Inspiration Fleshed Out: A Different Kind of Thanksgiving

Inspiration comes in various ways for me and I'm never quite prepared for it. As wreckless as grief can be when it blindsides you during a normal day's activities, inspiration will creep in like a wrecking ball as well. The difference for me is grief will subside as I feel the pain, cry out to God, and thank Him for the opportunity to be impacted so greatly by another human. Yet, inspiration won't leave me. No  matter how much I try to "talk down" the new crazy idea, plans begin to take shape inside my head. Before I know it I'm actually verbalizing the idea with others for feedback.

That's what happened for Thanksgiving Day. The idea popped into my head to use our family  business Graves Grocery as an outreach for the needy as a place to celebrate Thanksgiving. It all started when an elderly customer came in for biscuits for breakfasts. He said, "I can't cook anymore because I can't see well. Yesterday I nearly burnt the house down trying to cook myself something." Then another regular customer who comes in every day for over a year now for his "scrambled egg sandwich", prompted my thoughts that he has no family outside of his twin brother who lives with him. Who will they celebrate Thanksgiving with?

I first went to my family for their blessing to step outside of our traditional family day together. The first response came from my brother, "That's the best idea I've heard of in a long time." One by one each member agreed to venture off our traditional path to spend the day serving our community.

Then I begin reaching out to others more knowledgeable than myself like Fran from the Manna House. She serves thousands on Thanksgiving day. By the time word got out, I had more volunteers and resources than we could even use for the day. I literally had to turn families away from volunteering because we had so many offers to help. There were those who cooked hens for the chicken and dressing. Then my friend Lynette  baked every pie or cheesecake from scratch that was served that day. There were so many who gave monetary donations to help with any expenses. Another regular customer, a business man in the community, asked specifically if there were any funds needed. He didn't want me to be out any for the outreach. I assured him we had been generously provided for our day's needs.

The blessings of family and friends!

 I learned something important from this venture on Thanksgiving Day.

 SOMETIMES THE RESOURCES ARE IN PLACE, A COMMUNITY JUST NEEDS A PERSON TO SPEARHEAD THE MINISTRY. 

I live in a small unincorporated rural community. Yet, I was amazed at the people who reached out to support this endeavor. There were so many verbal blessings, comments on social media, offers to help, money donations, etc..One lady even called from Florida. She said her mother lived in nearby Priceville. She had lost her dad this year. They were looking for something different to do on Thanksgiving to help knowing the holiday would be hard with their loss. Although we had enough volunteers, she was so encouraging over the phone about our outreach. One time I attended a church where the pastor was commenting on church giving. He was saying thanks to the congregation but said, "Your giving is ridiculous it's so abundant." I never forgot that and that's exactly how I feel about my community.

What a blessing it is to be a part of a place where hearts are big, hands and wallets are open, and I'm trusted to manage that honorably.

There weren't enough business cards to send out with plate lunches and I never got around to having a little note to include in each bag that shared my heart about the day. I wanted every person eating to know that because I had experienced the transforming love of Christ it was my hope that in some small way their meal would do the same for them. I wanted them to know they were important to me and to God...that their life mattered. But I'm trusting the prayer covering for the day and our actions spoke louder than business cards or notes.

World's greatest customers and precious friends.

What might God be stirring to inspiration in you? Will you run with it? Start talking about your ideas with a team of friends whose hearts beat for the same purpose.....to share the love of Christ. There are so many creative ways to let people know they are valuable. I hope to hear what ventures the Lord has you on.

Single Mom Sabbath: Our Need For Community

As I grow in my faith journey I become more and more convinced of the need for community in my life.  Furthermore, I realize how needy I am in life. This journey began almost sixteen years ago with my first born son, child number three, who was born with a milk allergy. Our family was on a weekly grocery budget of $50 and suddenly it doubled due to the special formula needed.

As I shared my concerns with my small group of bible study friends, their hearts were moved. I know this because the following week I received a $100 check in the mail for formula. The note read "I had some extra birthday  money and wanted to share it." It was from a lady from another denomination and my first experience in receiving money from outside my biological family. It felt strange but good. The Lord began teaching me then about the mandate and significance of community. One thing I learned is this:

COMMUNITY BREAKS DOWN DENOMINATIONAL BARRIERS

Honestly, I could write all day about community because of the impact it's had in our family's life as a single working mom of five. Soon after this first incident of giving, we joined a church that had a community group structure. Our family found it's place in a small group of like minded families who shared Sunday nights together over a meal. I am convinced in God's sovereignty He placed us in a place that would walk our family through the most difficult season of our life: my divorce. 

