Click on the button below the image!

Click Here to read the report

Click Here to Give

The post 2023 Year-End Report: Impacting Lives through Bible Distribution and Shelter Programs appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.

Niccolò Paganini was a virtuoso violinist and composer who lived in Europe in the early 1800s and was thought to be the greatest violinist of all time. His technique while playing was unparalleled. His compositions, unique and of vanguard style. His playing of gentle passages was so beautiful that his audiences often burst into tears, and yet, he would perform some pieces with such vigor and velocity that one listener at a concert in Vienna became half-crazed and declared for days that he had seen Satan himself helping the violinist on stage.

Paganini was known to have owned some of the most prestigious violins of his day and collected a myriad of interesting stories about how he won and lost some of his precious violins.

One particular story stands out.

The musician had just stepped on stage to start a particular concert. As the audience greeted the virtuoso with fierce applause, he noticed that there was something wrong with the violin in his hand. He looked at the instrument and realized that he wasn’t holding his best violin.

He excused himself to go backstage and fetch the right instrument and was shocked to find out that his precious Stradivari had been stolen.

After remaining backstage for a while, he stepped onstage again to address the audience. With resolute confidence, Paganini declared: “Ladies and gentlemen, I will now demonstrate to you that the music is not in the instrument but in the soul.” He then rendered a most dramatic piece, bringing the audience to a euphoric standing ovation at the end.

Some Trust in Chariots…

As I read this particular story in the life of the composer, I thought about Psalm 20, written by King David, where he attributed all his successes in battle to God’s strength, not his own. In verse 7, he wrote: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Victory. There’s nothing sweeter than being able to fulfill a dream, win a hard battle, or simply attain success by exercising a God-given gift. There’s nothing quite like it. But I believe that as exciting as some victories can be, they also hold a serious danger.

We may fool ourselves into believing that our success was obtained solely by our own merit and strength, often forgetting that we are recipients of God’s matchless favor and grace. Although we can rightfully say that our hard work, skills, and diligence help us fulfill our goals and dreams, we must never forget that our trust should not rest solely on our resources.

Rather, we must remember to put our trust in something that diseases cannot destroy and circumstantial lack of resources cannot detain – the unchangeable power of a limitless God.

God’s Power and your circumstances

Just as Paganini’s majestic music did not change with an inferior instrument, I’m challenged to remember daily that God’s purposes and His power to fulfill them do not change with life’s circumstances. And just as David acknowledged that his victories were not won by his tangible resources and the strength of his army alone, we must remember to recognize God’s hand and favor in each victory we win.

It’s a personal, deliberate choice, really. And I personally choose not to put my trust in instruments that may get lost or stolen or in horses and chariots to win the battles I face. I choose to trust in the Name of my God, whose character never changes, whose plans for me are perfect, and whose strength in battle is matchless.

Whether I am in the valley or standing on the mountaintop, that truth is always the song of my heart and the strength of my soul.

LINKUP PARTY opens on March 29 at 6 am!

Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

1. Add your Link.

2. Visit the blogger before or after and encourage them with a comment.

3. Share on social media. Click below to share on Twitter that you are joining us! We would love to have you follow the ministry on Twitter and Facebook as well: Soaring with Him FB Page

The post My Victories, My Battles – Not Really Mine {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP} appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.

“If you don’t hit pause long enough to consider the direction in which you are parenting, you may wake up one day to the realization that you parented in the wrong direction.” — Andy Stanley

Am I getting parenting right?

There’s no question that every parent has wondered about the answer to this question at some point while raising their children.

You may still be holding your first baby, wondering if your approach to meeting and caring for their needs is the best.

Or perhaps you have a toddler pushing all boundaries (and your buttons), and you are unsure whether your discipline method is working.

It could be that your teenager entered that stage when the loving child you had a year ago is now closed off, shutting you out of their life.

And you wonder. “What am I doing?” or, worse yet, “What am I doing wrong?”

This insecurity invariably grabs hold of every well-meaning parent.

When my children were young, and we were trying to teach them discipline and respect, I often wondered how to be effective while preserving a healthy relationship.

Unfortunately, the fear of becoming over-lenient would sometimes translate into some “because I said so” moments, which, looking in retrospect, I am not proud of.

But I know I am not alone. Most well-meaning parents err in their quest to do it right. That happens because we often and inadvertently repeat patterns seen or experienced in our home environment. However, some of us intentionally change certain things we experienced growing up. I know I did.

The story is not different for Atlanta-based author and pastor Andy Stanley, who, together with his wife Sandra, decided early on in their parenting years to establish goals and raise their kids with their future relationship with them in mind. For years, they have compiled information gathered from counseling families, learning from mentors, and raising their three children. The result is a must-read book for every parent: “Parenting: Getting It Right,” released in January by Zondervan.

The Stanleys are the parents of three adult children who, as Andy says “still enjoy being around us.”

Isn’t that our ultimate goal?

As a mother of a teenager and an adult, that is undoubtedly my biggest desire for my relationship with our daughters.

Indeed, nothing fills my heart with joy better than when I get a text from our adult daughter saying: “Mom, guess what? I gotta tell you something.”

She still wants to be around mom and dad and loves hanging out with her “little” sister. I believe that happens because, even though we have certainly made many mistakes, like the Stanleys, we prioritized preserving a healthy relationship above everything else. The result is lingering discipline taught through life lessons instead of harsh punishment and, better yet, children who still like us.

The Stanleys call the concept their “North Star” — the one thing that kept their minds and hearts anchored when parenting their children through what they call “The Four Stages of Parenting”: discipline (0-5 years old), Training (5-12), Coaching (12-18), and Friendship (18-plus years old).

In our interview, we discussed the challenges and rewards of parenting with the relationship in mind.

Among other things, it takes understanding each child’s unique personality to improve communication and changing how to approach discipline to help a child develop character rather than simply following rules.

This idea of parenting reminds me of how Jesus guided his flock while walking on earth. He was all about building and restoring relationships. He taught while bridging the gap between rules and heart. He saw each person and loved them uniquely. He disciplined to guide, not to judge. And thus, he showed the love of a Father who wants us to remain close to His heart, even when the world tries to pull us away.

Are you parenting in the right direction? Will your children still want to hang out, even when they don’t have to be around? These are questions worth asking. With God’s help and sound resources, it’s never too late to change the course.

Find out more about the Stanleys’ book at andystanley.com/. For the full interview, visit God-Sized Stories with Patricia Holbrook on YouTube and via Podcast.

Patricia Holbrook is a columnist, author, podcaster and international speaker. This article was originally published in her column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday – March 25, 2023. Click HERE to find it on the AJC’s website.

The post Andy & Sandra Stanley – Interview & Column about their new book on Parenting appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.

Being the older sister, I used my driver’s license so my sister and I could drop by the hospital and surprise our mother. The surprise was on us. Daddy had scheduled our previous visits. Now I understood why.

I heard Mama moaning on the other side of the closed door to her room. She was asleep and unaware others could hear her pain. My sister and I drove home in silence. The reality our mother would never come home smothered us.

As painful as it was to see her suffer, knowing the ugly reality of Mama’s situation helped me release her. Until then I couldn’t let her go. That day I realized it was selfish to hold on. It was time to say good-bye.

Years later, my cousin called to say my aunt was in hospice care. Jane was Mama’s younger sister and a surrogate mother to me after Mama died. Eight earlier, dementia began erasing her memories and left a happy child in place of the capable woman I’d known.

Larry and I drove to DC to say good-bye. She peacefully rested. My cousin brought an old record player and played my aunt’s favorite 45s. Her foot tapped under the sheets. She still had rhythm! Encircled by her seven grandchildren, she savored their attention. 

