Dear Friends,
As I was pulling out of a parking lot in Decatur I spotted a lady. She was bundled up and pushing a shopping cart. The cart obviously contained everything that she owned. My heart was gripped with a deep pain. I pulled out toward the next stop sign on the frontage road. I passed by this lady. In my heart, I knew that I was supposed to give something. It was one of those times that I just knew. It has been a while since I felt this so strongly. I came to a stop at the sign. I hesitated. I didn’t pull out. I looked in my rearview mirror. She had pushed her buggy up behind my car. She was waiting on me to move. I couldn’t. I said to the Lord, “I can’t afford this.” Then I immediately said to Him, “But, I am going to do this anyway. I have to.” I put my car in park. I got out of the car. I reached in my pocket and pulled out some money. The lady looked startled. As most people who feel inferior, she thought that she was bothering me. She said, “Am I in your way?” I said, “No.” “Do you mind if I give you something?” She said, “No.” She smiled. She thanked me over and over again. It was the end of our encounter.
I drove off with a deeper pain. I was overwhelmed. I can’t believe that people live like this woman every day. Meeting this woman didn’t conjure up prejudices about homeless people. It did however bring up my shame. I felt shame that I live every day without realizing that someone might be freezing, and even worse, lonely, with no hope. My heart was heavy. I know that for years I have said that I care about lost people. For the first time in a while I actually doubted myself. My only fear is that I will once again slip into that religious complacency. The complacency that lulled me into thinking that all people experienced life the way I have.
I was reminded of a conversation that I had with Michelle Shults. Michelle and I were sitting at a soccer game. She expressed that she wanted to help people who are homeless by giving them sleeping bags. I told her that I had been thinking about that also. So, we decided to throw the idea out there.
This is my plea. I am not asking for anyone to pony up a large lump sum. I am asking people to give what they can. If you can give money for a sleeping bag, that is enough. If you can only give toward a sleeping bag, then that is fine. Michelle and I have a simple plan. We want to do a simple thing. We want to meet the physical needs of people. We pray that this will show them Jesus.
I have encountered a lot of people in my life who are hurting. I have learned that they don’t need a visit from a church group. They don’t need a tract. They need someone to step into their world and feel their pain. They want someone to love them. They want someone to give them a cup of water, a piece of bread, a hug. They want someone to walk with them.
It may only be a sleeping bag. But, it’s a start. Please hear me when I say that I am not asking for money. I am asking for your heart to listen. If God leads you, then answer. Please don’t feel constrained to do this because you know me. I am simply telling you of something that Michelle and I want to do. We are looking for those to whom God might be speaking a similar message.
Yours in Christ
Michelle Shults and Tim Brown
BAGS OF LOVE
For those of you who would like to participate you can either give Michelle or me cash and we will go online and buy the sleeping bags for a total of 19.98 each (this includes shipping). Or, if you would rather buy one yourself and give it to one of us, we found them at Wal-Mart starting at $20.00 plus tax and Target starting at $25.00 plus tax. We plan to take them to the Homeless that live under the I-565 Bridge and any other place the Lord leads.
Contact Info: timbslim@gmail.com
As I was pulling out of a parking lot in Decatur I spotted a lady. She was bundled up and pushing a shopping cart. The cart obviously contained everything that she owned. My heart was gripped with a deep pain. I pulled out toward the next stop sign on the frontage road. I passed by this lady. In my heart, I knew that I was supposed to give something. It was one of those times that I just knew. It has been a while since I felt this so strongly. I came to a stop at the sign. I hesitated. I didn’t pull out. I looked in my rearview mirror. She had pushed her buggy up behind my car. She was waiting on me to move. I couldn’t. I said to the Lord, “I can’t afford this.” Then I immediately said to Him, “But, I am going to do this anyway. I have to.” I put my car in park. I got out of the car. I reached in my pocket and pulled out some money. The lady looked startled. As most people who feel inferior, she thought that she was bothering me. She said, “Am I in your way?” I said, “No.” “Do you mind if I give you something?” She said, “No.” She smiled. She thanked me over and over again. It was the end of our encounter.
I drove off with a deeper pain. I was overwhelmed. I can’t believe that people live like this woman every day. Meeting this woman didn’t conjure up prejudices about homeless people. It did however bring up my shame. I felt shame that I live every day without realizing that someone might be freezing, and even worse, lonely, with no hope. My heart was heavy. I know that for years I have said that I care about lost people. For the first time in a while I actually doubted myself. My only fear is that I will once again slip into that religious complacency. The complacency that lulled me into thinking that all people experienced life the way I have.
I was reminded of a conversation that I had with Michelle Shults. Michelle and I were sitting at a soccer game. She expressed that she wanted to help people who are homeless by giving them sleeping bags. I told her that I had been thinking about that also. So, we decided to throw the idea out there.
This is my plea. I am not asking for anyone to pony up a large lump sum. I am asking people to give what they can. If you can give money for a sleeping bag, that is enough. If you can only give toward a sleeping bag, then that is fine. Michelle and I have a simple plan. We want to do a simple thing. We want to meet the physical needs of people. We pray that this will show them Jesus.
I have encountered a lot of people in my life who are hurting. I have learned that they don’t need a visit from a church group. They don’t need a tract. They need someone to step into their world and feel their pain. They want someone to love them. They want someone to give them a cup of water, a piece of bread, a hug. They want someone to walk with them.
It may only be a sleeping bag. But, it’s a start. Please hear me when I say that I am not asking for money. I am asking for your heart to listen. If God leads you, then answer. Please don’t feel constrained to do this because you know me. I am simply telling you of something that Michelle and I want to do. We are looking for those to whom God might be speaking a similar message.
Yours in Christ
Michelle Shults and Tim Brown
BAGS OF LOVE
For those of you who would like to participate you can either give Michelle or me cash and we will go online and buy the sleeping bags for a total of 19.98 each (this includes shipping). Or, if you would rather buy one yourself and give it to one of us, we found them at Wal-Mart starting at $20.00 plus tax and Target starting at $25.00 plus tax. We plan to take them to the Homeless that live under the I-565 Bridge and any other place the Lord leads.
Contact Info: timbslim@gmail.com
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