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David 5/13/08
I am generally against organized religions because i think they are often misused and have detrimantal effects on the weak-minded. However, i really think that the Give Project exemplifies how religion should be used. I am inspired to Give. That is what religion should be about, not politics, not crusades, not war.
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Giver 5/13/08
While I am not a member of this church and did not receive any money I was very moved by this project and story. Therefore, I decided that I would participate in this project as well using my own money. While reading other individual's stories I prayed for God to guide me into giving to someone in my community that could use the help. I was immediately given the answer of an individual I know who is struggling. This individual always puts others first and is one of the most Godly people I know. I knew immediatley that I should give to this individual. I wrote a note to her stating I had read about this project and was inspired by it and that I hoped God would continue to bless her in the future.
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Joe 4/11/08
When Pastor Patrick said that he was giving us all envelopes with an unknown amount of money to bless someone with, I told the Lord that no matter what the amount I would double it and really bless the person he told me to. Well, I can say I was very thankful that I didn't get the envelope with the $1000.00 :) I prayed regarding the money that I received and wanted God to show me who needed the blessing. My wife and I were at dinner at a resteraunt in our town and our waitress was extremely nice. She also looked really worn out. When she brought us our order she said "That looks really good, I hope you enjoy it. I have worked a double today and haven't had a chance to stop to eat yet." To be that worn out and tired and still provide excellent service, she needed the blessing. Not only did I leave the money from that give project that I doubled, but I wrote a note on the receipt thanking her for her wonderful service and that God blesses her.
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Deb 4/11/08
I was a visitor at the Life House for your "grand opening" at the cinemas. I was overwhelmed and deeply touched as the Give Project was explained. What an amazing step of faith to entrust us with this challenge. We were literally blessed to be a blessing. I am honored to participate in this event.
As Patrick presented the Give Project, God placed someone on my heart. A coworker's husband passed away that week. I knew, even before I opened my envelope, that the money was meant for her. I was given $100 to share.
I contemplated purchasing various gift cards for her, but none of these seemed right. I did nothing for a while because I just wasn't sure how to present the gift.
I finally felt led to mail the money to her home in a Valentine's Day card. I knew that holiday would be especially hard for her this year.
My letter in the card explained how I came to receive this money. I wrote, "This money is for you to do with as you please. I hope, if possible, you can pamper yourself in some way. You decide. I don't know your needs, but obviously, God does."
"Happy's Valentine's Day. God cares and so do I. In the name of Jesus Christ and to God's glory."
The dear lady came to my office the next afternoon with tears in her eyes to thank me. She said my card came at just the right time as her morning was spent in frustration dealing with the Dept. of Motor Vehicles. She acknowledged that God is taking care of her.
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Jeremy and Lisa 4/10/08
We had our 20 dollars from envelope 19 sitting on our microwave for months. We prayed about how to use it. We didnt want to just toss it at the first opportunity that came along. My best friend called me the other day in a panic. His home was broken into and his wife was at home with the police. She was a wreck. He asked me to go over there and be with his wife and keep her company until he got home. My wife and I went over and helped her get her home back together until about 9pm. It was then we noticed we were all starving. They wanted to treat us to dinner for helping them out but with things as they were they didnt have the cash or credit cards to do anything. We went out and bought pizza with the money given to us. We stayed most of the night and reassured them god was working in there lives and that this was in some small way a part of his greater plan. That night we were planning on visiting but it got cancelled due to Dan getting called into work. As it turned out we ended up over there and being able to minister to them in a desperate time. They are christians and attend a different church in Hagerstown. It took being robbed to allow us to finally talk about god as friends. I have known Dan for 20 years and that was the first night we ever spoke about God. I thought that was the perfect situation to use the gift the church gave us. It helped to bring my friendship with my best friend to the closest its ever been.
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Andre 3/26/08
On patrol, I usually keep an eye on the homeless people at one of the Beltway ramps in my jurisdiction. One day, not long after I received the $20 from the Give Project, I noticed a new face on the side of the road. I passed by her once and read her sign that stated, "Please. I need help for food for children and rent." I noticed that she wasn't aggressively walking out for donations, but was humbly standing with her sign on the side of the ramp. I came back around with my car to meet her, pulling over to where she was standing. I asked her name, and she said that her name was Evelyn and she was from Romania. That seemed to be the extent of her English skills. Watching her eyes, I just knew that she was different than the other people that I normally encounter on the ramp. I pulled out the money, offering it as some help for her needs. She took the money, and began to cry. She said something in her native language that I could not understand, but I think may have been "thank you." I told her to be careful, and pulled away knowing that although my intentions were not to hand the money out to the first person I saw, she was the right person to receive the gift. I have not seen her back at the ramp since that day.
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Danny 3/18/08
I am a teacher at a private school outside of Charles Town, WV. I carpool four of my students, ranging in age from 10- 12yrs old, back and forth, from school five days a week. Along our travels we break into conversations covering a variety of subject matter as often times revealing our thoughts on God and our perceptions of the world. It's quite beautiful to be so engaged with our youth in a world that finds comfort in silence, rather than any talk on the matter. After a lot of thought in how I would give the $20 enclosed in my envelop, I found by giving each student a $5 bill and teaching them the concept of the "Give-Project", allowing them to participate, will pay off in more ways then one. Give me a fish and I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime." I'm looking forward to see what they post on this site.
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Joanne 3/12/08
I received $5.00 from Pastor Patrick and
prayed that God would lead me to someone He wanted to bless.
The next day a friend called me to ask for prayer for her
adult son. Her son has a disability from being in a car accident
when he was 16. His brother was with him and did not make
it. Her son is now 42 and has a permanent brain injury from
being in a coma for 5 months when he was 16. He has never
had therapy or been provided assistance. The $5 plus some
of my own money was provided to my friend as a "seed" sown
toward getting her son the assistance he needs. Since that
day, her son has received legal assistance, a place to live
until he can get into a rehabilitation center and is on the
list for the center. I look forward to all the blessings
God bestows to those in need. Praise His Holy Name!!