Her middle school grandson said, “Give me the evil eye.” She scrunched her face and furrowed her brows.

A granddaughter said, “Smile, Mema.” She opened her eyes wide and smiled big.

She giggled at secrets and puckered her lips to exchange kisses. When I placed my hand on her cheek, she leaned into it as if to hug me. We reviewed funny jingles she’d sung to us as children. We laughed and cried with this woman that had loved, entertained, and kept us in line.

James says life is a vapor. The older I get the more that description resonates.

Mama died at forty-eight. My aunt was eighty-four. Reversing their numbers didn’t erase the pain of saying good-bye. But knowing my temporary pain here brought permanent gain for them soothes my loss with hope. In the blink of an eye, we’ll join them.

Better Than We Can Imagine

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (Jn. 14:1-3, NLT).

My aunt loved to explore new places. She delighted in beauty and God’s creation. When she entered heaven and experienced the reunions, colors, and surprises Jesus had prepared for her, I imagine her telling my mother, “Virginia, would you look at that? I declare!”

Heaven will be more wonderful than we can imagine (1 Cor. 2:9) because Jesus has gone before us to create a place perfectly suited for each of us. One thing we know for sure, it will be better than we can imagine. 

What helps you say good-bye to your loved ones in the Lord?

LINKUP PARTY opens on March 24 at 6 am!

Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

1. Add your Link.

2. Visit the blogger before or after and encourage them with a comment.

3. Share on social media. Click below to share on Twitter that you are joining us! We would love to have you follow the ministry on Twitter and Facebook as well: Soaring with Him FB Page

The post When It’s Time to Say Good-Bye appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.

Call your young children to listen to this interview!

William Daniel is a seventh grader, a WWII enthusiast, and a competitive gymnast. He builds model airplanes and wants to be a pilot someday.

Written by a kid for kids, You’re Joking Me is a hilarious collection of more than four hundred puns, riddles, one-liners, and knock-knock jokes that are sure to have kids (and their adults) laughing up a storm!

William is a wonderful example for young children of how one can make a difference in the world, even at a young age.

Find out more about the book, William at http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/you-re-joking-me/410541

If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to listen.

This interview is also available on Patricia’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/NiA8VC_F-60

The post “You’re Joking Me” – a Young Author’s Take on Clean Humor appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.

“May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.” 1 Samuel 24:12

David and his men had been hiding when they heard the footsteps of a man entering the cave. Startled, he oddly shifted on the ground, careful not to make a sound that would denounce his presence. He stretched his neck to look toward the sound.

His heart skipped a beat. It was him, the man he admired and loved, yet, his enemy. The very one who sent David fleeing for his life into the wilderness was entering his hiding place. 

It didn’t take long for David to realize that Saul had not entered the cave to capture him. He was looking for a private place to relieve himself. David was armed and had a small army of supporters who would have loved nothing better than to vindicate their leader. Saul was unprepared and unsuspecting. David had the perfect opportunity to seek vengeance for the years robbed from him, as God’s chosen king had to flee for his life and live like a criminal in the wilderness of Engedi.

“Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” V.4

My vivid imagination cannot help but ponder his dilemma

“I can end his life and take the crown that is rightfully mine. I can go live a normal life again. I can finally claim the throne… Or I can let him go.”

You know the story. David cuts off the edge of Saul’s robe… and spares his life. Later on, he even regrets having touched the King’s robe:

“But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” V.5-6

His righteous demeanor amazes me.

He could have shortened his journey to the crown. But He feared God enough to know that one wrong does not justify another. He chose the long road. And even though the voices around him told him God was giving him the opportunity for vengeance and freedom NOW, David knew better.

In his spirit, he believed God’s promise and would not take a shortcut or compromise. Even though there’s no doubt he was tired of hiding and waiting, God’s chosen one would not take the easy way out and manipulate God’s timing.

As I think about this crucial moment in King David’s history, I can’t help but ponder about how tempting it is to manipulate our circumstances to fulfill the longing of our hearts.

