Author: Anna Lee

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh.

Is there anything too hard for Me?”

~Jeremiah 32:27, NKJV~

James Morgan of Amite is home.  The doctors did not identify his problem, but he is better.

Operation Christmas Child (from OCC facebook page)

• The OCC Relay Center at FBC in Elgin, TX make handmade items for their shoebox gifts. These items include puzzles made from popsicle sticks, dresses with matching dolls, magnetic fishing games, crocheted hair accessories, and sewing kits! You can find instructions on how to make many of these items on our Pinterest page here: http://bit.ly/OCCpinterest1
• A shoebox recipient in South Asia shared her testimony, “I am twelve years old and come from a very poor family. I have five brothers and sisters. Our father works in a brick factory and I also make bricks with my family. I have never been to school, church, or Sunday school. Whenever I would see the other kids going to school, I would think that God doesn’t love or care for us. I believed that was why He made us poor. Last month I asked my parents for new shoes because my old ones were spoiled, but they refused because they didn’t have any extra money. I became very upset and angry. In my heart I asked, ‘why did God make us so poor that we can’t even buy a pair of shoes.
  “A few days later I received a shoebox gift at the local church. When I opened the box I was amazed to see a pair of beautiful shoes that were my size and several other lovely gifts. That day they told us that God always loves and cares for us, regardless of who we are. I realized that God loves me and decided that I will also love God. I was able to attend school with the other children in my village. I am so thankful to God and those families who send these gifts to us from a country faraway.”
• After one distribution event in Lithuania, one young woman came up to us and told us that she had received a shoebox in the same place ten years ago. She hardly could hold her tears back because the event and the shoebox she received at that time made a great impact in her life. Her parents would not allow her to go to church, but she would read the booklet ‘The Greatest Gift of All’ and pray to Jesus. This year she came to the OCC event with her child and decided to join the local church.
• “I’m working on making drawstring tote bags large enough for the shoe box to fit in! The child can carry all their goodies or their whole box in it if they’d like too! – Simply Shoe Boxes
• “Love wasn’t put in your heart to stay. Love isn’t love until you give it away.” – Michael W. Smith
• A former shoebox recipient, now living in Spain, shared his testimony, “Some years ago, when I was a child living in Peru I received a box from OCC. It was really special for me to receive some toys as my parents were really poor. Now I love to volunteer in the Processing Center in Spain to make it possible for more children, living in difficult situations, to receive these boxes with gifts just for them. ”

      I hope you have that “Christmas is August” spirit.  By starting early, we have               plenty of time to make our purchases or make our crafts.  Enjoy this special                 “giving” project.

Devotional, Scriptures, and a Song

• “Our Foundation” –  http://odb.org/2014/08/20/our-foundation/

• For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.                                                                     ~1 Corinthians 3:11~                                                                                                                                              “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”                                                                                 ~Matthew 7:25-26~

• “The Solid Rock” –  http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/y/myhopeis.htm

Take advantage of the opportunities God gives you to be a witness.

Anna Lee