Legacy Acres Blog

The Power of a Crumb

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

“Yes, it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. —Matthew 15: 21-28

The Power of a Crumb

She was a woman in a city that subjugated her gender. She was a social outcast, a pagan, and a Canaanite—among the most hated people by the Jews.

Yet, she was also a mother of a desperately sick child. And this woman had something she had not had in some time. She had hope, and his name was Jesus.

She knew he was a Jew. He knew she was a gentile. But desperation often makes cultural bias irrelevant. Because if crossing racial or religious boundaries could help her daughter’s plight, she would cross them without hesitation. She cried, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Breaking Through God’s Silence

It appears he ignored her because he remained silent to her request. And as she persisted with her prayer, his disciples told Jesus to send her away. Jesus continued to overlook her petition. Like if he would acknowledge her, he would be forced to answer her prayer. Regardless, she came and worshiped him and cried, “Lord help me.”

Then Jesus gave her the smallest of openings. The slightest evidence that he really cared. “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

She Found His Grace

Instead of her hope dying, she saw her answer was within reach. “Yes it is, Lord. Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

Boom! What a bold response. Jesus recognized the tenacity of her faith and the depth of her determination. He didn’t say, “be healed,” or “be whole,” or “be blessed.” His response was, in essence, “whatever you want, woman—it is yours.”

Where There’s a Determined Faith

Here, we see the power of a crumb. The woman cried. Jesus remained silent. She followed. The disciples told her to leave. She worshiped. They disregarded her, and Jesus called her a dog.

The woman should have been insulted and could have become angry. But doubt and disappointment were not part of her plan. She didn’t become bitter. Instead, her faith soared. She heard more than what Jesus had uttered. She read between the lines of God’s word. The message was not spoken but was as loud as a megaphone.

The mother did not ask for a meal with the children. She did not ask to eat with the servants in another room. She would have been satisfied with one crumb of God’s truth fallen from the master’s table to the floor of her despair. She knew that this tiny morsel of his healing power could quickly alleviate her child’s misery.

An Allegory of Persistence

She heard the talk of dogs and seized on the unspoken crumb. This was her ticket to the journey to God’s favor. There was enough truth in “dog” and “bread” to get what this mother wanted for her child.

When was the last time you reminded God that your faith, the size of a mustard seed, will deliver enough bounty to realize your demands?

Lord, my faith in you is such that if all I get is one crumb, one word, one nod in the right direction, it is sufficient to resolve my dilemma and answer my prayer.

If an outcast woman could seize on the allusion to a dog, get a Pitbull grip on a crumb, and bring a devil-chasing, divine healing experience into the life of her child—cannot we comprehend what’s available to a Spirit-born follower of Jesus Christ?

More Power to Us

If there is enough power in a crumb for a castoff woman to attain a whatever-you-want-is-yours response from Jesus—how much more power comes with the whole loaf of the Bread of Life?

If he is willing to do for a dog with crumbs under the table, what is he waiting to do for Bible-believing ministries whose mission is to care for displaced widows and orphans in their distress? —James 1:27

There is power in a crumb to bring hope to the orphan and widow. There is power in a crumb to provide an emergency care facility to kids on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. There is power in a crumb to drive out the spirit of depression, lift every burden, and heal every affliction. Jesus is willing and able to break the bondage of every oppressive spirit—he is the Bread of Life, and there is power in the crumb!

Learn More About Legacy Acres

Legacy Acres is a Christian 501c3 organization that exists to provide an emergency care facility for orphaned and fatherless children desperately in need of the love of Jesus Christ.

If you would like more information about our ministry to help orphans on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, contact us today .

Will Marler is Executive Director of Legacy Acres , a Christian non-profit seeking to provide emergency shelter to abused abandoned, and neglected children in South Mississippi.

Essential Oil

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Essential Oil

2 Kings 4:1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

In the fourth chapter of Second Kings, we learn of a widow left with a huge debt but only a small jar of oil to her name. A debt so insurmountable, her dead husband’s creditors were coming to enslave her sons as a reckoning. In the first verse, we begin to understand the widow’s desperation, but do we recognize the miraculous work unfolding through her faith. Circumstances do not determine our future but may reveal where our dependence lies.