Haven’t we all fallen into this trap one way or another?

Truly, each time we face challenging trials and the arid deserts of waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled, it becomes so very easy to manipulate our circumstances to shorten the storm… and bring forth some much-anticipated relief for our times of trouble.

It seems unfair, doesn’t it? It’s as if God’s children are always on His list of those who must wait to receive.

We see people who don’t care a thing about God prospering in all they do… and us, God’s children, seem to have to “hide in the cave” for just a bit longer… or be persecuted just a bit harder.

In the process of waiting for deliverance and peace, the world parades a multitude of soothing consolations for our weary and broken hearts:

… easy relationships that could hastily end our loneliness…

… thirty-day divorce procedures that could easily give us a way out of a difficult marriage…

… interest-free credit cards that would allow us to purchase what we want now…

… drugs and alcohol that would soothe our pain… if only for one day…

Nonetheless, God’s voice is the same to His children today as it was in that cave over three thousand years ago:

“Do you want My full blessing, pressed down, shaken together and running over?

Then you must give yourself unreservedly to Me. Trust Me and stay in the dark cave for just a while longer, waiting for the right time… and My perfect deliverance.”

The main reason we manipulate our circumstances and even try to manipulate God by twisting what His Word says because we miss the big picture.

Unlike David, we fail to recognize that there’s a reason for the waiting. We fail to see God’s hand in the cave… as He protects us and changes our hearts to prepare us for the task and the gifts He has for us.

David needed the years of persecution to reach his full potential as God’s anointed King. He needed to depend upon God each day in order to conquer his fears and his inadequacy. As he waited and depended upon Yahweh (the God of the covenant) for protection, direction, and peace, he became “the man after God’s own heart” that God so longed to see.

Were it not for the cave, he would not have earned that title. Were it not for his waiting and trusting… and waiting some more, he would not have inherited God’s promise (and anointing) at the appointed time.

Are you in the cave, hiding and waiting upon God for deliverance? Do not give into the temptation of shortening your stay, thus forfeiting God’s very best for you. Withhold the sword. Take a deep breath and affirm your trust in your Maker.

He knows just when you’re ready to come out and be set free.

LINKUP PARTY opens on March 15 at 6 am!

Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

1. Add your Link.

2. Visit the blogger before or after and encourage them with a comment.

3. Share on social media. Click below to share on Twitter that you are joining us! We would love to have you follow the ministry on Twitter and Facebook as well: Soaring with Him FB Page

The post Manipulating God’s Timing {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP} appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.

{Interview & Column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}

Listen to this interview with podcaster, entrepreneur, and author Misty Phillip, where she talks about her bible study, The Struggle Is Real, but so Is God, a study focused on how to keep strong faith through life’s hard circumstances. If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to listen. Read the column about this conversation below.

“Blessed be your name when the sun’s shining down on me; when the world’s all as it should be, blessed be your name. Blessed be your name on the road marked with suffering; though there’s pain in the offering, blessed be your name.” — Matt Redman’s song “Blessed Be Your Name”

Job is the first of the poetic books in the Hebrew Bible and is believed to be the first written book of Scriptures. It tells the astounding story of a righteous man who was tested extensively and did not lose faith in God. It is a gripping story of loss and prosperity and offers a vast theological treatise about enduring faith and God’s sovereignty.

Even though some believe the book’s story to be an allegory, the prophet Ezekiel and the apostle James in the New Testament mention Job as a historical figure.

The very first chapter of the book sets the stage.

Job is a rich and blessed man who loves God with all his heart and obeys his commandments. The scene changes to a conversation between God and Satan, where the fallen angel claims that Job only trusted God because he was wealthy and prosperous.

And thus, Job’s trials began. For the following 42 chapters, we witness Job tested in every way. He lost all his children and all his possessions. His friends accused him. Painful sores covered his body, and his wife told him to curse God and die.

