We only have one chance, let's make it count

I've noticed the older I get the more I visit friends in hospitals, attend funerals and hear about friends and colleagues dying. Sounds a bit morbid, I know, but it's just life.

If we are blessed to grow old, our bodies wear out and we die. That's just how it is in this fallen world, which leads me to wonder, are we really "blessed" to grow old? Is it worth all the sickness and heartaches? At the ripe old age of 51 - starring down that quickly approaching 52 - I'm thinking it is worth it and it is a blessing. After all, we only get one shot at this life. When it's over, it's over. There's no going back. No mulligans or do-overs.

We have one chance to make a positive influence on this world. With the recent passing of a former colleague and one of my best friends dying a few months ago, it's got me thinking, "Have I been setting the right example?" "Did I properly influence those two guys?" One I can say unequivocally I did. The other, I'm not so confident.

I guess it's easier to have a positive impact on a close friend than a colleague who lives a couple of hours away that you don't spend much time with. But, that's still no excuse. Every moment counts. Do I take advantage of each moment God gives me? I wish I could say yes, but I'm nothing if I'm not honest.

I've missed opportunities. I've made mistakes. In other words, I'm human. But, I don't like excuses. I make none. I just know I need to make the most of each moment and opportunity. I pray that I will.

What about you? Do you think about such things? Are you concerned about the influence you have on each person you meet? Should we? I think so. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I know my Lord and Savior wants to love through me and touch lives for His glory.

I really do care where people spend eternity. That's what matters most. The older I get and the more I understand Jesus and the Bible, I really understand that. I get it. Eternity is coming. There's nothing we can do to stop it. We do have a say where we spend it.

It all depends on what we do with Jesus here on earth. Do we receive His forgiveness and salvation? If so, Heaven, being with Jesus is our eternity. If we deny Jesus, we will be separated from Jesus for eternity. Those are the facts.

Therefore, making sure I show and tell others about Jesus is of utmost importance. It should be for every follower of Jesus. We have one chance, let's make it count for all eternity.

Help us provide Bibles for new believers

Pastor Prasad giving Bibles to new believers in India.

Just look at the smiles on the faces of our new brothers and sisters in India as they receive Bibles. These are previously unreached people who heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, believed, and are now becoming disciples of Jesus.

A very important part to making disciples is making sure they have the Word of God to study and learn. Our indigenous pastors are doing a great job of sharing the Gospel to unreached people groups in India. As the people become believers, we need to put Bibles in their hands. Pastor Prasad and our brothers in India are immediately starting discipleship with new beliebers, so having Bibles is of utmost importance.

It's the same in Pakistan. Our brothers and sisters there are sharing Jesus with unreached people groups, and they need Bibles for the new believers as well. How else will they learn about God and the commands of Jesus if they don't have Bibles?

Providing Bibles for new believers is an important part of our ministry here at Love In Action. Please help us provide more Bibles, in their indigenous languages, as more people are coming to Jesus in India and Pakistan. Our brothers and sisters in both countries cannot afford to purchase Bibles, so let's help them. You see the impact these Bibles are having on the faces of these precious new believers above in the photos. They are excited about their new lives in Jesus. We can help them grow in Jesus by providing Bibles.

As our indigenous brothers and sisters in India and Pakistan put their lives on the line every day for the sake of the Gospel, we need to come along side them and help them. This is one great way to do that. We not only can provide Bibles, but also give our brothers and sisters great encouragement that they are not alone in the ministry.

Please help us provide Bibles in their own languages by mailing your tax-deductible donations to: Love In Action, P.O. Box 85, Dothan, AL 36302. Please write "Bibles for India/Pakistan" on the memo of your checks. You may also give online via PayPal. Click on this link, https://loveinactionministries.com/donate, to go to our website, then click on the "Make a Donation" button to give securely through PayPal.

Thank you and God bless you for giving.

'Friday Night Light:' simply an awesome event

Ken with Russ and Nancy live on the radio during their "Friday Live"
show at the Love In Action Connected Coffee Cafe.

People donated 143 pairs of men's tennis shoes and work
boots to help us minister to the homeless in Dothan, Ala.

What happens when the Body of Christ comes together? People get saved and the "least of these" are helped.

The JoyFM 94.3/96.1 partnered with us this past Friday, May 25, to raise awareness of homelessness in Dothan, Alabama, and to encourage people to donate men's tennis shoes and work boots to help us give the homeless men we serve some much-needed shoes. We receive a large number of women's shoes, but not men's. So, when 143 pairs of men's shoes were donated through this partnership, we celebrated.

When JoyFM General Manager Mark Giles stopped by Love In Action to donate some men's clothes, I gave him a tour of our campus. Mark noticed our men's shoes choices were dismal, only a handful of well used shoes were available. I explained to him our challenge of getting men's shoes.

