Community Issues
Hi everyone.
This is a special post to all the members of the community. Recently some very distressing things have been happening to members of our group, but unless you read all the comments, you probably would not be aware of them simply because they are attached to particular daily posts. Patrick recognized this problem and is going to try to address it.
I am writing to tell each of you that one of the most important things At God’s Table and Today’s Word hopes to do is to allow us to take care of each other. Your contributions are going to be used for needs in the community and other community enhancing requirements. So, the only way that can happen is if we know the needs. I wrote about this (maybe it hasn’t come out yet). We are designed to do good works that meet needs. That’s what God wants and that what I am hoping to be able to do.
So, what do you need? How can we (all of us as a community) help?
I know that Truthful Loving-Kindness, who lives in California, is in real need of physical help. She is fighting Lyme disease (and a bunch of other things). I know that Kelly is in need of comfort and companionship as she goes through a time of real loneliness. I know that LaVaye needs prayer for her relatives. I know that Bessy needs funds to prevent having to borrow at 32% interest. I know that Anthony is in desperate need of a job. I am quite sure the list is really much bigger. Help us by letting us help you. We might not be able to do everything, but we can do something.
When Rosanne and I lost everything some years ago, we had a long conversation with a pastor about our disaster. Several million disappeared overnight in a fraud scam. He commented, “Your problems are just too big for us to do anything about.” As we left his office, my wife said, “You know, we still have to pay the electric bill.” Little bits sometimes make a big difference, don’t they?
Skip
Leo Van Gulck sent me this just now.
Dear Skip and all of you, whoever you are and wherever you live,
I’m impressed with the fact this ministry grew out to this point, so that we can really meet material needs and/or offer help in prayer if we live in a remote area.
Would it be an idea to make a periodical list with of needs that we make known to each other?
We could as part of the Body of Christ at least back each other in prayer.
I myself have been suffering from a very serious cervical syndrome during the last 16 years.
I know that only a miracle could “repair” my neck.
Our rapidly growing English speaking church in Brussels needs as soon as possible new housing.
We are growing over 400 members right now, which as such, is a wonder in this thoroughly atheist, even freemason ruled Belgium.
The average Belgian non catholic churches have only some 25 adult members.
Since Brussels is slowly underway to become one day Brussels D.C. of Europe, real estate costs a fortune, whether renting or buying.
So we need the prayers of the brethren so that the Lord would open a door for us and that we could find the right way to finance new housing.
Several times we were prophetically warned that we should prepare ourselves, for God was at the point of “shaking the nations”.
The first real shock has come and revealed a lot of unethical behavior and a lot of fraud.
Other shocks are underway, so keep your eyes on the Lord and walk his Ways, lest you would suffer serious damage!
We commit to pray for all of “our” needs on Tuesday mornings and in our personal prayers.
God’s blessing and shabbath shalom!
Leo
Have whoever is dealing with Lyme disease call me asap as we handle this all the time in Maximized Living. 630-428-0768 or 630-721-4568
Thank you for caring and for sharing the needs of others Skip.
I will be praying for those who have made requests.
My prayer request would be for my marriage. 48 years and it has never really been good marriage and that is an understatement. Prayers for the conflicts in the family. We have 6 children and 13 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.
Also I would like to be able to find a good Church home. I am so tired of going from place to place and either not s
I am so thankful for Todays Word and for Robert Gorelicks teachings.
From Alissa Eason
I’ve never been so touched reading about community…you know why? It wasn’t theory and more knowledge, but something in action. Love.
My fiancé and I lead a small community of young ppl in new york and have various other artistic events to serve and love and reach our neighbors and the broader community. We are also serving weekly the foster kids in our city. Check out http://www.btribe.org and http://www.comevibewithus.com Since we work w young ppl who mostly don’t know the Lord, there is no money coming in and so I was working a full time finance job in the city for many years to support the house and the ministry. well, I was laid off in january with a hefty mortgage and crazy bills still rolling in. I am trusting the Lord is in this the whole way even as I watch us have no food and bills that can’t get paid. We recently applied for food stamps and heat assistance and I have been in talks w my mtge lender since feb to modify my loan (still nothing yet). My finance started a printing and website and consulting business to try to bring in some money so we can continue to plant churches n bring in the young adults who wouldn’t necessarily go to your traditional church. http://www.myspace.com/fingerprintsgroup The thing is we have no mothers and fathers to come alongside us and support us and other local ministries just don’t understand what we’re doing (they’ve offered to “help” if we come to their church and get paid full time to work in the building as pastor). Most don’t agree with our interpretation of what the local church looks like and so we are kind of on our own. Or we have support from dear people from restoration foundation but in word and agreement only. We are looking for mothers and fathers and need ppl who would not just say they believe in us but also show it with very practical and tangible help and prayers. We have about 50-75 ppl we are reaching and currently in relationship with that don’t know the Lord. We deal with serious things attached to all that and quite frankly spiritual attacks can be frequent. We can’t do this alone! Would you pls pray that God would send help. Thank you for listening and for choosing to lose everything to find your life bc it has brought life to others like myself who are complete strangers, and yet somehow connected.