Through it all, Job’s response tells the reader that he was convinced of two absolutes: his innocence and God’s sovereignty. Even though he felt overwhelmingly depressed, he remained faithful.

While many tried to convince Job that God had abandoned him, his humility and trust in God’s unchanging faithfulness and limitless might paved the way to God’s final response: God rebuked his friends, and the drama ended with Job’s wealth, health, and happiness restored.

Is God still good, even when the worse happens?

The question has inevitably pierced the hearts of believers tested by prolonged trials through the ages, and the answer, I believe, paves the way to measure the steadfastness of one’s faith.

Earlier in February, I talked to podcaster and Bible teacher Misty Phillip about her Bible study “The Struggle is Real, but So is God.”

During our conversation, Phillip recounted her family’s many trials, including losing her baby boy, stillborn after years of infertility and miscarriages. There were years of overwhelming loss and hardships as Phillip and her husband cared for his parents with terminal brain tumors and the ongoing care of a special needs son.

As Phillip described the funeral of their stillborn baby, a solemn moment gripped my heart: The family held hands to say goodbye to their son while singing Matt Redman’s song, “Blessed Be Your Name.” Friends and family who had come to minister to the grieving family left the funeral encouraged by their steadfast courage and faith.

Trials brought them closer to God

This trial and many others brought the Phillips closer to God. Instead of cursing their maker, they chose to believe in his faithfulness and purpose in the valleys. And today, as she looks back, Phillip can testify how her response to life’s tragedies paved the way to minister to others through her growing ministry and Bible study.

I can relate. Misty and I have talked about how upside-down biblical faith can be. But when one understands that God does not allow anything to happen to his children that cannot work together for their eternal good and his glory, faith has lingering effects in one’s heart.

Like Job, we can only become overcomers if we press on. And like him, we cannot claim to have strong faith until it’s tested and tried by fire, and the measured heat purifies our hearts as God purposefully designed.

Find out more about Misty’s ministry and book at mistyphillip.com/. For the interview with Misty Phillip, visit bit.ly/3YuiIBh

Patricia Holbrook is a columnist, author, podcaster and international speaker. Website: www.soaringwithHim.com. For speaking engagements and comments, email pholbrook@soaringwithHim.com

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Click HERE to find it on the AJC’s website.

The post  appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.

Do people see Jesus in me? This is a question I often think about. 

Perhaps this is a desire you hold and pray. Lord, let others see Jesus in me! 

Lately, this hope and prayer stays at the forefront of my mind. 

So I completed my own soul-searching, looking in the Scriptures, and asking the Holy Spirit to open my spiritual eyes to how others truly see Jesus in me. 

Because when Jesus lives in us and we allow the triune God to transform us from the inside out, everything about Him radiates in us and our life. 

Then, people see Jesus in us.

Others See Jesus 

(1.) In my salvation. 

It all begins here. Once we have a salvation experience and personal redemption story, we are new creations (1 Corinthians 5:17). Christ is our Savior.

In Galatians 1, the Apostle Paul recounts his life before Christ. He shares an impressive religious resume and all that he attained. Yet, look at how he ends the chapter.

“And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, ‘He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they glorified God because of me.” Galatians 1:22-24 (ESV, emphasis added)

Notice how Paul never wrote that others glorified me because of me. No, God received the glory for the saving work of Jesus in Paul’s life. 

We have a story to share, a personal testimony of Jesus saving our soul and giving us eternal life.

(2.) When the Word lives in me.

The Word became flesh, Jesus, the living Word (John 1:1 & 14). Even though He lives in us, the Bible reminds us of the importance to meditate on and know the Scriptures. 

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

And Psalm 119 shows us how knowing God’s Word lights our path (v. 105), helps us not sin (v. 11), gives us hope (v. 43), and makes us walk in freedom (v. 45). 

Jesus is our example of knowing and keeping God’s commands. He lives in us as the living Word.