While we were in the coffee house, I told him about the Worship & Coffee Fellowship events we held last summer. He said why don't we partner on a coffee house event and ask people to donate men's shoes. Then he came up with the name, "Friday Night Light," with Jesus, of course, being the Light.

Excellent idea with amazing results.

The JoyFM did an excellent job promoting the event, and we both saturated social media. Russ and Nancy hosted their JoyFM Friday Live show from 3-7 p.m. at our Connected Coffee Cafe and a steady stream of people stopped by to donate shoes. It was a fun afternoon.

From 7-9 p.m. Dane Skipper led praise and worship. The coffee house was packed. It was great watching the Body of Christ coming together to lift up no other name than Jesus Christ. That's how God intended it to be. I also loved seeing people interact with the homeless who had never done so before. In some cases, they didn't even know they were talking to a homeless person. Not all homeless people are dirty and wear ragged clothing. Most of them do care about how they look and smell. That's one reason why we have a shower for the homeless and do their laundry.

These events do wonders for the homeless. It makes them feel like they are part of something, and they are. Also, how many times are the homeless invited to watch a live remote and register for gifts?

The greatest part about Friday was two people giving their lives to Jesus. Bro. Dan Levy of Love In Action saw them at the picnic table next to the coffee house. He went out and talked with them and led them to Jesus. Then later that evening a man came in looking to be a blessing to someone who is in a similar situation as he was in several years ago. We introduced him to the man who just got saved, and he was offered a job with an excellent starting salary. That couple saw God moving in their lives in amazing ways. They were in church on Sunday, too. 

We look forward to partnering more with The JoyFM. We make a great team.

Thank you to everyone who was part of Friday Night Light to make it such a success. Thank you to everyone who donated men's shoes. Thank you JoyFM, Dakota Coffee, and everyone who made desserts. Oh my! We had a lot of delicious sweets. Thank you to our volunteers for serving, and thank you to everyone who came out.

Our next Friday Night Light will be Friday, June 22. More details will be released soon. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page.

Click here for a photo album from "Friday Night Light."

Dane, Christal and Clay were wonderful leading worship for "Friday Night Light."

Everyone enjoying the fellowship at "Friday Night Light."

Successful Homeless Stand Down

Martha organizing T-shirts at the SEACH Homeless Stand Down.

Saturday is the one day we can sleep in after a long week of work, right? Not for nearly 100 volunteers who served at the Southeast Alabama Coalition for the Homeless outreach this past Saturday, May 19.

SEACH is a group of ministries and agencies who work together to end homelessness in Dothan and the Wiregrass. It's a show of unity that's not usually seen in most areas. We are thankful for that unity and cooperation. When we all work together, not worried about who gets the credit, the more people we can help and work we can accomplish.

The SEACH Homeless Stand Down is held every spring and fall. One of the goals of the event is to provide much-needed, life-necessary items to our homeless friends throughout Dothan. Tents, bug repellent, food, Coleman stoves, propane, hygiene items and sleeping bags are items the homeless need to survive.

We look at this as a hand-up, not a handout. The goal is to help the homeless come off the streets. To get there is a process. It's not as easy as saying, "Get a job and get your own place." I wish it was that simple. It takes time, but it's a process that can be done. I've seen many of the homeless over the years successfully come off the streets.

We are so blessed to live in a community filled with people who help when they know of a need. The community responded once again and provided items to fill 97 bags for the homeless. Ministries and agencies who work with the homeless interviewed and filled out forms on the homeless to determine their needs. We couldn't have met those needs without such a giving community. Thank you to everyone who donated.

The volunteers were amazing. They started showing up between 6-6:30 a.m. Despite the early hour and the heat and humidity, these volunteers went to work and smiled as they organized items and filled bags. By 9 a.m. the 97 bags were loaded up and delivered to the homeless. 

Thank you to everyone who came out. You were all wonderful. Thank you to Wiregrass 2-1-1 Executive Director David Duke and his staff, SEACH President Vickie Alleman, SEACH Vice President and Harbor Church Executive Director Kody Kirchhoff, and David Jamison for all of your hard work organizing the Stand Down. Thank you to everyone who was involved. It was truly a great day. To God be the glory!

Bro. Dan taping a homeless person's information sheet to a bag filled with much-needed items.

Wiregrass 2-1-1 Executive Director David Duke.

Harbor Church Executive Director/SEACH Vice President Kody Kirchhoff addressing
volunteers at Saturday's SEACH Homeless Stand Down.

Volunteers organizing items at the SEACH Homeless Stand Down.

A family prays over a bag of items they filled for a homeless person at the SEACH Homeless Stand Down.
There is power in prayer because of the One we pray to.

Worshiping Jesus in India

We loved worshiping Jesus with our brothers and sisters in India during our mission trip there in April 2018. Though we did not understand the words, we felt the Spirit of God moving as we worshiped. One day, every tribe, people and language will be in Heaven worshiping God together. What an awesome blessing to experience a little of that here on earth. To God be the glory!