784 - Do You have SWEET Sleep?

This year Speaking Thru Me Ministries is not asking for end of the year donations from individual donors. So if you are still needing a place to give to a wonderful Christian cause - HERE IT IT!!!!

Six years ago my friend, Jen Gash, started an organization called Sweet Sleep after seeing the conditions of children’s beds in an Eastern European orphanage. Today, Sweet Sleep provides beds and bedding for orphaned and abandoned children around the world (www.sweetsleep.org). They don’t just give the beds to orphans, they communicate God’s intentional creation of each child and His unconditional, unending love. They celebrate the children by throwing the biggest birthday party in the country. The children are even given Bibles in their own language and prayed with over their new beds. Finally, the children are told that when they lay down at night and pull the cozy new covers up around them, it is God---giving them a hug.

One week from today Jen will leave for Uganda where she’ll spend several weeks in the northern region of Gulu. This region has been in a brutal and senseless war for the last 22 years. A rebel army known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has been terrorizing the North, attacking villages during the night. During an attack, LRA soldiers kill anyone they want and force the children of these villages to kill their parents or be killed themselves. The children who are left alive are then kidnapped into the LRA army and forced to become child soldiers. These children have lived through tremendous atrocities.

Recently this war entered into a time of peace. However, there are 1 million people still living in displacement camps in Gulu; three-quarters of those people are children living in child-headed households. These children have lost their parents and their grandparents---two generations of people to protect and care for them, to tell them stories about who they are and who they could be, to teach them stories about God and how to live according to His word.

This Christmas---while Jen is in Uganda, Sweet Sleep hopes to give beds and Bibles to 450 children. If the children can lie in their new beds and know they are loved and protected and, if they can claim a verse they’ve learned which reminds them of this knowledge, they can begin to have little victories over the fear that grips them. That’s when peace and hope and love can slowly come to their little hearts.

But, Sweet Sleep needs our help.

218 more children still need beds ($88 each). Together, you and I can work to change and save lives. Here’s what is still needed, you can determine which opportunity suits you best:

· 218 mosquito nets. Malaria kills more people in Uganda than HIV/AIDS. Treated nets are $8 each.

· Mattresses for 218 children so they will be able to sleep up off of the ground for the first time in their lives. Mattresses are $50.

· Can you imagine not having a blanket to warm you during these chilly nights or sheets to sleep in? 218 more children still need to be able to be warm and snuggly. They can for just $30.

· Bibles are $10 each. There are 450 households for a total of $4,500.

You can make a gift right now by going to www.sweetsleep.org/donate or you can send your contributions to Sweet Sleep, PO Box 40486, Nashville, TN 37204 with “Gulu” in the special comments box online or in the memo line of your check. All gifts are 100% tax-deductible. If you still need a great idea for a Christmas gift, you can even make this a donation in honor or memory of someone and they’ll receive a card from Sweet Sleep telling about their special gift. You can read more about this at www.sweetsleep.org/givethegift.

Thanks friends…..for changing and saving lives.

783 - No Strings Attached

This weekend Patricia and I are headed to Longhollow Baptist Church in the Nashville area. I am going to participate in a special program for Single Mothers called the Gift. I am so very excited to see how it all works!

In my little town and in my little church I have noticed there are not a lot of options for the single mom nor are there a lot of options for the woman that comes to church by herself. Coming from the huge mega church where you could safely invite anyone you wanted to church and offer them a Sunday School class according to their coffee flavor, I have found it difficult to do the same here!

So, I was at a conference one time down in Nashville again where I heard a speaker tell about their new event called The Gift for single mothers. Where for half a day or like 5 hours the church called on all single mothers to come to the church with their children to be loved on and pampered for the day. The kids would be whisked away and she would then be able to relax and think about nothing but be treated like a queen for a day. It was their gift to the moms.

When I heard about this event it was as if God ignited my heart at that moment and said – duplicate that! So that is what we plan to do pending church approval. My SS class is on board, the pastor is excited, the Evangelism Com. is pumped, and deacons have got my back. So all is left is writing up a budget to present to the church for their approval. I am excited!!!

The verse that God has placed on my heart for this event is Ps. 129:4 “But the Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.” We are calling our event “No Strings Attached”. From this verse I see lots of directions I could go with the message I will be giving on that day.

1) we want to love on you with no strings attached

2) God will un-attach all the strings that are holding you down

3) God will love you with no conditions or strings attached – He is unconditional

4) We are called to love others with no strings attached

5) God can show you how to deal with those that seem to hold you back or down or have conditions for their love for you.

6) You will not be defined by what others have attached by you because His love will cut free the cords!

Yes, I am so very excited to do this. Our ultimate goal is to have a Sunday School class for the woman that comes to church without a spouse for whatever reason, for the woman that has found themselves in single motherhood, etc.

Lord Jesus – this is the plan, one that you are well aware of, and one that I pray you will continue to see come to fruition. I do need more volunteers and load carriers, but I think that will come easy once this passion is displayed to the church and the Lord ignites a few more hearts like He did mine! Father – I look forward to seeing Your mighty hand in this and for You to display your glory! I love you and I trust You!

782 - Don't Hang Around Her! Not!

Dear Lord, 2 days in a row for blogging!!!!!!!!! I have missed it so bad, and I think we are going to try running right after school. It is so cold at 5am and almost impossible to be motivated when it is that cold! Now I can get up at my regular running time and can actually write about what You have spoken to me. It allows Your Words to soak so much deeper into my heart.

Today I am heading off to the high school for my school's Special Olympics area competitions. We will be competing in basketball skills today! We have really worked hard to improve our skills and so I hope the kids..............have fun!! I am excited to be there to cheer them on!

This morning Lord Jesus I turned to Romans 16:17. "I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those that cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned."

I looked up what the words divisions and obstacles means in my lexical aids and it was quite interesting. Divisions is a person that really causes internal conflicts. One that tries to group people based on something they think needs to be done or someone that to gang people up on one another. Those that are trying to divide the church for whatever reason. (music, childcare, missions, whatever.......)

The word obstacle was very informative as well. The definition gave a word picture of what would be set for an animal to get trapped by. I would guess this trap could be set for someone very specific or it could be for anyone that walks the way of the trap and just happens to be caught.

I often wonder how we are to minister to those that cause divisions and such. How do we deal with those that want to set a trap for your spiritual "death"? There are those, even Christians, that want to see those in ministry fall - for what reason I don't know. But what does God call us to do with those that are so dangerous to the faith?

I find in this verse He calls us to "watch out for". Surprisingly it does not say to stay far, far, far away from and totally disassociate. No, it says to "watch out for". So to me, i think that puts the responsibility on us. Yes, the division causer and the obstacle putter (like those made up words?) will have to be judged for their heart and the actions it produced, but we too are responsible for our reactions to these traps.

Further down in this chapter Paul implores us to be "wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil". I don't believe innocent means turning our heads and acting like it never existed. No, innocent here I believe means innocent in not taking part, not falling prey to the trap, and not falling into the hands of a divisive argument or even conversation AND possibly dealing gracefully and gently with the one doing these things mentioned in the verse.

It would be much easier to have nothing to do with these kinds of situations. To stay far away from these kinds of people would be so much safer. But if i am honest I would have had to personally dissociate from myself. I would have to leave myself alone and not be with me. I have been guilty of being divisive, and I am sure I have set a trap or as i said before been an obstacle putter for some reason. We don't do this always consciously, but it can be done without us even realizing.

But no, God calls us to "watch out" but still be wise in dealing with these situations. As much as I would like to, I can not put my head in the sand and ignore! Oh Lord, Help!!!!!

My SS ladies and a few others from the church have decided to do the Bible study by Jen Hatmaker called Interrupted. I am so pumped!! I have read the book and it was so compelling! The ladies are doing this and and my hubby will be teaching Crazy Love to compliment us in SS class. I really think we are going to have some Crazy Interrupted Love flowing from these people. And no better time that the Holidays to get us trained to begin thinking about a life of giving!!!!! I am excited!!!!!

781 - She said yes with no hesitation!

"Leigh, can you help me? My son is stuck in a big dangerous city and we can not get to him for hours. Do you know anyone that can come get him until we can get there?", this was the panic coming from the other end of the phone from my dear friend.

Let me back up and tell you about my dear friend, the one who was so panicked for her son. This is a lady that I love. She has given me an open door policy to come to her at any time about any thing! She is always incredibly honest and never sugarcoats. She looks out for me and treats like her own! It is a privilege to call her my mentor, but certainly my friend! I love her!

Needless to say when I got the phone call of her needing help, it didn't matter what it was I was going to do everything in my power and the power of the Holy Spirit to help! She has never told me no when I needed her and I was not going to either!

Now for another friend, Teresa! This is the most dedicated, organized, no bull, priorities straight kind of gal I have ever met. If Teresa says she is going to be there, she is and 5 minutes early. Teresa is one I can count on for anything!

So as the phone was ringing I am saying under my breath, "Oh, Lord, let Teresa be there and not busy." Teresa answered the phone and it went something like this!

Hello -

Hey Teresa, it's Leigh and I really need some help.

Ok, it everything alright? What is it? I can help!

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Ok, let me stop right there and tell you how stunned I was. Teresa never asked what the problem was. She never told me first she was having company over. She never said how busy her day was and that the the huge 15 ft. tree was being put up. She never complained that it was Sunday after a long Thanksgiving and it was time for the kids to go back to school. All Teresa did was say - What do you need and I can help!!!! There was no hesitation!

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My mentors son was driving back to college and he is stuck in a rough part of town with a broken down car. Is there any way you or Chester can go get him? Of course the momma is a bit panicked. Dad is on his way, but still 4 hours to get him!

Teresa immediately replied, "Yes, just give me the address and I will see where he was at. Hmmmm, yeah, I see where that is. It is about 45 minutes to an hour from me and I can go get him right now. Give me his number and I will be on my way."

Do you have any plans or anything tonight? Is this inconvenient?

We have some friends or family coming over for dinner, but Chester and the kids can entertain while I am gone. Or I can entertain while Chester is gone - no big deal whatever we figure out! I am leaving now and he will be fine!

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I have to say that I didn't expect anything different from Teresa. I would not have instinctively thought to call Teresa if I thought there would have been a different answer. But after backing away from the situation and thanking the Lord for the whole ordeal being worked out the Lord reminded me of how much like Jesus Teresa is!

1) She said yes with no hesitation. When Jesus calls me - do I say yes first before I hear the details?

2) Never a complaint or even a telling of her issues at the moment - just yes, what is it?

How many times do I want to tell God all the things I am involved with as if He doesn't know!

3) Teresa was so organized and prepared that when HE did call on her and the plans changed she was prepared and ready to say yes and go! Am I prepared at a moments notice for change when He calls - without hesitation?

4) Teresa has a solid yes and never backs out! She knows what she is called to and gives her all! Am i spread so thin that I am not firmly committed to anything?

Teresa, I don't know if you will ever read this, but I thank you!! Thank you for helping out my mentor, but more than anything thank you for showing me Jesus on that day!!! I love you my friend!