Jesus in Me 

(3.) If I dwell in His presence through worship and prayer.

Spending time in the presence of our Lord and Savior changes us. We worship His majesty, glory, splendor and beauty. We submit to His authority. And we praise Him for who He is and thank Him for what He has done. 

Also, often this means silently sitting before Him with open hearts to hear from Him and asking the Holy Spirit to fill us with Himself. Still further, we let the lyrics to worship songs permeate our beings and we find joy in His presence (Psalm 16:11).

(4.) Through my love.

Others see Jesus in us through love. The depth of this love includes giving grace to others, a merciful heart, and a forgiving spirit. 

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (ESV)

Love is the difference maker to all those in our family, friendships, work, communities, ministries, and who we come in contact with. 

People See Jesus

(5.) In my words and actions—the crucified life.

Jesus made it clear, to follow Him, we deny ourselves and take up our cross (Matthew 16:24). Taking up our cross is the crucified life. 

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

Carrying our cross, we let Jesus live in and through us, not living for our own interests. So our words, actions, beliefs—everything about us—showcase Jesus Christ for others to see. 

Prayer: Lord, help others see Jesus in me. I pray that after being in Your presence, others recognize I have been with Jesus. And Jesus is seen in me from the inside out. Help me meditate on Your Word, tell my Jesus-story, love others deeply, and live the crucified life each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Featured image from filming for our YouTube Channel, Friday’s Forever.

Also see, Praying for a Friend.

LINKUP PARTY opens on March 8 at 6 am!

Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

1. Add your Link.

2. Visit the blogger before or after and encourage them with a comment.

3. Share on social media. Click below to share on Twitter that you are joining us! We would love to have you follow the ministry on Twitter and Facebook as well: Soaring with Him FB Page

The post Do People See Jesus in Me? {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP} appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.

February 25th was a day we dreamed about, prayed over and anticipated for over three years.

Before the pandemic, my friend and Certified Nutrional Counselor Stephanie Wilkins and I had planned to start working with women’s shelters, bringing the Good News of the gospel and sharing free Bible studies with women in transition homes in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Then the pandemic hit and stopped the program before it even began.

Fast forward three years, and we now realize that the “pause” only served to improve the original plan. Only God can turn a disappointment into something much better than we originally planned (Genesis 20:20).

City of Refuge

Our first Love Day partner was House of Cherith, the “safe house” inside City of Refuge, providing safety and guidance for women who are victims of abuse or sexual exploitation. This incredible ministry provides Safe housing and supportive services where women can recover from the trauma of sexual exploitation.

The day started with worship led by Soaring with Him’s worship leader and my dear friend Chasity Dedman. The Holy Spirit’s presence was powerful as these women raised their voices to worship their Redeemer.

Next, I brought a message of hope and encouragement from Jeremiah 17 – The Tree and the Bush, after which we had an altar call with several ladies coming for prayer.

We then broke for lunch and group prayer time, where each volunteer prayed with a small group.

Bible Distribution and Course

In the afternoon, we gave the ladies a personal copy of the Bible, together with a small gift from our new partner, The Encouragement Project. We also delivered four copies of Tyndale’s Life Application Bible to be placed in the four main rooms of the shelter.

It was then that I taught my brand-new course, Equipped to Listen to God, which is still not available to the public (it’ll be available at our new website soon!). The course teaches people how to listen to God through the Bible.

The ladies were thrilled to attend the course and receive their own personal copy of the course book. At the end, there were several testimonies of how the bibles and the course blessed them.

We finished the day with a hand pampering section from our new ministry partners and dear friends, Mary Kay’s representatives Vicki Morton Hartin and Judy Womack. Judy is also our Agape Shelter Ministry coordinator.

Much More to Come

We are so grateful to God for our new partners, volunteers and financial supporters. Soaring with Him’s Bible Distribution and Bible study programs are just beginning! Our objective is to give away many more Bibles and courses in the future. But we cannot do it without your prayers and financial support. Please consider becoming a financial partner. For as little as $30 a month, you can bring Bible literacy to a woman who is starting a new life in Christ.

