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Last week I had a Leadership Pinebelt retreat in Ocean Springs. At that time the 2010 class was split into 3 groups. My group left the project with an idea to assist the Volunteer House on Bushman St. near the Train Depot. We meet there yesterday and took a tour of the house. We’ve decided to attempt to complete an area referred to as the “Inn Keepers Suite” in this 10,000 sqr ft house.

This house will provide lodging for volunteers who come to our area to stay and serve others. R3SM is the non-profit origination that we are assisting. We are getting cost estimates on what it would take to complete this area; but right now our preliminary goal is to raise $25k over the next 4-5 months. We decided on the slogan “If we build it they will serve.” As we walked through the house I thought about the movie field of dreams. There were several people with Ameriacorps already there working on the house. The ultimate goal of this project is not simply to attract people to “come” to our area as much as it is to get them here to server. We live in a time where volunteerism is at an all-time high. So we will work to help 3RSM build this home and we believe others will come and server our community alongside us.

If our greatest need had been information,

God would have sent us an educator.

If our greatest need had been technology,

God would have sent us a scientist.

If our greatest need had been money,

God would have sent us an economist.

If our greatest need had been pleasure,

God would have sent us an entertainer.

But our greatest need was forgiveness,

so God sent us a Savior!

—Charles R. Swindoll, The Grace Awakening

(Whether we acknowledge it or not, the need to forgive and be forgiven is our greatest need.-TD)

Here are some photos of our homeschool space. We recently had the “Real McCoy” in Purvis, custom build this entertainment “educational system”. We had him mount a white board inside of the front double doors. Then behind the white board there is more storage and the place where we plan to keep wall maps. The kids use the other cabinets and drawers to store their books and school supplies.

In our preparation to set up this space I ran across a house that had multiple rooms setup for homeschooling one little girl. You’ve got to see this Home School! Click on Homeschool Rooms at the top of this linked website to see more rooms.

Have you ever stepped back and observed an area of your life that was not turning out like you expected? Earlier this year I made that observation about our family; specifically how we were spending our time. It’s not that it was bad, but I started to get the sense that our children’s activities outside the home were starting to pull too much of our time together out from under our feet. We have been very careful about what we allow our kids to commit to; remembering that every decision is a direction, lead me to ask and wonder where all our busyness was taking us as a family.

I do believe in the power of the individual. I do believe that each person is uniquely created by God and has talents, skills, and gifts that they contribute to the world to make it a better place. The problem however in training great individuals; is that we can fail to teach them their identity in context of others (family). So a few weeks ago Ally (my middle child) asked if she could participate in another sport; it was then that I realized what was happening. It wasn’t that I didn’t want her to do it; I just realized that she couldn’t do it because of the commitment (time and money) we had made to our oldest daughters sport. I realized that it was not fair for one child’s activities to determine what the others were allowed to do, or for that fact what our family was allowed to do.

All that to say we started to pray. Maybe for the first time in a long time; we (JJ and I) got specific about what we needed the LORD to do. We didn’t tell him what to do; we simple confessed what we needed to happen in order for our family to stay connected and for each child to get time developing their talents and gifts in a way that would allow each of them to become all God created and intended for them to become. And you know what happened?

We started to LOOK for answers, opportunities; anything that would allow us more time as a family, less money, but time for each kid to explore their interest and God provided exactly what we are praying for. I’m leaving out the details here; because I want to encourage you to go to HIM yourself. Express your needs and concerns. If you truly desire what he wants for your family and your kids he will make a way when there is no way. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly more that we can ask or image. According to his power that is at work within us. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever. Amen

Last Friday the 2010 Leadership Pine Belt class meet at the Salvation Army facilities in Hattiesburg to hear from different agencies about their role in meeting needs in the community. The following is a list of the speakers along with links to their perspective websites. *I’ve also provided some notes of interest.

Theresa Erickson – Greater Pinebelt Community Foundation

www.PineBeltFoundation.org

*They help fund the 3-D school (Dynamic Dyslexia Design). Great people over there!

Robert Huddleston – WIN Job Center 

www.mdes.ms.gov

*I enjoyed listing to this guy; hilarious speaker. Reminded me of my 9^th grade science teacher, Mr. Lewis.  The WIN job center is most often referred to as the “Unemployment Office”. It’s a state agency, but federally funded.

Andrea Dixon – Hattiesburg Area Habitat for Humanity

 www.hattiesburghabitat.org

Awesome program that a previous leadership class helped bring to town. Habitat houses are provided to those who participate in the program with a Zero percent mortgage rate. Also home owners must contribute 450 man hours (can use family members) to the completion of their home or to the construction of someone else’s habitat home.

Dan Kibodeaux – United Way of Southeast Mississippi

www.unitedwaysems.org

Dan was a fire ball; tons of passion! I got a little scared a few times J. His message: Be Relational, Have Passion, and Leave a Legacy. From a corporate perspective this is a big one for us at MPC. They support so many quality organizations. Here are a few of the ones that I’ve been involved with in the past:

• Boy Scouts of America (Pine Burr Council)
• Christian Services
• 3RsM
• The Family Y

Betsy Rowell  – Hattiesburg Downtown Association

 www.downtownhattiesburg.com

Several past Leadership projects have been associated with the downtown area. My favorites are the murals that have been painted on buildings around town. There is much history associated with the Downtown Association. Check out the many activities planned under “news and events” on their home page.

Michael Garrett – Homes of Hope for Children

www.hohfc.org

Homes of Hope for Children recently won $250k from Pepsi in a voters challenge. This will help them in completing their girl’s cottage. Michael hit a home run during his brief 5 minute presentation.  He wasn’t tearing up but many of us did. He grew up in a foster home in Louisiana; which gives him much moral authority when speaking about creating a foster home for kids. This ministry is building on a cash basis; they will only do what they have the money for.

Salvation Army tour

www.salvationarmyhattiesburg.org

Some of the nicest facilities in the state. I had always thought of them as a para-church organization; but turns out they are actually a church with ordained ministers. They have the following programs on their Hattiesburg campus:

1. A Chapel/Church Services
2. A homeless shelter
3. Boys and Girls club of Hattiesburg

Disaster Relief Facilities/Storage

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT)

There are subtle lies; that if we are not careful, we will start to believe about the world around us. Don’t be deceived! Get God’s perspective on things, by reading, studying, and memorizing the scriptures. Here are a few common lies that are told to us every day; break out and confront these with God’s truth.

True spirituality cannot be manufacture only grown. It is a natural byproduct of staying connected to The Source. Self effort (works) only brings about failure, but a life connected to and emitting from The Spirit will produce character in our lives. Go Green with God today. Stay connected to him.

Galatians 5:16-26 (NKJV)

¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Just in case you haven’t seen this or if its been awhile; listen/watch this video from IgniterMedia.