Ice skating

When we took our youth ice skating last year, it went so well that we decided to go again this year. My roommate Angela suggested that we take them downtown to an outdoor rink. I'm so glad we did, it was a great experience! The atmosphere was fun, the kids loved iceskating, and I was amazed that no one complained about the cold. Even our kids who never skated before had fun. We had some trying spins, skating backwards and creative falling techniques. Many kids in the city never go iceskating (though they are pros on rollerskates!), so it was a good opportunity for them to try something new.

Last Saturday, I had the priviledge of going over to one of our families for dinner. It was a late birthday/early Christmas celebration. This family has come to mean so much to me. The grandma and her kids and grandkids are all actively involved in our program. Some sweet memories were created as we talked, laughed, sang Christmas karaoke & had pizza. I feel honored to be welcomed so warmly into this family. And it was an example of how God uses the people we minister to to bless us.

I am now on vacation until mid-Janaury. I'm thankful for this opportunity to take a break and get away for a bit. I'll be able to visit family in New Hampshire, go to Maryland to visit a friend and then down to North Carolina to see another friend. It's been awhile since I was able to get away for this long of time and have a vacation (as oppose to traveling for conferences etc). Even though I'm excited, there is still a part of me that is going to miss Highland Park and our families. If you think of it, please pray for me that it will be spiritually and physically relaxing (and renewing!) and that I will have a peace about being gone.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!!!

What a joyful season

It's been a good week for me here. It all started on Monday when we got to be a part of a great outreach here in Detroit. For the past 3 years, the Bible study group of the Detroit Lions have donated in order to provide for families in the city to Christmas shop for their families. For the past 3 years, this has been a highlight for me...

This year, we were able to chose five families to go to Meijer and receive the gift cards. The Lions players were there and it was such an incredible evening. For me, I was blessed by the families who came. They were so grateful to receive this gift, that it made them want to give back. I shopped with one of our grandmas who insisted on buying me a pair of boots (which I actually really needed, and am wearing right now!). Below is a picture of one of our families with Lion's kicker, Jason Hanson (p.s...the only reason I know who he is and what he does is because of this event! I'm not too up on football...) I enjoyed talking with his wife. They are such a sweet couple and God is really using them to bless people.

The next day, I received a phone call from one of the families who went. The dad was so grateful and wanted me to stop by so he could give me something. What he gave me literally left me speechless. Even though they have a house full of kids and could really have used every cent on the gift cards, he wanted to give back the money they didn't use! It was a significant amount. Even though I tried to give them back, he wouldn't take them and said they had received all that they needed. I told him I would use them to bless other families and he said "That's what we want". I walked away amazed. What a beautiful picture of receiving in order to give. I honestly was trying to think of creative ways to give back to them the money!

Sometimes...there can be too much negative news coming out of the city. Experiences like this remind me of what a blessing it is to be here. Our families are incredible. Sometimes I wish people outside the city could experience what I get to by being around the people here. I've felt loved poured out on me so many times...

Breakfast Dinner Party!

For my birthday this years, I got a treat as some of my teens pulled together to help put on a birthday dinner. At their request, we did a breakfast dinner. It was so fun to have friends and teens together!

Ashley made me a birthday cake & Khari put on his McDonald apron and cooked up some hashbrowns and scrambled eggs. Arriana and DeJuan also lended a hand with mixing waffle mix and bacon. The evening ended with a viewing of "Matilda".

I felt so loved when the night was done. To see them work hard to make it special for me put a smile on my face and made it by far, one of my favorite birthdays!

Catching up on the fall

This fall has been busy, to put it mildly...mixed with a lot of activities, events, fun times with kids, rejoicing and pain.

