[alyssacayley]

My church has a homeless outreach ministry where we take clothing, food, and other necessities downtown and hand it out to people living on the streets.

I've gone with the group about five times now, handed out the necessities, but never understood the seed we were planting as a church.

It wasn't until our last visit that I began to see our impact on our city.

We were standing on a street corner that was known for homeless people gathering on, with our boxes of clothes and sacks of food. This woman walked up and she was wearing a sweatshirt, that I had given the last time we came. The woman had nothing else with her, no purse, no bag of belongings.

But she had that big, warm, sweatshirt.

I teared up instantly, knowing that I had given that woman just a little bit of warmth.

I'm not trying to sound superior, rather I humble myself, but I think that giving someone a little bit of warmth (literally and spiritually) is what we're all after in part of our walk with Christ. I had no idea that giving someone a bit of warmth would bring such a warmth from the Father.

And since my church prays for the items we give to be a vessel of God's love, and to place the Holy Spirit upon the homeless, I know without a doubt that the woman with the sweatshirt was touched by God.

I'm also praising God that we were able to bless her a second time, and that through our ministry she may come to know that the King of the Universe loves her.

And yet, overall, trying to bless this homeless woman became more of a blessing to me. I'll never forget that woman and how much God showed me through her.

[Miki]

Alyssa...Thank you. It's so great to hear the blessings..Keep with that ministry. You will be blessed over and over again..

Thanks for telling us.

Father continue to bless and bring the warmth of fellowship to that broken portion of community l pray ..in Jesus name amen.

[chrio39]

Alyssa, I do hope you'll stay with us. You might be suprised how stories like yours inspire and challenge us. May God richly bless you!

[me2lord]

chrio39, on Nov 24 2009, 10:19 PM, said:

Alyssa, I do hope you'll stay with us. You might be suprised how stories like yours inspire and challenge us. May God richly bless you!

It is a greater blessing when we give ourselves to those in need around us. It is good to give to some organizations but the blessings are greater when they come directly through the disciple.

Giving to the needy is required by God, and God gives such great blessing to the individual who does these things for others. I am selfish in I want all the blessing from God I can get through the alms coming from myself.

If every person could give within their area of life where they live, each Christian everywhere would be able to help those in need so much. If it's not money or clothes and it is just the giving of the physical self to others. It brings such great blessings from God.

Give in the churches when you can, but to given of yourself in your private life brings such great joy and blessings every Christian should experience it.

LOL

[+Shine4Him+]

What a beautiful testimony
It's amazing how God can give us a heart for the poor and how he can use our fullness of heart to touch them and shine light to them. I'm sure the jumper is keeping the lady warm but it's the warmth of your heart which will show her God's love
For anyone reading this and thinking they would also like to do this kind of thing, but feels they don't have the love (which is essential)... please just ask Father because He supplies all our needs and gives good gifts! Boldness to... He can meet all our shorthcomings and give us more!