Click HERE to give Bibles and Bible Studies. Find out more about our Agape Shelter Ministry HERE.

In His Great Love,

Patricia

The post Our First LOVE DAY at House of Cherith appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.

Click

Even though the U.S. government knew that the homelessness crisis grew exponentially during the pandemic, it became difficult to accurately register the numbers of those without shelter until late last year.

After two years with limited data, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released its first comprehensive Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR).

According to its findings, 582,462 individuals were registered as experiencing homelessness in America in December 2022.

Even though the data reveals a slight increase from the 2020 census (by about 2,000 people), some demographics and data changed significantly.

For instance, 30% of the people without a home have experienced homelessness for more than 12 months, indicating “chronic patterns of homelessness.”In another finding, the report indicates that homelessness among women and children has increased by 5%. Likewise, the pandemic shifted the data concerning families, as a quarter of homeless individuals were families with children. Fortunately, the data also revealed that those in family groups had greater access to assistance. Nearly nine in 10 unhoused people with children found shelter, a one-third decrease since 2012.

God has put a burden in my heart for the homeless for several years, and our ministry had planned to start a women’s shelter program before the pandemic hit. Naturally, we had to postpone it, but we are now excited to have identified two facilities to partner with for what we have named the “Agape Shelter Program” starting this February.“

Agape” is one of several Greek words that translate as “love.”

The English language is very generic regarding the word. We use the same verb to denote our love for ice cream as we do for romantic or brotherly love, and therefore the depth of one “love” compared to another is naturally not carried out in the words we use to express it.

In contrast, the Greek language is very particular concerning words denoting feelings. Every time “Agape” appears in the original text of the New Testament, it refers to pure, selfless and sacrificial love that intentionally works toward another’s good.

As the highest form of love, “agape” is given as a choice, not out of attraction or duty. This type of love is beautifully described in the well-known words found in the thirteenth chapter of the first letter of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian church:

“Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

Agape Love and steadfast faith are the themes of a movie called “No Vacancy” released in May 2022 by Kingstone Studios and based on the true story of First Baptist Church Leesburg, in Florida. Led by senior pastor Cliff Lea, the church took extraordinary steps of faith during the 2008 recession to purchase a motel and turn it into a homeless shelter.

The recession had deeply impacted the church’s budget, creating a $200,000 deficit; therefore, the church committee suggested layoffs. Instead, the pastor believed God was calling them to spend close to a million dollars to buy and fix a broken-down motel to serve the community. The idea met significant opposition and challenges.

The Impact

Watching the movie and talking to the producer, Art Ayris, has challenged me deeply, deepening my desire to serve the homeless in our city. Ayris is also on staff as one of the pastors at the church, so the story is personal and close to his heart.

There is undoubtedly great significance in serving and giving to the poorest people in the world in developing countries. But our churches should be challenged by First Baptist Leesburg’s example of sacrificial love to our neighboring communities.

The numbers do not lie. We do not have to fly overseas to extend God’s love to those who need it most. Showing this movie to your church may just be what propels its members to start a wave of Agape Love to sweep over your community.

Find out more at novacancymovie.com/. To get involved in the Agape Homeless Ministry of Soaring with Him Ministries in Atlanta, visit: soaringwithhim.com/agape/

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, February 25th, 2023. Click HERE to find it on the AJC’s website.

LINKUP PARTY opens on March 1 at 6 am!

Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

1. Add your Link.

2. Visit the blogger before or after and encourage them with a comment.

3. Share on social media. Click below to share on Twitter that you are joining us! We would love to have you follow the ministry on Twitter and Facebook as well: Soaring with Him FB Page

The post LINKUP! Offering Agape Love to the Homeless {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution} appeared first on Soaring with Him Ministries.