Monday, December 12, 2011

How Much and What Happened?


"Once our eyes are opened, we can’t pretend we don’t know about what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act."
Prov. 24:12


This is my Memorial Box Monday!
Thanks to A Place Called Simplicity



Yesterday was the day!

My awesome Pastor (God bless you Colton) gave me the opportunity to stand in front
of our church and announce my fundraiser “Bread FOR Life” and share my heart for the orphan! Oh my goodness! What a blessing it was!
In front of about 150-200 people, yeah, the nerves took over.
I cried I think before I even said my name. Oh well. God is so good!

I was able to share what I believe the Lord has put into motion in my heart.
The first step to who-knows-what the Lord has in store. *giggling*

This is what it is…

“Bread FOR Life” is an ongoing fundraiser to help raise money for
orphaned and abandoned children both locally and abroad.
(However, I’m not sure where to donate locally even though that is my heart. We still need to pray into
this to show us where the greatest need would be. Open for suggestions if anyone has any.)



I am baking and selling my All-Natural Homemade Pumpkin Bread!
100% of ALL proceeds go DIRECTLY to the ministry of orphans.
(I will be accumulating NO profit from this whatsoever.)
This is God’s ministry, not mine.
My heart is simply to raise money for the children in need of food, clothes, shelter,
education and of course JESUS!



I am SO S.T.I.N.K.I.N. excited over this I can not even stop smiling.

Yesterday was the big kick-off day at our church.
(BTW: There is something very special brewing in the hearts of this little church called ‘360’!)

I baked a total of 20 loaves.
(May not sound like a lot but it was the best I could do in twelve hours in my little kitchen.)
I asked for a “suggested donation of $8.00” and would you know…
half my bread was gone before church even started.
PRAISE GOD!



People read my sign, grabbed some bread and started filling up that little see-through vase with the money that is going to make a BIG difference!

Would you know, by the end of church all my bread was
GONE but people were STILL putting money in the vase.
Oh the hearts of God’s people.
It was so moving.
Want to know how much was raised?

OK I’ll tell you!

$648.00!!!


Yes, that’s right… $648.00 for 20 loaves of bread! *giggling*

As I baked all day Saturday, I kept telling the Lord, “Take my 5 loaves and 2 fish and multiply it for Your Kingdom and for YOUR children.” That was all my heart kept saying while I was baking. KNOWING He heard me and KNOWING He IS so faithful!


And He is!!!


I also want to mention that the outpouring of support for this ministry is fantastic!
~ I had one lady offer to purchase all my flour for me.
~ Another lady offered to help bake loaves to donate.
~ Another sweet woman is giving me homegrown sugar pumpkins to bake with.
(FRESH PUMPKINS, wow, that's pretty cool!)
~ One precious woman offered to give me the eggs from her chickens on her farm!
And endless people offered to help if I needed it.
The BODY of Christ is PRICELESS!
Thank you to all who offered! Really! God sees it all!

I am overwhelmed with the goodness of Jesus and truly that’s not even the best part!!

So here is the REAL reason why I have been tickled with joy and overflowing with endless smiles and laughter!

While I was giving my little 5 minute introduction into my heart behind this ministry, I briefly mentioned to the church about a very small special orphanage in Uganda that I would like to donate to. That was all I really said to them. Knowing, this little orphanage was really the driving fire behind me doing this fundraiser in the first place. In fact, it was their newsletter two months ago that prompted my heart into action. I read how they are run by donations only and desperately needed people to help support them. They needed diapers, clothes and food for these precious babies. I said in my heart, "Lord I NEED to do something."

So it was from that moment on that I started to pray
and out of those prayers “Bread FOR Life” was birthed.

OK, so this is the cool part!
So very special and completely undeniable that GOD IS ALL OVER THIS!

This was a special little token the Lord gave me to tell me,
“Yes I love you SO much I’m going to blow you away!”

I had a conversation with a young girl after church and it went something like this:


Friend: Wow Robin, thank you so much for doing this ministry. I have a heart for orphans too and this means a lot to me.