A Widow in Need

Here we find a widow’s dependence on a miracle to be revealed. She did not seek help from a king or the governing powers, nor did she try to rectify the matter herself. Instead, she sought the help of her only connection to her creator, the prophet Elisha anointed by God. Simply put, she chose the only Savior capable of helping her in her plight.

The comforts we seek, the securities we cling to, and the solutions we cultivate by our strength can create dangerous independence from God. How often do we devise well-planned solutions and present them to God? Then pray for Him to confirm our thought-out strategies to resolve our circumstances instead of releasing the problem to the Lord.

Opportunity Lost

In doing so, we could miss an opportunity for revelation. For God’s response to our struggles is a study in faith. In verses one through six, we find Elisha giving the woman detailed instructions to gather many vessels and fill from her limited supply of oil. Imagine this act of obedience as the desperate mother gathers all the vessels she and her sons could find.

Let’s not miss the opportunity like that of the widow, whose faith was limited only by the number of vessels she collected. God’s provision is supplied by our readiness to obedience where His process allows His promises to prevail.

Lesson Learned

She returns home and begins pouring from her jar. One by one, she fills each vessel. Then the promise of the Father allows her to sell her abundance, pay her debts, and save her children from bondage.

The Lord offers provision to all of us. One in which our debts are settled, and our lives are restored. His grace covers the debt of our past and extends to us a hopeful future. An abundance of mercy, as our sins are reconciled through the blood of Jesus. Only He is the provision that meets us where we live. Only he is the hope that sustains us. Only he is our essential oil.

Not some counterfeit ideology, a government program, or a class offered in college, but a love that covers our deepest needs. He is the beginning and the end of our humanity, and there is nothing from man that should be in-between.

Lord, help us to trust you. To exhibit complete dependence and obedience and the utmost faith in your plan. Help us choose your wisdom and knowledge rather than relying on my talents and resources, learning the importance of total dependence on You.

Learn More

If you would like more information about Legacy Acres, please contact us today .

Will Marler is the executive director of Legacy Acres , a Christian non-profit that exists to provide emergency shelter to abused abandoned, and neglected children with no place to go.

Fighting For Orphans in My Community

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 15:00:01 GMT

Fighting For Orphans in My Community

We all know they’re out there, in Europe, in Asia, in Africa, but what about our neighborhoods. Babies, toddlers, and teenagers who, for no fault of their own, are alone in this world. Imagine yourself as an orphan, with no one connected to you by blood, love, or the law, moving through life at the mercy of people you don’t know but are currently in their charge.

Next year, next month, or tomorrow, the bed where you sleep could be given to someone else. You are like an unchartered vessel, moving from one place to another. Your childhood is unstable. Nothing, no one belongs to you.

Local Compassion

I cannot find a comfortable place in my mind for children waiting to be taken in by God’s love. But does that mean I should neglect to act on their behalf? They’re easy to forget in the complexities of our lives, too depressing to contemplate hundreds of innocent, unwanted children here on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.

But when I see one of these children with a cute ponytail holding her doll, with an expression hauntingly empty—not in the Ukraine or Africa or South America—but right down the street, she suddenly becomes real. Of course, I want her to have a family, but what can I do?

The first thought is adoption, but is that possible for me? For you? And while adoption is the obvious solution, it’s not the only way we can help. If you cannot adopt but still love orphans and want to make a difference in a child’s life. Here are five ways you can get involved.

1: Seek Them Out and Pray

Refuse to forget orphans and heed the call to action for orphan care. Your role will become clearer the more you expose yourself to their plight. First, find a child who needs help and pray for them diligently. They have several needs. Show them love with your time, talent, or finances, and pray that a family steps up to adopt them.

Pray their current caretakers are committed and kind. Then, pray for their health, their physical needs are met, and they are protected emotionally and spiritually. Pray your local government helps and does not hinder their care. Finally, pray for guidance concerning your part in the current orphan crisis.

2: Adopt a Child Virtually and Pray

Visit sites that list orphans waiting for adoption. Pick one and think of the child as your own. Print the child’s picture to frame for your desk or place on your fridge. Tell friends, family, and everyone who will listen about this child and their need for a blessing.

Pray for this child day and night. You may find that you can donate specifically for this child’s care through a grant fund or send the boy or girl items they need for home or school. Write about your child on your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter page to raise awareness of their existence and need for a loving family. And don’t be surprised when this child you advocate for is adopted within months.

3: Find an Adoption Family and Adopt Them

Adoption is a stressful process. Families who throw themselves into the adoption process need all kinds of support. Leave encouraging comments on their adoption blog and spread the word about them on your social media page. Help them raise money or offer to send letters or documents necessary for the adoption process. As you follow this family’s journey, you will learn many ways to connect and support their mission.

4: Support Keeping Children with Their Families

Several Christian non-profit organizations are working to keep children with their families. Too often, natural or personal disasters separate children from loving parents. Then some children struggle with physical impairments that need more care than their parents can afford.

By addressing the root causes of our orphan crisis, we can keep many children from becoming one. You can start by volunteering with a local orphan ministry or creating one at your church. The rewards exponentially outweigh the cost.

5. Learn More About Legacy Acres

Legacy Acres follows the direction of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We are a Christian 501c3 organization that exists to provide a welcoming emergency care facility for orphaned and fatherless children who need the love of Jesus Christ.

If you would like more information about our mission to help orphans on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, contact us today .

Will Marler is the executive director of Legacy Acres , a Christian non-profit that exists to provide emergency shelter to abused abandoned, and neglected children with no place to go.

Feels Like Home; Part 2

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 15:00:03 GMT

Feels Like Home; Part 2

Our last post dealt with the need for orphan care ministries whose mission is to distribute the love of Christ to orphans, widows, and children in foster care. Although there are Godly men and women committed to this mission, the fields are ripe for harvest, but the laborers are few.

As Christians, we are all called to care for these unfortunates. In fact, no other instruction is repeated as often throughout the Bible. Such as:

Malachi 3:5 ESV

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Psalm 146:9 ESV

The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

Psalm 82:3 ESV

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.

Deuteronomy 14:29 ESV

And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.

James 1:27 ESV

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.

Elijah’s Closet

This Christian ministry assists families with children in foster care and families who have vulnerable children at the threshold of entering the foster care system.

In addition to assisting foster families, Elijah’s Closet has expanded its services to aid the Mississippi Child Protective Services (MDCPS). And with prevention and reunification cases, they recently partnered with the local school districts to assist students who need help.

It’s incredible what can happen when men and women who share similar passions and common goals join forces. There is a great need on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the services Elijah’s Closet offers. And their always looking for volunteers.

Services Offered

Clothing Closet

Elijah’s closet provides tangible items to the fostering community. They also accept the following goods in new - gently used condition. They don’t accept items with missing hardware, straps, etc.

Clothing, Undergarments, Jackets, Shoes
Crib, Toddler or Twin Mattresses, Bedding, and Frames
Personal Hygiene Items, Diapers, and Wipes
Highchairs, strollers, bouncers, jumpers, and activity centers
Car seats that haven’t expired
Kitchen appliances and utensils
Home decor
Household furniture

In-Home Services

MDCPS or another partnering organization typically refers families for in-home services. The program has a central focus on keeping children with their biological families through reunification and preservation.

How You Can Help

Rebekah’s House

Several families on the Gulf Coast are one step away from becoming homeless. Currently, families are 40% of the homeless population due to several factors:

Loss of a job
Injury
Disaster
Healthcare costs
Inability to find affordable housing

One of every four homeless people is a child.

Rebecca’s House provides temporary housing for:

Parents with teenage boys
Single parent with a teenager of the opposite sex
Two-parent families with children trying to stay together

How You Can Help

Legacy Acres

This Christian care ministry exists to provide a welcoming emergency care facility for orphaned and fatherless children. Its purpose is to show the love of Jesus and the hope that comes with it. Although their circumstances may be different, the children Legacy Acres seeks to help have similar stories. They’ve known abuse, neglect, and abandonment.

Legacy Acres is currently working toward building a home-like shelter in a rural setting with live-in missionaries on call every hour of every day.

How You Can Help

Will Marler is the executive director of Legacy Acres , a Christian non-profit that exists to provide emergency shelter to abused abandoned, and neglected children with no place to go.

Feels Like Home; Part 1

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 15:00:03 GMT

Feels Like Home; Part 1

Motel advertisements aside, the true home-like feeling one gets is only possible with the love of family. Unfortunately, millions of children worldwide are homeless today with no food, no shelter, and no hope. And with so much attention on the war in Ukraine, many agencies and non-profits are scrambling to inject resources into the area to rescue and care for displaced children ravaged by the brutality of war. It is a noble act of humanity and Godly compassion.

But one doesn’t have to travel across an ocean or to another continent to realize such hardships. If you live in South Mississippi, you will not be hard-pressed to find a war against children in or near your community. Unfortunately, a child taken from their home happens almost daily in the lower counties of Mississippi because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment.

The problem is not at the forefront of political discourse because it rarely garners votes. Resolving the issue does not improve the cost of living, stymie inflation, or lower the price of gas. But it does create a severe strain on our human condition and should be a major focus of our communities, our churches, and our local officials.

Bringing These Children Home

The answer to this problem is not solely financial. Only the love of Jesus Christ will deliver these kids to a home that will care for them and give them a chance at a future. A future that does not include addiction, teen pregnancy, homelessness, or prison. James 1:27 exhorts us to look after orphans and widows in their distress to ensure we are not corrupted by the world.

This self-sacrifice for others requires more than calling Child Protective Services when you see evidence of children not receiving humane care. Every one of us must get involved in our local communities to salvage our most untapped resource—children who suffer or have suffered from the very ones who should show them the most love.

Much is needed in Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson counties to bring these kids to a place that feels like home. It begins with an emergency care facility where boys and girls taken from a bad situation have a place to go. Then it requires selfless couples to provide a nuclear family that showers love and compassion and directs them toward a future that adds value to our community.

How Can I Get Involved?

Here is a question that is asked but rarely effectively answered. How do I answer the biblical call to orphan care?

God will not hide his will if you have a genuine concern for these children. Practical ways to serve the most vulnerable children are available for men and women with a heart for orphan care. Here’s one we will shed light on with this post.

Get Your Church Connected to Orphans and Widows

You don’t have to look far in your community to find Christian non-profits designed to bring relief to these kids. Their mission is to connect you with these foster care kids or orphan children to build relationships, create home-like environments, and advocate for children’s adoption into God-loving homes.

A great example of this practice is Michael Memorial Baptist Church in Gulfport. Moved by the Holy Spirit, Pastor Tony Karnes challenged his congregation to get involved in the adoption effort in Harrison County. They responded with Rescue 100 , a collaboration with the state’s Child Protective Services, the municipal courts, and denominations from across the state to streamline training and licensing processes to provide loving homes for children in the foster care system.

There’s More

Stay tuned for future posts to learn how you can get involved with children who find themselves in a bad situation with no place to go.

To learn how to get involved with kids who need your help, contact us today at Legacy Acres. A child’s life could depend on it.

Will Marler is the executive director of Legacy Acres , a Christian non-profit that exists to provide emergency shelter to abused abandoned, and neglected children with no place to go.

Preparing the Next Generation for Orphan Care

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 15:00:04 GMT

Preparing the Next Generation for Orphan Care

Do you struggle with the term godliness? How’s this for a definition: loving what God loves; hating what God hates.

Psalm 97:10 notes, “Let those who love the Lord hate evil.” In other words, we are to hate sin, including injustice to the vulnerable. But equally, we are to love the Lord and His splendor (Psalm 104:1), we are to love His church (1 Cor. 12:25-26), and we are to love righteousness (Heb 12:14). So, in light of these ordinances, how can we teach the next generation to care for the orphan, to stand up for the fatherless, and to be a protector of the vulnerable child?

It’s not that these needy children are hard to find. Just check the social services in your community. You will probably find social workers assigned to abused, abandoned, and neglected children are frightfully overwhelmed. The opportunities to help these innocents are endless, so it’s time to be creative in finding ways we can bring the love of Christ to these kids!

Here are some practical ways to train the next generation to love orphaned children as God does.

Teach Children the Biblical Doctrine of Adoption

Ephesians 1:4-5 tells us God chose us before the foundation of the world for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of His will.

God did not choose us based on our talent, attractiveness, or behavior. Instead, He decided to pursue us and save us even though it would cost the life of His only begotten Son. Of course, understanding this truth doesn’t always change the hearts of the next generation, but it is an essential reality for our children to understand God’s love for the orphan and the hope the gospel gives them.