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Melody 2/25/08
I met a gentleman who recently had to give up custody of his son because of financial difficulty. I knew $55 wouldn't change his situation, but it might change his perception that nobody cared about his situation. In the weeks that have followed, we've kept in touch, and I can definitely see he is putting more hope in God simply because he saw someone cared about his situation.
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Anonymous 2/24/08
I was able to give the money that I was blessed with to a friend who had recently lost their job.
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S. 2/20/08
We used to live in Smithsburg, MD and attended the Life House at the beginning of the church. I remember meeting Pastor Patrick and Laura at Bethel Assembly of God and immediately being attracted to their passion for Christ and reaching the unsaved. I remember attending evening Bible studies at Pastor Patrick's house and how we met at Smithsburg High School and at the Chewsville Community Center. We had to move due to having a baby and going from two incomes to one. We felt as though the Cumberland area was where we needed to go. Well, here we are out in Cumberland, MD. Since moving here, we had two more children and feel like we hit a dead end. Money was and is very tight as my husband tries to establish himself in the sales community out here to no avail. I was having more and more doubts about whether we were to be here anymore when an attendee and her family (who is a former neighbor) called us and told us the story about the give project. We consider this family to be more of family than friends, so I have spoken in depth about our situation with the mother of the family. Their youngest daughter is my oldest daughter's best friend. When she told us about the project, I was so amazed at the story, but the kicker is she knew our situation and decided to give the money to us. The $100.00 helped us to buy food, diapers, wipes, etc., and most of all, it gave me hope. My youngest child had just gotten out of a week stay in the hospital, and I was at my wits end. As a believer, I always live with hope, but this $100.00 was the lift I needed. I knew we would be able to make it until the next paycheck came. As we are now looking to move back to Hagerstown, I know we have a church home to come back to, and with the Lord willing and a change in financial means, we will be back in town sooner than later. I pray the Life House will grow and prosper, and we will be able to give back to the Lord and the Life House in the near future. Hope to see you soon!
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Sage 2/18/08
I gave the money to my best friend Morgan because I beleave her family could realy use it.
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Michaela 2/18/08
My family and I have a friend that has been in need for quite a awhile....she has accepted jesus crist in to her life and it seems shes taken a turn for the better. To show how much we enjoyed her coming to church I wanted to make sure she could continue coming by purchesing a $20.00 gas card. She has been in Church so I am guessing it has helped.
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Jamey & Susan 2/17/08
Our family saw a need arise with one of our church families a few weeks ago where the husband was laid off from his job. He is also having medical issues and has outstanding medical bills. My husband and I both felt led to give our "Give Project" money to this couple. Our kids asked us about their money since they had not yet given theirs away. We told them about where we were being led, and they wanted to help out too. It's exciting to help out someone in need and sometimes even more so when that someone is part of our own church family.
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David 2/1708
I missed that Sunday Pastor Patrick taught and gave out the envelopes with money. As I read the stories online and listened on Sunday's, I sensed that God was asking me to give. He wanted to use me to touch a life.
Work is crazy in a busy Emergency department. People come for many different reasons; pain comes in many different forms. Devin visits often. To be honest, I didn't feel like seeing him, once again. I knew his story; I tried to avoid the encounter.
This time, God didn't let me off the hook. Devin told me of his tooth pain. He spoke of his recent tax refund and how he planned to use the money for dental work. I told him that I could help him. As I left and returned to my workstation I received the prompting, "Give to Devin" But my wallet was in my car. Another prompting, "Don't live with the regret of not listening, do it". This prompting seemed even stronger. I obeyed. All I had in my wallet was $15. I sat down and wrote on a piece of scrap paper, "Devin, Please accept this small amount of money. God loves you. You matter to Him." I put the note into an envelope, sealed it, and gave it to him. I went back to my station to dictate my note, humbled; yet knowing I listened and obeyed. A short while later, I was interrupted by the receptionist, "Did you see Devin? He wants to see you." I walked around the corner, saw him and put my arm on his shoulder. He was crying. He told me that he couldn't accept the gift. I told him compassionately and firmly, "Yes, you can"
The next day he called. He told me that he wept the whole way while walking home and that when he thinks about the note he still feels like weeping. God loves people; we matter to Him. There is nothing like living and communicating that message. What is even more inspiring is to believe that we are a community where this becomes "normal".
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Heather 2/10/08
It took me a few weeks to finally decide what to do with the money I received. I work with a young girl, who is single and pregnant with her second child. I had the opportunity to talk with her mother and she told me how much her daughter struggles financially. Immediately, I thought of the Lifehouse money and knew that it was meant to go this young mom.
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Matt & Allison 2/6/08
During our first visit to the Life House Church, Patrick gave my wife and I each an envelope. They were left over from the previous week when the entire group received one for The Gift Project. We felt very fortunate to have this amazing opportunity to share God's love with others. As we left the church that day, we discussed how to use the money and quickly realized that there are many deserving people in the world. This was turning out to be more difficult than we imagined. We discussed what to do for several days and prayed for guidance. One situation that we considered was Allison's childhood friend that was recently affected by a personal tragedy. She lost a close family member that left two small children without their mother. This friend took the children into her care and is in need of help. Again, we were not sure if this was how God wanted us to use the money. Allison saw her friend's mother recently and she realized at that moment this was what we needed to do. So we added to what we received in our envelopes and purchased items for the children. Allison gave the care package to her friend's mother and she was touched and very appreciative. We have been inspired by this experience and are so happy to be a part of the Life House family.
