Plight of the Orphan

We just finished a series at our church on Compassion. Even though we weren't present for a few of the services due to my Father-in-law's passing away, it is great to be able to stay in touch via Itunes.

As well, I don't if you know this but Nov. 8th was Orphan Sunday. Did you know that? Did you try to hide from it?

In our sermon today we were talking about what our World would look like if the CHURCH would just take part in it.

I got to thinking as well... We had roughly 230 people in church. I would say that 20% of these were teens so that is about 190 (184 actually) people. Lets say that they all make a salary of $45K which is very low for this are of the DC corridor (most County Statistics state more like $80 - $90 K avr$) That is about 8.5 MILLION in salaries in one church. Now I'll give you that maybe the $45,000 could be a family income so take that 190 and cut it in HALF and that is still over 4Million in Salaries.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE GAVE IN ADDITION TO OUR TITHE ANOTHER 10%? That would be $400,000 to feed the lost. In a country where $2.00 a day is high rolling imagine the impact.

Oh but others are doing it! God hasn't given me alot of Money! God hasn't laid it on my heart to give! Take those excuses that are from the devil and shove them back into the pit where they came from.

Let me tell you why the Church is failing to make an impact in our families and our communities: WE ARE FAILING TO MAKE AN IMPACT ANYWHERE AS WE ARE COMPLACENT! WE DON'T CARE ABOUT OTHERS! which taken to the next thought level means we are as far away from the message of Christ as Hell is from Heaven. how did we get here? How did we forget?

Let me get off my soap box and just share some logic with you:
Global Orphans
-Over 140 million orphans and waiting children under the age of 18 have lost one or both parents.i
-Over 13 million double orphans under the age of 18 have lost both parents.ii Sub
-Saharan Africa, with 48.3 million orphans, has the highest proportion of children who are orphans at 12%
-Asia has the largest total number of orphans with 73.7 million orphans, which represents 6% of all children
-Latin America and the Caribbean has 10.7 million orphans, also representing 6% of all children.iii
-Over 15 million children have lost a parent due to AIDS, and that number is expected to rise to over 20 million by 2010.iv
-Without AIDS, the total number of double orphans in sub-Saharan Africa would have declined between 1990 and 2010. AIDS, however, will push the number of double orphans in the region from 9 million to more than 10 million by 2010.v
-Orphaned children are much more likely than non-orphans to be working in commercial agriculture, as street vendors, in domestic service and in the sex trade.vi
-Orphans are more vulnerable and at risk of becoming victims of violence, exploitation, trafficking, discrimination, or other abuses.vii

Domestic Orphans
-More than 500,000 children are in United States foster care.viii -Over 120,000 children in foster care are waiting to be adopted.ix
-Only around 50,000 children, or 18% of those waiting in foster care, are adopted every year.x
-On average, children in foster care wait over 2 years to be adopted.xi
-Over one-third of Americans have ever considered adopting, but no more than 2 percent of Americans have actually adopted.xii
-48% of the people who have seriously considered adoption indicated that they would first look to a house of worship (church) for information or advice about adopting.xiii
(sources of these quotes http://cryoftheorphan.com/Display.asp?Page=resourcereference)

I am dumb founded.. Look again at that last statement "48% of the people who have seriously considered adoption indicated that they would first look to a house of worship (church) for information or advice about adopting.xiii" So when the church is silent...

Back in July I wrote on Orphan Care and posted it here: http://idratherbecaving.blogspot.com/2009/07/article-on-orphans.html

I am a #'s guy so there is a statistic on there that I want to point out again. there are 148 Million orphans in the world right now.
But there are 224 Million Churches. If each church tried to help just ONE... One... That sheer thought brings me to tears!

How pathetic we are, I AM, for not caring, for not doing my part.
Recently a 14 year old raised $1000 for books for a Children's home in Mexico. I could list numerous more examples just like that.
Notice I say it was a 14 year old girl. Not a church, Not a MEGA church.. But one person.