Pray for Orphans

Nothing motivates God into action faster than unwavering prayer. As we pray with our children, make sure to include orphans and widows and kids in foster care. Pray for the thousands of children worldwide who are trafficked for labor or worse. You will plant the necessary seed for orphan care for God to nurture in the years to come. Then, our children will be more inclined to serve when the call for action comes and more than willing to defend the most vulnerable among us.

Help Them with Projects Designed for Orphan Care

Getting our children started in ministry at a young age is proper parenting. It teaches them the golden rule of Christianity: loving God and loving others, especially those who need it the most. Look for ministries or small groups within your local assembly that are committed to orphan care and get your children involved. If none exists, start one.

Even if this means you preparing the work for them. Even if it means, at first they stumble and fall. There is something powerful with children helping children in God’s Kingdom even if it means it gets sloppy at times.

Model The Risk of Ministry

Teach your kids that it is okay to take risks by helping others. Many children come out of horrible circumstances and need the love of God if they are going to survive. God chooses his people to share His love for others and that means the Church. And yes, there are times we will suffer because they have suffered but isn’t that the lesson of the Cross?

It also allows your children to see their mommy and daddy are not superheroes, and that we too need God’s intervention when things get tough. That God is the true hero of caring for orphans, but we must get involved in ways that stretch us into faithful ministry and help with God’s ultimate plan.

Remember, we are commanded by God’s Word to train the next generation to love what God loves and hate what God hates. Search the scriptures and you won’t find another principle that is so clearly stated so often than caring for the widow and orphan. Let us train the next generation to do exactly that, and we will be blessed, and they will be blessed and more importantly, these vulnerable children will be blessed with the love of God.

Will Marler is the executive director of Legacy Acres , a Christian non-profit that exists to provide emergency shelter to abused abandoned, and neglected children with no place to go.

How Christian Nonprofits Lead Global Orphan Care

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 15:52:32 GMT

How Christian Nonprofits Lead Global Orphan Care

Of those affected by the recent pandemic and the outbreak of war, the more than 1.5 million children who have lost parents or caregivers may be the most disturbing. Yet, in the wake of this massive loss, international child welfare agencies and advocates have bolstered their efforts to care for all newly orphaned children.

Many of those agencies are Christian nonprofit organizations like Lifeline Children’s Services and Faith to Action Initiative (FAI). Both advocacy groups exist to resource communities and churches with what’s needed to help the orphaned and fatherless children in Jesus’ name.

“COVID has had an incredibly horrifying impact on families and children worldwide,” said the president of Lifeline Children’s Services, Herbie Newell. “It’s multiplied poverty. It’s multiplied helplessness and hopelessness.”

A Collective Movement in Orphan Care

Thankfully, there is cooperation in providing optimal care for these unfortunate kids. Recently, UNICEF hosted an annual event recognizing the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. More than thirty years ago, world leaders had committed to granting children the same human rights as adults. But not until 2019 did that group sign and adopt a resolution committed to prioritizing family-based care for children over institutionalized care.

FAI presented a letter advising governments to acknowledge Christian nonprofits' critical role in caring for orphans, suggesting these organizations be included in care reform efforts. In addition, a report published by the Better Care Network cited one of the largest groups supporting orphan care internationally are Protestant evangelical churches.

Despite that reality, it can sometimes feel like UN reforms are more like mandates than collaborative solutions, said FAI’s Executive Director Elli Oswald. “We think it’s important for Christians to share their experiences. They can build their ownership over changes that need to happen.”

In the letter, FAI advised countries to be required to regulate the funding investment from a Christian nonprofit to ensure contributions go solely toward their family-based goals.

Family-Based Care

Orphan Care on the Gulf Coast

On the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, LEGACY ACRES is doing its part. We exist to provide a welcoming emergency care facility for orphaned and fatherless children who need the love of Jesus Christ. To learn how you can help, call us at (228) 364-2844 or Contact Us Today .

What Easter Means for Orphan Care

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 17:10:31 GMT

What Easter Means for Orphan Care

When Jesus stepped his sandals on the shores of Galilee, God’s chosen people had suffered immense affliction and misery for centuries. Under the heavy yoke of Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome, the Jews existed in uncertainty and instability, waiting for a promised Savior to enter their world.

In Luke 4, Jesus announced his arrival by quoting Isaiah 61, captivating every ear, catching every eye, distributing hope to every heart:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Here, the Messiah proclaimed himself as the anointed one of God to usher in hope and healing and change.

