just donated the garage sale money we made at my mom and sister's garage sale this last weekend. It ended up being $342 to FMSC - that equals 1,339 meals 

It was my mom's idea to donate that money - so nice! she was inspired by the mother Teresa book she's reading.

I'm still doing the Elgin Book Club, and it's going GREAT! I'm so blessed. Ok, no time to write now - maybe in another 4 months :)

________________________________

Here's the FMSC info again:

Feed My Starving Children

https://www.fmsc.org/

Your financial support makes it possible for Feed My Starving Children to feed children in nearly 70 countries around the world. With each meal costing just 24 cents to produce and 94 percent of all gifts going to the feeding program, your gift will go a long way in the fight against world hunger.

$1 donated to FeedMyStarvingChildren=4 meals (3.917 to be exact) To get the total number of meals that will go to Feed My Starving Children take the dollar amount times 3.917. $100 equals 391 meals.

Book Club - continued

we finally had our first book club. Well, technically our second, no on was able to make it to the first one except for my sister and I. But, this month, we had 2 other ladies and it was wonderful. We discussed "Radical" by David Platt and they both said it really opened up their eyes. They are both long time Christians and it sounded like this was just what they wanted/needed to hear.

Our next meeting is in only 3 weeks and we will be discussing the first 3 chapters of "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" by Jim Cymbala. That's another book I read a couple of years ago, which was very inspiring.

I'm so encouraged by the conversations we had on saturday. And so glad I obeyed God's continual nudging to start this book club. I ended up handing out 150 flyers, got about 7 responses. And 4 people came, including my sister and I.  But a couple others sound very interested, just couldn't make it last time.

We also talked about being a "missional community" in our neighborhood. Perhaps collecting cans of food for the food pantry and getting to know the neighbors a little that way. And asking, what else can we do in the neighborhood. Perhaps there are shut-ins who need help. etc.

very exciting!

quotes

George Muller (founder of the Bristol Orphanage in the last century - got all the money for the orphanage through prayer!) once said, 

"The vigor of our Spiritual Life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.... I have read the Bible through one hundred times, and always with increasing delight. Each time it seems like a new book to me. Great has been the blessing from consecutive, diligent, daily study. I look upon it as a lost day when I have not had a good time over the Word of God."

Billy Graham wrote in "The Holy Spirit":
As we approach the end of the age, persecution is going to be intensified. We are already seeing evidences in many parts of the world. The Scriptures you memorize now and the teachings of the Word of God you learn now will sustain you in that hour!—if you are called on to suffer physically and mentally for the name of Christ!

book club

Thursday, February 2nd, I blogged about wanting to start a women's Christian book club in my neighborhood. Well, I finally did it! It seemed like God kept putting it on my mind, to the point where I couldn't not do it. And this is great timing too because my sister is moving into my townhouse and we're moving to Wheaton, so this will help her meet friends in the neighborhood (she's from Indianapolis).

Last Monday I handed out about 25 flyers around the neighborhood stating we'd start with "Radical" by David Platt and meet once a month. And then this Monday I handed out 25 more.

Last week I got one response from the woman across the street who I had met a week before. But then yesterday after I handed out more, I got a voicemail from someone who got one last week and I called her back. She said she had it on her dresser all week and felt God was telling her to do it. And then Tuesday I received an email from another woman who's really excited to be part of it. So that makes 5 of us (including my sister and I). I've been praying about it off and on all week that someone is holding on to it and God would nudge them to call (like the one woman did). I'll continue praying, I'd love it if I got at least 1 or 2 more women to come.

I'm so glad God put it on my heart to do this (6 months ago) and that he kept bringing it to mind and  I actually followed through. Why is it so hard for us to do God's will, when it brings so much blessing in the end?

If you think of it, pray for my neighbors and that more women will join, and that they will grow closer to God and close to each other.

sounds like a great organization

http://asourown.org/

Rescues vulnerable children in India from certain enslavement and exploitation

 

are you average?

The Story of Ian & Larissa

very inspirational video, thanks to Mark for emailing it

http://stayonpost.com/2012/05/08/the-story-of-ian-larissa/