February, 2008 | Created to Do Good

February 25, 2008

Newgate – Bringing new Hope to Broken Lives

I recently had the privilege of accompanying my Sunday School class to Newgate Mission in Longview, TX. It had been a long time since I had been to rescue mission/homeless shelter, and I wasn’t at all disappointed by what I found. While it is always staggering the amount of grace and love that abounds in such places, it really shouldn’t be a surprise at all, considering the example and life of our Lord Jesus Christ. As the director Kent McKeever preached on the Samaritan Woman at the well, I found myself both in awe and transfixed by the simple message of love and grace in action. Also on point and something I hadn’t ever considered was “why was the woman at the well around the 6th hour? (that’s Noon for all of us in the US as the Jewish day started at 6:00AM approximately. This would have been an unusual time to be drawing water at the well, it was mentioned that custom and convenience would have seen the community come to the well around 9:00AM before the full heat of the day had struck. It would seem that this particular Samaritan was not only an outcast from the Jewish people but also her own community, at least that is one possible explanation, although we just don’t know for sure.
What we do know is that Jesus crossed those barriers and spoke to her heart, not only transforming her life but the life of that community.
John 4:42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; *now* we have *heard* for ourselves, and we *know* that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
Transformation from the inside out. . . Newgate is about that type of transformational hope and love spoken into broken lives. . .
Have you served at your local mission? If not check out these in East Texas and Shreveport Louisiana
http://www.newgatemission.org (Newgate Mission Longview, TX) http://hiway80mission.org (Highway 80 Rescue Mission Longview, TX) http://www.sbrescuemission.org (Shreveport Bossier Rescue Mission Shreveport, LA)
In His Service, Glenn

February 8, 2008

A Guest Post by April (An April Fairy Tale)

An April Fairy Tale:

Once upon a time in a land not so far away whose sky sparkled with glittering diamonds at night and whose mornings were filled with techno colored sunrises and sunsets, there lived a princess. This princess’ focus was divided between the pursuit of truth and maintaining her kingdom and caring for its inhabitants. Life was calm and peaceful when she ruled wisely and chaos immeasurable when she grew lax.
One day while doing her routine maintenance check on the castle itself, she came across an imprisoned frog. It was the color of new blades of fresh spring grass. It eyes were like amber cat’s eye marbles. It’s gaunt belly as white as new fallen snow.

The frog was kept by the king and the house’s wizard, she assumed for the study of it’s’ song. When the princess looked in, the living conditions of the amphibian were far less than adequate. It was in need of so many things- food, water, light. It couldn’t sing because it was in great need. The princess being unsure of what to fill the needs of the singing frog sent a courier of light to the king who was out on the field of battle. “What, sire, do I do to meet the needs of the imprisoned singing frog?” Apparently, the king was in the midst of a harsh battle and could not promptly respond.

The princess felt the need of the frog weighing on her heart wearily. He was part of her kingdom. He was living. He needed. So she went to the wizard’s study and began research. It would appear that a distant relative of the frog lived imprisoned near him in the study. It was a slim anole who changed color like the grey sky before a prairie storm to a shiny green of English ivy. It licked its small black blinking eyes. Its egg shell colored belly was plump and it was absorbing the warmth of an artificial sun. The princess could hear the mimicry of violin songs from its food source still waiting to be found. The princess reasoned that if one amphibian at that food, surely its cousin could as well.
Carefully, for king and country, the princess lifted the lid of the prison. The frog weak as it was barely flinched. Taking a deep breath, having never handled a frog like this before, she slowly, speaking soft pleasant musical words explained who she was and her intent. She told the frog of the wondrous place he was to be relocated to and the milk and honey lifestyle he would soon enjoy as opposed to the puny ivy, cold potting soil, and lack of resources he now found himself in. She asked him if he wouldn’t love to relocate to another portion of the kingdom prepared for him and his kind where there would be abundance and a chance to sing again. She looked kindly into his small yellow black eyes. Reaching toward him, she gingerly took him in her hand. He was icy and slightly sticky. He did not move or fight. She took him out of his chamber and lifted the lid to the lizard’s apartment and carefully began to lower the frog inside.
Then he peed all over her hand and she dropped him into the tank and dropped the lid running to the bathroom to wash her hand! It was beyond disgusting.

Welcome to my world!You can not have tons of compassion for musical frogs apparently.
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(I thought this was absolutely hilarious and thought it would be a nice change of pace. . . If you like it stick around, leave a comment. . . I’m attempting to convince her to blog full time on her own site too! )

BTW: This is an excepted written work all rights are reserved by the original author or authors: