Stories I have heard while working at Operation Christmas Child

I want to tell you some stories about Operation Christmas Child that I heard while working as a coach at the Operation Christmas Child Warehouse in Charlotte for the season. My job is to teach volunteers how to process the shoeboxes. It has been a wonderful experience. We just completed 2.5 million boxes with 30,000 volunteers from 23 States. I even met a lady from Maine this past week.  

Here are some of the incredible stories I heard.
One of the first stories I heard was shared through a video from Operation Christmas Child video section. (www.samaritanspurse.org/article/small-texas-church-takes-on-a-god-sized-goal/) It was about a pastor and his wife who had suffered in the recent hurricane that had produced flooding in their Texas home. They would work on their home and then go to the church and work on the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes because it gave them normalcy. The incredible thing is that there were only 30 people in their Church and three of the families in the church had damage to their homes from the hurricane. As you watch the video you get towards the end and the pastor tells how many shoe boxes they have done.  He first said that they had completed 940 I think. And then he went on to say they had a grand total of over 8000. The cool thing was that they were able to go overseas with Samaritan’s purse and pass out the shoe boxes. It is a great video. 

Being a coach gives me an opportunity to meet a lot of different people. I have met homeschoolers, people from Kentucky, Florida, Ohio, Indiana and of course from Charlotte and the surrounding area. Many of them have impacted my life. I was impressed with a group of Mennonite women who brought a full tour bus load of ladies who worked very hard to get the shoe boxes ready for children. They are a special group of people. Through their compassionate hearts, they helped a woman out who was going through a difficult time. They gathered money ($900) and gave it to their coach to help her.  During my second week, I met a family who had adopted 10 children from China. Every one of these volunteers comes just to see what they can do to help the mission of the Operation Christmas Child. Many take vacation time and stay for week.

It is amazing what a shoebox can do in the life of a child. One of the cool things about these shoeboxes is that they have the potential to reach 10 people. One the ways it does is by the simple gifts in the shoeboxes.  People want to see what they received.  As each child gets a shoebox there a nice color magazine which talks about Jesus and how much He loves them. That can easily be seen by 10 people.

Let me tell you some of the stories that I've heard. The first one I like to tell you about happened recently. A young lady 8 years ago got a shoebox from somewhere down in South America. She didn't come to know Christ when she received the shoebox. Two weeks ago she was in Mexico City and Franklin Graham was there sharing and she went to the event.  Somehow she recognize the Samaritan's Purse logo for Operation Christmas Child. The cool thing is that she gave her life to Christ when Franklin Graham gave the invitation. Which reminds me, that prayers are a big part of what they do at Operation Christmas Child. All the boxes are prayed for five or six times a day. That prayer for a young lady in Mexico took 8 years to be answered. PTL!!

Another story I'd like to share with you is about a girl who lived in Haiti. She got a shoebox and gave her heart to Christ. They have a very strong discipleship program that goes right along with the shoe boxes.  She gave her heart to Christ and walked back home where her dad is the voodoo doctor of her village. She noticed four or five people standing out in front of her house. Later, her dad came out to bring another into the house, so he could do his voodoo magic on them. But the only person that was standing there was his daughter. He asked her, “Where are all the people?” She responded with something like this, "I told them about Jesus and they don't need you anymore." Dad got really mad and kicked her out of the house. Mom didn't like that because it was her baby so she went with her daughter. The cool thing is that the daughter led her mother to Christ. Now to make a long story short, she and her mother led the whole village to Jesus. Which in turn put the voodoo doctor, her father, out of business!!

Here's another story about how these boxes do such great things and make a difference in so many lives. They call Saturday full circle Saturday. Saturday is where they bring in someone who received a shoe box as a child and gave their life to Christ. These folks share their story on how a simple gift changed their lives. This lady who showed up for Full Circle Saturday during our daily devotion time shared about her life. She grew up on a farm.  Dad worked the farm and her dad was an alcoholic who got mean when he was drunk. When they were young her mom left and never came back. To this day she still doesn't know what happened to her mom. There was no body found or anything but her mom never came home. Her dad drank heavily and eventually lost her and her sister. He was put in prison and she was put in an orphanage. She began asking God who he was. One day at the orphanage the Operation Christmas Child people were there. In her own mind she was trying to understand God. So she went outside and asked God if he was real she said to herself that if God was real then when she threw up some leaves they would be blown to the left. Guess what happened, they blew to the left.  She went back in and got her shoebox. In the bottom of it she found a small dinosaur with a hole in the bottom of it. She didn't know what the hole was for. She finally figured out that she could sharpen her pencil by putting it in a twisting. She thought that was so cool! She also got burettes for her hair and lots of school supplies. For many of the children they cannot go to school unless they have supplies.  She also got some soap and to this day when she smells that soap it brings back really good memories.

One of the things they talk about during the training for coaches is to maintain the integrity of the shoebox. Years ago there was a box that came through that had maybe 10 pairs of gloves in it. The person who was looking through it thought that they should take out the gloves and put some other things in it. The coach said no we will keep the integrity of the box. So they kept the gloves in it. Somehow they tracked it. It went to a little boy who lived in a fishing village. He had to help his dad with the fishing and his hands were always cut open. Those gloves kept his hands from being torn up for a long time. Now isn’t that cool how someone prayed about what to put in the shoebox and God used it to help a little boy.

The best one I've heard during my time at Operation Christmas Child processing center was about a little boy who got a shoebox that was clearly marked for a boy. When it was time to open the shoebox a dress fell out. The person who gave the box to him said, “Son, I'm sorry that's the only box we have for you.” This little boy looked up with tears running down his face and replied, “I've been praying for a dress for my sister for 6 months.” God has a child for every one of the 12 million shoeboxes that have been put together.

I thought you would enjoy these stories there is a book written by Franklin Graham where you can read more of these stories. The links below will help you.

Promotion video: www.samaritanspurse.org/article/occ-book/

Place to purchase: www.amazon.com/dp/B00F11H8GW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

If you have any questions send me an email at pastorrandylewis@gmail.com or message me through Facebook.  I hope you have enjoyed how your shoebox makes a difference!

Re-Discover Church October 2, 2016

10 Ways to Make your Bible Reading More Effective

At our church we have been looking at Acts 2:42 - All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. Too often we jump right to the things we must do but we stopped at be devoted. Devotion is a huge word in the Christian faith because without any devotion we are just showing up. We must be devoted to these things so that they can change our lives in a huge way. 

This past week we looked at “they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching.”  This church was committed to learning from the truth that was given to them through the apostle. We should be committed to the truth we learn from the Word of God and through those who teach us whether it be our pastor or Sunday school teacher or Life Group leader. We need it all to grow in faith but we must be students of the Word also. So here are some ways that can help you in your own personal study.  

1) Pick a time and place

I know with our busy schedule sticking to the same time and place daily will be a challenge but it can be done. Find a time and place where you can be alone and not be distracted. By doing this you will be able to get it done efficiently.

2) Find a Bible you like

Right translation and size of print are important. Go to your local Christian bookstore and look through each Bible. The key is to find a version that you can read and understand so that you can grow.  You will find it if you look.

3) Plan how you are going to read

You can find a reading plan or make up your own. They key is to have a plan. Be systematic in your reading. Reading through a whole book is a great way to learn and grow in your faith.

4) Read at own pace

Read so that you are not overwhelmed and so that you can comprehend what you are reading.  Even if you use someone else’s plan still read at your own pace.

5) Pray before you read the Word of God

Pray a prayer like this: Holy Spirt reveal yourself to me today through my reading of your Word!!

6) Ask good questions while you read

You can ask as many as you want but I like keeping it simple. So I recommend three questions to ask.  What did it mean to those who heard it first?  What is the underlying timeless principle/truth?   Where or how could I apply to my life this principle/truth?

7) Write down what you are learning

Journaling is a key to helping us learn and to show where we have come from. We all retain more when we write it down. Just write down the 3 questions each time you read and answer them. With the questions you put the date and scripture you read.

8) Websites that can help

www.biblestudytools.com,  www.biblegateway.com.  There are many more you can find that will help you in your understanding of the Bible.

9) Bible Apps

I like youversion which is maintained by Life Church whose pastor is Craig Groeschel and the Bible in One Year. Nicky Gumbel has produced this app who also created the Alpha Program.

10) Just DO IT

The only way you will move forward in faith is to start or continue today. I am praying you will.

What I learned at Christmas 2010

Christmas 2010

This year on Christmas day we loaded up our car and headed to my Aunt Martha and Uncle Donnie’s house for our family Christmas get together. We always like going to their house because it is warm and welcoming. It is a log cabin with a huge fireplace and many other features that make it awesome for Christmas and family get togethers. As a boy I have fond memories of going to Asheboro, NC for Christmas. Now my boys are able to go and enjoy it just like I did. As we gathered around the table for a wonderful Christmas meal Aunt Martha had place a gift for everyone at each place setting. It created an atmosphere of suspense wondering what is in the pretty paper. We sat down and Aunt Martha told us to open our gifts. We opened our gifts and each person was given something from my grandpa’s house who had died 5 years earlier. I got his wallet and file. Laurie got a sausage grinder. My boys got tools that my grandpa had used at one time. My brother Barry got a old refillable oil can similar to the one used by Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. It was cool and we for moment remember a wonderful man who loved all of us. The gifts were old and smelly and were not brand new but they allowed us to go back in time and enjoyed some warm memories of Grandpa Lewis. The strange thing that happened was that we all remembered him but then we realized that he is not with us and it brought a tear to our eyes. You see grandpa loved Christmas and he called it shirt day because he always got shirts for Christmas.