To start off with, we have a new intern here at HPCO. Emily is from my home church in Grand Rapids and chose to take a year after high school to live in Highland Park and be involved in our ministry. She lives with us here on Ferris. She works part time during the day and then is involved with HPCO activities in the evening. One of which is tutoring two of our Jr High girls every Monday night. Our desire is to see this tutoring grow to more people getting involved so that we can offer it to more of our kids. We are very thankful to have Emily here and for her heart for this community

Emily with one of her girls

I feel like my weeks fill up very quickly with the scheduled programs as well as trying to take time to continue to build meaningful relationships with a small handful of our youth. I continue to see God working through these relationships. I've been thankful for opportunities to connect not only with kids, but their parents and families as well.

As I stated, this fall has also brought reasons to rejoice as well as mourn.

The associate pastor of Revival Tabernacle spoke this Sunday and shared his testimony of surviving 37 stab wounds from when a man broke into his house this past August. Hearing the story reminded me again of how his survival is truly a miracle of God. He gave God all the glory as he shared his story and it was so amazing to hear not only about the physical healing that took place, but also the spiritual. Because this story had been on the news, a couple local news stations came to the service and did a feature on it. What another great opportunity for others to hear what God has done in this situation!

On the flip side, I attended the funeral of a boy who use to come to Revival with us on Tuesday nights. He was shot in the head by another teen while playing basketball at a rec center down the road from us. Even though I wasn't close to him, one of our families viewed him as a member of theirs. He came to youth group with one of the guys I've been able to connect with. Attending this funeral was one of the toughest things I've had to do since being here in the city. Seeing the pain these kids had to go through while saying goodbye to their friend was heartbreaking. There are no easy answers and I just kept thinking that kids should not have to go through this. Please be in prayer for the youth who have had to say goodbye to Dmetry. Pray that God would bring them healing and not allow bitterness and anger to set in. Pray that that He would use this to bring people to Himself.

It's always easy to share the happy stories, and the ones that are good news about what God is doing here. The reality is though, not all stories are happy. The world these kids live in is difficult. The enemy is fighting hard, but thankfully we are on the side of the Victor! We do live in a fallen world and aside from God's grace are all lost in sin.

I wanted to share these stories so that you can know more of the reality that is around us. There is good with bad. Times that seem victorious, others anything but... but in both situations God is faithful and continues to pour out His love and grace. Everyone is in desperate need of Him, no matter where they live, what kind of resources they have or who their parents are.

A snapshot of Highland Park

Last spring, Ashley and I went around the city of Highland Park taking pictures of various buildings. While usually I post pictures of our kids, I wanted to share with you the city they live in. To me, these buildings represent a beautiful city that once was. Abandoned and often times forgotten about. It brings a curiosity in me of what this place use to be like
I don't like it when people focus on the negative of the city. Yes, the crumbling buildings, trash and dirtyness speak for themselves. But what about the people of this great city? I have grown to love the people here so deeply. They have taught me so much as they have lived in situations many of us could not imagine- and still fight on with incredible faith. Children are being raised in failing school systems, surrounded by crime and violence...yet there is hope as God's truth continues to go forth.
The question is, what does God want us to do with cities like Highland Park where there seems to be an overwhelming amount of brokeness and devastation?

"Is this not the fast which I choose. to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked to cover him; and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?" Isaiah 58:6-7




Revival Tabernacle, a church in Highland Park that our ministry is closely connected with (we attend youth group every week) is located in the heart of the city. When the church came to our city, they bought out an old adult movie theater and turned it into a church! Next door is the Deja Vu (a strip club) and on the other side, a hotel known for prostitution activity. They are in the thick of the battle bringing light to a very dark corner!

These pictures of the old Highland Park Adult Education building. Inside, you can still see the classroom bulletin boards still intact...

We are home to the original Model T plant! Yes, now it is basically another abandoned building with graffiti and a historical plaque out front

The drastic decrease in population leaves many apartments such as these abandoned.

"If you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness...those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up age old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the stress in which you dwell" Isaiah 58

This graffiti is behinda gas station around the corner from my house. You gotta admit, there's some talent!