With Prayer and Passion you too could raise the funds to clothe, feed, and love the orphan.
So what are you going to do? I would recommend the following:
1) Talk to your church, pastor and board about starting a local ministry to help clothe and feed those in need in your home town
2) find a place to take missions trips either domestic or nationally. This will add the fuel to passion as your stories will now touch people where they are.

EVERYONE LIKES TO GIVE TO SOMETHING THEY UNDERSTAND!
3)Visit a call to action group to learn more: Cry of the Orphan
James Fund
Hope For the Orphans
4) Find a organization to help support
Back2Back Ministries
World Vision
And many others!
Just DO SOMETHING!! James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."

God is Faithful

We all have our own ways to grieve. Some read, some cry, some laugh, some ignore... I seek comfort in music.
I have to recommend a CD for anyone grieving, It is BEAUTY WILL RISE by Steven Curtis Chapman.
I am sitting at a computer scanning photos while Mandy, her brother and Mom are in the other room picking them out. So I listen while I scan.
There are a large # of the songs on this album that stick out and help to comfort me...
but one in particular really sticks out. It is "Faithful"...
Here are the lyrics:
I am broken, I am bleeding.
I'm scared and I'm confused.
But you are faithful, yes YOU are faithful.
I am weary in believing. God please help my unbelief.
Cause you are Faithful, yes you are faithful.
I will proclaim it to the world.
I will declare it to my heart.
I'll sing it when the sun is shining,
I will scream it in the dark.

You are Faithful, you are faithful.
When you give and when you take away
Even then still your name is faithful
You are faithful
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe you are faithful

i am waiting for the rescue, that I know is sure to come
Cause you are faithful, yes you are faithful.
And I've dropped the anchor in your promises and I am holding on.
Cause you are faithful yes you are faithful
I will proclaim it to the world. I will declare it to my heart
I will sit it when the sun is shining
I will scream it in the dark

When I can not have the answer That I am waiting to demand
I'll remember you are GOD
And everything is in your hands
With your hands you put the sun and moon and stars up in the sky
For the sake of love you hung your own son on the cross to die
And you are faithful, yes you are faithful
When you give, when you take away even then.
Great is your faithfulness
Great is your faithfulness
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe you are faithful

Herman (dad, Grandfather... Loved)

Last night at around 3:30 am my father-in-law went Home. Not the home that we all hoped for and he so gallantly and bravely fought for. But one that is infinitely better.
It has been a long week for the entire family, filled with tears, laughter, memories, friends, family, and LOVE! But most of all it was filled with GOD!
His presence was felt every minute in that hospital room.
It is hard to believe that just last week Herm and Carol (mom and dad) were in Nashville on a short vacation. God's timing is always perfect.
As a family we were blessed. Yesterday Herm pulled his kids aside and spent time with them sharing their love together. then later we brought the kids up to be with him so they could also tell him they loved him and good bye.
So many friends and family came to visit, it was a very memorable day.
Last night Mandy and her brother came back to the house to sleep expecting to have another day.
At around 3:30 Herm looked up and asked where the kids were.
Mom told him they were at home but it was okay. She was fine that it was just the two of them.
He laid his head back and said "I'm going home."
His fight has ended but his legacy will live on.
His pain has gone and our grieving now begins.
BUT GOD REMAINS TRUE!
He saw us through the pain, and HE WILL continue to see us through the grieving.

Yesterday I took the kids to church at a church that meets in Herm and Carol's old church. The final song we sang, is one of my favorite.
It is by David Crowder Band and called "Oh how He Loves"

The verse says:
He is Jealous for me.
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree.
Bending beneath the weight of its wind and mercy.
When all of the sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory.
and I realize just how beautiful you are and how great your affections are for me
Oh how He loves us, Oh How he loves us... How He loves us Oh.

The bold is my favorite line. These afflictions, these Grievings are being eclipsed by GOD'S GRACE, HIS PEACE AND HIS GLORY!
AMEN!

a light in the Darkness shines...

This morning at 3:30 am, after having just retreated to the bed room at about 1:00 am; we were woke up by Mandy's mom. Her dad was not doing well at all. We called the EMS and they came and took him to the Hospital, where he is still.
All of my kids decided to wake up at that time (around 3:55 as the EMS was pulling away). So after putting them to bed again, and checking on Mandy, I went to check on them again. They were wide awake but being quite and good.
I went in and brought all 3 of them up to the bed with me and we talked.
I reminded them of my Grandmother who passed away from Cancer last year. We talked about how she was in Heaven because she loved Jesus.
Gavin asked "Why did Jesus walk on water?"...
"Because he is Jesus and can do really amazing things."
"Why did Peter sink?"
"Because he didn't Trust Jesus. Just like how Mommy and Daddy made it through when Grandma Holloway died because we Trusted Jesus that he would take care of her because she Loved Jesus"
So they sat there... I finally looked over at Gavin who had a very serious look on his face and he said "Daddy, I want to go to heaven when I die."
So I told him to tell Jesus he Loved him and wants to live for Him.
And in his own precious words he did!
I then hugged him and cried abit then looked over at Dakotah and asked her if she wanted to do that to and she did in her own words as well!
It was such a precious moment that I will not forget.
Nov. 7th at 4 am 2009.

A light in the darkness shines...

Master Leaders by George Barna

Everyone’s dream is to find a MENTOR. Someone who is better/ smarter than they in their chosen field or profession and to learn from them.

So now imagine with me an opportunity to sit and listen to 30 of the best business professionals share their tips and dig into the nit and gritty of what each of them are saying.

Master Leaders is one such book. It is written as if it is a conversation of round tables with 30 different leaders getting together and talking about their areas of expertise and sharing how they all agree on the keys. In the typical informative and easy to read style that George Barna is known for.

This book speaks to the following topics:
Unexpected Discoveries
Defining and Evaluating Real Leadership
Vision and Values
Creating Culture
Developing Leaders
Hiring the Right People
Leading Well
Earning and Maintaining Trust
Confrontation and Conflict
Character
Following
Team Building
Faith and Morals
Power
Criticism and Pressure
Skills and Discipline

This is a book that I truly enjoyed reading and will be something that I will go back to often to reference while in business.

Thanks to Tyndale Publishing for giving me the opportunity to check this book out!
I recommend that if you are in a position of Leadership; go check this out at your local Family Christian Stores.

Finding Purpose Byond our Pain by Meier and Henderson

“Finding Purpose in the Pain”

“I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born,” says the Lord. – Isaiah 66:9 NCV…

Those words start the introduction to this book. It was without thinking that I brought this book with me this week. On Monday I took off from our Southern Maryland home to drive 12 hours to my in-laws in Indiana. It wasn’t for a vacation or rest that we came, but to visit my father-in-law. July 29th, 2009 he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. After numerous tests etc... we found that it was a stage 4 cancer. Within just a few months it had spread completely to his Liver as well. We are now sitting in the living room of their house and I am watching him holding my youngest son. I didn’t know how much this book would be a comfort for me.

This book seeks to help you learn through the pain, not just the pain of short term such as exams, or child birth, but even into the long term of death and loss.

In the intro the purpose of this book is summed up as follows… “Pain-free living is impossible this side of heaven. We will never find a magic pill to prevent suffering or sorrow.
What if, instead of chasing after a pain-free life, we realized that pain is not the enemy? In fact, pain can be our ally if we allow it to lead us away from danger and toward the healing power of Christ.”

The book then goes through many different avenues of pain: Injustice, Rejection, Loneliness, Loss, Discipline, Failure and Death.

Pain is a way of life. On key of this is support. If you are someone who is dealing with hurt, depression etc… LOVE THEM! If you personally are suffering depression or lost, look to GOD! This book helps to see you and lead you to him.

The best way to sum up this book is in the verse used in the Introduction:
“Be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.” I Peter 1:6 NLT

Thanks to Thomas nelson for giving me this book to read. It couldn’t have been at a more important time.
http://thomasnelson.insidethecover.com/widget/?isbn=9780785229223

The Noticer by Andy Andrews!

My favorite teacher throughout college was a History teacher who made less focal the dates, and more focal the STORY of history. I began to love this class. Each week we would have 1 day that was dedicated to the conspiracy theories that were surrounding the topics we were discussing.

Jesus also felt the call to tell truths in story. His parables told truths that hit people where they were and helped changed them.

There was a book that many of my friends, colleges had read and stated ‘you must read this’… the expectations were set high to a point I was afraid to be let down.

It was with these expectations that I started reading the Noticer by Andy Andrews. After reading the book almost completely in one afternoon I knew that the reviews were RIGHT!

This book takes truths that will help you live your life such as 4 key ways that we express and feel Loved, and then tells them in a story that makes it sink in deeper than a how to book.

It is like a professor stated in reviewing why Tolkien and Lewis did so well at creating a world said “You have to create a world that, even when unbelievable, becomes real.”
Jones is the main character in this book. Not Mr. Jones, just Jones. This man comes into the lives of people he meets at critical times and speaks truth, truths that give them perspective on how they live.

I would love to go into more detail and say all the things that I loved about this book, but I do not want to ruin it for you… Let me just say, BUY THIS BOOK! You must read it. You won’t be disappointed!

I would rate this as one of the most influential books I have read and one that I would buy for EVERYONE I know. It's just that good!

Visit http://www.thenoticerproject.com for more information about "The Noticer Project."

Growing With Purpose by Jon Walker and Rick Warren

It's not often that you come across a Devotional that is quick, simple in its writing, yet complex in its subjects. This devotional by Jon Walker takes numerous principles and in a 1 min. read hits you where you are at almost every day.
I found myself wanting to read his insight as a book of promises vs. a daily devotional.
The other item that I found enjoyable about this, is it is not a 'guilt' devotional.
Now that is a term I use for the DAILY devotionals that have days and even dates on each read. When life hits and you miss a day or 2, or a week, you begin to feel guilted into reading or catching up until finally you just give up.
This devotional has nothing but subject headings!
You can read it as a daily devotional, a study, a topical study, etc...
I highly recommend this to anyone in search of a easy devotional that you will GROW with in a simple yet purposeful manner!

Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World by Dr. David Jeremiah

David Jeremiah, author of What in the World is Going On is back with a second book. Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World is written as a follow up. In the first mentioned title he addressed 10 scriptural prophecies of the end times. Now he writes from the tone of the opening of the Lord of the Rings “the world has changed, that which once was is no more…” so now what…

This book is written in a very readable manner which brings these thoughts all down to earth. We do live in a chaotic time. How many people do you know who are worried? Struggling with their finances? Lost their jobs? Worried about where the money for food will come? Will we lose our house? You name it. This books simple chapter titles look to the WORD and the promises we are told in scripture.

These chapters are: Stay Calm, Stay Compassionate (my favorite!), Stay Constructive, Stay Challenged, Stay Connected, Stay Centered, Stay Confident, Stay consistent, Stay Committed, and Stay Convinced.

This book has been a very good read. Not a fun one but a light to help you through a tough time. It is the truth you need to hear that helps you through the difficulties!

SO if you have thought or heard someone asking these questions:
How can we weather this storm with a calm heart?
What does it truly mean to “wait on the Lord”
What is Jesus saying to our chaotic world today?
How on earth did we get in this mess?
Then you need to read this book!

Scripture is always the key and this book uses just that!

Is Google Making Us Stupid? - The Atlantic (July/August 2008)

Read this article as it has been something I have been thinking about lately.
Great example on Leno tonight: Harvard College Grad, English Major, couldn't give the names of "Count of Monte (Cristo)" or even "Tom (Sawyer)"...
Far cry from the days when the enterance exam you had to pass meant you had to be able to read and right in Latin, English and sometimes even another language...
Is Google Making Us Stupid? - The Atlantic (July/August 2008)

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