Bridging The Gap

As many are aware, my wife has recently started a non-profit organization that reaches out to those in need in our community and not only provides food but, displays the love of Jesus Christ. As people witness this application of service the obvious question is "Why are you doing this?". The answer is simply "Love". So many scriptures come to mind:
-"Love thy neighbor as thyself"....
-"For God so loved the world that He gave"....
-"Whatever you do to the least of these, you have done unto me"....
God's love transcends our understanding of the word.

Every day food that has reached its sale by date is culled from the isles of local grocery stores. This food is still good if only for a short while. These foods include produce, meats, deli and dairy items, as well as non-perishables and toiletries. Instead of these items going to waste or being destroyed, Bridging The Gap picks them up and delivers them to the needy. Right now BTG is supplying 14 different organizations around Coweta County that know better how to serve their demographic. Along the way there are still individual families who receive assistance. At present there are over 450 people a week being fed and BTG is only two months into existence! If you don't think that God is still in the miracle business, I challenge you to come along for the ride and experience it first hand.

I recently heard someone say "People will care about how much you know when they know how much you care". Do you care enough to volunteer a couple of hours out of the week if only to stock shelves or maybe even hand deliver food to someone in need? Maybe you have other resources without the luxury of time. Be aware of the platform God has given you to glorify Him and BE the hands and feet of Jesus.

If you are interested in supporting this ministry, you can respond by e-mail to apowderwallace@hotmail.com.

Any monetary donations are appreciated. Make checks payable to

Bridging the Gap
PO Box 223
Newnan, Ga. 30264

COVER ME

Last year, about this same time, I was in middle of an uncomfortable situation. Unemployment. It was especially bothersome because I had lost my job as a worship leader. That's right. I got fired from a church. Not only had I been dismissed from what I do best, I felt like I had failed when it came to leading people into the presence of God. How was I going to face people and have them ask "What did he do to get fired from a church?"(Notice how many times the word "I" was just used?)

I came home that night, sat in my favorite recliner, and reached over for what would ordinarilly be the remote. Instead, there sat my Bible. It was as if God was saying "We really need to talk.". Fortunately, I had just heard an evangelist say something that corrected everything I was feeling. "We're so busy getting our prayers off the floor and through the roof. Make no mistake, if our prayers don't begin in the throne room of God, they aren't going anywhere!"

My ego had taken priority. Not intentionally, mind you. It never dawned on me that maybe God had placed a hurdle in my life to see how I was going to react. Was I going to stop and cower in fear? Was I going to recklessly barrell through it with no concern of how it might effect someone else? Wouldn't it have been better for me to pause, if only for a split second, to seek God's hand in His infinite wisdom to guide me?

Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, capillaries burst with grief, praying that this "cup" be passed from Him. He didn't want to be beaten, scourged, spit on, crucified, or anything of the sort. He did, however, have the wisdom to say "nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done" because he understood that what He was to do was to glorify the Father.

In Mark 10:32-45 Jesus mapped it out AGAIN for the desciples and the command still applied. FOLLOW ME. After Jesus explained what was to happen, James and John were quick to say that they wanted to share in His glory. I dare to think that they probably didn't put alot of thought into what it was going to cost them. By the way, James was beheaded and John starved to death alone on the isle of Patmos! That being said, I believe they went to their death confident in knowing that their trials on earth were temporary. It was their eternity with the God that sacrificed his only Son for them that mattered most.

"Cover Me" was given to me in the midst of a terrible storm. It was only when I looked to Him that the winds and waves stood still and I found peace. My prayer is that this song speaks to you as it has me.

May God bless and keep you,

Kevin

For Who's Glory?

My wife and I donate alot of our time to a local organization that focuses on ministering to our community wether it be through finances, food, clothing, housing, etc. . Its especially humbling to see someone walk through the doors, who you know is used to making a six figure income, and ask for assistance. What makes it especially rewarding is when you make the effort to assist that person and, because they see a difference in the way you respond, they come back, this time, to volunteer their efforts to help others. Do you see a pattern?

Alot of times, when we are in a position of "giving a leg up", we elevate ourselves or lord it over the person who is in need of assistance thus revealing the true motivation behind our service. SELF GLORIFICATION. Ouch! Take a second and think about that. You may have, at some point, entered into a position of service with the best of intentions and, before you know it, someone walks through the door that looks or talks differently. You may not even agree with anything about them. The next thing you know, you're on a pedestal. After all, they came to you. Right? So how do we keep from being corrupted?

Colossians 3:22-24 (NAS) says "Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will recieve the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.". As Christians, we are not our own. In any culture where there is a king on the throne, no one does anything without the consent of the king for fear of death. Let the King guide your next word or deed. This requires constant prayer and devotion. Colassians 4:1-2 says "Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven. Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;....." vs 5 "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person."

The world would be a much better place if our actions weren't motivated by our reputation but by God's love. LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.

Meaningless!

I once heard Chip Ingram define boredome as "The act of trying to scratch the eternal itch with temporal things". These "temporal things" have a way of embedding themselves into our minds and lifes and , ultimately, distracting us from what is most important; eternity. In the book of Ecclesiasties, Solomon sat on the throne as king and obviously had an abundance of stuff. With all that stuff, came additional care/maintenance of that stuff. At the end of it all, your focus becomes blurred and what suffers is your relationship with the loving God. I'm not saying that wealth is a sin. What I am saying is when that wealth, the pursuit of wealth, or whatever the case may be, interrupts your relationship with Jesus Christ then you have created for yourself another god. (By the way, do you remember the first commandment?) We are in troubled times. Everybody is feeling the crunch of the economy. How do you think Job felt? He lost EVERYTHING. Because he made a choice to remain faithful, God blessed him with more than he originally had. More importantly, at the end of it all, I believe Job will hear the words "Well done my good and faithful child." God sent His only son to die for our sins. I believe He's earned our trust.

Plan Ahead

As summer draws to an end, pools will be covered till next year and we begin to prepare for the Fall and Winter festivities. Mike and I have already began to book events for Christmas. (Yes, already.) We have recieved calls from previous clients asking us to come back and play for their corporate or private party. Be sure to check out our calendar to help better plan for your specific needs. We have recently added three new venues to our schedule; Coweta Grill/Arbor Springs Golf Club Aug. 7th, LaParrilla Aug. 8th, Alamo Aug. 28th. We would really appreciate your support and I'm sure the business owners would as well. The demand for entertainment is larger during the holiday season due to the number of parties/gatherings so keep us in mind and, possibly, come see us at one of the local venues to see if we are the appropriate fit for your needs.