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Sandi, Chris, and Lisa 2/5/08
Moving here from Minnesota last April has been a wonderful experience. We have gotten to know great friends and found the Lifehouse Church too. When we moved into our home, we felt truly blessed that we had a husband/wife/4-year old little boy living next door. We had visions of hanging out together and watching their little boy play with our two kids. Shortly after moving in, however, we discovered that the husband was cheating on his wife and about 2 months later, he moved in with another woman; now they are to be married once the divorce is final. Needless to say, the wife is crushed and literally living paycheck to paycheck with the housing market that can't seem to get her house to sell.
When my husband and I opened our envelopes, we discovered 70 dollars between the two of us and knew immediately to whom it would be given. I wanted to make sure I purchased a gift card for her so she could do something special for herself rather than using it on gas or something similar. In talking with another Lifehouse attendee, Lisa, she had 10 dollars she did not know what to do with.
I casually asked my neighbor who has attended Lifehouse just a few times what she would do with 80 dollars if she HAD to use it for fun. She said clothes or books. She has lost a bit of weight and her clothes are hanging off of her, and her livelihood (besides her wonderful son) is reading. When pressed further, she said that books would be the luxury she doesn't get to have now.
I promptly took the 80 dollars and bought a giftcard for Borders books for my neighbor who was shocked by the generosity of us and the church.
In addition to that, after hosting a jewelry show (and not really being "into" jewelry), I was able to purchase 336 dollars in free jewelry. I gave 100 of that to her so she was able to "buy" a few pieces of jewelry.
All in all, my husband's and my goal with our neighbor is to ALWAYS leave her feeling loved when we get together. We are so thankful that the Lifehouse has been able to help us in that endeavor.
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Chelsea 2/04/08
For days I had been praying over what
I was to do with this $5 that I had been recieved in my
envelope. I prayed that God would give me a right time,
place, and person in which to give this small bit of kindness,
until that time came a few days ago.
I was with a friend, leaving the
apartment in downtown Hagerstown. And walking, very VERY
slowly, down the street was this little old man. He got
my male friend's attention and mine and asked if he could
get a ride down to the Goodwill; at the pace at which
he was walking it could have taken him all day, and it
was only 3 blocks up the street. So we said "Sure, we're heading that way anyway".
So he slowly putters over to the car and gets in and I
drive him down to Goodwill, and as I'm on the way I get
this overwhelming feeling that this little old man needs
this $5. Whether it be to get a taxi back to his apartment,
or to get something more at the Goodwill, but either way
he could certainly use it. So when we pull up to the store
and he's getting ready to get out of the car I hand him
the $5 and say that this is a gift from God and the church,
and to use it as he will, and perhaps it'll even be enough
to get him back home that day. He was very quiet about
it but very grateful.
I knew without a doubt, that God had spoken to me and
told me to help this little old man, even with only $5,
I was able to make a difference in this man's day. I don't
know what happened to the little old man or how he used
the money, but I believe it will be used the way in which
God intends it to be.
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Sonnie 2/2/08
As everyone has mentioned, using my $50 properly was not taken lightly and felt like a huge responsibility. So many ideas crossed my mind, but I was prayerful that God would show me where this could be best used.
I really wanted this to be an encouragement to help lead someone toward the "SON". While searching for this great revelation, I kept feeling a family member's pain w/financial crunches due to some unfortunate situations. I couldn't help but think about how wonderful it would be to help a friend in our community that isn't a believer and does't attend church, but thought how sad it would be if I didn't take care of those closest to us (family). So that's where my money was used. It seemed like great timing w/even more unexpected bills popping up this month
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Jonathan 2/2/08
"It's going to be a good night." That's what i kept telling myself when my boss decided that I could go home two hours early from work. I'd be home before midnight, and be able to catch Law and Order SVU. Nope. I was less than a mile from home when I saw the flashing hazards on the side of the road, and taking after my father, i stopped to see if everything was alright. This young woman explained to me that her car had run out of gas about an hour ago, and the gentleman who had stopped to help her was now having car problems himself. I said "hop in." I ran her to the gas station with a one gallon container. After several attempts to start the car we found out her battery was also dead because her hazards have been on now for an hour and a half. Once the battery was charged, we found out that one gallon of gas was simply not enough to turn the engine over. She had two small children in the car with her, and since their car was dead, they found warmth in my truck which had been running a while. We had a party this time going to the gas station because the children were throwing football in the back seat. When we returned to the car a second time, it finally decided to fire up. I offered to follow her home to make sure she made it, and she said that would make her more comfortable. I kept thinking WHY DONT I HAVE MY MONEY FROM THE LIFEHOUSE?! Well, Melody and I have decided that not only will we be helping the community if we do it together, it will help deepen our spiritual relationship. So, long story short (if you have made it this far you're thinking "yeah right") Melody keeps our money. So i gave this young lady all i could to make sure she had a full gas tank in the morning and explained all about the Lifehouse give project. Now, I'm not much of a crier, but seeing this woman's eyes well up with tears brought joy to my heart and tears to my own eyes. God Blessed me this evening. So, i guess my opening statement was true. "It was a good night."
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Sara 1/31/08
Well, it took me all day that Sunday to open my envelope. I was sure God was going to give me a lot of money so I could REALLY bless someone! (I was also a little afraid to open it because, like someone else said, it felt like a lot of responsibility to be given God's money. It was a good reminder that ALL of the money I have is God's, not just the money in the envelope.)
Anyway, I opened my envelope that night and had $5. I thought, "Well how am I supposed to bless someone with only $5?!" And truthfully, I had no ideas. So, I've just been holding onto that envelope, carrying it with me, waiting for the clouds to open, an angel choir to sing, and a ray of light to shine on the person who was to get this money (ha).
Ok, it didn't quite happen like that, but I was driving home tonight from work and saw a man standing by the side of the road with a sign that simply said, "Hungry." Normally I would think, "Well, he'll probably just spend the money on alcohol or something like that." But recently, God put someone in my life who is a tremendous blessing and has told me stories of how he used to be homeless and the ways he had to go about getting food - it has really opened my eyes to the sterotypes I've had about homeless people.
So, I drove past him on my way to pick up my son and thought, "I'll go grab him a hamburger or something and take it to him." But as I drove, I felt God prompting me to give him the money AND to get him some food. So, my son and I drove into a little market, picked up some food and drink and drove around the block to get back to the guy, hoping he was still there. He wasn't.
I told my son he couldn't have gotten too far, so we were going to go look for him. Fortunately he hadn't made it too far - he was just around the corner sitting on the steps of a church. We drove into the alley beside the church and waved him over. We gave him 2 bags of food and the $5. We didn't have a lot of conversation, but he said, "God bless you," and I just repeated that back to him.
I don't know his situation, I don't know what he will do with the money, but that is between God and him, and I trust he needed that money for some need that God is aware of. I know he seemed blessed by the act and that now my son and I have someone new to pray for. Also, God taught me that He can use any amount to bless someone... I just have to be open to His prompting and be willing to part with money that isn't mine to begin with!
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Erin 1/31/08
It took me quite awhile to decide what to do with my money. I prayed about it, and a week or so after, I was talking with my Mom about my little cousin. She is 9, and her parents are divorced, one is remarried with 2 more kids, and the other is with someone. She has had a tough home situation lately at her dads house in particular.
I knew that she looked up to me, and we used to spend summers together, and now we do not really see one another at all. So I called my uncle and asked to take her shopping.
I picked her up and she was really excited. I explained the project to her a little bit, she's pretty mautre, so I figured she would understand. I handed her the $50, and I said, "This is yours to spend." Her face lit up. We talked alot and she told me how glad she was that she was finally getting to spend time with me. It was awesome.
While shopping she offered to buy me something, and I said, "No way, that's your money!" She's an amazing girl, and I'm ecstatic I could show her God's love and make her feel good.
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Jonathan 1/31/08
After much prayer, I wrote a letter to a co-worker who God laid on my heart. I explained the project and a little about the church. I'm not sure what he will use it for but I pray that it will bless him as much and it did for me praying with God to find who to give it to.
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Jen 1/29/08
i was traveling to see my mother when I noticed a man standing at the entrance to the interstate holding a sign. I gave him the $10 and told him that God will provide for his needs. He said thank you, and I drove on. More importantly--I prayed for him then, and have continued to as I remember who he is and the money I gave. Maybe I'll meet him again in heaven someday, at least that is my prayer.
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Kim 1/28/08
It took me almost two weeks to decide on what I wanted to do with my envelope and $100. I had so many ideas I simply could not decide on just one. I really began to think about how God gives to those who need it most, and shows love to those who are forgotten.
Last Tuesday I went to visit a family friend at the nursing home and felt called to speak with the on call nurse about resident needs. I knew that my friend was provided for but I also know many nursing home residents are not. I began to tell the nurse of the project our pastor has inspired us to do. I asked if there was anyone with needs. She took me over to a woman sitting in a wheelchair with bright blue eyes and a huge smile on her face. She said, "This is _____" she encouraged the woman to speak to me in French and Spanish, which she is fluent in. As I stood there listening to this woman speak to me, although I had no clue what she was saying, I was touched by her gentle spirit and nature.
As I later walked, down the hall to my friend's room the nurse informed me that this beautiful woman has no visitors, no family or friends and no clothes. They have been dressing her in hospital gowns day and night, she then reinforced it by saying she does not even have a t-shirt to her name. I asked if I could help. I took my $100 and was able to provide this woman with more clothes then I thought a $100 could ever buy. God truly does bless those in need!
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Brad 1/28/08
I have a co-worker that has had some trouble lately paying bills. Without a car, she has to take a cab to work every day and some days doesn't make enough to take the cab home. She recently started a new job, so I gave her the $50 to help as an emergency fund if the ride she arranged can't take her to work. I mentioned the Give Project and she is considering coming to our church.
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Dave 1/28/08
I had prayed and deliberated about my $50 for about a week. I ended up at the Hagerstown City Park during an extended lunch break from work. There was man sitting in a gazebo near the Hager House. I passed him once and waved. I felt like I should speak to him so on my return trip along the trail I stopped and said "hi".
He said he had come to pray. I gave him the envelope with the money from Pastor Patrick and told him about the Give Project.I said "I think this is for you." He stood up and shook my hand. He explained that he was wearing sunglasses because he was having Lasix eye treatments done to correct his vision. He drove a truck and while his eyes were healing he couldn't work so money was very tight.
He said to pass on his thanks and reminded me gently to give my testimony as I left.
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Caroline 1/26/08
I was so excited to hear Patrick share the news of the give project, and felt led right away as to who needed it most in my circle. I have a coworker who is a single mom with preteen and two year old daughters to raise. She works two jobs and goes to school to get her master's degree. I have been focused on her anyway as a potential follower for Christ...and God wanted me to continue.
On the way home that Sunday, I spoke to my children (and a friend who we brought along). I told them about my plans to give to this coworker, and they excitedly asked if they could add their $5 each, $15 to my $10. I was so pleased that they felt that way and could further encourage my friend.
She had tears in her eyes at the gift and I included an invite card for the church.
Thanks Patrick for the inspiration and God for the blessing of his leadership.
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Donna 1/25/08
I recieved 100.00 in my envelope. This pasted week I ran across a young girl with children and one on the way. She didn't have enough food for her family and didn't have a car to get to the store. So I went shopping for her. I spent 50.00 that day at the store and also cleaned out my own pantry and freezer. This family was so happy the kids were jumping up and down and couldn't wait to see what this strange lady had bought for them. The look and smiles on the children's faces was worth millions!!! I still have another 50.00 just waiting on God to lead me in the right direction. I love giving to others...I think I feel better than the ones on the receiving side of it. GOD BLESS YOU PASTER PATRICK!
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Justine & Brittany 1/24/08
Our first visit to Lifehouse was on the Sunday that Pastor Patrick gave out the envelopes. We thought the concept was awesome and so real! My daughter, Brittany, and I waited until we were in the car to open our envelopes. She received $20 and I received $50. It wasn't soon after the excitement of "how" we would use this money that I began to feel this pressure to do something extraordinary with my portion. We decided to pray about it and God would show us each how we were to show His love. Well...a week went by and we sat in church, still with the money in our purses. After Pastor Patrick said he wanted us to use the money for someone who was in need or hurting, my answer started to appear. Our friend & neighbor, has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 20 years and has 2 teenage boys. Her husband left her after 22 years of marriage. She has been so broken-hearted and distraught that we decided to treat her to some relaxation. We decided to combine our money and treat her to a massage at Sagittarius Salon. When we presented the gift to her, she welled-up and told us that she has never had a massage. But wait...there's more...I'll let Brittany tell you this part.
So this part doesn't really have much to do with the cold hard cash given to us by Pastor "Warbucks" Patrick, but my Mom and I have been focusing on random acts of kindness, as sparked by the idea of the envelopes. As I'm sure many of you have seen, Liberty Tax Service often has an employee dressed as the Statue of Liberty standing on the corner of Dual Highway and Eastern Blvd. On the way back from the gym tonight, we passed the "statue", waving his flag and looking mighty cold. I looked at my Mom and said, "We should get that guy some hot chocolate." So in one big U-turn, we stopped into Higher Ground Coffee, grabbed a hot chocolate and came back to the statue. I hopped out of the truck and assured him it was still good and that he just looked too cold. He told me the tax service wasn't paying him enough to stand out in this kind of weather...so I think the hot chocolate was a boost! :)
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Lisa 1/24/08
I had prayed for God to tell me how I could best give this money away and today it came to me!
My son and I combined our money to make $25.00. I was talking to a coworker, who actually lives in the same development as me, and she was talking about her son who has a disability. I asked if she had ever gone to one of the conventions that they have for people with this disability and she said no, but her son has asked for years if they can go and really wants to attend one. Right then and there I knew, I took the money out of my purse, explained the situation in which God was giving her this money and told her to start a fund for her son so that he would be able to go to his convention and meet others just like him!
She also stated that she hadn't been in church in a while, but really wanted to find one that she felt comfortable in and said she will be joining us to give us a try!
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Christina 1/24/08
I had held on to my money for one week exactly. I only had 5$ and I was not sure what to do with it. My ears had been open and I kept waiting to hear of someone in need or waiting for God to show me where my money might be most beneficial. Yet nothing was jumping out to me.
Then on Sunday I had to go pick up food for a leadership meeting. Sunday was an extremely cold day the kind that chilled me to my bones. Their was a man behind the counter who helped with the order, but he told one of the other employees to help me carry out the stuff to my car. Here first comment was that it was cold outside, so I said it would be ok I could take care of it. However, the next thing I know here this girl is by my side grabbing the big food trays and helping me to my car.
As she walked away I looked down on my car seat where my envelope laid and I instantly knew where my money should go. This girl express no great need, but she showed kindness to me, even when it meant she would have to be uncomfortable in the cold weather. So I rushed over to her and handed her the 5 her face lit up and I told her a little bit about the give project and that I wanted her to have the money.
It was not some great big need, and I may never know what that little bit of money may have meant to that girl, but I do know the feeling I received inside after giving the money. It felt really good to give and I pray that I never stop giving of my money, time, and resources.
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Heather 1/23/08
I must say that when I recieved my envelope I was a little nervous to look inside. It is a huge responsibility to take someone else's money and to then decide how to use it. It really made me think more about my responsibilities as a child of God and how everything that I have is not mine but his. Yet so often I spend money so carelessly and don't give it any thought. This experience has reminded me that I need to be a better steward of the time and materials that God has entrusted me with.
As for my envelope... I was entrusted to bless someone with the ten dollars that I was given. I prayed about it and I felt that I should bless someone that I work with. This person is a single mom who works hard and goes to college. I used the money to buy a can of formula for her 5 month old baby. This project was AMAZING and it has really inspired me to become more aware of the little things that we can do to make a difference in this world!
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Mike 1/23/08
During the church service while Pastor Patrick was mentioning that we would all be recieving different denominations of money God spoke to me and told me I would be recieving $100. Right then I knew who I had to give it to. A girl I had worked with at T-Mobile. I knew she had had fianancial problems in the past. When I met up with her to give her the money I found out a few days earlier she had been in the hospital and that her copay was 100, the exact amount I had been given. I told her that even when we forget God, He never fogets us. She said she had been praying the last few weeks and felt like she was getting no answer. I told her that God dosen't always answer our prayers the way we want and sometimes no answer is the answer. Anyway she would like to start going to church with us now and was stunned that she finally got her answer from God.
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Lori 1/22/08
I am amazed as God gives me the incredible honor to work for Him in the Children's ministry at the Lifehouse. Sunday morning was just a time of pure joy as Rich and I gave the children the opportunity to share there testimonies with us. Each child at the Lifehouse recieved an envelope with $5 dollars in it. Wow I was blown away as we heard one at a time how the Lord used the least of these to honor His Kingdom.
The stories consisted of giving to the homeless, giving to their parents, giving to someone at school that nobody speaks to. Wow the heart of a little child can teach us so much. They wanted to hold nothing back. Each of them stood there with pride allowing us to know how Christ was able to use them for the greatest cause we could ever know.
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Beckie 1/22/08
As Randy & I left after the service, we decided to explain what happened to our 4 year old daughter. We then prayed about what God wanted us to do with the money. Our daughter was very specific right away. She wanted to give it to "____" (and she said the person's name). I thought it was kind of random for her to say that name so I just kind of kept it in the back of my head.
The next evening, I talked to her about it again & asked her if she gave it any more thought. She was adamant, she wanted to give it to that person. I decided that we would do it her way. We put the money in a card (& she drew a picture) & sent it in the mail. I'm very excited to see how God is going to use her childlike faith!
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Chandra 1/22/08
Well, I had my wisdom teeth pulled the Friday before Pastor Patrick gave us the money. My fiance', Don, and I went in early to help set up. I barely made it through the worship before I had to run to the car and lie down just so I wouldn't throw up.
Now that you have the background...Don gets out of service and comes out to the car and hands me this envelope. I was a little groggy and confused, but opened it, read the letter, and started to think and pray about what I should do with the $100 bill. It took me until yesterday to figure it out.
First, I wanted to make some care packages to send to some soldiers overseas from this area (which I'm still thinking about doing), then I thought of splitting the money up and handing out 5's, 10's and 20's to a bunch of people...but then I thought about HOW much $100 means to me, and to most people. So, I prayed and prayed and finally just gave it to one of my co-workers whose boyfriend has been out of work. I just put it into an envelope with her name on it and a letter inside saying, "Thought you could use this...Love, God." I handed it to her and said that someone dropped it off for her. :) And that's my story.
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Karen & Aaron 1/21/08
For privacy reasons, I do not want to specify exactly who we gave the money to, but I do want to say that it is amazing how far $20 can go when you stop focusing on the dollar amount and start focusing on the big picture.
While I know that many of us give in so many ways every day, this project has really emphasized how God can work through even the most minimal circumstance. $20, which normally would be squandered on fast food or useless "junk" for the kids, in our case is able to provide spiritual comfort to an elderly widow and feed children healthly lunches for a whole week at a school.
This project reminded me of the story of the loaves and fishes from the bible and how God can take something and spread it farther than you could ever imagine.
What if every decison we made with our time, talents and money was prayed about as much as we prayed over this Give Project money? What a radical transition our life would take...what amazing mountains we would climb. Thank you Jesus for working through Patrick and Laura to teach us an incredible and humbling lesson.
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Michelle 1/21/08
My best friend opened a clothing store last February, fulfilling a life-long dream. She put everything she had into the store, including the trust she was left when her mother died.
She has struggled since the opening to keep the store going, but this past week she found out that she'll have to close her doors within the next two weeks. The lawyer has told her that her only option is bankruptcy, and while the paperwork is being processed, she cannot get another decent paying job, or make any purchases with her cards totaling over $30. Not even for gas or groceries.
She was one of my only Christian friends growing up, but we have gotten older, she keeps drifting from what she knows will keep her safe. When she opens up the envelope with the $20.00 check, and reads the story of Lifehouse, I know she'll have that gentle reminder of what she needs to focus on to get her through....and what she needs to hold tight to once she is back on her feet.
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Annie & Steve 1/20/08
I finally heard from the young family that the Lord asked us to send our combined $150 too. It seems they were worse off than we thought - this money was going to provide them with the funds they needed to go to the grocery store - just when they were wondering where it was coming from.
This is a family of three beautiful little girls (a 4th one is on the way - due in June), a Mom and Dad. Keep them in your prayers as Dad tries to find another job (the current one isn't providing enough funds to take care of his little family). When I explained about "The Give Project" they expressed an interest in coming to visit us. In with their money I put a brochure about the move to the theater just in case they wanted to come be part of our family.
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Joe 1/19/08
Well everyone, I finally was able to give the contents of my envelope away the other day. It felt great! My envelope contained a one hundred dollar bill. Boy did it take a lot of thought and prayer because I only expected to receive five dollars. After that, I just needed a little time to decide how to be tactful in its delivery.
Let me start by giving a little background information. Betty is a cashier at my work. I've never asked her age but my guess is that she is in her mid sixties. She has had cancer in the past and is in remission but still suffers from complications from it. Additionally, she can not retire or work part-time because she needs the money to offset the medical bills she incurs because of how the cancer still negatively effects the current state of her health. So I decided to write a small note, put the note and money inside a small envelope, and paper clip it to her time card. I wanted to remain anonymous because I am not just a co-worker but I am her boss as well. I didn't want my blessing to be misconstrued by others as favoritism. That would've ruined the point and importance of the gesture.
The note I wrote read:
The money in this envelope was given to me to bless someone who may need it. I do not know anything about your personal financial situation. I do know that you have missed quite a bit of time from work lately, due to illness, and that you have no personal time remaining. With that being said, please accept and use the money in this envelope as you see fit. It can be used to pay a bill, save for a rainy day, or just to spoil and pamper yourself. You deserve it! The power of God has made this gift possible. Enjoy!
The only other person at my workplace who knows about my actions is my boss. That day I had him watch her and report back to me her response to my blessing. He told me she was overjoyed and mentioned how she would use the money to buy a new pair of pants for work and to pay a medical bill. Another co-worker witnessed the event and commented about how great it was as well. So I am hoping its effects will be two fold. Someone will benefit from the use of the money and someone witnesses the truely awesome power of God. Neither person will probably attend the Lifehouse, but I feel confident that they were touched in some way. Maybe down the road each person will be able to bless somone else. How awesome is that?
Praise God, for this wonderful opportunity.
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Elaine 1/19/08
My longtime friend and Christian sister Bonnie has been out of work since April. I invited her to lunch so we could reconnect. I shared the story of our wonderful new church the Life House and The Giving Project. I gave her the envelope of cash to buy gas for her car. She accepted the money with joy and thanks!
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Lori 1/19/08
It is so exciting to be apart of the Lifehouse and this amazing project. Rich and I, were able to give out envelopes to all the children in the children's ministry. We can't wait to hear the exciting testimonies of the kids this sunday morning. We were able to watch God at work in the lives of our own children.
Joshusa and Abigail, along with their cousins Scott and Dylan, decided to give the money to their seven month old baby cousin who is awaiting an organ transplant. They were so geniune in wanting to give this money that Rich and I, wanted to teach how God will multiply.
We matched their gift and made it a total of $40.00 to send to this very sick little girl. We are still praying about who to give the money to that we received in our envelopes. We will give you that update soon.
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Laura 1/19/08
I visited my friend last night. We met at the hospital where her husband is staying as he undergoes chemo treatments for Stage 4 cancer. It's hard to describe the scene I beheld in that small, sterile, hospital room. To witness a beautiful Christian family with two young children that are literally clinging to God for their very survival is, well, truly heart-wrenching. All other distractions, including material possessions, have paled into the background as this family prays for a miracle.
I'm learning, as I watch my friend, that what truly matters in this life is life itself. What am I doing with the life God has entrusted to me? Where do I put most of my efforts? Do I invest my time into things that will last or into things that are temporary?
In view of the gift of life, money and all of the "stuff" it represents are of little value.
I chose to give my envelope to my friend. Not because of the dollar amount inside, but perhaps they could use the money to have a nice family dinner together.
A family dinner, something so simple and so often taken for granted, is on the "A" list for this family.
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Marlo 1/18/08
In the process of doing a story on the pastor's random act of kindness, I too received an envelope and was challenged to put the money to good use.
Ironically I was to cover a benefit concert for a slain Smithsburg police officer Friday night so I put my $5 in a basket at the door. I was unable to locate any family members to give the money to personally but I understand it will go to a scholarship fund.
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Matt & Kristen 1/18/08
We combined our money and bought a Lowes gift certificate for neighbors who moved in a couple months ago because their house burned down. They are currently having it rebuilt, and were very thankful because they have had to buy alot of stuff from Lowes in the process.
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Brittney 1/18/08
The other day I came across a man that I have known for years.... NOW HOMELESS he found a family he could stay with for only a few days. As we were talking I realized that he was so down on his luck and seems to have little to no Hope.....no job-no money to speak of I think he had $4.00 -no food-broken family!
I brought up GOD and GODS great love for US- as we sat a spoke for over an hour-something tugged at my heart and I reached in my pocketbook and took out the $10.00 I received from church this passed Sunday -I smiled and told him how important it is to seek GOD's LOVE- I handed him the money and said I hope this can help you.
Well, WOW he was so VERY thankful and as I pulled off he said with tears in his eyes GOD BLESS YOU,GOD BLESS YOU! WHAT a wonderful feeling it is to help others!
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Tami 1/17/08
While Pastor was still speaking I was already thinking of who I was going to give this money to... Then it hit me. Roxanne! She is a woman I work with.
A few weeks ago a large tree branch fell through the back window of her car. When I asked about insurance, she informed me that with all the other bills she can't afford it. Not Good! That in mind, I couldn't wait to open my envelope.... I had the thought of taking her straight to the car insurance office. But, plans changed when I only recieved 5 dollars. I thought..."now what?"
Then after telling this to my husband we decided to add to the $5. It wasn't much but I took the 100 dollars we got for Christmas from Grandpa and put it in the envelope. (Pastor wanted a new car, I wanted a dresser for our new baby that is just 5 weeks from arrival.)
Anyway...I gave the envelope to Roxanne hoping she could pay some bills.
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Tony Jr. 1/17/08
I gave my $5 that I got from church on Sunday to my Grandma who I thought needed it.
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Tony & Stef 1/17/08
Between the both of us we were given $15 and decided to take it to the Laundry Mat and give it to the first person we saw washing clothes.
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Dylan 1/17/08
There is a boy in my class that doesn't have lots of toys. I used my money to get him some toys. I hope he is happy with the things I got him. He is a special friend in my class.
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Kaila 1/17/08
My teacher spends a lot of money on pencils for our class and all the pencils end up ruined. I decided to use money I received to buy more pencils, tissues and pens for my classroom. I also bought my teacher a very large pencil and put her name on it so it won't be lost. I think I have a good teacher.
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Stephanie 1/17/08
I must confess that I was very nervous to be receiving this money. I did not know who I was going to give it to, so I prayed that God would put someone in my path who was in need.
Since the amount I received wasn't much, I added to it and gave it to a friend of mine who is trying to finance a missions trip this summer. He is a fine young man who is serving God wholeheartedly and I am very excited to see how God will use him during his trip.
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April 1/17/08
I feel led to give my money to a friend of mine. I'm not exactly sure what she'll spend the money on, but I feel God wants me to give it to her. She was the first person who popped into my head when I received the money, but I initially dismissed the thought, thinking that I just WANTED to give her the money and that when the time was right, I would KNOW who to give it to or what to buy for who with it.
But, yesterday I was on the phone with her excitedly telling her of the project and what a great idea it is and the thought returned and wouldn't go away. So, I prayed about it and I still feel that God wants her to have this money- I'm not going to argue! I'm thankful to get to be the "middleman!" How exciting! I'm mailing it to her today with a note telling her how we've both been blessed!
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A Lifehouse Member 1/17/08
I had matched the amount of money that was given to me in the envelope. I purchased a gift certificate at a local salon. I gave it to a woman at the grocery store. I explained to her what our church was doing. She then smiled and said thank you. I told her it's a gift, no strings attached, just a gift for you, someone special in the eyes of God.
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Anonymous 1/17/08
About 6 months ago my husband was sick and spent a good amount of time in the hospital and off work. Then between the two of us we spent the last couple of months in and out of the hospital, away from our young child and work. Needless to say things have gotten really tight.
This past week like the few preceding I placed a check in my wallet for my weekly giving at church. It wasn't until I was making my way to church did I realize that my gas light was on and I had no money to fill it. So as I was listening to the sermon I prayed that G-D would look after me and my child and get us home safe. I thought about using the check I had brought for church to fill my tank but I realized that by putting my faith in G-D I would be OK. As I was picking up my child from the kids area, thinking about what I was going to do with the money I received, I was handed an envelope. It said not to open it until I was in the car. So I followed the directions and did just that.
One of the members of our community was so touched by the sermon, that their family gave us the money from their wallet to make sure we had the gas to get home safely. I share this with you all, not to tell my sob story or to single out this family, but to share the love and generosity that is still alive within this community. Thank you all, you can't even imagine how being a part of this community and accepting Jesus into our lives has changed us for the better.
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Heather 1/17/08
I gave the money to a fellow teacher whose father has cancer. The latest news was that the cancer had spread to the bone and the brain. The doctors said he had about a month to live.
This teacher has been traveling back and forth visiting his father as much as he can. With gas prices so high, the teachers at school decided to pitch in and collect some gas money for him to be able to visit his father. The total collection came to over $100!
I shared the letter that came in the envelope with the other teachers at lunch. They thought it was an amazing idea!!
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Mary 1/16/08
I gave my money to my mom to help her out with food.
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Chris & Jessica 1/16/08
Me and my sister put our money together and gave it to my pappy and grandma for their fuel bill.
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Ted & Debi 1/16/08
We combined our two envelopes and gave the money to a single Mom with a small child who has been struggling to make ends meet. Between Hospital bills and cut backs at her job, life has not been easy for her and the cash arrived just when the gas tank in her car was dry and she needed to get to work.
When I gave her the money, I told her about The Give Project and she was totally overwhelmed. She would like to attend Allegheny College in the fall and this small gift brings her one step closer to her dream.
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Courtney 1/16/08
One of my good friends is currently attending Messiah College to prepare herself in becoming a missionary and spreading the Word of God all around the world.
She has been to Brazil once and hopes to travel there again. Currently, she is in a study abroad program Thailand to further her education. Her goal is to share the Word of God in other countries where they might never havd heard about the love of Jesus.
I received $100 dollars in my envelope, and that money will go in her missions fund for her next missions trip.
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Charles & Lisa 1/16/08
We took the kids out to lunch Sunday after Church and when we finished, Charles took the kids to the car and I found our waitress and told her that she was loved.
I wanted to bless her and handed her the $55 that Charles and I recieved combined. She grabbed my arm and said Thank you, and when I was walking away I saw her run up to a friend and show her.
Thank you Pastor Patrick for truly being a teacher. Praying Blessings for you and your family ten fold!!!
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Pastor Terry 1/16/08
Wow! God is good! I just wanted to say how exciting it is to see what God is doing at LHE! Stay "fired up" Pastor Patrick and everyone at LHE! May this be an inspiration to many others to embrace the heart of God to serve others is such pure and practical ways!
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J. 1/15/08
I've decided to gift the money to Alfred B. He is a sweet, kind old fellow who lives in a small subdivision. He is so deserving of kindness and love.
Two Thanksgivings ago he lost his wife, Carmen of many, many years. Since then, it seems he's been looking for something, some direction or purpose to keep him going.
He loves nature, taking care of animals and helping others. From what little I know, he's lived his life as a carpenter, in one place or another. He has never failed to reach out and extend his help or assistance -ever! I keep in touch with Alfred several times a year...just to say "hello" or to engage in small talk over our properties. I'm happy to tell you I'm sharing this "gift" with him....in addition to our friendship.
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Karyssa 1/14/08
I chose to give my money to my schools "prayer" group leader.
I felt led to do this because she helps teens in our school learn about God. She is not a very welthly lady,so i thought i would give her the$20 for gas money. She drives to my school everyday to teach us about God.
Her mom had to undergo a few surgeries that were alot of money. God put it in my heart to give the money to her. If she did not have gas money to come to our school some kids may have never got the opportunity to lean about God.
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Jenna 1/14/08
A couple weeks ago my best friends little brothers had RSV. Which left them in the hospital for a week. I felt really bad and I knew the expense after insurance could be pretty pricy. So they may not have enough money to get diapers and wipes for the 3 little ones.
I called up their mom and told her she would be receiving a check in the mail made out to the family for $100.00. She kinda thought I was kidding but I had to reassure her and tell her the give project story. She was amazed and accepted the $100.00 for her family.
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Josh 1/14/08
I have a good friend of mine who has been going on some hard times lately.
Parents are at ends, money is beyond tight and they are in the process of
selling their house because they can't afford to live there anymore.
When she was 16, her grandmother gave her $20.00 to keep in her car for
emergencies, and in the years since she has had so many emergencies that it
was long gone. Recently she had another, and her grandmother asked about the $20.00, not realizing how long it had been.
In my envelope was $20.00, and it really tugged on my heart how I could help
someone with it. So I prayed on it. I got a call from her about an hour
later and we were talking, and suddenly I remembered her grandmother's
gesture. It's not just $20.00, it's a saftey net. Something to catch you
when you fall. And she could really use a saftey net right now.
So, I wrote her a letter (easier for her not to refuse it, she's alittle
proud like us all) and included the $20. I have no doubt that I couldn't
have done it a better way.
It may not seem like much, but we could all use a saftey net sometimes.
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Sarah 1/13/08
After church this morning, I slipped my envelope in to my purse and
headed out to do our weekly grocery shopping at Sam's Club.
On my way to the cash register, I went down the clothing aisle on a whim,
and came upon a very young couple with 2 year old twin girls. As I perused the racks, I overheard them lamenting the fact that while the coats were beautiful, they could only afford to get one. Both little girls were layered in old sweaters that were a few sizes too small, with long-sleeved shirts underneath.
Not having opened my envelope yet, I wasn't sure if I would be able to make a difference for them or not, so I stepped away and looked inside to find the exact amount needed for one coat.
I handed it over to the couple with a smile, and also handed them a
Lifehouse flier that I happened to have in my purse.
They were so very appreciative, and both of them got teary-eyed. As I
walked away, I heard the little girls giggling as they tried on their new
coats.
God certainly didn't waste any time putting someone in my path who could use a little generosity!
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