Opportunities

Along the way in this ministry, God has amazed us and blessed many with gifts from countless people. As we continue this walk, opportunities for giving present themselves weekly.

If you are able or know someone who would like to make a donation to Instruments of Peace, please e-mail, call or mail a check to INSTRUMENTS OF PEACE (501c3). Your donation is tax-deductible.


Possible uses:
Sponsor a brother or sister with a monthly bus pass:
$40 for regular, $26 for senior.

We have been doing this on a regular basis for a few people we have come to know over the past 10 months, and they are very grateful. One gentleman is 74 and does walk a great deal (sometimes 7-8 miles a day!) but really uses his bus pass during the heat, rain and cold times.
He has an apartment, but his living expenses are very limited - as we are coming to see is the case with many seniors in this country.


Sponsor a Saturday lunch
Meijer, Costco or other grocery gift cards - each Saturday we provide food for 80-100 people. Each person gets a sandwich (turkey & cheese or pb&j), yogurt (or soup), a banana or orange and cookies, water or ice tea (hot chocolate in colder months).

Get together with friends for fellowship and cooking. Prepare bag lunches. We have had various people do this - a great gift of time and treasure.

Send a check to cover cost of a Saturday. $75-$125 is spent each week, depending on what is served.

The temperatures will be declining in the upcoming months and that means warms coats, hats and gloves will be needed. Warm socks and thermal underwear are appreciated also. Larger sizes needed for men and women. Sometimes people get these needed items from the missions, but the missions rely on the donations from people like you.

Please pray for guidance on whether God is calling you to get involved. We realize there are many opportunities out there for all to serve the Lord.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Anyway

Anyway

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Yes, more words from Mother Theresa who tackled insurmountable hurdles, by the grace of our loving God, on her journey of faith. I admire this woman very much, but not because of her own merits. She would be the first to admit she was nothing but "a pencil in the hand of God." She was weak and humble, which allowed Christ to open the door wide for His great love and unfathomable mercy to shine through her upon many who were lost in darkness.

As we walk with Jesus to meet Him in the poor of spirit, we also meet many unreasonable, selfish, self-centered and dishonest people. At times, we are those people! How do we respond?

Yet, this one thing we do: "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, [we] press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

We forgive others and ourselves anyway even though they/we may not deserve it because our Lord forgives us every day though nothing we do can earn that forgiveness.

We act in kindness anyway because we are called to be "imitators of Christ" not each other's judge.

We succeed anyway because true success lies not in what we accomplish, but in our faithfulness - "faithfulness to take up our cross and follow Him."

We are honest and frank anyway because when we are honest with others in love, Christ is truly glorified. "be ready to preach the word; in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."

We are happy anyway because our happiness comes from Christ, not our circumstances. We try to share this with others to offer them hope.

We do good anyway even when others tell us our efforts won't make a difference on the large scale. We know that the Good Shepherd left His whole flock of sheep to look for just one who was lost, so we focus on one person, one soul at a time. We don't do good because the rules tell us to. We do good because "we are created in Christ Jesus for good works" and our loves compels us to charity.

We need unite with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in their unending prayer so that we can share and receive the Gospel at all times, and "when necessary use words."

Anyway, in the end "it will only be between us and our God, not us and them."

May the peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ reign in your heart, your mind and on your lips today and always. Amen!