Every blessing and grace abundant,
Alissa Eason
Hi Skip,
My fiance and I were absolutely blown away by your generosity and overwhelming kindness!!! I was in tears over the goodness of God when we received the check in the mail. No one has ever given me money before and I just couldn’t stop thanking the Lord for looking out for us. We have been so nervous; I’ve had sleepless nights, praying that God would help us and then He did – through you!!
Thanks again and again, and may it be given back to you good measure and running over.
Warm Regards,
Alissa Eason & Sal Vasquez
Thank you community for everything! We would love to connect with you more. This is our first real experience with people who actually care in action and not just in words. We are honored to be a part.
I have also been thinking about this community problem.
It would be nice to have a “Community” link that shows up on every “Today’s Word” page that would have prayer lists and prayers. Also material needs and a donation button
Also a section on the page to show progress as needs are met.
I do biblical counseling and have a private practice in the Phoenix, AZ area. To those in the Today’s Word community who are in need of counseling or a biblical perspective of their situation I offer my services. I do counseling by way of Skype so wherever you are located we can connect (provided you have internet). There is no charge for my services up to three one hour sessions. No “pitch” will be made to “sell” you additional hours of service. For more information on me or my practice, please visit http://www.amen21.org. Should you want to use my services please write to me at inquiry@amen21.org and place “Today’s Word” in the subject line. We will agree on an appointment and then connect on Skype.
– Roderick
I am having to appeal my recent denial for Social Security Disability – something we all expected but had hoped wouldn’t be necessary. Please pray for a trustworthy lawyer who can cut through all the red tape that the SSA puts up. Also, my own health is increasingly becoming more fragile as my heart is getting weaker and the angina pain is getting worse and more frequent and the added stress of fighting the Social Security people isn’t helping any. I do not want to end up back in the hospital because there is nothing there to help my situation but only makes it worse. And honestly fighting for disability funds which is my only source of income is not how I want to spend what little energy and time that I may have left. I am trying to not be discouraged and I’ve seen God supply so many times (including through this wonderful community) but I am just plain tired – physically and emotionally. Your prayers are greatly appreciated. Kathleen
May God give you peace in your struggle, knowing that in our weakness He has the knack of showing Himself strong. To give you hope I shall relate what God has done for a friend who is in liver failure, she had been fighting ssd for over 2 years and the day she went to get on the transplant list she was told that she had to have insurance in order to be placed on the list. Since she had been repeatedly denied by ssa she felt it was hopeless. There were many prayers going up for my friend and on the way back home from the Hospital she recieved a calll from the finincial aid office of the hospital and was told that the secretary had put her name in the computer to check on her case and found out that that very day she had been placed on title 19 approval for medicare and that ment that ssa had started the approval process to have her ssd go into effect.
Today almost 65 days later a perfect match came in for a liver transplant and she just got out of surgery at 8:30 tonight. Praise God because she went into a coma just 2 weeks ago.
I am back in the hospital getting two units of blood and meds for my kidneys before going through a fourth heart cath. The procedure was cancelled this morning due to my anemia brought on by the kidneys. Hooefully they will be able to do it tomorrow and see why the stents are not working and ease up on the pain factor. I don’t want to be here any longer than the weekend which means there can’t be any complications, no congestive heart failure and no push for dialysis which I don’t want. All of those are true possibilities because I am much worse off today than before any other of the cath procedures. Trusting God to bring me through so I can celebrate my 55th birthday next week.
From my heart, Kathleen
Kathleen,
I saw your post about your return to the hospital on Facebook and have been praying for you.
God Bless you and keep you!
Kathleen just a short note to let you know that prayers are assending for your recovery and may the peace of our Lord minister to you in your time of need knowing that “All things work together for good to those who love the lord and are called according to His purpose” so knowing this I praise YHWH for all that He is doing and accomplishing in your life and that all will be for His Glory.
Be encouraged in Him!!
Jeffrey
Thank you all for your prayers and emails. The procedure went very well and I did receive another stent – this one inside a previous one. I told the doctor (who is Jewish) that I suspected he was trying to change my seven stent menorah into a Channukiah which gave him a chuckle.
I feel good and the chest pain has subsided substantially. I will be going home tomorrow morning and resting so I’m ready for my birthday part next week.
God is faithful ALL the time. As far as prayer requests I will be needing someone willing to come “babysit” while I am home alone for the next few days and, as always, for finances to keep up with prescriptions and day to day expenses.
Chag Sameach everyone – Shavuot is by favorite of the holiday because of it being so close to my birthday and for what it represents. I am happy that tomorrow I will get to “celebrate” by going home.
Much love and shalom,
Kathleen