A Funny Thing Happened While I Wasn't Looking!

Because of our busy schedule a few things around my house have not received the attention they usually get. This is my nice way of saying my back yard landscaping has been neglected! I’ve a bird feeder that hangs off my back deck and when I don’t keep up with the spillage, the growth that occurs under that birdfeeder kind of runs-a-muck!

Two weeks ago I looked over my back deck railing at all the weeds and saw a sunflower plant that had not only grown under the trees and in the shade of the deck; it had also grown and bloomed without the benefit of my gardening skills. In fact, when I looked over the deck railing, I could tell it was blooming but in true sunflower form, the blossom was facing the sun and not me. I did go down to see the full glory of it’s blossom once but then I got caught up in my busy life again and left it to be a sunflower.

(For those of you who know me, you know that a sunflower blooming in my own garden has great significance to me. It was God’s gift to me for numerous reasons, too many to list.)

So this morning I looked over the railing at that sunflower for the first time in 2 weeks. The petals of the flower were brown but the center of that flower was working hard formulating hundreds of seeds.

So here it comes, Susan’s goofy philosophy for today.

We are all created for a purpose and we should make every effort to Glorify God with our lives. Sometimes the world witnesses our hard work and our ‘beautiful bloom’ and other times our hard work goes unseen and even unappreciated. Regardless of where we are planted we can still bloom mightily and do the job we were created to do…in spite of the odds. And when our job is done the seeds of our faith will fall on the soil and new life will be born when we follow "The Son". 

So where am I going with this?

For every 3 hours you see Forever Fed in action serving guests, there are six to twelve hours of preparation required to make that event happen. We plan, shop, promote, prepare food, clean, cook, pray, and pray some more.

Could you possibly be one of God's Sonflowers that "blooms behind the scenes"? Forever Fed has great needs and many uses for your talents!

Have a blessed week everyone!

Susan V.

Forever Fed in the News!!

Forever Fed was on the front page of the Cherokee Tribune!!

Check the full article here: Cherokee Tribune

Recruiting an Army of Helpers for the Month of June!

Not that I'm panicked or anything because God always provides but folks...we've got BIG needs in the next 10 days and we need you!!!

 

From June 1st to Jun 11th, Forever Fed is providing an estimated 1000 meals to our community and we can't achieve this with out an army of helpers! We'd love to include you in our army of supporters so if you can assist us with any of the following events, please click on our volunteer tab and let us know! Within 24 hours we'll be emailing you with everything you need to know about helping with that event. 

So here's the list of our maxed-out schedule for the next 11 days. Please look for a place to plug in! We always have a ton of fun at our events, I promise! 

Sunday, June 5th--4 servers needed to serve breakfast at Northwoods Apartments, Canton 9-10:30 AM

Monday, June 6th--4 helpers to make sack lunches for Kid's Bible club at 10AM in Woodstock. 

Tuesday, June 7th--4 helpers to make sack lunches for Kid's Bible Club @ 10AM in Woodstock

Tuesday, June 7th--4 helpers needed at 12 PM, Hillside Church, Woodstock--prepare hot meal for Tuesday evening at KBC (Helpers must be at least 16 years old)

Tuesday, June 7th--12 helpers needed at 6 PM to serve hot meal at Kid's Bible Club, Woodstock

Wednesday, June 8th--4 helpers to make sack lunches for Kid's Bible Club @ 10AM in Woodstock

Thursday, June 9th--4 helpers to make sack lunches for Kid's Bible Club @ 10AM in Woodstock

Friday, June 10th-4 helpers to make sack lunches for Kid's Bible Club @ 10AM in Woodstock

Saturday, June 11th--4 helpers needed at 12 PM to prepare meal at Hillside Church for Saturday Night's Block Party in Canton (Helpers must be at least 16 years old)

Saturday, June 11th, 10 helpers needed at 5:30 to set up and serve meal at Scott Mill Chapel's Block     Party

 

As always, thank you for your continued support and prayers. If you'd like contribute supplies towards any of these meals there is a list of needed items in the "discussions" forum on our website at www.foreverfed.org. If you'd like to contribute funds, you can click on the 'Donate' tab on the left through Paypal or send a check to Forever Fed, Inc. 1703 Brookridge Court, Woodstock, GA 30189

 

May the Lord continue to bless each of you just as you have blessed us!

