptation

--He is here with you and me
--He is always here with you and me
--We must trust in Him and not be afraid
--He will never lead us in the wrong direction

But Deliver Us from Evil
--He desires to deliver you from the bondage that has control of your life--- All you have to do is ASK
--He is waiting--wanting to turn your frown into a SMILE....

With all that why would you let you LIGHT grow DIM....

Can you love as HE does?

9-10"I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.

11-15"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.


More often than not we find ourselves unable to find the strength to love others much less those closest to us. He put HIS life on the line for us and in return he wants us to do one simple thing that is to love each other like he does. These days we may all be having financial woes but the one thing we can do to ease that pain is to SHARE LOVE.

Make Your Desire More of HIM and less STUFF.......

Those who truly know me know that my continued prayer is that I will never become “ok” with seeing people sleep outside with nothing but even more I pray that  more hearts open to see that there is more to life than "material objects."

A few weeks ago we began a Daniel Fast and I prayed that God would open and close doors in my life as he deemed necessary.  WOW...since that my life has been phenomenal ..... things being revealed and changes taken place..... some good and some make me not so happy... but as I say quite often we serve and awesome GOD and he is in control and things happen in his time and not ours. There will be more about this to come........

I have so missed being on the street this past Saturday and will actually miss every Sat. in the month of Feb . Many of you know my son Jeremiah is a Senior in high school and this is the end of his wrestling season and they have tournaments every weekend ... they are trying to  be Georgia's 4a High School Champions again...I guess 1 ring wasnt enough.... We are having a blast cheering him on. Tomorrow will be the last time in his career that he wrestles at his school..... Its moments like this I treasure.

Tonight on the streets ...each time I go out I become more and more gratful for what I have and am able to do. It is so tough sometimes listening to theor stories. I meet Kennedy Upshaw tonight who ask that I pray for him and he wanted to talk to me another time to tell me his story when he wasn't messed up. He kept saying maybe I will make it another night. I told him we would pray that he made it many more nights and  that he will be able to leave the streets.

We were able to hand out more blankets tonight --probably 30 or so more that my friend Robert donated... they were old moving blankets....and boy were they excited to get them..  I had such a busy day that I couldn't make hygiene kits so as I threw things in the car...  among the stuff I grabbed was  deodrant ( all we had was some for ladies) ..comments from the men as I said all I had was ladies..." does it work" -- " will you let me have it anyway"--- " I don't care I just need some."  We all wish we had children that humble.

We went up to visit the ladies again .... While I talked with several of them Amber made a new friend  named Briana who looked to be about 3.... she was so precious...as I handed out the soap, shampoo and stuff...she saw a pink bar of soap and ask if she could have it.... then she shared with us how to use it. 

I will not bore you any longer but would like to say thanks for all your continued support through prayer, donations, and service.... We couldn't do what we do without you.

Have  a blessed weekend........

Continued needs:
Hygiene items
mens jeans
blankets
large and x-large coats
mens shoes size 11
prayer

and whatever else the Lord would have you donate.......

Wintery Night

     Awesome night on the streets....So humbling....handed out lots of blankets hygiene kits  with dry socks and sweaters ...There is a great need for clothing for the men..ie.. jeans sizes 34,36,38,40 and up.... ,hoodie sweatshirts.
     Right before we left a friend ask for a pair of socks, I thought I had another kit and no surprise we had given them all away. I said to him I am so sorry all I have is a pair of pink fuzzy socks...his reply brought tears to my eyes ..he said," are they dry" I said, "yes" he said," then I will take them, no one will see them and my feet will be dry." Then he shared with us how he has a job he will start and in his words...its the highest paying job I have ever had....God is good.
     Amber and I went up to visit with the women and meet a lady with 4 children who has found herself in the middle of a transition period aka a divorce... I gave her a number to call to get herself and children into a better place. Please pray she makes the call.... because while she is in out of the weather...all the women have is a few chairs they can put together to form  a bed. Makes us appreciate what we have even more.
    Finally, we would like to thank all of you for your prayers for our safety and for all the donations that you have made over the past few years. Without your love and support we would not be able to do what we do. Have a blessed weekend.