The McGregor Library shut it's doors in 2001. From what I hear, the books are still in the building. People have been trying to reopen it for the last eight years. A few weeks ago, an announcement was made that a movie is going to be made (with a story based on this library). Proceeds from the movie will go to reopen it! A library in Highland Park will be a huge blessing for many of our families.

Please continue to lift up the city of Highland Park (and Detroit!) in your prayers. Pray that God would bring restoration and a spiritual revival to our city.

Assignment: Detroit

I wanted to post a link on here that I'm really excited about. Time magazine has decided to do a year long feature on Detroit. They have actually moved journalist into the city to research the city and do monthly reports. I enjoyed looking through the articles and pictures they have up (Detroit is on the cover this month). It looks like they will be giving a realistic view of the city with positive hope for renewal. It's refreshing to hear something other than the on going negative you always hear about Detroit. This is a city that many have given up on, but I believe has great potential for renewal!

http://www.time.com/time/detroit

Going West...to the beach!!

I have been promising our two Ashley's (who both worked day camp this summer) that I would take them to Grand Rapids to stay at my parents, and then we would go to Grand Haven and spend a day on the beach. With the not-so-hot weather we've been having, and trying to work around everyone's schedule...I wasn't sure how it would work. But this week- we made a quick trip on Wednesday. The sun was shining (finally!) and it was decently warm. The water however was a different story. But we braved it and went in (and my legs turned unusual colors). After some time in the water and on the beach, we walked out to the pier. Katie (one of our interns) joined us at the lake. Afterwards, we went to a coffee shop I had taken Ashley to in the spring to get some yummy muffins :)

It was great to spend this time with the girls. And I can see how they are becoming a blessing to each other. Both are in need of friend's who will encourage them in their walk with the Lord. I am looking forward to studying "Lies Young Women Believe" with them this fall. They both have started reading the book, and Ashley K has shared with me some of what she's already learned. I think it's so relevant to issues they face as teenage girls and helps them discern God's truth vs. the world's lies. Please be in prayer for these two girls! I see God working in their lives and know that He has a special plan for them. I also know that they are surrounded by many temptations and have a lot of opposition that could pull them down. Pray that they will stay strong in their walk with Christ, that they would seek what is good and true, get connected in a local church and grow in their personal relationship with God.

Cheerin' on them Tigers

Thanks to our neighbor Willie, we were given some free Tiger tickets this summer...which made for a great opportunity to let some of our kids experience a game for the first time. in August, my roommate Angela and our friend Matt took some of the neighbor kids to a game. Angela has been connecting with a couple of boys down the road so she took them along with a couple of Willie's kids.

Last week, I was able to take some of our Day Camp kids to a game. None of them had gone before, so the excitement of the people, food, and music was enough to keep energized! Even though we tried to explain at the beginning of the game how it works (my friend Joe explained innings as "switches" so they could understand how many more times the teams "switched" before the game was done!), they soon lost interest. Thankfully, our seats were up high and near the back-giving them plenty of room to let off energy and not distract anyone! Sadly, the Tigers lost- but with nacho's, popcorn and McDonalds- nobody was too disappointed :)

A Day on the Lake

In late July, we had the opportunity to take our kids to Dexter, MI to a lakehouse for the day. Frank, one of our volunteers, knew a family who owned the house and loved being able to use it for ministry. We took 8 of our youth out for the day. I loved watching their excitement just being there, it felt like they turned into little kids. Everything was so new and exciting. They enjoyed swimming in the lake, kyaking, minnow catching, speed boat riding, and even some water ski attempts! Needless to say, the ride home was very quiet as most of the kids fell asleep :)

As always the summer has flown by here at HPCO. We just returned from a week at overnight camp (and took the whole weekend to recuperate!) and are entering our last week of day camp. Here are just a few highlights of our summer so far:

1- An incredible group of staff: One of our staff made the comment today about how we are such a tight-knit group. It's been incredible how God has brought together such a variety of people to serve Him. Our teen staff this year have been AMAZING! I was excited to again hire one of my girls Ashley and it's been great to watch her grow.

2- On that note, Ashley had the opportunity to go to Illinois with the youth group from Revival Tabernacle. This trip was such an answer to many prayers I have prayed for her spiritual growth. I encouraged her to go knowing it would give her the rare opportunity of meeting other Christian youth in the city. She found this to be true and said she was overwhelmed with being surrounded by so many who loved God. It also was one more way to get her closer connected to the youth group.

3- We have reached so many new kids this summer, many of them who live close to our house. This has been a great way to also hopefully reach new families.

4- Our youth had the opportunity of receiving a week of "Urban Arts Camp". The group at Urban Arts came in and taught our kids music, dance and art and they were able to perform in front of their family and friends at the end of the week. I was so proud of all they learned and the way they stepped up and accomplished so much.

5- Not receiving the grant this year was really a blessing in disguise. God has provided for us financially. And, with out the grant we are given a lot of freedom in what we teach our kids. This means the Bible lessons can overflow into all aspects of our program (art, education time etc). It's been great to have this freedom and be able to consistantly reinforce lessons the kids learned a the beginning of the day through out the week.

6- Overnight camp: As always an exhausting experience but one that is worth while. We brought 11 of our kids to Camp Jubilee with us, and 3 others attended Wildwood Ranch in Howell, MI. At camp, we were able to build even deeper relationships with our kids and see them make commitments for Christ.

Thank you all for your prayers! Please continue to pray for us as we enter our last week that we will finish strong and be open to all that God wants to do in and through us!!

Day Camp '09 - just around the corner!!

One week from tomorrow and we will be starting another summer of day camp. This will be my 5th summer here at HPCO! Hard to believe. I love that I am able to watch kids grow. Some of my first campers are now in high school and I still am able to see them on a regular basis...and it all started with 6 weeks of being their day camp teacher :)

We have 3 interns coming this summer. Dominique is returning from last year and is assisting me with directing. We also have two interns from Grand Rapids who will be arriving this week.

Here are some prayer requests I have for the summer:

1. Because the grant we usually receive from United Way was not offered this year, we are running the camp on a very low budget. But PRAISE THE LORD we have already seen Him provide in amazing ways. Please pray that we will have the sufficient funds to run camp this year, pay our staff and also send kids to overnight camp. If you would like to help sponser a kid to camp, check out our website at http://www.hpco.org/ there's a link on the site to send in a donation

2. Over the last few weeks, we have been able to connect to some new kids down the street who will be attending camp for the first time this summer. I'm so excited about all the new kids we will be reaching please pray that God would use camp to change their lives for Him!

3. As I said earlier, we have three interns coming. Pray that this summer will be a life changing experience for each of them. For two of them, this is their first experience working camp as well as a new experience in the city. They will not only be serving here, but also living in the community and learning about God's heart for the city, the poor and also learning about racial issues. Pray also that we will have unity as a staff team and strength to not just make it through the summer, but see each day as a new opportunity to share Christ's love to the kids and our community

4. And lastly, pray that would receive all the glory in all that we do this summer. May our lives be a reflection of His love and grace...and may oaks of righteousness be planted and growing in Highland Park!!

My weakness=His strength!

As I sit here thinking about what to write, I keep asking myself how to write everything I'm thinking and feeling with out rambling on and on and potentially losing everyone's interest!

I don't know how to begin to sum up the last few months here, but I do know they have been a testimony of God's faithfulness and pouring out of grace and strength. I was listening to an old Steven Curtis Chapman song this morning called "His Strength is Perfect". One of my favorite lines says "We can only know the power that He holds when we see how deep our weakness goes. His strength in us begins when ours comes to an end. He hears our humble cries and proves again...His strength is perfect" The thing is, experiencing the fullness of our strength means we have to be fully aware of our weakness, and that can be painful. But what a sweet growing experience! Ministry here in the city has been challenging over the last couple of months- at the same time, I wouldn't trade any of it for what God has taught me and the relationship with Him that has deepened.

