Love Reaches - Pastor Mark's Blog

A great blog for you to follow:

Love Reaches Blog: http://lovereaches.wordpress.com

Sometimes saying yes changes everything

POSTED ON MARCH 15, 2012 BY LOVE REACHES

Baptisms always get me. You don’t want to sit next to me at a baptism service. I may have to wipe my nose or eyes on your shirt sleeve. Last Sunday morning at the Timberline FC 8:30 service, the waterworks cranked up to a new level. Every baptism represents a miraculous story of God’s redemption in somebody’s life. Eleven-year-old Jill lit up the screen with her beaming smile and simple account of how she knew God had called her to take this step today. It hit me that this is not only what God called Jill to do, but her miracle story is a beautiful picture of what God calls the church to do.

Jill was an infant born to a mother who could not take care of her. Unfortunately, in many cases like Jill, a child ends up at some point becoming one of almost a half-million children trapped in our country’s foster care system. Eleven years ago a family “knew that God was calling them” to do something big. Every once in a while God asks us to do something that changes everything. This was one of those moments. Contrast the dark reality of children caught in the foster care system with the miracle of a family and a church that have truly connected with God’s heart for fatherless children: abandonment, neglect, hopelessness, anger, the firm grip of generational darkness versus passionate acceptance, loving care, a place to dream, tenderness, an eternal legacy. A willing response to what God was calling this family to do truly changed everything for Jill.

At the baptism, as a church, we reaped the benefits and celebrated a miracle that brought all of those “God-is-calling” moments together to change everything for one little girl. But not just for her—for her children and generations to follow. They were all saved from what all too often becomes a chain of generational despair. Let’s continue to become a church that hears more and more what God is calling us to do for the sake of fatherless children.

-Pastor Mark

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

James 1:27

Jill's Decision to Get Baptized

The beautiful girl pictured above is our daughter Jill. A couple of weeks ago she was reading the bulletin before church started and noticed an information table about Baptism. She looked at me and said "Mom, I want to get baptized. Can I sign up after church?"

As soon as church was over she went to the table and signed her name up to attend the information class.

What so impressed about this decision of hers was that "it was her decision". She owned it from the moment she read about it - it resonated in her heart and she responded with obedient action!

When asked why she wanted to get baptized she said "Because I think that this is something that God wants me to do".

If we all could be so obedient to respond quickly to those things that God speaks to our heart.

Last Sunday as her dad was baptizing her, God reminded me of our brief meeting with Jill's birth mom. She chose not to see her in the hospital after she was born and she chose not to see her the day that we picked her up in another state. She felt like it would be to hard to say goodbye.

The day that we met, was bittersweet, while Jeff and I were excited about God's expansion of our family, Jill's mom was saying goodbye to a daughter she had never held or seen.

As this precious woman sat in front of me she looked me in the eyes and said, "I don't want you to think for a moment that I don't love my daughter. I love her very much and I want her to have something I can't give her and something I didn't have - a dad." Those words have brought comfort to Jill over the years.

It was in that moment as Jeff baptized Jill that those words were more powerful in my heart and mind than ever. A dad provides safety, security, unconditional love and a spiritual covering.

The decision that she made to place Jill with an adoptive family, broke the spiritual stronghold in her life of the fatherless - that is powerful!

While our kids birth families are not physically present in our lives - they are always present in our hearts and minds. :)

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Matthew 13:44

Embryo Adoption - Nightlight Christian Adoption Agency

I love seeing local newspapers tell the story of adoption. Nightlight Christian Adoption was featured on the front page of the Loveland Reporter Herald over the weekend!! :)

Read the article here:

http://www.reporterherald.com/news/loveland-local-news/ci_20149489/funding-cut-threatens-loveland-based-program-that-encourages?IADID=Search-www.reporterherald.com-www.reporterherald.com

CSU Fostering Success

CSU Fostering Success Program supports students who were previously in foster care. The Student Support office realized that these students were not receiving care packages from home and wanted to establish a program that would send them care packages a few times a year.

Last week I had the opportunity to shop and deliver suggested items to CSU as they prepared to send care packages out the end of the week.

While I was at Starbucks ordering several gift cards for the care packages, the young man that was working there asked why I was buying so many. I told him about CSU and their fostering success program. He stopped scanning the cards through the machine and got emotional as he said "It is people like you who made a difference in my life. I came from a broken family and it was people like you who made me think I could do something beyond high school."

WOW!! I didn't really need confirmation of how impactful a program like this is in a young persons life, but those few words from his heart were a priceless gift that I need to share with others.:)

Please consider getting your organization or ministry involved in supporting Fostering Success by donating needed items for the care packages. As this young man shared- it made an impact in his life and these care packages will have an impact on the lives of the students that receive them.

Please contact Erin Pitts at CSU to find out how you can help with their next care package delivery the end of April.

Erin.Pitts@colostate.edu

Project 1.27 Orientation

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at Journey Christian Church in Greeley, CO

- 7pm to 9pm

2332 West 27th Street - Greeley, CO 80634 970-304-9567

ORIENTATION

Orientation is for potential Adoptive and Foster Families and Support Team members. Here is what to expect:

For Parents

• Meet the staff of Project 1.27 and ask questions
• Get an overview of the Child Welfare System and the certification process
• Learn about the children and their needs
• Discover how Project 1.27 can assist you throughout the process

Very Important!! Be sure to bring your family (grandparents, etc.) and close friends. These people will be your biggest support. We can offer them training to answer their questions and teach them how to best support you on this journey!

For the Support Team

• Learn about how to support your adopting and fostering friends and how to engage your church in the support process
• Gain a greater understanding about the journey your adopting and fostering friends are going on.
• Sign-up for “Support Teams” according to your interests and talents
  
  
  Register at: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2825943473/rss
  
  
  Visit Project 1.27 website at: http://www.project127.com

New Website for Love Reaches launches today!!!

Breaking News for Love Reaches - Timberline Missions!!!!!!!!!!

Check out the new Love Reaches Website, Blog and new Facebook Page.

Sign-up to follow all them! Pastor Mark along with other Missions leaders will be posting on the blog a regular basis.

Please help us spread the news about the new website, facebook page and blog by:

- Sending the link to your family and friends

- Posting about it on your Facebook Page

- Follow on Twitter

- Blog about it!!

www.Lovereaches.org

The new website and social media opportunities will give us a great way of communicating how people can get involved. It will impact Welcome Child Ministries and all areas of Missions!!

Have a GREAT weekend! :)

Watoto Children's Choir

Sunday - March 4 - 6:30-8:00pm

Redeemer Lutheran Church
7755 Greenstone Trail
Fort Collins, CO 80525

The presentation is vibrant, colourful and well done. But it's more than just entertainment. The lives of the children on these choirs have been transformed by the love of Jesus. And this is the story they'll be sharing with people across the USA.

On a journey to spread the message of hope and love through Beautiful Africa!

www.watoto.com/choir