Support Our Troops

 

Would you like to support our military soldiers in some way but really don’t know how?  Maybe you don’t personally know a soldier, but want to do something to thank them and show them they are appreciated.

One way you can communicate your support is by writing cards and letters.  You probably won’t be able to write directly to a deployed soldier, although some organizations will let you adopt a soldier.  There are non-profits and community organizations that will accept cards and letters and then forward them to the soldiers.  Below are some that do just that.

Cards for Soldiers, C/O Charly Mathews, 388 E M 72 Hwy, Grayling, MI 49738

Support Our Troops, 1371 N. Nebraska Ave, Tampa, FL 33613,

Military Missions, Rd, Suite 138, Lexington, KY 40514

Operation Gratitud, Attn: Letter Writing Program, 9409 Owensmouth Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311

There are many organizations out there.  You just need to look for them.  There may be some right in your own city and even on Face Book.  Some websites for more information are:

https://www.operationwearehere.com/IdeasforSoldiersCardsLetters.html

https://military-missions.org/care-packages/cards/ 

https://www.operationgratitude.com/express-your-thanks/write-letters/

http://www.scrappingforsoldiers.com/html/greeting_cards.html

What to write in a card or letter?

• Start with Dear Veteran, Dear Soldier, or Dear Hero.
  
• Tell them thanks for their service, dedication, commitment, and sacrifice.
•  You don’t need to write a long letter.  A simple “thank you for your service” is sufficient.
•  You can tell them about yourself and talk about your interests.
• Avoid politics and religious beliefs.
• You can tell them you are praying for them.
• Always be positive, encouraging, respectful, and kind.
• Don’t include your email or address.
• Don’t add a date, because it may take some time for them to receive them.
• Children can send hand drawn pictures.
• Groups like school classes, Sunday school classes or scout troops can make it a project.

Ship all cards and letters together in a large envelope or box.   Don’t put them in individual envelopes, because they must go through a screening process.

Some organization send cards only at Christmas.  Christmas is an especially hard time for service men and women to be away from home.  They may feel isolation with spouses and children being so far away.  Sending Christmas cards is an easy way to show them you care. 

If sending Christmas cards, you may need to send them around September.  Be sure to check out the websites for more information.

You can buy a box of cards or you can make homemade ones.  They don’t need to be fancy.  It’s the thought that counts.

So lift the spirits of soldiers by sending cards and letters.  Remember, they are a long way from home and family.  They may need to know they are not forgotten and that someone cares.  You will also be blessed in the process.

Join me here next time.  --  I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

__________________________________________

 

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Is Church An Essential Service?

What are essential services?  That is the question!  Essential services during a pandemic are different than what is typical at any other time.  Of course services like food, housing, banking, water, heat and electricity, health care and hospitals, law enforcement and firefighting are very essentials at all time.  Essential service is anything that is vital to our health and welfare.  We also need workers to maintain these essential services.  During a pandemic the same things are essential, because without these services, sickness, poverty, violence and chaos will result.  Failure to continue basic services during a pandemic can result in many unnecessary deaths. 

BUT when you think about it, everything is essential to someone.  Everyone’s job is essential to them.  We need jobs to earn money so we can feed our families.  How will we survive if we don’t eat? 

Is church an essential service?  We need church.  We need fellowship with others.  We need encouragement from our Christian friends.  We need to be able to praise and worship the Almighty God with other believers.  Yes, we know God doesn’t live in a building and we can worship Him anywhere, because He is everywhere.  There is just something about being in a place of worship with others Christians.  You get a feeling of awe to be in His presence.  We need to be with other people.  Being part of a church, together with people, is an essential of spiritual health and maturity.

We can worship anywhere.  Prayer is an expression of worship.  Hearing and teaching the Bible is worship.  Singing is worship.  The act of gathering together in a church building is worship.   We complete our worship by encouraging and prodding each other to live out our purpose in Christ.  The Bible tells us we need to worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for spiritual growth.  “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” – Acts 2:42.  “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Heb 10:25.

Rev. 5:9-12 tells us that the believers in heaven will come together to praise God.  We are to praise Him in our homes, in His sanctuary and in His heaven. “Praise the Lord.  Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.” – Psalm 150:1-2.  Corporate gathering provide supernatural encouragement.  Our faith is not private, but it is personal.  We need to share it in the presence of other believers.  God values the gathering of His people.

There are many advantages by going to church.  There you will likely have some of life’s big questions answered.  The preaching of God’s Word will help set direction for your life.  It can help you define what you believe by helping you understand the Bible.  You will be able to pray for others and others will pray for you.  You will be encouraged by hearing the answered prayers of others.  It can help you take the focus off yourself and put your focus on God.  It can strengthen your faith and promote stability in your life.  It can and will literally change your life for eternity!  By going to church, it honors God.  To sum it up, churches offer essential services.

That said, we still have a responsibility to those around us even at church.  We still need to do social distancing and wear masks to protect others and ourselves during this pandemic.  During this pandemic, we may need to worship online instead of in person for a while.  I’m sure God will understand.  So be patient.  We all have a responsibility to ourselves and to others.

Join me here next time. -- I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

__________________________________________

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Heal Our Nation

We have so many blessings, but we have taken them for granted.  We’ve become spoiled and many have a sense of entitlement.  We are a generation of entitlements.  Everything we need is at our finger tips.  We expect to get what we want and then we want more and more.  We are never satisfied.  We think of ourselves and not others.  We treat others not the way we want to be treated, but the opposite.  It’s all about us.  We are far from humble.  We judge.  We complain.  We want everything and want to work for it as little as possible.  We’ve lost our moral compass.

So what can we do to change?  We can admit our selfishness, greed, pride and arrogance.  We can pray for wisdom and guidance.  It’s hard sometimes to know just exactly how to pray for our country.  Our hearts deeply ache for what is going on in American right now – and around the world.  We pray and pray, but it seems God isn’t listening to us.  God is faithful and He does hear our prayers.  He is waiting for us to surrender to Him and to love others as He loves.  We need to trust Him.  He knows what’s going on and He has a plan.  He can use evil and turn it into good.

Dear Father in heaven,
We call out to You in desperation.  We are under attack.  Our nation is in trouble.  We need You to heal our nation.  We need healing spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.  Calm the hearts and minds of all people.  Impress upon our hearts to be fair and just to all no matter race, status, background, or religion.  Show us how to bring change where change is needed without mobs and riots.

Convict our thoughts and turn them to Jesus.  Help us to do what pleases Him instead of what pleases our own desires.  Send revival before it’s too late.  Please bring unity to our world.  Please continue to hold our nation in the palm of Your hand.  Protect and restore us.  Bless your people and this nation.

Help believers be an example and a blessing to non-believers.  We pray for wisdom and guidance.  Pour out Your Spirit on our world.  Help us to discern between good and evil.  Fill our hearts with gratitude and thankfulness.

We ask that you purge our land from this coronavirus.  Remove the fear and replace it with faith.

Bring morality back and help us obey your laws and not our own evil desires.

We pray for our President and our leaders in government that they act fairly and obediently.  We pray that Your power will flow in their lives.  We pray for Your protection on all our law enforcement officers as well as our military.  Give them wisdom, protection and good judgment as they carry out their jobs.

In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

God says He will hear us, if we humble ourselves and seek Him.  Then He will restore peace to our land.

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, than I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Join me here next time. -- I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

_______________________________________________

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