Increased Opportunities for Ministry!

Dear Faithful Friends:
     In Matthew, the 18th chapter, Jesus called a child to His side as an example and told His disciples, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in.  Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom.  What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.”   Childlike faith seems simple; yet for adults who are busy going about the complexities of life, how do we do it?  Recently, a friend related a true story to me that illustrates this beautifully.
     My friend described to me that she had had a very “down” day.  Ever have one of those?  The checkbook looks bleak.  An unexpected phone call with bad news.  A bill that is unusually high.  Or maybe just no energy – can’t really put your finger on it – but no matter, your “joy meter” is not registering very high on that day.  My friend was having one of those days.  So after dragging herself through another work day, she needed to stop at WalMart for some things that she needed at home.  Not exactly your “pick me up” place to go – especially if there are long lines and little assistance, but go she must; so she battled the parking lot, parked, made her way into the store and exhaustedly plopped into one of the battery operated cars.  She
could not take another step on her own.
     As she found her needed items and made her way to the cash register, she must have looked tired, weary, and worn.  Nearby, a young boy was helping his mom with her shopping.  Without warning, he approached my friend from behind, wrapped his arms around her, gave her a huge hug, and walked away.  She describes the next moments as if the Holy Spirit moved her in a most palpable way.  This child, who she had never seen before, and who could not even see her face at the time, was moved to express such care for her.  Almost immediately, she felt awash with God’s spirit of encouragement, knowing full well that He had brought the touch of a child with a willing spirit to show her His love.
    We talked about her experience a few days later, and we marveled at God’s way of using children.  Reminded of Christ’s words to His disciples in Matthew 18, it seems poignant to note that when a person’s childlike faith is totally dependent on the Lord, he or she does not even see evidence of a need; the Lord’s eyes are more than adequate.  We just need to allow Him to do the leading.
    We have been praying collectively at the center and privately as well for God’s leading to “expand the territory” and show us in what manner He would desire it done.  He has answered our prayers in some unexpected ways.  The recent storm events in our state and needed disaster relief, a young man in the neighborhood who has come to ask for help to overcome his drug addiction, the young mothers in the neighborhood who are eager to begin a “group” to talk about ways to become the family and home that will be healthy for their children, the increased number of guests just in this first week of May, all point to a direct answer from God to the question, “Where, when, and how, Lord?”  Already in May, we have seen a third of
the number of families seen the entire month of April. 
    The territory is indeed expanding.  As of May 1, Forest Park Ministry Center is serving zip codes 36104, 36105, 36106, 36107, 36108, and 36109, and guests are eligible for services if needed every three months instead of four.  We look forward to what God has in store for ministry as we approach the summer months.  Please pray for Victoria Bye, our summer missionary who will be joining us in the coming weeks.  (By the way, a huge congratulations to her – she is the 2011 Jimmy Hitchcock Award recipient – and we are so excited to see what God is doing in her life!)  Children’s activities, reading programs, gardening (a huge thank you to Heritage – their herb and vegetable garden is going to be a fantastic learning tool
for the Child Development Center and a harvest of blessing in fresh produce for the center’s guests!), another Mission Serve project at the center in July, and so much more!  We praise the Lord for His provision, for your faithful prayers and support, and for His leading.  May we put our own agenda
aside and allow Him to lead us in ministering in the neighborhood.  May you experience the Lord’s  leading and blessings as you walk in fellowship with Him.
Joyfully serving,
Donna McCullough, Director
Forest Park Ministry Center
http://www.forestparkministry.blogspot.com/
forestparkministry@yahoo.com
2026 East 4th Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36106
(334)269-5726

Living an Investment Lifestyle

Investment into the lives of others is the method that we desire to use through the ministries at Forest Park Ministry Center. Ultimately, that kind of investment will allow us to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Hope that faith in Him will bring to this lost world. Fifteen years ago, “Bill and Brenda” befriended a family that needed assistance in their church. Although a loving family, there were challenges that both parents faced that prevented their being able to provide for their children some of the basic needs that most of us take for granted. Bill and Brenda befriended the family, and through the years, they have provided transportation, advocated when needed, and mentored both parents and children. Several years ago, when Bill and Brenda found it necessary to move their membership to a sister church, they assured the family that they would not leave them and the friendship that they had developed. And they kept their promise. Today, Bill and Brenda continue to invest in the lives of these family members and have received the blessing of seeing children grow and develop, take on responsibility, and being considered “adopted grandparents”.
Through the ministry center, we continue to visit new mothers through the layette ministry. Please be in prayer for us as we implement a new way to encourage moms to reflect on and actively pursue direction in their own lives and the lives of their children.
In the past month we have rejoiced over answered prayers and over a new believer, and we pray fervently for those who have
thoughtlessly stolen manhole covers near the center, creating a danger for the children who play in the neighborhood. We have wept over illnesses and job losses among our guests, and we have sought to show en-
couragement and hope to those who are discouraged. One hundred & five families received food assistance, clothing, and a touch of Christ’s love.
Spring break has brought exciting participation from youth both here in the Montgomery area and, just this past week, from Newnan, Georgia, to help with much needed work at the center. We are thrilled with the fresh paint and the beautiful flowers at the center, and hope that all who visit will not only feel the warmth of Christ’s love, but also the evidence of His beautiful creation. We look forward to other students who will be investing time and talents through community ministries.
Thanks for your prayerful support for the ministry through Forest Park. May God enrich your walk with Him during this season of remembrance of His powerful and loving sacrifice on the cross; and may we all glory in the Hope of His Resurrection!

