It's the day after Thanksgiving, and yesterday was the first time that I have had the honor of hosting my husband's family in our home for Thanksgiving dinner.  It was a joy, and I am reminded of the blessings that we have been given - faith, family, and friends - and of God's grace that amazes me daily.
        As we closed the ministry center on Wednesday, I spent some time reviewing the month and compiling statistics for the necessary monthly reporting.  Over 230 families sought assistance - that translates to well over 550 people when you count the children and other dependents in each household.  Nearly 7,000 pounds of food distributed - and thanks to donors and prayer partners, that included meat and fixings to help with each household's Thanksgiving dinner.  We pray that each family will experience God's presence and grace as they have gathered together for their holiday meal.
        But the needs are so much deeper than food.  A  plaque on my office wall states, "The hunger for food is less difficult to fill than the hunger for love."  That is so true.  The women that I meet through our counseling and mentoring ministry often have one thread of commonality running through their lives:  they are seeking to fill a God shaped hole in their hearts with love from the wrong sources.  Grandmothers raising grandchildren because daughters are running the streets tell me that their daughters are just not settled down yet, that its what they themselves did at that age.  Oh, to stop the cycle!  Please pray that the truth of God's word and His blueprint for a fulfilled life will be imprinted on the hearts and minds of these young parents.
        And while you are praying, please remember to lift the parents and the volunteers alike who will be participating in the 5th Annual Christmas Toy Sale for Families in Need on Saturday, December 7.  This day is another way that we reach out to parents, providing them the fun and dignity of shopping for their children's Christmas gifts, gift-wrapping the presents, and treating the parents to complimentary cocoa and cookies.  Many times, there are instances of burdens being shared and prayed over between cafe hosts and hostesses and shoppers or even between shopping buddies and shoppers.  It is a day where we desire for God's grace to envelope every person there and the event  itself.
        Excited to see where God is leading us as we end 2013 and begin a new year of ministry!
Joyfully serving,
Donna