Help for military family
Posted by kirt.manuel | Filed under faith stimulus
God directed us to give our Faith Stimulus envelope to a military family. I contacted Northwoods and was referred to Patti Smith and her Citizen S.A.M. organization. Patti connected us with a family in Morton. The husband was being deployed for the third time to Iraq. The family has two children ages 11 and nine. The wife said her husband was in California and then to North Carolina before going to Iraq for 10 months. She wanted to go see him but did not know how she was going to pay for it. She thought she would just pray. Her church gave her money, plus a friend, and then she got a call from us. That same week, my husband did a little repair job for our neighbor. She wanted to pay him. He did not want any pay, but she insisted. We added that to the Faith Stimulus money!
– Simon and Edwanna M.
Thank you!
Posted by Stories | Filed under faith stimulus
We are a home schooling family of six children. Two years ago my husband suffered from a left brain stroke, leaving his right side partially paralyzed and accenting his speech. We lost all sources of income at that time and since have received help from disability. We have relied on the goodness of God to get us through these times where, in the natural, it seems like there is never enough to make it each month. We received a gift this past week of $100 from the hands of Jack and Ruth U. from a fund via Northwoods Community Church. We would like to graciously thank each one involved for this amazing gift and the willingness of the church who gave to our family in such a timely order. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. God is always faithful.
– Michael and Carolyn W.
About to give up
Posted by Stories | Filed under faith stimulus
We have attended Northwoods Community Church for over 14 years and this church never ceases to amaze us!! We actually missed the faith stimulus services and a friend told us all about it. We were so disappointed to have missed the opportunity to help bless someone. We are much more comfortable being on the giving end than on the receiving. That said, my husband had lost his job 4 months ago. This was not the first struggle we have endured in his career but he always landed a better job. In this economy it does seem as no one is hiring. We had liquidated our investments to keep up on payments and God has always provided. As time goes on the financial pressure increases. We have been tithing consistently the past few years but out of obedience not because we wanted to! This month we were worried and our house payment was due on the 7th. The night of the 6th our teen daughter informed us she was pregnant. Our whole family was devastated and broken. This was the first time in 20 years of being a christian I felt like giving up. We had just been part of starting a ministry in our community and we had been under attack. I felt like this was Satan’s last blow. My husband had us all pray together. I told God how angry I was at Him and my husband prayed He would show Himself to us. After surviving the night I was dreading having to face another day. That morning, after I heard the mail carrier, I sent my youngest out to get the mail since my husband was in the shower. I went downstairs and she had opened an envelope addressed to our family. It scared me to see what she was holding. Who sends cash, that much cash, in the United States Postal Service?? God does, through a generous and obedient servant! With tears in my eyes I through open the shower curtain and began to count out loud. My husband began to cry then sob. It scared the kids too death. We sat the kids down and showed them God is in the miracle business!! This blessing helps to alleviate the financial stress and allows us to concentrate on loving our daughter. We are praying about who we can bless with a faith stimulus! God sometimes shows up at the eleventh hour and fifty-ninth minute but He always shows up!! Thank you to our church family and may all glory, praise and honor be given to our Lord in heaven!!
- Shan W.
A mother in need
Posted by Stories | Filed under faith stimulus
After receiving the faith stimulus envelope as a family, we began to ask God to reveal to us a person or family in need. We all agreed that whatever was in the envelope, we would double, not matter the amount. We are a family of four, so we laid out these rules: Each of us was to come up with 2 names; then we would share them aloud at the dinner table; after that, we would each pray about the names given and ask God to make it clear which one needed it the most. It was cool to see how God brought us all to just one name . . . a single mom with four kids. She had just left her husband due to an abusive relationship. He refuses to give her any money (for her or the kids) to live on since she left, and she only works part-time. I gave her the envelope today (Wed.) and shared with her the sermon from Cal and how God directed us to her as the recipient. She cried, and so did I. She said that I had no idea how much this meant to her and her kids . . . she has had so much trouble trying to make ends meet. Even though she is a believer, this “challenge” to our church body really spoke to her. It showed this single mom of four that even in the midst of this difficult and overwhelming trial she is going through, God remains by her side and will never leave her or let her handle it alone.
