The Best Twenty Dollars You'll Ever Spend!

Welcome back! 

We had a great weekend here at SLM and hope you all did as well. Starting with a Friday evening, open-to-the-public, Taco Dinner (SLM is becoming famous county-wide for these monthly $6-a-heaping-full-plate of delectable culinary delights meals) at which our facility was jammed to capacity for several hours, raising some much needed funds, to a spirit-filled Saturday evening intercessory prayer session, to a Sunday morning service with a Praise and Worship music session that was deep and joyous,

followed by a strong and inspiring sermon delivered by Pastor Dana, and all that followed with ...

... more great food!

Yes, we do so love to enjoy each other's company over a sumptuous meal, and every 2nd Sunday of each month we have a Fellowship Pot-Luck Dinner after the service. And no, we're not all fat, but we are full of love and compassion for our brothers and sisters and filled with the spiritual joy of "Seeing all people through the eyes of Jesus."

And we reach out to the community, sponsoring programs like the Shiloh's Boxing Club

--a haven for young--often 'at-risk'--people to come together and train under the tutelage of volunteering, skilled and experienced, real men who care. These youngsters are afforded the opportunity to learn, through discipline and structure, not only how to grow strong mentally and physically, but also what it means to be a well-rounded, complete, spiritually and emotionally grounded adult--the likes of which we desperately need much more of in this day and age, hmm?

Our youth group, called "Freed Youth"--a program we are in the process of building--will take in teenagers looking for meaning in life and, oftentimes in need of adult mentoring and positive-life-building direction. These kids--many of whom would be considered 'undesirables' by a great deal of contemporary churches--will not be 'beaten over the head' with Bible-thumping messages of condemnation and threats of hell-fire and damnation over their shameful and sinful ways. No. They will be, of course, taught from The Word and shown the Way of Salvation through the Love of Christ, but mainly ... they will get loved on. They'll get hugged, appreciated, and shown what it means to have and be accepted and loved by, a real family--something that so many youngsters these days do not have in the blood-relative, traditional familial sense.

We have a women's group, called "Seekers of His Heart." Every week, women come together to fellowship, share and support each other with their life challenges, and rejoice in each other's achievements. They worship, pray, and provide the comfort of 'extended family' love and comeraderie.

The "X-Men" (The 'X' stand for 'Christ') - another new start up program, is where some of our grounded, senior adult, mentoring men get together with younger men and counsel them--not just in words, but also in leading by example--on what it means to be a whole, well-rounded, productive, and responsible man ... taking your place in society as a leader of, and provider for, your family, and an example for others on what it means to 'Walk Your Talk' in the Way of Christ.

Shiloh's Lighthouse is small, by comparison to many churches, in terms of members. Yet we do all this, and give to the best of our abilities to the community. But we want to do much, much more. Soup kitchen for the hungry - clothes pantry for the needy - emergency money fund for those facing sudden fiscally threatening challenges - student tutoring after-school programs to assist young people in getting good grades and diplomas - job-finding assistance - home care for the disabled elderly who can't afford the help they need ... these are just some of the ideas that we wish to bring to fruition in order to save and revitalize our neighborhoods, the community, and eventually our country and the entire planet.

So I am closing this post with the presentation of an opportunity for any and all who are reading this. A chance to receive the blessing that comes from giving. If you are in a position to afford a (minimum) $20-per-month pledge, I would exhort you to CLICK HERE - and go to our main website where you will have the opportunity support this growing group and its programs.

Twenty dollars

Can you think of a better way to spend a twenty-spot? And think also of how easy it is to blow--without even consciously trying--twenty dollars ...

A couple fast-food meals. A six-pack of beer and a pack of smokes. One ticket to a movie with a small soda (can't even squeeze in a small popcorn on that little of a budget these days). The amount of gas wasted driving repeatedly during the month to the convenience store (or wherever) down the street when you could easily (and also feel good about yourself because it's healthy) walk. Those chocolate Twinkies you eat and know you shouldn't (wink). Playing the lottery - and always losing!

I could go on and on, but you get the point. Take the same twenty dollars you could easily blow, wasted on unnecessary 'stuff' - and instead ... give - sow into the work of God, and plant seeds in the spiritual garden we at SLM are cultivating ... with the help of good and caring people like you ...


... people who care, who wish to give out to others, who love all of our brothers and sisters--whether lost, confused, black, red, yellow, white, wealthy, poor, whatever, it matters not--and who are committed to "Seeing all people through the eyes of Jesus."

To make your pledge and/or donation, please CLICK HERE, and God Bless You!

Thanks for being here today, and blog back in again soon. You will always find messages of good news and spiritually uplifitng content here at the SLM Blog.

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