Mission Crestwood - God Sighting: One Thing Leads to Another

Mission Crestwood

God Sightings One Thing Leads to Another

“If you give a mouse a cookie, the mouse asks for a glass of milk. He then requests a straw (to drink the milk), a mirror (to avoid a milk mustache), nail scissors (to trim his hair in the mirror), and a broom (to sweep up his hair trimmings).”

One thing leads to another.  This theme in the children’s book If you Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff seems to also relate to running a local mission organization.   Thankfully, these types of details of "one thing leading to another" do not seem to overwhelm Mission Crestwood volunteers.  Their Boss has it all in His hands.   

If you give Mission Crestwood donations of frozen meat, Mission Crestwood will ask for appliances to keep the meat cold.  To pay for the appliances to keep the meat cold, Mission Crestwood will need a donation of funds.  Just like the mouse had the boy to provide in the children’s story If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Mission Crestwood has its own provider – God.  God has been in the each details of each need, each donation, and each provision at Mission Crestwood. 

Right after receiving a donation of meat, a  large chain retail store offered a $2000 donation.  Coincidentally, this is the cost a walk in freezer and refrigerator. Unlike the children's story, there seemed to be a hiccup in the funding.  After a significant amount of time,  Mission Crestwood coordinators still had not received any funds.  A short investigation revealed that the check was erroneously sent to another charitable organization.  Although another charity benefited from the blunder, Mission Crestwood still had a need.

These are the moments in which Mission Crestwood volunteers have learned to “wait upon the Lord,” because He was up to something bigger.

The Mission Crestwood phone rings. The man on the other ends asks, “Do you need a walk in freezer and refrigerator?”   

The Mission Crestwood volunteer admits, “Well, yes we do,” with a knowing smile in her voice. In these moments, God shows up and demonstrates the mighty ways He can provide.

“It will be about $1200 for the two units,” the seller comments.

“Well, I will see what I can do about that,” replies the Mission Crestwood volunteer with a smile in her voice that is undeniable because she knows God is working. 

If you give Mission Crestwood donations of frozen meat, Mission Crestwood will need a walk-in freezer and refrigerator to keep the meat cold.  To pay for the appliances to keep the meat cold, Mission Crestwood will need money.  To provide for His children, God will move, and that He did. 

Another separate unsolicited “donation” covered the cost of the refrigerator and freezer to keep the frozen meat that Mission Crestwood would use to provide for God’s children. 

Luke 12:28

“And if God provides clothing for the flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, don’t you suppose that he will provide clothing for you, you doubters?”

God is working and moving at Mission Crestwood! 

We invite you to personally experience these God sightings and point our community toward Jesus at Mission Crestwood on Monday or Saturday mornings from 10-12 or Thursday evenings from 6-8.  Just show up and see what God is doing!

http://missioncrestwood.org/the-closet/

Fingerprints of the Lord

Christine A. McCloy

From no time for joy to a smiling heart

Did you laugh today?  Have you smiled recently at a joke or precious moment?  Proverbs 17:22 shares, “A joyful heart is good medicine.”  Even science has begun to measure "joy" with a Norwegian study linking a sense of humor to longer life.

Well, I am a type A, first-born, highly driven perfectionist without time to have joy. You've met the type -- all work and no play.  Those people who bark orders and get frustrated at coworkers having fun on the job when there are tasks to complete! That was me! Thankfully, God had a plan to force feed joy into my life!

In 1998, they came at the same time – son 1 and son 2. I had NOT ordered their arrival that way, but without my consent they came -- simultaneously! There was no return policy (I checked), so we dug in for the long haul. My husband and I were now the shell-shocked parents of twin boys!

Fast-forward 4 years, to a church service where God began to shove joy into my face.   A sweet choir member bent down to our "more active" son Colt and proclaimed, “You make my heart smile.” I remember thinking, she obviously didn't recognize the rebellious streak in this kid or the high maintenance demands he placed on the family (a.k.a. ME!!).  I actually remember mentally rejecting her uniformed comment.

Moving forward to the middle school years, Colt's curly hair was officially driving me crazy along with the light-hearted happy-go-lucky attitude when work needed to be done!  Once, again he just rolled out of bed and had not touched his hair!  Why didn't he care?  Where was his mind?!! In one of my less sanctified moments I screeched, "Colt you need to fix your hair; you look like a…. clown!!!" 

Then it hit me like a lightning bolt!  “You should BE a clown!!!” All 11-year-old boys need a hobby, and I decided in that moment that Colt's would be clowning. I bought the books, did the research, and then prayed. (Note, if I had prayed first, I could have saved myself some money on books!) Later at our homeschool coop, while I was just making conversation with a friend, I “happened” to mention my desire for Colt to begin clowning.  This sweet sister-in-Christ "happened" to know a Christian clown! 

The rest, as they say, is history. It is a sweet amazing history. By the grace of God, Colt is now a Christian balloon artist. His mentor and extra dad, Gilbert Adams gospelballoons.com/gilbert/ – is a 9-time world champion balloon artist who devoted numerous hours of mentoring, training, and apprenticing Colt in the art of balloon twisting. 

The ballooning business was a side benefit of that "crazy hair day." Over the past 7 years, Mr. Gilbert has taught me to appreciate the "joy" in my son.  During one of Colt's many training sessions, Mr. Gilbert commissioned Colt to use his gift of joy to bless other.  Again, the bolt of lighting hit me, Colt is joyful! The choir member was right -- he does make people's heart smile!  I am the killjoy!

For the past 7 years, this type A, first-born, highly driven perfectionist without time to have joy has been learning to smile.  Eighteen years ago, God sent a son to make my heart smile, and show me how to find joy.  That sweet choir member was right, and I was the uninformed one! I thank God for a son who never gave up on trying to make his mom’s heart smile.  Today – I am honored and blessed to say it does smile!

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” – Phyllis Diller 

“We shall never know the good a simple smile can do.” --Mother Theresa

Has God placed a reminder in your life to smile?  Your joyful heart could be the good medicine someone else needs!

Fingerprints of the Lord

Christine A. McCloy

Realizing Your Radiant Face

 “..those who look to Him their faces are radiant.” Ps 34:5

“29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them.”  Exodus 34: 29-31

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Christians today who abide with the LORD looked so different to those around them– so radiant – that it would initially frighten people?

What a sight a radiant face would be to desperate and disheartened individuals!! It would draw attention and questions. Onlookers would wonder and stare at the site of a radiant, glowing, sparkling, dazzling face! Initially, caution may prevail, but fear would quickly morph into curiosity. Like Moses, the Christian with the radiant face could call to the frightened, and their inquisitiveness would win out. Then they would listen.

Strangers would ask what happened to make the believer’s face shine. Then, with the tenderness of the Holy Spirit, a Christ follower could describe why his/her heart is ablaze with the love of the LORD. He/She could testify to His unfailing love, His gracious mercy, and His timeless faithfulness.

In the face of a teen’s tragedy, a parent’s despair, and voter’s confusion, a radiant Christian could connect his/her brilliant glow to spending time in the presence of the LORD. And then could invite them into that intimate place - the Mercy Seat. We could  invite a lost and hurting world to enter in the tabernacle and meet the LORD, who sent His only Son as a sacrifice for all our sins. With a radiant, shimmering face, the believer could be a herald to the King of Kings declaring the good news to all!

Be that person – the one with the radiant face! The one who draws people to ask about your LORD.  We have all seen believers with radiant faces and wondered. The shimmering eyes of a missionary  who shares such a brilliant smile that you know she has a story to share. The glow of a cancer survivor who is so blessed by another chance at life that her every step is an act of worship.  The sparkle in the heart of a widow who has sent her love to be with our LORD, but still praises the Maker of the universe. The radiant face of a mother who buries her 18-year-old son but sings the praise of an awesome God for provisions along the way. The radiance in a choir member who lifts her eyes to the Lord in worship as she sees the joy in life again. Or the dazzle in a child who innately knows the joy of the LORD because the message is so simple and true.

Spend time with the Lord. Meditate on His Words. Hear His heart. Look upon Him. Then, share your radiant face.

Fingerprints of the Lord

Christine A. McCloy

Mission Crestwood - God Sighting: From Living in a Car to Living in Christ

Mission Crestwood

God Sighting: From Living in a Car to Living in Christ

Meet their needs:

Has your house ever seemed small, or do you remember sharing a tiny dorm room? Consider living in a 4-door car with 4 adults and 2 cats. Oldham County, Kentucky is not immune to homelessness, but thankfully God has placed the homeless of Oldham County on the hearts of many in the body of Christ. 

When Mission Crestwood volunteers encountered these two couples (and their cats), they were in dire need of assistance. Later that day, there was a job interview at stake. A Mission Crestwood volunteer met the couples and offered facilities at Crestwood Baptist Church to clean up and prepare for their interviews.  One couple accepted the offer. 

Model Christ’s love to them:

Upon entering the church, the body of Christ took over loving on this homeless couple. By the afternoon job interview, they had freshly washed clothes, fresh showers, fresh attitudes, and fresh hearts. Both received job offers on the spot. Now, they also had a fresh start. 

The story continues for this couple. The diligent young man began working three jobs, but he needed a car to get to work. 

“That is when the next call came in,” a Mission Crestwood volunteer recounts with a huge smile.

A generous donor called saying,  “I have this car. Do you think Mission Crestwood could use it?”

And again, God shows up at just the right time with just what is needed!

The results are undeniable: 

The young man who received a roof over his head, a car to drive to work, and acceptance and love from the body of Christ decided to trust his life to Jesus Christ and was baptized at Cross Point Church, which is affiliated with Mission Crestwood.

God is working and moving at Mission Crestwood! 

We invite you to personally experience these God sightings and point our community toward Jesus at Mission Crestwood on Monday or Saturday mornings from 10:00am-12:00pm or Thursday evenings from 6:00pm-8:00pm.  Just show up and see what God is doing!

http://missioncrestwood.org/the-closet/

Fingerprints of the Lord

Christine A. McCloy