This week alone has been filled with both sorrow and rejoicing. On Tuesday, we lost our dear neighbor to a heart attack. Her health has been slowly declining over the last couple of years. Watching her family go through this grieving has been difficult as our hearts go out to them. My heart especially breaks for her eight year old daughter. I spent some time with her yesterday and listened as with tears, she shared memories of her mother. She expressed to me that she's only eight and no longer has a mom. How hard that is to hear a young child verbalize that. I am thankful for her dad, who has been a strong pillar in that family as he has cared for his wife, children and grandchildren. I am praying that God pours His grace out on all of them in a special way and that this very hard experience brings Him glory and deepens their faith and walk with Him.

The rejoicing has come in two different situations. One was watching a family who chose to follow God and keep integrity in a situation where they were told on all sides to be deceitful (and could have easily gotten away with it) and then in return be blessed in amazing ways by watching God provide. They could have chose the "easy" path to receive what they wanted and what they definately deserved. Instead, they chose God's way and are reaping the rewards! I'm excited that their children have this kind of Godly example displayed before them!

The other came when I received a phone call today from the grandmother of a large family in our program. She told me her granddaughter is graduating from 9th grade and receiving an award for her achievement at the graduation. Watching all that this girl has experienced in the last 3 years and knowing this did not come easy is definately a reason to rejoice. Her grandma invited me to her graduation which will be tomorrow. I am so honored to be able to share in this happy occasion with the family and look forward to being there to celebrate with them.

On top of all of this, we are in the process of planning our summer day camp. Please be in prayer as we are already behind financially due to not receiving a grant we normally have each summer. We are also short staffed this year. Yet, we move forward in faith knowing God will provide. I believe He has great things in store for us this summer and am LEARNING (notice, I haven't fully achieved!) how to continue trusting Him

Thank you friends! I am thankful for each of you, thank you for taking time to read this and for your prayers. God is at work in this great city :)

Weekend in Grand Rapids

This past weekend, one of my girls (Ashley) and I headed to Grand Rapids. I ran the 10K at the Riverbank run on Saturday and Ashley wanted to come cheer me on...and she was committed! Waking up at 6:30 on a Saturday morning to sit in the rain is commitment if I've ever seen it. It was fun having her there for the weekend. This was her second trip to GR and she's getting very comfortable with my family. Later Saturday afternoon, the weather cleared up so my mom and I took her to Grand Haven. I wanted her to be able to see Lake Michigan. However, it wasn't the best day for it. Even though it had warmed up and the sun ahd even come out- it was still cold and windy by the lake! But we got to enjoy some warm drinks :) We finished the day by going downtown with my sister. Ashley wanted to take fun pictures so we decided that would be the best place to do it.

It was fun to watch Ashley liven up this weekend. You could tell she enjoyed every moment of being there and I felt like she was able to be free to act young and not have any cares. I know her day to day life is not this way. Ashley and I meet weekly to do a Bible study together and I have seen such a desire to grow in her. She desires something different out of her life than what she's experienced and choices she's made. Even watching her excitement as she is getting more and more comfortable in looking up Scripture encourages me. I challenged her to read a Proverb a day and she's been doing it! I know that being in the Scripture's is going to begin to change her and I've already seen the impact it's made on her life.

Passion Week

This past Thursday, we wanted to do something meaningful with our youth to allow them to understand the fullness of Easter and all that it means. As a result, we had a time of praise and worship and showed "The Passion of the Christ". It was a risk, we weren't sure how they would respond or if they would take it seriously. In the end, many of us agreed it was the best night of youth group we have ever had (and one of the boys said the same thing!). They participated in the praise and worship and during the movie, watched with respect and awe. Afterwards, I shared some Scripture and explained why we watched it, and why Jesus went through that much pain and suffering- then I opened it up to questions. The way the kids responded was amazing. The questions were deep and meaningful. Things like "Did God really forgive them?" "How was Jesus talking to God if He was God?" and my favorite comment "Jesus really forgave them? That's the real thing!" This was from a boy who's face showed that he was moved by the movie and he had a lot of thoughts and questions about it. This conversation lead to us being able to share how we are in need of the same kind of forgiveness, and the cross makes it possible. The Spirit was definitely moving through out the evening and it was so humbly and amazing to be a part of!

On the ice

Another "new adventure" we had this week was taking some of our teenagers ice skating...and for most of them, it was their first time. I didn't know what to expect- but the kids had an amazing time! A few of them were nervous going into it, but once they got on the ice- LOVED IT! There weren't many other people there, so for the most part, we had it to ourselves. The guys enjoyed racing across the rink- and sliding across the ice! It's always so much fun to see them experience new things. They become like little kids and you can see their faces shine with excitement. We are hoping to go back another time :) Afterwards, we took them to a pizza place in Berkley. That's right...we upgraded from the Little Caesars hot-n-ready's!

Purdue comes to the HP!

We took on a new adventure this past week...hosting college students on their spring break for a week of ministry in the city! 10 Nav students from Purdue University came to Detroit to serve at various ministries. John and I hosted them and strived to give them a good week with a variety of ministry experiences as well as some training in urban ministry. The week went so well and I was blessed by the hearts of the students. They came with servants hearts ready to love and learn all that God had to teach them. They experienced everything from homeless outreach, service projects, Muslim ministries and a Kids Club here at HPCO. It was exciting to watch their eyes be open to the people of our great city and to have their hearts softened by the needs here.

My Word abides in you...

"If you abide in Me and My Word abides in you ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples" John 15:7-8

One of my goals this year is to memorize more Scripture, and John 15 was the first chapter I chose. It's both convicting as well as comforting as you mediate on the promises God offers us if we chose to abide in Him. The thought of abiding in His Word and allowing it to change me and then the outflow of it affecting my prayer life, ministry and all that God has called me to. The truth of God's Word will change us if we allow it-meditate on it and write it on our hearts...

I've needed this reassurance as the past few weeks of ministry has been challenging. The issues many of these kids are facing hit me hard and I saw that if I didn't keep resting in Truth, I was becoming easily discouraged. Please continue to pray for our youth. The enemy is at work, but I know God is at well, and He is greater. Pray that the kids will come to know and understand His love, that they would allow it to change them and turn from the sin that is both in and surrounding them.

Our Thursday night youth group has begun a study where the kids are being encouraged to start a daily quiet time. The study begins with salvation and then walks them through basic principles of the Christian life. Our leaders have been amazing at keeping the kids accountable to do their study through out the week. I'm excited to see how God is going to use this!

Today was a fun day of activity around our house. One of my girls Arriana, who comes over a lot after school came by for help with a paper. I have seen so much growth in her over the last few months! She is maturing and really starting to look out for others in an unique way. Her and I have a very special bond and I am praying God will use it down the road to open her heart to spiritual things. I was impressed at how hard she worked on her paper...I think I got bored long before she did! She posed for this picture-purposefully trying to look "Studious". (which I told her and she laughed at me for using big words! haha) My roommate also invited some of the neighbor kids over to play in the backyard. Over the winter, you don't see people as much so it had been awhile since I'd seen them....in just a few months they had grown so much! Jeremiah enjoyed playing in a pile of leaves I never raked up from last fall...oops :)

Liberty season ends strong

A few weeks ago, the Liberty girls played their last game of the season. We made it to the finals :) However, we went in as #2 ranking team, and lost to #1 (who also happens to be the team my neighbor girl plays on!). But it was a great season and I was excited about how much my girls learned...they went from hardly being able to dribble to winning most of their games! It was a lot of new experiences for me to- I hope it wasn't too obvious that I had never coached before and didn't always know what I was doing.