Jesus Took it All

Isaiah also explained how Jesus would suffer to redeem the lost.

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed.”

Jesus came to take our sins upon himself, to bear the burden of its full effect. He agreed to suffer the ultimate punishment, a crown of thorns, a cat of nine tails, a cross at Calvary. Yet, by overcoming hell, death, and the grave, he demonstrated eternal power to conquer the hopelessness of man. And the good news of the New Testament remains, Jesus is still in the business of restoring us all to our original, glorious design.

Jesus Lived to Suffer and Die

The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus set the foundation of our hope and provided the remedy to our life struggles. His love is the power that lives today to set the powerless free.

At Legacy Acres, we work alongside social workers, adoptive parents, pastors, and home missionaries. We encounter the most vulnerable in our communities, waiting to be rescued from abuse, neglect, and abandonment. On the street, in a shelter, or in the family home, we encounter the youngest souls suffering under a sinful world’s brokenness.

We have been called to these roles of caring for hurting children because they are at the center of God’s heart, the center of Christ’s suffering, the center of Christ’s redemptive power. The same anointing that empowered Jesus now empowers us to bind up these brokenhearted children, declare their freedom by God’s mercy, and rebuild their lives through God’s grace.

No, we are not saviors. We are the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus, who commissioned us to express his love through the power of his Holy Spirit.

An Easter Prayer for Orphans and Foster Kids

Jesus, when we look into the eyes of these hurting children, may they see your eyes looking back. When we embrace the abused child, may they feel your heart thumping in our chest. When we accept the child that has been abandoned, may they find rest in your hospitality and care. May all the children we encounter experience your unconditional love and assurance. Amen.

How to Center Orphan Care in Christ

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:10:00 GMT

“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27

As director of an orphan care start up, it’s easy losing myself in the work because there’s so much to do. I get so incredibly busy with day-to-day details I often forget where to find my success.

I fail to remember that an orphan’s hope is not found in providing a loving home or committed foster parents or a community willing to surround them with love. Although these things are crucial for abused, abandoned, or neglected children, they need so much more. An orphan’s ultimate hope is found in Jesus and Jesus alone.

Over 500 years ago, the Protestant Reformation started making waves in Europe. They stated five fundamental principles that separated itself from Rome, indicating clearly its doctrine of salvation. One essential point to its theology was known as Solus Christus .

Solus Christus, or “only Christ,” is the belief that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man. No matter our intention, our hard work, our talent, or our skill, without Jesus, there is no salvation for us or the kids we hope to serve. Therefore, to succeed in our mission, we must ensure our care for these kids in trouble is centered on the hope we find in Christ.

Let me offer these three ways to give children a hope that’s centered on Jesus Christ:

See Your Sin Biblically

While Jesus tells us in the gospel we are eternally righteous in Him, there is no denying we struggle with sinful flesh. As a parent, I have made more mistakes than I care to admit. As Paul says in Romans 7:9, I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

And we all struggle in that truth. Parents, pastors, and ministry leaders are sinful people walking our own path of sanctification while attempting to lead others to Christ. Admitting our need for Christ’s mercy allows us to walk humbly alongside those we seek to help.

See Your Identity Biblically

As leaders, we can be drawn into the orphan child’s sense of meaning and purpose. But this is a horrible place to find identity, leading us to take these kids’ brokenness as personal breakdowns or failures.

Our identity does not come from a child’s reaction to our help. It comes from God’s favor. God has redeemed you, adopted you, and prepared you for this task. You are his beloved, and He trusts you in his anointing. Realizing this principle frees us from asking our children for perfect obedience that they cannot give. Instead, it leads us to forget ourselves and lead with selflessness and sacrifice.

See Success Biblically

How we lead is fashioned by what we believe is a success. As parents, we look to academic achievement, milestone development, or social connection. We look to attendance statistics, likability, or positive assessments to evaluate our ministry as leaders.

But our success is not measured by grades, attendance, and good conduct. Instead, it is about being a tool in the hands of our God, who can genuinely create eternal transformation in the lives of the ones we lead.

Low Hanging Fruit

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 14:18:00 GMT

What would you consider the nuts and bolts of a local Christian assembly? Does the correct answer get mixed up in the conventional American church? Traditionally, local assemblies expected all ministry to flow through its Pastor.

They are to marry and bury and preach the gospel and handle the day-to-day operations of the church. All while the congregation is relegated to financial support and providing the occasional volunteer.

However, this makes it difficult to fulfill Jesus' commission of Matthew 28:19. We are called to go into the world and make disciples of all people. To do this, the Church should look more like a well-run conglomerate than a small business. Empowering multiple ministries to move into the community and managed by its members. Senior Pastors across America are using this blueprint to get into the fabric of their local communities. And consequently, they grow thriving, influential churches.

Their assemblies offer more than Sunday service. They are energized by committed Christians with purpose-driven assignments and are positioned for success. This concept is what Jesus meant when he preached on salt and light.

Matthew 5:13-16 13 ″You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14″You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden...16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Salt

Looking at the qualities of salt gives us a great picture of what Jesus meant when he shared these words with His disciples. In His time, salt was an essential mineral for everyday life. It was crucial for food preparation and preservation. But for it to be effective, it had to be applied.

Salt in a shaker will not season anything. We must place it on the food to have an effect. This is how a church should minister. Where all members are encouraged to make a difference in the community by serving in the community. And it would be impossible for the church to operate at maximum efficiency if only a few were expected to serve. When everyone engages, transformation happens in the community and in the church.

Light

Too often churches focus only on bible studies and Sunday sermons and prayer meetings exclusive to its members. Oh yes, there is the occasional guest, but more time is spent memorizing scriptures and less time applying them. We end up shining our bright light on each other, blinding ourselves into thinking this is what Jesus wants.

“Shining our light before others,” is getting outside our church building and expressing what we learn to those who live in the dark. This brings us to low-hanging fruit.

The Path of Least Resistance

As a former salesman, I understand the principle of the path of least resistance. The easiest deal to close is the customer who desperately needs what you sell. A smart salesperson will focus their attention on potential customers who need

their product. For example, it’s not wise for a seller of home improvements to target owners living in new subdivisions. No, they should focus on older neighborhoods where houses are in need of repair.

I have seen too many churches only concerned with its members. They boast about their theology and their baptism and their plan of salvation. Too often they try to sell their brand of religion to someone who is quite comfortable with their own.

Christians answering the call of discipleship seek to win souls. They look for people who need what they have to offer—the Love of Christ.

Jesus told us when we care for the least in our community, we care for Him (Mathew 25:40). These are the poor in our community. The widows. The orphans. The fatherless.

In a recent conversation, a local pastor told me his church tripled his children's ministry by caring for foster children. Why? When visitors recognized the church cared for these kids, they knew it would care for theirs.

When the children’s ministry grows within a church, the church grows as well. Therefore, the path to least resistance is to minister to children who desperately need Jesus because they are low-hanging fruit.

Chasing After God

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:49:00 GMT

I am here Lord, looking for You. I’m not much if you compare me with Your greatness. My accomplishments go unnoticed – my talents are few.

But I have You, and most important You have me.

This collaboration can do great things in the lives of a few. No fanfare – no crowds cheering – just a few lives changed, and Your heart is well pleased.

What greater feat is there than pleasing You? And what pleases You more than my bringing Your grace to others?

Fill me with Your unconditional love that overflows! Immerse your grace on those around me. Position me with the poor and give hope to the widow and orphan.

You are the difference maker. I am an empty vessel. Share Your wisdom and be my mentor. Meet with me daily as I chase after You/ Give me Your pure advice.

I have a cause – You gave it to me. Like David against Goliath – you will give me victory, and I will be known as a man after Your own heart.

Loving God

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 14:08:00 GMT

You displayed Your love with sacrifice. You set the standard at the Cross. Your nature is a show of honor, and You did it with a humble heart.

How can I do for others, what You have done for me? You reached down from heaven and placed Your hand on my head.

It was more than oily fingers. It was more than a spoken prayer. You left your lofty position and came to me in my pain.

You rescued me from my circumstances and ignored my unpleasant appearance. You forgave my transgressions and showed me the greatest form of worship.

So, as I sing my hymns, and pray my daily prayers – I won’t forget the ones you favor, the ones who needs You the most.

Prepare me for service in your sanctuary – arm me with the resources I need. Surround me with an army who loves how You love – and we will be victorious in Your cause and get closer to You each day.