Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
Loretta is on the left with some of the stuff she and the Church Chicks collected to give away
I received an email from one of the saints called “The Church Chicks” at my former church, Granger Good Shepherd. Loretta has the spiritual gift of garage-saling. (See 3 Corinthians) Loretta and the Church Chicks have collected over 1100 stuffed animals in the last two years. In the last ten years or so, among other things they have collected over 13,000 pairs of socks, 15,000 lbs. of dog food, and held two fund-raising rummage sales at this small church every year. One time Loretta picked up a load of bananas from an overturned truck and delivered them to a zoo, food pantries and a shelter. Everyone got bananas at church that Sunday.
I get tired just thinking about all Loretta does. It is her gift and she is passionate about garage saling—wheeling and dealing for the Lord and people in need.
Loretta’s husband has been ill and she lost her beloved dog of 14 years at the end of June.
Here’s what Loretta wrote:
I had been down, sad and discouraged about a lot. Things were piling up at home with all the garage saling stuff. It was Wednesday, July 4th, and Bob needed to get out of the house, too, after a week of hiding out before surgery. So he drove me to Martin’s grocery. It was about 11 am when we headed home.
As we approached home, I saw a small child on a bike with training wheels in the shade in the street, crying with no one else around. Bob pulled over and I hopped out. She was around 4 years old, and all alone, lost. I asked her where she lived and what her was name. No answer.
She was so scared. So I called 911. A few minutes later, here comes Kent, our regular policeman we know well. He tried to get information from the child, but again to no avail. Kent goes to the trunk of his police car and offers the child a small blue teddy bear. She snatched it fast from him and hugged it tightly. As she relaxed, he gradually got some information from her.
Forty-five minutes later the police found her mother. She did not even know her child was missing because they had a large family gathering for the holiday.
It was wonderful seeing the effect the stuffed animal we got garage-saling had on the child. Officer Kent was so grateful as well.
But you know, the most wonderful thing was that all my thoughts and feelings of being tired and not useful were heard by God. He gave me a chance to see the point of all the trouble and work we do. He let me witness the comfort that these blessed animals, the same ones you blessed on Father's Day, have on children in trouble. Seeing this was a true gift to me.
I am so glad Loretta got to see Officer Kent use a teddy bear to comfort that girl. But God is using Loretta to help and encourage people even when she can’t see it. She has been an inspiration to me. Be encouraged! Don’t ever think that God isn’t using whatever you do for Him.
I get tired just thinking about all Loretta does. It is her gift and she is passionate about garage saling—wheeling and dealing for the Lord and people in need.
Loretta’s husband has been ill and she lost her beloved dog of 14 years at the end of June.
Here’s what Loretta wrote:
I had been down, sad and discouraged about a lot. Things were piling up at home with all the garage saling stuff. It was Wednesday, July 4th, and Bob needed to get out of the house, too, after a week of hiding out before surgery. So he drove me to Martin’s grocery. It was about 11 am when we headed home.
As we approached home, I saw a small child on a bike with training wheels in the shade in the street, crying with no one else around. Bob pulled over and I hopped out. She was around 4 years old, and all alone, lost. I asked her where she lived and what her was name. No answer.
She was so scared. So I called 911. A few minutes later, here comes Kent, our regular policeman we know well. He tried to get information from the child, but again to no avail. Kent goes to the trunk of his police car and offers the child a small blue teddy bear. She snatched it fast from him and hugged it tightly. As she relaxed, he gradually got some information from her.
Forty-five minutes later the police found her mother. She did not even know her child was missing because they had a large family gathering for the holiday.
It was wonderful seeing the effect the stuffed animal we got garage-saling had on the child. Officer Kent was so grateful as well.
But you know, the most wonderful thing was that all my thoughts and feelings of being tired and not useful were heard by God. He gave me a chance to see the point of all the trouble and work we do. He let me witness the comfort that these blessed animals, the same ones you blessed on Father's Day, have on children in trouble. Seeing this was a true gift to me.
I am so glad Loretta got to see Officer Kent use a teddy bear to comfort that girl. But God is using Loretta to help and encourage people even when she can’t see it. She has been an inspiration to me. Be encouraged! Don’t ever think that God isn’t using whatever you do for Him.
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