A few weeks ago, our church gave out $10,000 to the congregation over the three services. It was a mission to Bless Back the community of Lubbock.
Sealed envelopes were passed out in buckets with $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 or $250 inside. The rule was to bless someone in the community back with the money.
As the envelopes were being passed out, I leaned over to Gregg and told him I was going to do something for a couple from our church, Jeff and Tami, with whatever money I got. So, I was really hoping for the big money.
The other rule that our pastor gave out was that we were not to open the envelopes until we leave the church.
This was a problem.
We usually attend church at the Saturday night 5pm service, but this week we were at the 11am Sunday am service. There was a membership lunch after church and we needed to make things "official". No way was I waiting another hour or so to know what was in my envelope.
I made a beeline to the restrooms so I could rip into my envelope. On the way, I ran into Tami and chit-chatted w/her and found out that they were going to the luncheon as well. Of all people I could've run into, I run into the lady I am going to bless back. I took it as a sign of a good thing to come.
And it was! There was a $100 bill in my envelope. I was so pumped. And then we sat with Jeff and Tami at the luncheon. I couldn't stop smiling the whole time.
So, why Jeff and Tami??
Gregg and I have gotten to know him through our LifeHouse and I am just amazed by them as a couple. Jeff and Tami have 5 children ~ a 7 and 5 year old, 3 yr old twin boys, and 4 month old. Tami home schools them and Jeff is a third grade teacher.
When I am around them, I am inspired by their faith, their mission work, their love for each other, their children and the Lord. Their mission work?? They are advocates for orphans in India and have their own ministry to them ~ K.O.R.E (King of Kings Orphan Reach Evangelism).
They both have blogs as well. My jaw dropped in awe the first time I went to their sites and read their titles.
Jeff blogs at http://beavoicefororphans.wordpress.com/.
"God's calling to love my family, be a voice for orphans, & help the poor and needy..."
Tami blogs at http://beehappyhomes.wordpress.com/.
"Learning practical wisdom to love God, love family and love others"
They are passionate about God, each other, their children and their ministry. I just wanted to bless them for always blessing others.
The next day, I placed $100 bill in a small jewelry box and gift wrapped in Christmas paper. If nothing else, I thought that maybe Jeff and Tami could do something nice for each other with it or buy something for their FIVE children.
I wrote on a plain, white card a simple note.
May the Lord continue to bless your servant's heart.
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
Ephesians 6:7
I left the note unsigned and the envelope return address blank.
Later that week, I was at the church office and our pastor called me into his office. He had asked the congregation to post on the church website how they used their money to bless others. A reporter that was doing an article about the project read what I wrote and wanted to interview me! Chris said he had given him my number and I should be getting a phone call.
Within moments of me returning home, the reporter called and I did a phone interview. And could I please email him a head shot of me?
Why sure.
Luckily, I had been at the Christmas lunch that morning, and I had had my hair fixed and jewelry on. So, I went into the backyard and had a little photo session with myself. Because any picture of myself that I have, has some child's head smack next to mine.
The next day, Tami posted about the package on her blog and what they did with the money.
Whew! It got to her! And her response to the money, made the whole Bless Back Project more incredible.
I called her the next day and told her it was me and why I chose to bless them back. But mainly, I wanted to tell her about the article and see if she would be willing to talk to the reporter herself. I thought he needed to know the conclusion to the story.
She was thrilled, just hoping her little orphans would get some media attention.
Then she blogged about how it was me who sent the money.
The story ran yesterday, Christmas Day, in the Lubbock paper. We only subscribe to the Sunday paper and I completely forgot about the article until about 8:00 last night. I searched the paper's website and found it here.
And the funny thing is, in the background of one of the pictures of a couple reaching into the bucket, there is Gregg's face and the arm of my purple sweater choosing my envelope. Random.
Let me include something that the article didn't mention but is totally incredible. A local businessman was visiting our church for the 1st time that Sunday morning the envelopes were being passed out. After the 1st service, he walked up to our pastor and handed him a $10,000 check to cover the Bless Back Project!
Also, in my conversations with the reporter, I found out he is the new religion reporter for our paper. He relocated to Lubbock in September and hasn't found a church. Since covering this story, he and his family have continued to attend Experience Life and will probably join.
If you went on to read the link of the newspaper article, you read about a man named Johnny Landrum.
Johnny LandrumI took this picture of him a few weeks ago in preparation of a blog that I was planning on writing about him over on my other blog. Then he was mentioned in the article, and I thought I might as well tell about what I know about him here and now.
This.man.completely.fascinates.me.
From what I understand, he was employed and felt God was calling him to minister to others. He turned in his two weeks notice and sold all of his belongings and now has a street corner ministry. Johnny Landrum stands on a busy street corner in Lubbock, day in and day out, whatever the weather with his JESUSAVESOULS sign.
The day I took this picture, it was 16 degrees and snowing.
You can read his story here.
Between Johnny Landrum, Jeff and Tami, Experience Life, and just being here in Lubbock, Texas, I AM the blessed one.
May God continue to bless ALL of us!!
Posts
