Sunday, April 1, 2012

No Greater Joy




"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you  clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

'Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

'The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"


We invited a wild assortment to our table.  We had to pull in extra chairs to get everyone seated.  We weren't sure that we would have enough to go around but we trusted that God would bless our little pot of stew.

He did.

He blessed our little pot of stew beyond our wildest imaginations.  

Not one orphan or family left our table hungry.  Every single one was fed with leftovers to spare.

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We set an unspoken and terrifying goal of trying to raise at least $1,000 in each of our orphan's grant accounts.  Eight orphans.  Eight thousand dollars.  Every single one of them reached that goal and WENT BEYOND.  Do you see their numbers?  YOU POURED OUT LOVE ON THESE KIDS!!  Thank you!!  Thank you!!

Harmony - $1,992.64 raised
Laurel -  $2,391.30 raised
 Igor - $1,440.50 raised
Emmitt -  $1,158.50 raised
Heath - $1,512.64 raised
 Hanson - $1,117.00 raised
 Jack - $1,380.50 raised
Victoria - $1,952.35 raised



And because of your donations - $1,294.54  was donated to Reece's Rainbow Voice of Hope fund.
We also raised over $525.00 for precious Bernadette who found her family at the beginning of our stew!!





We set an unspoken and impossible goal of trying to raise at least $2,000 for each family adopting from Katie's orphanage.  Eight families.  Sixteen thousand dollars. Every single one of them reached their goal and WENT BEYOND.  Again, do you see the numbers?  YOU BLESSED THESE FAMILIES BEYOND WHAT WE EVER BELIEVED OR IMAGINED!!  

The Unroe family - $5,002.77 raised
 The Carpenter family - $2,738.50 raised
The Burman family - $2,070 raised 
The Menges family  - $2,540 raised
 The Duncan family - $2,300 raised
The Booth family - $2,136 raised
The Brown family - $2,430 raised 
The Archer family - $2,696 raised 


We didn't have a goal for the Heim family or the Lost boys.  We just prayed that they would be blessed. 

THEY WERE.

We raised $9,277.46 for the Heim family.  

Traci and Scott are beyond grateful for every person who donated to help them bring Maria and her siblings home.  They have some hurdles to climb as they wait for approval on this side of the ocean.  We need to pour out our prayers on their behalf that God would move in the hearts of all those who are signing the papers.  Pray those kids home.  


Our Lost Boys... $1,934 came in for them.

Some of that money went through Harvest International and it will be disbursed to Alyona and Slavik in the next month or so.  The rest of the money is going to be carried across the water by a very special couple, Jed and Kimber, who will be MEETING Alyona and Slavik.  


They will be giving the money directly to them and it will be used to cover expense and provide supplies and clothes for the Lost Boys.  


Finally, through the PICK A CHILD prizes, ANOTHER $460.00 is going to be donated to Reece's Rainbow today. I'm hoping to share who the precious treasures are who will be receiving that money!

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Altogether we raised $48,708.24 for our Mulligan Stew...
 519 people donated!


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This week we celebrate Easter.  The reality that 2,000 years ago Christ gave His life as a ransom for us.  He conquered hell and the grave.  He rose.  He lives.  He won.  Two thousand years later, He still wins.  I serve a Risen Savior.  I worship a Living God.  He came to bring life and hope to the oppressed.  

Rob and I are well aware that we can  take no credit for this Giveaway.  From the beginning it was way too big for us to handle.  We took on something that was insane.  This has been God's show.  His display.  His reminder to each and every one of us that He won at the cross and He wins every single day of our lives.  


If you don't KNOW Him than you need to because there is no greater joy on earth than to stand beside the King of Kings and watch HIM battle for the weak and the hurting and the oppressed. 

He came to set the captives free.  

He is risen.  He is Risen indeed.




"A Common Stew for an Uncommonly Good Cause!"

 


CLICK HERE to view Our Mulligan Stew Giveaway winners!!







24 comments:

  1. Standing in awe of what He has worked through you. God is so so good!

    Brooke
    www.MarvelousLoveBlog.com

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  2. this is simply amazing, I've just spent our lunchtime telling hubby and son about this fantastic result - we are humbled at how God has touched so many people to pull together

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  3. I am overjoyed at what Almighty God has done! Rejoicing today with you.