The wives in this group would ask the hard questions that I was still to proud to talk about such as, "what bills do you have and how much are they"? These women were the ones who checked in weekly or more often and asked specific questions about our day or week. 

COMMUNITY ASKED THE SPECIFIC AND HARD QUESTIONS

They were the ones to correct wrong thinking if my thoughts were negative and off track biblically. During a vulnerable time such as a divorce, financial or marital crisis, or you name it crisis, the enemy is more prone to attack us in our weakest areas to create doubt, insecurity, and confusion....none of which are ever from God.

COMMUNITY CORRECTS WRONG THINKING AND HELPS US LINE OUR THINKING UP WITH SCRIPTURE

After spending a lifetime in traditional church and knowing hundreds of people, serving on every team possible, and spending countless hours in program driven ministry, these are the women who invited me into their homes and fed my soul, loved my children, and kept my faith alive and strong during the hardest time of my  life. Although that season of our lives together has changed I will never forget the impact they had on my family, the layout of their homes (after countless nights there), or their precious families. It was a life impacting memory imprinted into my heart and soul.

We all need go to people for the various needs in our lives while we, too, have something to offer in return. When you become a Christ follower, the indwelling Christ in you, brings out your unique gifts and abilities which in turn bless those giving. Discipleship, present in the life of community, is a two way process, regardless of how inadequate we may feel, or how limited our resources appear. The indwelling Christ in each of us is unlimited and full of resurrection power waiting to flow out of us as we lean on dependency of His Holy Spirit residing in us.Paul taught this to the Galatians as he reminded them, "Carry one another's burdens, for in this you fulfill the law of Christ."

Who are your "go to" people. I have specific people for specific needs. Since I enrolled  my three youngest children in public school six years ago, I have gone to my friends Dana and Danny who have a daughter Madisen. Hannah and she have played on several of the same sports teams, taken vacations together, and been pulled in the snow on the back of a four wheeler. I can nearly ALWAYS count on Dana to help me because with four children still in sports, there is NO possible way to be everywhere for each of them. 

Yesterday we wound up in Locust Fork, Alabama together for a basketball tournament. We discovered this beautiful bridge between games and were able to celebrate our girls and life together. It was good....the way God designed community to be.

If you don't have your go to people, ask God to show you who is safe and seek them out. If you are single, I strongly suggest you seek healthy married couples so your children have a picture of all Christ wants for them in spite of our own life disappointments. Don't be afraid or too prideful to ask for help. It's biblical and the blessing is waiting on both ends. And it will bring your rest for your soul.

I would love to hear about your family of faith that is encouraging you.

Love, Pam

Why I Keep Coming Back

I'm just off the end of an incredible weekend from the Mom Heart conference held in Dallas. With little time to process the weekend of inspiration, I hit the ground running Monday morning. Small family run businesses don't wait for attention.

However, one aspect of my time away included the return to writing. Originally I thought I would have plenty of down time at the store to write. Yet, God has seen fit to grow the business leaving me only time to satisfy customers, old and new, as they venture into our little community reststop every day.

So now I'm starting tiny...

A tiny new habit of writing to get back in the swing of sharing all that's bubbling up inside my soul.

Presently I am pressing through a Lenten devotion. I like it because it's short and powerful. Today's passage was Acts 2: 42-47:

"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostle's teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place among the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common, and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved."

This past weekend at the Dallas Mom Heart Conference this is what occurred:

We devoted ourselves to teaching
and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer
As believers we were together and had much in common in regards to the love for our Lord and our families
We were glad and sincere in heart, praising God 

 For fourteen years I have travelled to spend time with like minded moms, to celebrate the biblical design of motherhood and to grow my faith.

It will most likely take the entire year to process the weekend. But for today I want to share this from my Lenten devotion:

"By Grace, today I fast from the lie that my calling isn't great enough because God isn't calling for people great in skills, schooling, or spotlights---He's calling those simply great in community, in confession, in communion, in courage, great in Christ. Today i will do ordinary things with extraordinarily great love. We repent of wanting to be greater instead of loving greater.

I will keep coming back because it's what I need:

Community

Confession

Communion

Courage

Great in Christ...so I can love greater

Thank you Sally Clarkson, my Mom Heart mentor as well as the tireless servants who fed us so well physically, emotionally, and spiritually this weekend.  We will always keep coming back because it's Jesus that we find year after year...up close and personal. I am eternally grateful for your years of service to thousands of moms across the globe.