To SERVE

You know, all too often, the world judges Christians by the squeaky wheels who make us look so bad... you know the type: hyper-judgmental and anything BUT full of love, the extremists who do everything EXCEPT what Jesus really called us to do: To Love and to SERVE.
Why is that?
Because that is all they choose to see.

-->>They don't see us feeding the homeless at 6 am... or us giving shelter to the runaway who is fleeing abuse.
-->>They don't see us at midnight, taking roses to the strip clubs to tell the girls there that they are VALUABLE and worthy to be loved.
-->>They don't see our volunteers spending countless hours tutoring at-risk youth in the inner city, giving them the time and attention they desperately need, several times a week.
-->>They don't see our college kids and high schoolers using their summer vacation to go and feed starving orphans in Africa and Brazil and Honduras and India...

They don't see it because it doesn't fit into their tidy, politically-correct view of who we are.
But that doesn't change reality.
The "nut jobs" might get the most media attention, but we are the ones building a legacy... for those who are not yet here.

You see, there ARE Christians out there who really are trying to walk out their faith and be the "hands and feet" of Jesus to EVERYONE they meet.
If you don't believe me, just check this out:

At last check, there are more than 200 churches, worldwide, that are participating in SERVOLUTION!

That is simply phenomenal!

What is a "Servolution" you ask?
"Sharing God's love and changing lives through simple acts of kindness."

Our very own pastor, Dino Rizzo, wrote the book, SERVOLUTION which will be debuting very soon...
Here are just a FEW of the things we will be doing during Servolution Week (April 3-9):

• *FREE (no donations!) CAR WASHES
• *VISITING AREA NURSING HOMES
  *CLEANING the BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER (and pampering the ladies, too!)
• *PASSING OUT FREE BOTTLED WATER TO PEOPLE SITTING IN RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC
  
• *SERVING BREAKFAST TO HOMELESS VETERANS
  *CLEANING/PAINTING/DOING YARDWORK FOR AREA WIDOWS
• *PASSING OUT CANDY TO PEOPLE SITTING AT THE DMV
  *PICKING UP TRASH & MOWING LAWNS ("Adopt-a-Block")
• *FREE AUTO REPAIR & OIL CHANGES FOR SINGLE MOMS & WIDOWS
  

---->>> And this list is, by no means, complete. This is a mere sampling of the activities we will carry out (and, in fact, DO carry out on a regular basis!).

But, the really cool thing is, you don't have to be a member of Healing Place Church to help out! In fact, you don't even have to live in Louisiana!

"Servolution is about churches partnering together and reaching out to their communities through simple acts of kindness for the soul purpose of expressing the love of God to people in our community."

YOUR very own church can sign up to get involved and be a part of one amazing week showing the world what it really means to be followers of Christ. And there are tons of ideas with practical tips and information for you to get started. Just click here:

Preaching To the Choir

I say that because I'm speaking to myself as much as to anyone else...

Whether or not you believe in Karma or "The Golden Rule" is irrelevant.
We are instructed, as Christians -- indeed, as civilized human beings -- to treat others how we want to be treated.
I, as much as anyone, still fail at this, miserably.

All too often, my own pride and SELF get in the way of the "bigger picture" Christ wants me to see. I am easily bruised, taking offense when I feel I have been wronged unfairly.
My feelings get hurt and I start to obsess about what I coulda, woulda, shoulda done differently. Or worse, I lash out at the people who I feel have so unjustly caused me aggravation.
HOW DARE THEY?!

I'm also a bit of a perfectionist. I take pride in being responsible and following instructions I am given, so when I feel like I have let someone down -- or that I have somehow overstepped my bounds -- I get pretty upset and boldly defensive.
Goodness knows, the reprimands have been well-deserved at times and I have been humbled by the grace shown to me over and again.
But at other times, I catch myself being less than forgiving when I feel other people have slighted ME.
Really, who do I think I am??

Acts 10: 34 (KJV) states that God is NO respecter of persons.

That means, it doesn't matter what you do for a living, how much money you make, what your position in the church may be, or how much you do for charity.
--->> YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.
We are all valuable in God's sight and we should treat each other as such.

I think one thing that has done more to harm the image of the Christian Church -- more than anything else -- is the way we so-called "Christians" treat others whom we consider "beneath" us.

If Jesus showed us one thing, plainly, in His short time here on earth, it's that we must humble ourselves to be great. He was the Son of God and yet, He washed the feet of His disciples and treated everyone -- no matter how small or (by society's definition) insignificant -- as precious sheep to bring in to His fold.
There was no attitude of thinking, "I'm better than you," or "You aren't worth my time."
If Jesus is meant to be the example we are to live by, then why do so many Christians do the opposite?

We get full of ourselves and our "positions of importance" and we don't even deign to speak to others in the Church who are not in our "circle of influence."
We might treat the poor and homeless better and as more valuable than we do that church nursery worker or this parking volunteer. We may think because we've been entrusted with great responsibility within our area of ministry that we no longer have to be Jesus to those within our own ministry.

I think this goes on way too much and it needs to STOP.

Again, I am speaking to myself as much as anyone.
Lord knows I need His grace and constant reminders to get over myself and treat others the way Christ would treat them.
If my actions don't loudly proclaim that I am a child of God -- an heir to His kingdom -- then
NOTHING I "say" with my mouth will ever be heard.

As my friend, Carole, often says: "Grace to ME."

What It's REALLY All About...

I just couldn't decide, so I posted all 3...

From A Mother's Perspective:


From A Sinner's Point of View:


They Are ALL My Point of View: