Volunteering, lets make it a party!

I am sitting here working on the schedule for this Sunday and thinking back on how AWESOME last Sunday was! We gave away book bags, had over 300 in attendance and just had a Party for GOD with inflatables, sno cones, and an outdoor cafe. But, what really sticks in my mind is all the volunteers that came out and helped make last Sunday work!

We had volunteers all over the place. The parking lot was covered, our out door cafe going strong, sno cone machine was always busy, the inflatables were a big hit, and then the greeters that helped everyone with whatever was needed. We also had 7 people baptized during the service which in my mind just put us over the edge! The best thing was seeing all the smiling volunteer faces and warm hearts that wanted to help. "Party" seems to be a good word. This is the way we need to think about celebrating every Sunday! Celebrate new lives given to GOD and regular attenders just loving GOD.

Now, to real life and everyday. As long as we have something special that we look forward to, we are more than excited to serve. But, the special thing that we should be looking at is being excited to party/serve GOD every Sunday! I know it is hard when it is hot, rainy, cold, or we would just like to sleep late, but we need to remember that Jesus suffered a lot more for us! We should worry more about the person that is taking that first step to get to know GOD, the regular attender that may just be having a hard time and is confused about what they are feeling, or just ones that are happy to be there. We never know how a person is going to feel when they come to church. We as volunteers may be the first step to someone excepting Jesus and going to Heaven. NOW, that is something to party about.

This is your formal invitation to come and volunteer/party with me every Sunday!!! Lets make sure that we do not miss one opportunity to make sure that everyones salvation is taken care of. RSVP to Rayeanne@anchorchurch.us.

HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE PARTY!!!!!

Love my life!

I am sitting here in my office at the church and I hear the children from the summer camp downstairs playing games and now starting to watch a movie, LOVE the sound of children. This made me take a trip down memory lane and to my life in the last year and half.

GOD gave me the opportunity to end up serving him full time. Now talk about a surprise. If you had asked me 1 1/2 years ago I would be in ministry full time, I would of told you, you were crazy. I have had trials and tribulations in my life that in some instances would of made people without faith turn away from GOD. But I have always turned towards him.

Well, I had foot surgery in February 2009 and during that time I got to do my Volunteer Director job full time (as much as a foot/cast will let you). This gave me a glimpse if what GOD could do for me and what serving him could do for me. I love doing it full time but knew that I had to keep my job downtown. HAD to have the money I was making to live. Well, fast forward to December 2009 and in one instance I was laid off. I did not know what we were going to do but I just gave it to GOD and asked him to handle it because we could not do it alone.

Fast forward to today, I have been at my Volunteer Director job full time since December (not paid), GOD has handled all of our money situations, even to the point of being able to go on a missions trip to Puerto Rico in a few weeks, and also able to start paying off debt to become debt free! We are now facing 2 months of my husband not having a pay check during the summer and I know GOD will handle that too! NOW that is GOD in motion!

What I want for you to take away from my story is if you do what GOD ask us to do he will take care of you! I am not saying it is an easy ride but have faith and GOD will answer prayers and take care of you! THANK YOU GOD!

Ask GOD and you will receive!

I know that all of my life and probably most of yours, you have been told that if you just tell GOD what you need, he will give it to you! Well, I know that is hard to believe that someone we can't even see can give us our hearts desires. Well, do I have a story for you!!!

Rick and I have been struggling with wanting to go to Puerto Rico (Missions trip) but not having the money to do it. Being on unemployment and Rick working for the school system did not help LOL! God had been telling us he wanted us there, so we tried scrimping every little penny, selling some jewelery, even knowing we would be getting some rebate checks etc... Well as things went, every step we took, Satan was right there fighting us all the way and nothing worked out for us to get the money we needed! The last day for the money came and we had the money in checking, but also had the bills that needed to be paid, also our tithe check to give. I sat at the desk and looked at the checkbook and said a little prayer to GOD that I was going out on a limb to write this check and the tithe check, he knew what we needed. I handed Chuck the check and thought "OK, what do we do with all the bills?"

We paid what little we could and tried to figure out the rest. Well, the most amazing thing happened! I received a rebate check (thank you GOD) from a Dr. where I had foot surgery over a year and half ago, then Saturday night, Chuck came up to me and handed me my Puerto Rico check back. I could not figure out what was going on??? Well, what I did not know was that some very special people in our church was trying to get sponsorship money for us (GOD at work) Well, it came through and our whole trip was paid for. The most amazing thing was my check for Puerto Rico and the rebate check together came up to exactly what we needed for the bills we had held back!!

As I said, all my life I had been told "just tell GOD what you need and he will give it to you!" Now I can not say that he just handed it to us. We really tried every way possible to come up with the money, and I do believe that serving, tithing, and trying to live as he request also helped. But bottom line is pray, believe, do what GOD request & JUST ASK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Volunteering and the Community

On Wednesday I had the opportunity to be a part of The Anchor doing what it does best, Volunteering & Community Service! We got to prepare and serve The Locust Grove Police and Fireman lunch. It was a beautiful day, with a bunch of wonderful volunteers! We had regular volunteers and new volunteers, but what I felt the most was the kinship that we all had. We were all there for the same reason, to be of service for which GOD calls us to do. The time flew by and we realized that a couple of hours were already gone.

This is what God wants us to do, serve him! It does not feel like an obligation or a job, it just feels great! If you have not had that feeling then come see me, email or call and I will be glad to talk with you about volunteering and serving God! We are planning on doing this once a month during the summer. There is also plenty of other ways to volunteer!

Thank you to Jennifer Carlile for heading this up. Your the best!!!

Volunteering, I just don't have the time.

Well, summer is almost here and everyone is thinking, "what are we going to do or, where are we going for vacation". The more important question now and for the future should be what can I do to be serving GOD! If it was not for GOD, we would not even be on this earth to be going to school, work, planning vacations etc...

I know you are sitting there reading this and saying " I just don't have the time in my busy schedule". Well, just think that if GOD during his time of creation had said "I have been so busy that I just don't have time in my schedule to create man, where would be be??? It is as simple and complex as that. GOD has given us everything and we should be able to give back just a small amount of our time.

Volunteering on Sundays and community activities are some of the ways that you can start. We are always needing volunteers in all the areas. It really is a rewarding feeling to being doing something for The Anchor and for GOD.

As the summer is beginning and you are making your plans, pray to GOD to lead you where he wants you and then take that leap of faith and volunteer!