 

Summer is almost here!

Wow, where did the school year go?

Pretty soon those kiddos will be home all day long saying, "I'm so bored...I don't have anything to do!" 

Well we've got a whole list of fun activities for you and your family! Our events are actually pretty fun and filled with laughter and joy because we always celebrate in our service. 

We have so many opportunities to volunteer this summer there are simply too many to list. In fact, on the week beginning Sunday, June 5th and ending on Saturday, June 11th we have...

5 opportunities to make sack lunches

3 opportunities to serve a meal

1 opportunity to ride around in your car and tape flyers to mailboxes

2 opportunities to prepare delicious meals at Hillside UMC's kitchen

And that's just ONE week in June!

Forever Fed could not serve a single meal without our many volunteers.   

The good news is that each and every time you serve your neighbor you glorify the Lord! Not only that, when you serve people in need with the intent of being the hands and feet of Jesus it is a form of worship. 

It just doesn't get much better than worshiping and glorifying God through serving our fellow man. For us to fight this battle against hunger, Forever Fed needs a large army of worshipers and glorifiers.

Simply put, we need you!

So please take a moment this week to visit the events calendar and consider making a commitment to your community through serving with Forever Fed. If you are unable to help us with your presence please consider helping us serve by making a donation. (Our average cost per meal is $1.25)

Please come and serve with us...we can't serve without you! 

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." Romans 12:1

What a Beautiful Day!

It's Spring Break in Cherokee County and the weather provided us a beautiful setting for our first day of Spring Break Blitz. 

During the Winter Break Blitz in February we had a difficult time getting the kids to come out of their homes to play games with the Children's Ministry crew from Hillside Church but that certainly wasn't the case today!!!

Jamey Pricket, Pastor of Liberty Hill Church in Canton, drove the MAC truck into the apartment complex and a few of the kids actually met him right in the parking lot with "when do the games start!" It was truly heart warming. 

Not long after that, one of the older boys came to me and asked when we served the food. As much as I wanted to give him his meals right then I had to ask him to wait until 12 noon for the lunch distribution so that everyone could be served at once. But I believe that through that young man, God is showing us that we are truly providing meals to His children in need. 

During the last break the children were shy about coming and getting the sack lunches we provided but this time a few of the Northwood's kids actually wanted to assist us with placing the fresh fruit and sandwiches in the bags. It was so very heart warming. One of our "resident helpers" was a young boy who has been very distant and withdrawn in the past. However today he was very exuberant and friendly and even said, "Now this is the kind of volunteering I like to do!" as he was placing bananas in the bags. 

Watching a relationship grow is so very rewarding. Forever Fed has served meals to this community 17 times since September of 2010. It's often difficult to know if the seeds you've sown ever take hold and begin to grow. In fact, many ministries sow seed of faith for years and never get to see the fruit of thier labors. 

I am so thankful today for God's huge gift of allowing me to see that the seeds of faith we are sowing are not only growing, they are actually bearing fruit. One shy withdrawn child is not only learning to trust us, he's learning to give back to his own community and doing so with joy. 

Forever Fed is not just about food, it's about being the hands and feet of Christ while showing unconditional love. As we gain the trust of the people we serve by consistently showing up and delivering on promises we've made, we are restoring hope to the hopeless and showing God's children in need they are greatly loved.

I am so very honored to serve alongside so many others who are like minded and hearted! We had an army of folks assisting us today in making the 200 sandwiches needed to fill 100+ lunch bags with meals for this community. 

It's days like this that give new meaning to the phrase "It's a beautiful day!"

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: 
to loose the chains of injustice 
   and untie the cords of the yoke, 
to set the oppressed free 
   and break every yoke? 

 Is it not to share your food with the hungry 
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— 
when you see the naked, to clothe them, 
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, 
   and your healing will quickly appear; 
then your righteousness will go before you, 
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; 
   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I."

Isaiah 58:6-9