CGM Update-Summer 2011 Newsletter

First Day of School & Ways You Can Get Involved w/CGM

We started our fall yr of homeschooling here at Light House Academy and I must say, prayers from family and friends did me well! Thank you all! Homeschooling intimidates me. I am very impatient, easily irritated and I can sometimes not be the life of the party. God gave me grace today and I for that I am very thankful! I hope the rest of the year is like this. Please continue to pray for me. My life can be very overwhelming at times. 

Today was also the first day of our after school program, kaiya and I was so excited about pulling up at the building and being greeted by so many of the new and old kids! When I pulled into the gate, a group of them came running to my car to hug us and my heart just melted with joy. I heart these little suckers, man, I pray they love the Lord boldly!! As I sit at home tonight and think about our after school program and ministry, I cant help but to think about our economy and all that is happening with that and how it has effected us as a ministry. In the beginning where it was easy to invite tons of kids into our home and feed them from a ministry budget that gave us the freedom to do that, due to hard times, that isn't so easy to do anymore. ( but do believe, we continue to practice hospitality by FAITH) We need funding! I cant image what would happen if we needed to cut back on other things. Things that are important, things that have been influential to our kids and their families. We need your help, we need your prayers. I know Satan would love to see us shut down, ( and honestly probably  many people in our city too) but we know and TRUST GOD will provide!

I heard a christian hip hop artist say, " we don't sweat a recession, provision is made for His Bride".
I'm so thankful that I can TRUST in a GOD who owns a cattle on a thousand hills!


Our ministry is growing, more staff is needed, number of kids count is going up in our program.  This ministry will not function without donors. One-time gifts are greatly appreciated, but pledges are what will sustain our ministry. If you would like to contribute to CGM, you may do so in the following ways: 


1. Write a check:  Checks payable to: Common Ground Montgomery, P.O. Box 1866, Montgomery, AL 36102.


 2. If you feel lead to give MONTHLY, QUARTERLY OR ANNUAL PLEDGE - please talk with our administrative staff to set up this option. Call 334.593.5803 or email:commonground@cgmal.org.


3. If you would like to donate from our website you can click the link here to set up your online donation.


Thank you for your willingness to serve the Lord through your giving to our ministry. Thank you for being apart of what the Lord is doing on the westside of Montgomery, Al!

Hungry

"I am the Bread of life; he who comes to me will not hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst"- John 6:35

The verse above has been my meditation for today. To be full in Jesus, to be content in Him being the Bread of life just sparks so many emotions within my heart. I've been learning what it truly means to feast at the LORDS table. To really learn what it means to have my soul fatten in Jesus Christ.
 I've also seen how I have made myself at home with the world by wanting to eat a little of what it may have to offer. Believing it will satisfy..what LIES!!
I have desperately needed to be more spiritual nourished. Many times I feel as if I am pouring so much out that I'm not taking enough in for myself in order to serve the Lord  and His people as I should. I love the promise found in that verse, if I come to Lord daily, HE will feed me and I shall be satisfied. When I believe Him and take Him at those words, he shall always and for eternity quench this thirst I tend to have. This world has nothing to offer me, yet, I find myself trying to feast at it's tables. May the Lord continuously, graciously help me to put an end to the lies. Nothing, will never satisfy me as He does. NOTHING!

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied"-Matthew 5:6

Love Overboard

I miss blogging. When I have a little time to sit and write it's very therapeutic for me.
I haven't had the time, and even though I'm not writing as often as I would like, I appreciate those of you who are still sticking around. Thanks! Makes me feel as if I'm not talking to the air. (lol)

But seriously, thank you.. When I first began this blog there was so much to share and talk about,  (and still is) but, now I'm sitting back wondering, can I say that? Is that too much information? Naaa, def. cant talk about that.  Yup, this is real life for us. The funny camp stories don't go on, the cute kids who use to love being around you begin to pull away and treat you like an absolute stranger, the family you invited into your lives as "family" begin to treat you as if you owe them something and begins to give you the cold shoulder... the list goes on....

I've had days where I would ask the Lord when is enough an enough? When can I cut that person off for hurting me? When can I show vengeance for the harm done to my family or friends? God clearly, and quickly had to show me my own sinfulness and how my heart was just the same as the people I'm angry with. I'm so spiritually bankrupt.. I tend to forget that from time to time. I'm thankful tonight for the reminder. After hearing a sermon by a godly older person who is in the lives of some friends of ours, I asked him to share with me again the idea of what it means to love. Or shall I say, Love Overboard is what he called it.  To go above and beyond in your love for your neighbor, no matter what they have or haven't done to or for you.. This was his godly counsel to me:

Nicole,

My position is based on passages
such as (1 Peter1:22)" since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love for the brethren fervently love one another from the heart". This type of love is relentless, determined, not easily dissuaded, and long-suffering. The one qualifier this love has is that it must be partnered with biblical truth. Therefore the dispenser must live the truth in love(Ephesians 4:15) thus there are times when we must refrain from actions that we would want to extend to someone in need because our gifts would not lead to empowerment, but rather they would continue to enable the recipient to live recklessly or irresponsibly. There is no formula to know where to draw the line , but as we stay close to God's Spirit, He leads us case by case. The motivation though is always love as our foundational goal, not our frustration and exasperation with the person we are serving.The overarching texture of this philosophy is an all out, all in approach to love from the depths of our hearts, even after we have been hurt and disappointed over and over again. The principle in operation is: you cannot do authentic ministry without being vulnerable. You cannot be placed in continuos states of friendship relational vulnerability without being hurt. You cannot reach people within their hearts if you do not minister out of the depths of your heart. So the transformation in our attitude was once paraphrased by Gladys Knight " some people say I love too hard, I say I don't love hard enough, Some people say I go too far, but for someone you love, around the world is not far enough Love Overboard"

What counsel!!! All this we deal with is apart of the calling. It's like you know that, yet you dont admit it and you just move on. I've been reading over this email and many others for the past couple of days now. I want to love well, I want to always remember that this calling isn't going to always be peaches and cream .  I also want to remember that I too am sinful and in need of Gods grace just like those in and around my community. Gods presence  tends to be  the strongest in the most difficult circumstances . I'm so thankful for that, God is such a promise keeper,  I can trust HIM...He promises to NEVER leave us nor FORSAKE us. Even while we are living in the hood.

Please forgive me if I seem to have done a lot of rambling...

Making it Do What It Do

I got a side hustle! To help cover some of the expenses I have in homeschooling my daughter, I have decided to start braiding hair. Never thought the day would come where I would use this talent. Ya know, a girl has to do, what a girl has to do. Lol! (jk) I hope I don't burn out, I have a lot going on! Pray that God blesses these hands and provides for all of our homeschooling needs.



































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