One of the directors at the Boys and Girls Club has asked me to teach an art class there. At first I was reluctant to add one more thing to my schedule, but now that basketball is done I've decided to give it a try. My roommate is going to co-teach it with me. I'm excited about using my art (and some education) training here in the city. Teaching art is something I've been wanting to do again, but didn't want to add one more program to HPCO. but in this situation, the kids are already there. And it's yet another way to partner with another organization helping out kids in HP.

Snowmen in the 'hood

This past Sunday we did one of our Sunday afternoon Kids Clubs. Even though we've been getting hard with cold weather and snow here in Detroit, it was a decently warm day which provided us with great packing snow. For free time, the kids enjoyed going outside and making snowmen and also an igloo (which ended up being a short wall once they lost interest). One of the boys was so excited to show me their snowmen and let me know proudly it was his first one! Most of the kids have never made snowmen before. It was fun to watch our leaders interacting with them and showing them how its done. My favorite was the one with a mohawk :)

GO LIBERTY!

Near the end of last year, I volunteered to start coaching girls basketball at the Boys and Girls club down the street. I was unsure about it at first, but realized that I didn't need to be too skilled to teach 6-8 year old girls! My team is the Liberty. We practice each week and play a game on Saturdays. It's been a lot of fun and exciting to see their improvement. We've come from a game in which the girls barely made it through and we had a lot of tears to actually winning most of our games! So far we are second place and getting ready for the finals this Saturday :) This has been a great way to get more involved in the community and connect with others who are passionate about our kids. As a result of being involved there, I have had a couple of parents ask me about their children getting involved in our program. Also, I've been asked to teach an art class...I'm still praying about this possibilty and might tag-team it with my roommate!

Our Provider

Just before Christmas, one of our families was surprised by a local radio station and received a wonderful blessing. It was incredible to see God work this situation out and use a secular station to help a family in need- and through it all He received all the glory. One of our grandmothers recently received custody of 4 of her grandchildren and have many others stay with her on and off. She was in need of beds along with many other things. Over the past few months, she has been coming to church faithfully on Sunday and Tuesday nights. Up until her car was broken into, she was bringing the kids on her own. Since then, I have been picking them up. But I love that she not only sends the kids, but is committed to coming herself. When I come to pick this family up, they alone can fill up our van! That house is always buzzing with kids and activity!

One of the women who dropped off a Thanksgiving food box at her house saw the needs of this household and wrote a letter to a local radio station...and this is how the ball got rolling. A few days after the station surprised this family, I stopped by their house and the grandmother excitedly told me about all that happened. To me, the best part was that she gave God all the glory! Not "Mojo in the morning" and his crew, but she knew this blessing had come from God and saw his hand in the whole thing.

Below is the link to listen to the podcast of this surprise visit. You'll need to scrow down to "Christmas breaking and entering: Grandma Marilyn" and it has two parts (let me put this disclaimer on that many of the titles of the podcast are inappropriate and I am not at all endorsing the station!)

http://mojo.channel955.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=MojointheMorningPodcast.xml

As I listened to this podcast, one thing that stood out to me was how impressed this station was with our grandmother's commitment to her family. And they were very right. However, its not as rare as some people may think. I wanted to tell them to come down here more often! She is not the first and only grandmother who is committed to her family and raising her grandchildren when it is needed. Many times (and sometimes sadly because of the situation causing it) this is the norm, not the exception. There are some exceptional people here who are committed to their families in a way many of us have never seen. I have been challenged many time by the faith of some of these women!

I hope you enjoy listening...and as you do, remember God uses whatever means possible to take care of His people and receive the glory!