Where Grace and Mercy Collide

This is a story of how two families used the $20 during our generosity month.

I wanted to keep you in the loop for how we used the LW funds in our community. The Murrey and McCulley families joined forces to get some ideas for how we could collectively share the Love of Christ in our community. First, we went to the Lord in prayer to ask Him to show us His greatest desire for us. Boy, were we all over the map, with ideas. I think this was probably symptomatic of how needy our community really is, and how keenly aware everyone was to that need.

During this process I got an urgent message from the Foster Parent Association, and their urgent need for donated clothes for little boys and girls in foster care. Patiently, waiting on the Lord to answer our prayers really does work.

So, as a joint team we headed to a local store and bought little kid’s clothes. Landon and Adrian picked out the boys clothes and Lincoln picked out the girls’ clothes. The only parameter was that it had to be an outfit that they themselves would like to wear. During this outing I explained what being in foster care was all about and why their donation was so important. The Murrey kiddos understood, when I told them Adrian had been in foster care, and how the Lord looked out for him and placed him in our care. The kiddos went home and gathered up their outgrown clothes and toys and decided to donate them also.

We headed off to the Foster Parents Warehouse located on Central Ave. to deliver our gifts.  I had prepped the Warehouse Manager Rose, about what the mission entailed and asked her to give us a tour of the facility. The Warehouse is managed by volunteer foster parents who are not only caring for their own children and foster children, but volunteering their time to help other foster families. Everything in the warehouse is clean and well organized. They had formula, diapers, new underwear, clothes, toys, blankets and baby equipment. I think the experience was heart wrenching for us, but an awaking for us, because with a little bit of effort, and lots of prayers we can make a difference.

We have approximately 600 children in Jackson County and 6,000 children in Oregon in foster care. Please pray for our children and their parents who so desperately need to live at the point where Grace and Mercy collide.

In His Name,
Bylle