"lets get real and do something"

Wow what a weekend! This weekend we launched a new ministry for our church and I was honored to be a part of it. Two friends of mine felt like God wanted them to do something to help the homeless. Temperatures reached record lows in the 20s for south Louisiana. So Wednesday night at church they made an announcement asking for jackets to bring to the homeless. When I heard the announcement I knew I had to help. Friday night I went with three others to my buddy Kenny's house to organize the donations. The response to the announcement was amazing, people gave generously and graciously we filled Kenny's living room and porch with all the donations. It looked like the Salvation Army in his house! We stayed at his place until 3 Saturday morning organizing and making other preparations. After getting a few hours of sleep Kenny, Nicole, Ashton, and I loaded up a truck with donations and also stuff to make a hot soup and headed to New Orleans! We dropped off the donations at the "New Orleans Mission House". We couldn't cook the soup Saturday but we decided to go back the following day to cook it. That's exactly what we did! We cooked a hot soup for 50-80 homeless people. It was amazing we spent four hours hanging out with the homeless. All the guys were grateful and very appreciative for everything. I loved hanging out with those people because that's what they are. We put a label on them "homeless" but they are just ordinary average people that we can learn from. All they need and want is some love. One of the guys told us, "no one spends time with us. People come and drop off stuff and leave and thats great and we appreciate it. But you guys have stuck around and spent time with us and that's rare. Thank you for caring and spending your Sunday with us it really means a lot." I was speechless after that guy said that.

I have a huge heart to love and reach out to people. And I hope I can do it for the rest of my life. What we started this weekend is not the end but just the beginning of a ministry or should I say a lifestyle that we as people of Household of Faith will continue to live.

hope

There are many different words in the English language. We use words to describe, educate, and converse. But of all the words we use, I believe "hope" has to be the greatest and most valuable There is so much meaning behind that one word.

Doctors say when a cancer patient looses "hope" the illness begins to intensify and the patient may lose their fight with the terrible illness. There is power and value in hope! When it comes to Africa I believe God has given me a theme if I can call it that. You may have already picked up on it, its HOPE. I believe God wants his people to keep hope and don't ever lose it. 1 Corinthians 13:13 tells us that there are three things that will last forever- faith, hope, and love. I believe this verse tells us that it will always be available, although we may choose to reject it or forsake it. It is my heart to partner with Jesus and bring hope to the people of Africa.

I realize that the people of Africa have faced some terrible and some undescribable things. I just pray that they will meet Jesus and see the hope that is in Him . Life doesn't always become easier as a Christian but there is a peace, hope, and a grace that comes knowing Christ.

I love the word HOPE. . . I hope that all of us, people everywhere, will never lose hope we will never forget the power, and meaning in it.