– Tracey M.
A picture of God’s love
Posted by Stories | Filed under faith stimulus
The following weekend after the faith stimulus envelopes were passed out, a friend came to stay with my husband and I for the weekend. She was in the midst of a crisis of faith, even to the point of questioning the death of Christ she had once believed. I shared with her about the act of faith our church took in gifting money to people in need. I shared how I felt it was a perfect picture of God’s love. God offers us the gift of grace and all that he asks in return is that we love him back and love others (the most important of the commandments). I was also amazed at the reminder that God risks our rejection of him and yet still loves us no matter what. As I shared all this with my friend, we both became teary-eyed and I knew that God had softened her heart and there had been breakthrough. Praise God! Thanks for setting the example, church!
– Kate H.
Lost Job
Posted by Stories | Filed under faith stimulus
My daughter, who is mildly disabled with cerebral palsy, had just lost her job the Thursday prior to the Faith Stimulus Weekend. She was telling me some of the struggles they were having financially and that her husband might lose his job too. I felt really sad about her job loss & knew she was trying hard to find a job but as of this date, she still hasn’t found one. When Pastor Cal explained how to use the Stimulus envelopes and that each one of the congregation knows of someone that could use an envelope, I whispered to my son that his sister definitely could use a little miracle to boost her faith. We took an envelope & added something to it & took it to my daughter’s apartment. When they opened the door & I told them what the envelope was for they were in tears & knew it was a gift from God. They said they didn’t know how they were going to afford groceries for the next few weeks and the amount in the envelope would help greatly. They said it was an answer to a prayer & to thank Northwoods for the gift.
Also, the same day, my other daughter who works at a local gas station & is a single mom, sent me a text saying a man came into the store & handed her an envelope from Northwoods. He said his pastor told the congregation to give it to someone who needed it. He thought she might need it & gave it to her. She was so shocked that someone thought of her and was so excited. It was enough to get her daughter some diapers & a few things she needed. She also said to say thank you to Northwoods for what they did for her.
I thank Northwoods for really showing the community the love of Jesus and enabling the congregation to be the hands & feet of our savior. I know my story is just one of many who have been touched by your generosity. May God bless Northwoods.
– Ginger K.
If at first you don’t succeed…
Posted by Stories | Filed under faith stimulus
My husband and I knew immediately that we wanted and needed to take a Faith Stimulus envelope from the table. My mind was racing with thoughts of families I knew through work. I even thought of some neighbors who have recently gone through hard times. Little did I know that my husband’s mind was also racing with ideas. His nephew recently lost his job and is trying to support his family. We knew that we needed God’s help to sort this out! We spent the next several nights talking about families with needs at the dinner table. Our kids gave their input, and we agreed to pray for an answer. The next day at work, I heard about a co-worker’s loss. Her brother died several years ago, leaving his wife and 3 young boys. About three years after his passing, his wife died unexpectedly. The boys had lost both of their parents. A relative stepped in to raise them and all was fine until the relative died suddenly two weeks ago. Now, the boys are 10, 19, and 21 and have suffered tremendous loss. I shared their story with my family. and they all agreed that the boys could use the gift from God. The boys decided to make a card to go with the money. I talked to my co-worker the next day and told her about the gift. Her eyes filled with tears (and mine did the same!) and she could barely speak. She graciously declined the gift, assuring me that money was something that wasn’t missing. The estate was well planned and managed. My heart sunk when I thought of their grief. So instead, I offered our prayers and asked my boys to make that card anyway. God can show his love and care in millions of ways. So, what did we do with the money? It is amazing how our Lord never gives up. While in Indiana this past week at a store along the interstate, we ran into some with friends who were on their way out east. After talking for awhile about their families, the Lord spoke to me about the financial gift. Our friends’ three-year-old niece was recently diagnosed with a fatal disease, not expected to live much more than 5-6 years. Besides the tremendous emotional burden they will bear, their daughter will incur great medical expenses. I knew who needed the money. When I started to talk to my husband about it later, he knew right away what I was going to say. Our boys agreed that we found the right match. We are matching the gift and send our thanks and praise to God and Northwoods for helping us live more like Christ every day. We will always keep trying!
– Maureen W.
What a surprise and what a blessing!
Posted by Stories | Filed under faith stimulus
While Cal was preaching last weekend, I felt that the Lord was telling me to double whatever amount we were to receive in our envelope. What a surprise, Mike had thought the same thing. During the day and the week we continued to pray and talk about ALL the needs around the community and the world.
We chose a medical mission outreach. Even though it’s not a Northwoods mission, the doctor’s I work with said they would use it in a needed area to help hundreds and possibly thousands in Haiti. A stethoscope or a surgical instrument or even medicine. When I explained this stimulus check and our church sermon to one of the doctors, he told me that he was on his way to the St. Louis airport to pick up one of the doctors from that very medical clinic that afternoon. What a surprise….I think God had that planned way in advance for something like that to happen. What a surprise and what a blessing!
– Connie and Mike D.
Still waiting
Posted by Stories | Filed under faith stimulus
Since the moment I received my faith stimulus envelope I started praying for Gods direction. I was so touched and overwhelmed by the huge responsibility that lie ahead of me so I wanted to make sure I did the right thing. I have prayed that there would be no question as to who God intends me to give the money to. Several faces have popped in and out of my head over the past week but I have not had any complete release so I continue praying with faith and confidence that I will know without a shadow of a doubt when that moment comes, to know what to say and do to glorify his name. I am a divorced mother of 3 grown sons who attend NW with me and I struggle financially as well as many do but I am so blessed that I have a pretty secure job and the grace God shows me every day when I don’t always deserve it. I too have been told to match the amount in the envelope so it is with great anticipation I wait to be Jesus to someone and to be part of a miracle in their life. Thank you Lord for what you have already done and for entrusting this huge responsibility to me. I will not let you down.
– Gina C.
He spoke to me!
Posted by Stories | Filed under faith stimulus
Last Friday I had talked with a neighbor who had sold their house and were getting ready to move. You see, I pretty much keep to myself and I don’t really talk too much to my neighbors but I had always felt safe knowing these neighbors were just across the street. So I wanted to let them know I was going to miss them and ask them where they were moving to. We had a nice conversation and in the end I was told why there were moving. You see, they are a retired couple and had built this home as their retirement home. God had answered their prayers and they were not only able to sell their home in a week but also got the price they had asked. But the sad truth is this…they were selling their home in order to help put their grandchildren through college. The grandchildren’s parents were not able to provide totally for them. Their mother (which is this couple’s daughter) had some medical problems that she struggles with every day but is working through pretty successfully now and the grandchildren’s father had hung himself a year ago.
Then came Sunday’s service…and what a wonderful service it was! I love Northwoods so much and always am amazed each Sunday. When Cal made the announcement about the Faith Stimulus program I have to say I was a bit stressed. You see, I wasn’t sure I would be able to hear what God would tell me about it. This is such a big responsibility! It just so happened that I had to leave as soon as the sermon was over so I thought to myself “ok I don’t have to do this because I am leaving early so I will be ok”. My son was sitting with me and he was going to be going home with my cousin and her family instead of leaving early with me. He turned to me and asked me if he should get an envelope for us. I thought to myself “Great, I cannot tell him no! Now what do I do?!” and I started to stress about it all over again. Will God speak to me?? So I told my son “Yes, please grab one for us”.
I caught up with my family later that day. I shared my stress with my aunt (she was also in church and received an envelope that day). She assured me there were no time limits on this and said that I shouldn’t stress about it. I felt so much better!!!
All week I prayed about this…and I wasn’t stressed for I knew I would get my answer when the time was right. I know my assignment was to pray with my family, but my son has been gone all week and we have not been able to pray about this together so I thought I would pray on my own and see what God would do. Finally on Thursday night God spoke to me when I asked. He told me I should give this money to the sweet couple across the street. All I could think was “Of course!! Why didn’t I realize this sooner?!?” When my son returns home this evening, I will talk to him about this and I am certain he will agree with me. He knows this couple’s granddaughter for she is a classmate of his.
Thank you God for having faith in me even when I didn’t! I will do as you ask of me!
– Mary Beth B.
Faith Stimulus RSS