PRAISE

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so …” (Psalms 107:2)

Power, Redemption, Affirmation, Inspiration, Sanctification, Exaltation

Volume 10 Issue 3                                                                                                     December 2009

Hands Up Ministry

PHILIP MORRIS USA INC.

THE ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

The Servant Team – Leaders:

Deidre Schilling, Delois Maddox, Karen Page,  Sandy Witherspoon, Paul Thompson, Stephanie Wilkes, and Jackie Hager

Emeritus Leaders

Tom Meadows, Roy Campbell, Ralph Brown, Ruth Johnson and Richard Hatcher

The Twelve Disciples – Prayer Team

George Foreman, Ivan Pope, Janet Taylor, Juanita Langley, Margie Jasper, Denise Warren, Karen Page, Tom Meadows, Pam Barden,  Deedre Dickerson and Tee Williams

Love Fund Coordinator:

Karen Page

Newsletter Staff:

Tom Meadows

If you would like a copy of this newsletter, contact Tom Meadows and give him your home and/or e-mail address.

PRAISE JESUS

The Newsletter staff is always looking for roving reporters, writers and publishers.  Anyone interested in serving God through this publication, please contact a member of the Servant Team or Tom Meadows at

HATYILYTILYAJLY

Has anyone told you

I love you

Today?

I love you

And

Jesus loves you!

If you need prayer contact Karen Page or any member of the Twelve Disciples or the Servant Team

Prayer Ministry

The one thing that holds this ministry and our work together is our prayer ministry headed up by Karen Page and the prayer team known as the Twelve Disciples.  Did you know that our prayer register has over 300 requests to date?  Each of the names is called out to the Lord everyday not just on Wednesday.  It is a humbling thing to call out 300 names to the Lord knowing that you need as much prayer as any of these names.  Many people will be touched by the Lord through Hands Up Ministry who otherwise might never attend church.

Hands Up Meetings

Are You Available?

Tuesdays: United Christians of Alleghany Warehouse Company:  12:20 PM – 12:50 PM  

West Mart One :  Noon -1:00 PM 

Wednesdays: “The Light” at Park 500:

12 PM – 1PM

Manufacturing Center /Commerce Center– Praying for revival of meetings at these locations.

Operations Center – Closed

Headquarters/HQA -Will begin in January 2010 - Schedule To Be Announced

 MISSIONS AT WORK

INVESTMENT FOR AN ETERNITY

By

Tom Meadows

Our next project scheduled for the spring of 2010 is in Resolana, Mexico.  This a mission church being sown by the mother church of Bella Vista.  Because God is faithful when people are not , we have been provided with the finances to pay off the land ($1200) and pay for the building ($10,000).  We could still use some financial assistance for some who are going.

All you can do  to help will be blessed and appreciated.  We could also use some more volunteers to go as team members which will change your life.  As of this writing Karen Page and I are the only two members from Hands Up Ministry that will be going on the trip.  We need three more at this writing.

Pray for La Resolana Church

Pray for our churches in the Dominican Republic.

Villa Progresso Church

El Curro Church

Be missions minded not absent minded.

Jesus is better than Santa

Santa lives at the North Pole.  JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh. JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year.  JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies.  JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited.  JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. And then enters your heart.

You have to stand in line to see Santa. JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap.  JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what’s your name?"  JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly. JESUS has a heart full of love.

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO.  JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry.  JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.

Santa's little helpers make toys. JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but  JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree. JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It's obvious there is really no comparison.  We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about.

We need to put Christ back in Christmas.

Jesus is still the reason for the season.

What Equals 100%?

What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they
are giving more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to

Quilt of Holes

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares.. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.

An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.

Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!

God determines who walks into your life ...it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go..'

Father, bless all my friends in whatever it is that you know they may need this day! And may their life be full of your peace, prosperity and power as he/she seeks to have a closer relationship with you.. Amen.

Installing Love

Tech Support:  Yes, ... how can I help you?
 
Customer:  Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love. Can you guide me through the process?
 
Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
 
Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?
 
Tech Support:  The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?
 
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?
 
Tech Support: What programs are running?
 
Customer:  Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and Resentment running right now.
 
Tech Support:   No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer   disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?
 
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
 
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.
 
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?
 
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.
 
Customer:  Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components."  What should I do?  
 
Tech Support:  Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.
 
Customer: So, what should I do?
 
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files:   Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.

Customer: Okay, done.
 
Tech Support:  Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will   overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.
 
Customer:  Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?
 
Tech Support:  Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.
 
Customer: Thank you, God.

Cherokee Legend

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth*s rite of passage?
His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him
and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he*s a
MAN.
 
He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him.
Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!
     

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and
he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
 
We, too, are never alone. Even when we don*t know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.  

If you liked this story, pass it on. If not, you took off your
blindfold before dawn.
 
Moral of the story:
Just because you can*t see God, doesn't mean He is*not
there.
 

*For we walk by faith, not by sight.*

V

HOLY HUMOR

A father was approached by his small son who told him proudly, "I know what the Bible means!" His father smiled and replied, "What do you mean, you 'know' what the Bible means? The son replied, "I do know!"
"Okay," said his father. "What does the Bible mean?"
"That's easy, Daddy..." the young boy replied excitedly," It stands for

'Basic Information Before Leaving Earth.' (This one is my favorite)

 =======
 
There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her
brother in another part of the country.
"Is there anything breakable in here?" asked the postal clerk.
"Only the Ten Commandments." answered the lady.

========
There is the story of a pastor who got up one Sunday and announced to his
congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets."