Not Just Another Piece Of Paper

        	              

cleaning fieldThis is a testimonial and challenge from a Maryland team leader who has mobilized church teams to respond in the aftermath of the Alabama tornado.




This past June, after the tornadoes ravaged Alabama, teams from Maryland and Pennsylvania served with Touchglobal one afternoon helping a farmer from Tanner, Alabama, remove debris from his 30 acre wheat field so he could begin his harvest. We were gathering up shingles, plywood, roof rafters and two by fours from three houses that had blown into his field. Under the debris one of our workers spotted a piece of paper.




Turned out to be a crinkled up page of Scripture.




It was from Psalm 68; a passage that speaks of God’s faithfulness, protection and provision for His people Israel during a time of struggle they were facing in their day and time.




In verse 19 it reads, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah." The chapter ends with, "Awesome is God from His sanctuary; the God of Israel—He is the one who gives power and strength to His people. Blessed be God!"



God gives power



God saw His people Israel through their troubles. It was humbling for us to realize that God was using the willing hands of our team members to help bring hope to this farmer and his family, who not only lost their home but nearly lost their crop as well. In the end, the field of grain was harvested and its bounty blessed many families.




Dr. Michael Sprague shares in his book, Disasters: Betting the Farm on God in Life’s Storms, that we should not allow ourselves to settle for a life of mediocrity. Rather, “Inside you are gifts, talents, words, and ideas that need to be released. Love God and love people in these critical hours of history. Move where the Holy Spirit is, hoist your sail and enter the adventure.”



to His people



In the wake of recent disasters, God is using TouchGlobal to change lives as the love of God is shared with those in need. Next month we have three churches from our area sending a total of 20 people to share God’s love with folks still struggling to put their lives and homes back together after devastation. These teams can use your prayers and support.



Pray



Arlington Baptist Church of Randallstown is leaving for Madison, AL, to help folks affected by the tornadoes that leveled parts of Northern Alabama this past April. Calvary Community Church of Columbia and Countryside Fellowship Church of Savage are teaming up to send a team to New Orleans to also work with TouchGlobal in their ongoing ministry of helping Katrina survivors recover.




We would appreciate everyone’s prayers for God to give our teams a heart of unity and genuine compassion for those we have sent to serve, and discernment to understand how we can provide the most encouragement possible to those in need. Lastly, we ask for safety as we travel and work.



Give 



I want to thank everyone who has given gifts in the past to help us continue this ministry of reaching out to families of our nation that have had their lives turned upside down as a result of disaster.




If you feel led to help financially with these two upcoming trips, donations are being accepted by any of the three churches mentioned below. Designate your gifts with “TouchGlobal” and they will go to help with expenses related to making both of these two trips a reality. Thank You so much!




Serving Him as we serve others in this great adventure,


Mark (Team Leader)



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