Observations on a Lifestyle Apart from God's Will

In recent days, my heart and mind have been drawn repeatedly to homes being torn apart, families in crisis because of decisions made with ramifications that resonate to all members of the family. I know that this is nothing new, and I have no claim to righteousness of my own, for sure – cleansing because of Christ’s blood is our only Hope! But increasingly, the attitude of going about life in ways that honor only personal satisfaction seems to be the norm. I was struck in the face with this very thing during a recent home visit to a new mom.
“Lora”, an attractive and seemingly mature 30 year old, had just given birth to a new baby. The mother of a grade-school-aged child already, Lora was explaining to me that she was not certain of her wisdom in having another child “at her age”. (Already, my mind’s wheels are turning – I think 30 is still very young!) Never in her conversation was there a sign of regret for not having a father in the home for her children. In fact, she told me that this child was really for her mom who wanted another grandchild to help raise. Furthermore, the family seemed grounded in their church and extended family, so family values did appear to be important to them in many regards. Needless to say, I was confused by the dichotomy of views and values that this young woman lived by.
I visit single moms often. Many times, there are fathers who are in the picture, but not married to the mother of their children; sometimes there are fathers who have been unhealthy or dangerous influences, so they are no longer in the picture. Often, women are just not concerned about the need to be married to the father of their children. So why are so many young women purposely choosing to have families with no father in the home for their children? I turned to mentors who have worked with people in poverty for many years for some insight, and learned several things:
1. When a woman has children in her teens, she is generally not mature enough to raise them on her own. That is where grandmothers step in to help raise the children. By the time the mother herself is more mature and responsible, her own children are becoming mothers themselves, and the cycle continues – grandmothers raising grandchildren. I remember stories of my own grandmothers marrying in their teens and beginning their families early in life, but there is a different element – the planning of a family in God’s way, with a mother and father committed to one another in marriage prior to having children. This demonstrates a responsible maturity that we are not seeing among many of today’s families.
2. Girls today are being encouraged to pursue education. One statistic shows that for every one minority male in college, there are five females. It does not appear that education is being stressed as diligently for males, perhaps because the emphasis is placed upon working as soon as possible. This often means that males will pursue jobs that require physical labor suitable more for the young than for older men – jobs that do not have long term promise for income suitable to support families. Young educated women want committed relationships with young men who have their same goals and values.
3. Therefore, many homes in today’s society are matriarchal. In many cases, the young men growing up in such homes have never had a male role model at all in their home. They are learning by example that the norm is for the woman to be the leader in the home – negating the need for a strong father leader.
4. Finally, our current system of governmental assistance perpetuates this issue. I don’t need to get into a tirade over social justice issues or politics, but it is a fact that a man and a woman living together unmarried will draw more income and benefits individually that can be pooled together than will be the case should they marry. That is why we sometimes find couples who do want to marry, but feel that they cannot because their benefits will be cut.

Would you join me to commit to pray for these families and for our own families, that we will be faithful to apply God’s principles to our homes? Would you join me in praying for God to open our eyes to discover His way to reach people in this day and time, to promote Godly principles, to raise men and women of Godly integrity? Would you pray for us at Forest Park Ministry Center as we seek to reach out to people in need, meeting physical needs in order to earn the right to talk to them about these deep spiritual needs?
In February, we saw a slightly smaller number of families due to the shorter month and also due to tax credits and instant refunds that provided resources not available in other months. Nearly one ton of food was distributed to the families that were seen, and among the 72 families that we worked with, there was a middle aged mother who, with the generous assistance of a sponsoring church, was reunited with her adult children who could help her both with medical needs and reestablishing her life after a tumultuous relationship. Another older woman is battling cancer and having a very difficult time making ends meet, so the members of a supporting church and its Ladies’ Prayer group assisted her to catch up on her utility payments. One family is frightened and worried because the father is not able to be with them or to work for many weeks, leaving a mom who has no job and several children wondering what the future holds, so volunteers have reached out to assist this mom and her children. Please continue to lift all of the guests of our center who struggle with daily life and who desperately need the Hope of Jesus.
A huge shout out to the men of Thorington Road Baptist Church! Thanks for cleaning the grounds this week – what a blessing to have all of the debris removed, making way for a safe environment for Backyard Bible Clubs this spring and summer! Also, welcome to our newest volunteers at the center – Carol Sorrells and Sherry White, who are teaching Conversational English to a Mixtecan mom and tutoring her children, respectively, each Thursday; and to Martha Dempsey, who is our newest intake volunteer on Wednesday afternoons. Each of these women is a valuable asset to the ministry, along with all of the other volunteer missionaries who give of their time and talents to God’s kingdom work. We look forward to other individuals and groups who will be joining us in ministry and missions projects in the coming weeks and months.
I am praying that each of you experiences the beauty of God’s creation, His blessings, and His power in your lives.
Joyfully serving,
Donna McCullough, Director
Forest Park Ministry Center