Monday, February 27, 2012

Birthmothers Ministry Featured in the Loveland Reporter-Herald

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Nine70 Chili-Cook Off Fundraiser for Beach Reach

Nine70 is having a Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser this Thursday to raise funds for their upcoming trip to serve college students during spring break at Beach Reach. This is impactful trip for everyone involved!! Let's show our support of these amazing young people who are willing to give up their own spring break to serve in a way that leads others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Chili Cook-Off
and Game Night
Supporting Beach Reach
Feb 23 6:30pm, East Aud




Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Northern Colorado Christian Alliance for Orphans

Heart Tarts

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

Our next meeting is this Thursday - February 16th - Noon - Carinos in Loveland
1455 Rocky Mountain Avenue

Run for Orphans Coordinator Meeting - 11:30 - Last year this was a huge success in raising needed funds for the projects that you are involved in. Please send your race coordinator to this brief meeting. The race flyers are ready for distribution.

Our Agenda:

- Michelle Betsch - Adoption Exchange
Michelle is the North Region Coordinator for the Adoption Exchange. She is connected with many of the resources that adoptive and foster parents need for adequate support. http://www.adoptex.org

- Tom Ewing and Larry Goode - Larry is back in the US for a couple weeks sharing about the Orphan Ministry that he has started in Peru. www.lostchildrenofperu.com

- Clarke and Kris Stoesz - Ukraine Orphan Outreach - http://www.ukraineorphans.org/

- Sean and Tiffany Cherry - Guatemala Bound -
July 2012 - Sean and Tiffany will be running a guest house specializing in hosting teams for the purpose of Orphan Ministry. They will be able to help churches connect with orphanages that need support. timberlineorphanministry@gmail.com

- Run for Orphans Update - Karen Markel - markelfamily@comcast.net

Sunday, February 5, 2012

The Circle Maker - Mark Batterson

The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears,9780310333029

Praying Circles Around your Biggest Dreams and your Greatest Fears

This is ONE of those books, you know what I mean.

It is one those books that you pick-up, read the back cover and KNOW that YOU KNOW that this book has the power to speak profoundly to the core of your being.

The Power of a single prayer to change the course of history!!

I read the first 4 chapters several times before I could complete the book. There was so much truth in those first chapters that I needed to read over and over to let my heart and mind soak it in.

Mark Batterson begins the book by sharing The Legend of the Circle Maker. His name is Honi. He lived in the first century BC. A devastating drought threatened to destroy a generation. Miracles were such a distant memory to the people that they seemed like make believe. Even if the people could no longer hear God, Honi believed that God could still hear them. He so desperately believed that God could hear them, that he made a choice one day to draw a circle in the dry ground and kneel in that circle and pray to God to send rain. Not just any rain - rain that would soak them to the core of their beings - not only to bring the rain that they needed, but also bring them the hope that had left them long ago.

I love how Mark describes Honi's posture of prayer:
"It wasn't just the volume of his voice, it was the authority of his tone. Not a hint of doubt. This prayer didn't originate in the vocal chords. Like water from an artesian well, the words flowed from the depth of his soul. His prayer was resolute yet humble, confident yet meek, expectant yet unassuming."

This kind of prayer resonates in my heart!! I want to be like this eccentric sage Honi.

Some quotes from the book:

- God is still looking for circle makers.

- Bold prayers honor God, and God honors bold prayers.

- Circle Makers have a sanctified stubborn streak. (As I write this, I remember when I was a teenager my dad telling me that he thought God would use my persistence and stubbornness for good. But at the time I was driving him crazy)

- Circle Makers are history makers.

- Sometimes faith seems like a denial of reality.

- Faith is the willingness to look foolish.

- In order to experience a miracle, you have to take a risk. And one of the most difficult types of risk to take is risking your reputation. You cannot build God's reputation if you aren't willing to risk yours. (thank goodness Noah was willing to risk his reputation)

- Circle Makers are risk takers.

I could go on an on. Do you believe that the power of a single prayer can change the course of history? I do! Asking others to join in praying with you for specific things on your heart is creating a double circle around the things that God has put on your heart. God created us to need and support each other. One of the best ways that we can do that is in prayer.

- We love a good night's sleep, but sleepless nights are what define our lives. If you're going to bring kings to their knees or shut the mouths of lions, sometimes you need to pull an all-nighter.

Over the last year in Orphan Ministry we have pulled a few all-nighters in prayer. The situation that God led us to in Haiti brought us to our knees. We were desperate for God's mighty right hand to move on this kids behalf. We were totally dependent on Him to part the Red Sea that would see these kids set free from the situation that they were in.

God's mighty right hand did move and the Red Sea opened for these kids to be brought out of the horrible situation they were in - Thank you Lord!!!

While we celebrate and rejoice in what God has done, we rest and wait on Him to lead us according to His will. I don't think we are done praying circles around impossible situations.

Nothing is impossible with God. The things that God has laid on your heart may seem like a distant dream - something totally impossible unless God intervenes.

Don't give up - Be persistent - Press in to God in prayer even when you can't see or feel anything happening. :)

Colossians 4:2
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."





Saturday, February 4, 2012

Super Bowl Winning Coach Tony Dungy

and his wife Lauren share a powerful message on this Super Bowl Weekend. We as the Body of Christ are mandated to be part of the solution. :)

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Run for Orphans 5K - Saturday, May 12 - The Ranch

Chameleon Logo

The 2012 Run for Orphans exists to bring communities and churches together to advocate for the needs of orphans in our community and around the world.

Northern Colorado Christian Alliance for Orphans is sponsoring this event. NCCAFO is a collaborative group of adoption agencies, orphan ministries, county agencies and church ministries uniting to advocate for children in need.

Each organization represented will be raising funds for their specific project or need.

There are many ways that you can be involved:

-Be a sponsor for one of the participating organizations. It is not too late to get your business logo on the Race Day T-shirts.

- Sign- up to Run/walk

- Volunteer

RACE DAY INFORMATION - The Ranch - Thomas M. McKee Building

• RACE DAY PACKET PICK-UP & REGISTRATION: 6 -7:30AM

• KIDS 1 MILE RUN: 8:00AM

• 5K : 8:30AM

• AWARDS: 9:30AM

• RACE DAY EXPO: 9:00AM

• Strollers & Wheelchairs encouraged

• Prizes given to the top 3 finishers in the

5K for each age group for both males and females

• Age Groups: Under 12, 13-17, 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 +

• 2011 Course Records: Male: Mike Neal 19:06:09, Female: Tiffany Green 20:29.2

Please contact Run for Orphans Race Director, Karen Markel for more information:

markelfamily@comcast.net

Sign up today and make a difference in the life of a child:

http://www.runfororphansrace.org/

A great big "Thank you" to Ben Aaker, Tom Lucero and AMG Creative for creating the

Run for Orphans Website. :)