Me: Aww, your welcome. It’s totally the Lord, you know.

Friend: Yea, so where in Uganda is this orphanage? I used to live in Uganda.

Me: OH, NO WAY! Oh that’s awesome. I’m not totally sure where it is in Uganda though. What part did you live in?

Friend: A small village outside Kampala.

Me: Ok yeah. Well I’m not sure how to say it but it’s spelled S.A.N.Y.U…

FRIEND: Oh “SANYU Babies’ Home”… yes, I used to work there!

(I had to stop typing right now. I got goose bumps all over my body! Again!)

Did you just read what I wrote??

She used to WORK THERE!!!!

Here I am standing in a small church in Petaluma, CA.
talking to a young girl who worked at the
exact orphanage in the middle of no-where Uganda
that has set my heart a blaze for the orphaned children of Africa.

Do you see what God has done?

He blew me clear out of the spiritual hemisphere that I live in and said to me,
“Nothing is too big for Me.”  

That was His way of telling me, “You are doing exactly what I want you to do and I’m going to give you PROOF by giving you a friend who has loved the babies from THIS orphanage.”

Are you giggling at the goodness of God???

Please tell me you think that is as cool as I do!

I mean, really, WHAT are the *chances* of THAT happening.

There are none outside of Christ!

I am so blown away.

I am so blessed.

I am so overwhelmed with His kindness.

So if you see me in the next few days and I have a silly grin on my face, you know why!

So now, my new friend and I have a date for coffee tomorrow night and I am so excited to sit and listen to what she has to share.

I have been praying for something like this...

*GIGGLING*
**************************

So this is my “Bread FOR Life” first story! Pretty cool, huh?

I know the Lord has so much in store for me, my family and my church through all this.

Not too mention, I was able to bake the bread with Hannah and Christopher all day Saturday and explain to them the mission behind it all. It was priceless to hear the questions they had regarding the orphans. And also, Hannah came home last night and started to cry because her heart is heavy for these children, THEN she shares with Papa and I that she wants to FAST tomorrow for the orphans!!!!
Yes, my 7 year old daughter wants to FAST for the orphan.

Oh God is all over this!
Their hearts are being opened to the true meaning of the Gospel by witnessing all this…
They get it.
They really do!
There is nothing I rather do right now THAN THIS!

The fundraiser has just begun!

I have special orders coming in left and right. Sending off a few shipments this week.
(I’m already shipping. lol)
God you are SO good!
We are setting up another table this Sunday because so many people did not get a loaf
and want to contribute.
(I need a few more ovens!) lol.

My husband and I are overcome with Jesus!
We are excited what He has in store for us!

You can just call me Betty Crocker. Thanks! ;)


"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."
James 1:27


6 comments:

  1. Oh wow--all I can say is Praise Jesus!!!! Your story gave me goosebumps!

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  2. Hi Robin-
    I've come by from Linny's blog.
    LOVE your heart and your story. SO cool!! Yes, I am with you giggling at God's goodness!
    May He continue to confirm and bless your ministry (I know He will).
    ~Kelly

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  3. Precious story! Thanks so much for sharing!

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  4. Love this! :)

    And it does my heart good to know that Abba is pricking hearts for the orphan, for Uganda, and for Sanyu. Thank you for raising money for Sanyu. I spent 3 months in Uganda at the beginning of this year & I spent a great deal of time at Sanyu. In fact, God led me to my son there. :) And now I am working to get back as soon as possible to live & serve in my Uganda and to get my sweet little one into my home. The need is so great there at Sanyu. Again, thank you for following His leading!
    -Stephanie@It Is Well

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  5. Robin,
    Wow! God is so amazing. He blesses us when we are in His will. I feel your excitement. I love seeing what amazing thing God will do next.
    Christy

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  6. Yes, this is wonderful. Jay shared this with us when he was over last week... I will continue to pray, sweet Robin!

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