I get some of the same thoughts when I look at the cross. I feel good because I know Christ and his love. My heart is thankful for what Christ did for me. Then I get a little sad because it was because of me He had to endure such a cruel death. My mixed emotions are painful and yet very satisfying. Similar to when I think about my grandpa. The amazing thing is that Jesus is with me now and is helping me everyday to live for Him. I am so thankful for the baby Jesus that came to earth in a manger but I am more thankful that he did what He was supposed to do. He went to the cross for me and died for my sins. Thanks Jesus and thank you, Aunt Martha, for giving me some old tools to remind me of a great man and for reminding me of a wonderful Savior.

Lewis Family Christmas Letter

Another year is coming to the end and we are preparing for Christmas. We are thankful for God’s greatest gift to mankind through the Christ child that came so many years ago. We are thankful that this child changed the world for the better. May His joy be yours this Christmas. This year has been an exciting one around the Lewis home. Let us share a little about what has been going on:

Cameron is growing up to be a fine young man who enjoys life to the fullest and has a great sense of humor. He is also very compassionate. He loves football but this past fall decided to play soccer with his brother so not to disappoint him. They played well together and enjoyed a great season. Randy and Cameron got to go to a preseason game where the Panthers played the Jets. They sat right behind the Jets bench and Cameron got to watch his favorite player, LaDainian Tomlinson. It was a great night. Cameron still excels in school and is loved by all his teachers.

Kyle is growing up and maturing right before our eyes. He played soccer for the JV team last spring and started. He was playing against players who were 2 and 3 years older than him. Right now we are in the middle of 9^th grade basketball season and he is playing more than last year. He took a step in his faith this summer and was baptized by his dad. It was a special moment for both. God is developing in him a heart to help others. Laurie and Randy pray that they can help him do the things that God is asking him to do.

Laurie has moved from subbing to full-time employment in the York county school system. She is an assistant in a severely handicapped class and is enjoying her work. She is still involved in church a lot. Back in January her dad had major surgery and Laurie was able to go home for a few weeks. We are thankful for friends who help us in times like those. Her dad has had a full recovery and is doing great. We got to go to Canada this summer and visit with them.

Randy has had a good year. He has coached both the boys in sports and enjoys that most of the time. He is involved with a group of pastors here in York that are helping him in his ministry.

We are thankful for this time of year where we remember all the blessing that God has given to us this past year! May you have wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.

Merry Christmas from Randy, Laurie, Kyle & Cameron

Kyle's Baptizm

The last couple of weeks have been quite good. I have had a goal of walking through a discipleship/mentoring program with Kyle. We have started it and I have thoroughly enjoy it. This past week we talked about Authentic Faith and where it comes from. I am using a book written by Andy Stanley called the Seven Checkpoints. We will continue to work through this book and continue to discuss other things that I think he needs to know to become a godly man in our world today. It is going to be an awesome journey together. I told him last week that this was one of the best hours I have ever spent. He was excited about it. So, this past Sunday evening I had the privilege to baptize Kyle. It was completely cool. I don’t know how my dad did it with me and my brother and sister. It was a very moving experience for me and for Kyle.
Kyle has been asking me to baptize him for quite a while now but I didn’t feel good about it. I thought he was too young to understand what the true meaning of baptism is. The discussion came up several times and I continued to say no, I did not think he was ready. I stuck to my guns. We are pushing kids to do things that they are not ready for and they really don’t appreciate what they have. I could name a dozen things that I think kids get too early and are not ready for it. Like pushing kids into guy-girl relationships, they are not capable to understand what it means to be in this kind of relationship.
Sunday night when I baptized Kyle he came out of the water with tears in his eyes thankful for what Christ had done for him. It was awesome. We got home and I asked if he was glad I made him wait and with out hesitation he said “YES”. Then he hugged me again and said thank-you. I know I am not a perfect parent but I am thankful that I made him wait so he could understand what Baptism is all about. He is making a stand to live for Jesus and I couldn’t be happier. Thank you Lord for this wonderful experience with Kyle. I can’t wait for Cameron now. God has blessed me with 2 wonderful boys that love Jesus.

Zipline Fun

Cameron was the brave one among the Lewis' and he decided to zip on the zipline at Caton's Island. He was very excited after this run. Rob also was brave and zipped.