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  4. This is maybe the most AWE inspiring thing I've seen in the adoption community ever. Simply God. Wow.

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  5. This is what God's people can do. WOW. Takes my breath away. 519 people raised 48,000.00 Wow God is so good!! Just Wow! Thank you for spreading the word and allowing us to bless other people. You have just gone above and beyond. This is amazing!!

    BE blessed

    Ashlee
    http://ourjourneytoadoption.beckfamily143.com/

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  6. AWESOME!!!! In tears and in awe of what the Lord has done today. Thank you Julia and Rob for being a willing vessel -- I cannot imagine how much work this took (I know it was a lot, because it takes me over an hour just to get a post up on my blog). It was a HUGE success!!!! Look what He did. Hoping you get to relax a little in the next couple of days!!!!! By the way, I am thinking of the Annual Mulligan Stew Fundraisier???

    Stephanie

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  7. What an awesome & uplifting post for this Palm Sunday. Thank you so much!
    Smiles & Prayers, DianeM

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  8. Where two or three are gathered in His name (or 519) there I am with you.

    What a privilege to counted in this gathering. God's heart for the fatherless has spread. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
    Melissa

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  9. Absolutely amazing! I too stand in awe- but not really- we serve an amazing GOD and I knew he would come through- He always does- for the poor, the sick, the oppressed....

    Thank you Julie and Rob for getting this together and having the faith that you do!

    Brendamac

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  10. I think I have been crying all day -- first, for Shannon, reaching her goal in her giveaway; then, at church, where I was so completely blessed by the Hyssongs and their miracle daughter/granddaughter; and now this, where (did anyone else figure this out?) 519 people donated an AVERAGE of $93.85 each! I guess it's true -- we CANNOT outgive God! I think everyone's mustard seed was planted, cultivated, and watered by the Chief Gardener to grow and become HUGE mustard plants! Thank you, Julia and Rob, for pulling this together and keeping on with it, even when Doubt tried to get a foot in the door, and thank YOU, Lord, for this and all Your blessings. Rosemary

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  11. I'm in tears. Awesome!!!!
    Sue

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  12. Praising the Lord and crying tears of joy for all God has done in this amazing stew pot! Thank you Julia for continuing to hear and answer his call even when you think it sounds too big for you. Through God nothing is ever to big. Awesome!

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  13. Fantastic!! Thank You Thank You for doing this, for having the courage & the faith in God to do this... you have been both a wonderful blessing to these kids & family & an inspiration to me...

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  14. Thank you for doing this!!! And, we are starting the adoption process with Laurel (as in, we just got the paperwork from RR this morning!)... only God knows how He'll accomplish it, but we feel called to at least try our very hardest to bring her home. So thank you for bringing her to everyone's attention!

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    1. Yeah!!!! She looks such a darling. I'm so thankful.

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  15. We too were thinking next year might bring the 2nd annual Mulligan Stew! Easy for us to say : ) May these kids and families now found a sea of cheerleaders and continuing fundraisers. We'll be watching for these kids on the My Family Found Me page!

    Thanks again for letting all of us join you in this,
    Karen and Jeff Barnes
    www.cleanoutyourclosets.blogspot.com

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  16. Very, very amazingly cool. We do serve such an awesome God. Its things like this that remind us of that and makes you feel it. This post just makes you feel good all over to carry all through the rest of the day. Thanks again, guys, you are truly inspiring. I followed along. Take care. :)

    -Debrah, Tucson Arizona.

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  17. I can hardly believe it! Amazing. Though why I should be amazed at God's power and goodness, I don't know. Thank you Nalles for energetically following his guidance. Thank you God for rescuing orphans, as you rescued us.

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  18. FANTASTIC! I really don't know what else to say. :)
    Joy

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  19. Thank you for saying yes to God & being His willing vessels! Isn't He awesome?! What a spectacular "stew" :)

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  20. Praising God and celebrating the REDEEMED lives!! Praying confidently that God is moving hearts even now to commit to these precious waiting children.

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  21. Funny, through this whole event, which has absolutely floored me, I just keep praying to see that little Heath has found a family. We just got our little rascals home a year ago and they are taxing us just short of the breaking point physically and financially, so it is not like I think he is meant for us, but all this glory and I can only keep thinking, it will not be complete until Heath finds his family. Thank you for advocating for him and all the others. I am confident that with your help and advocacy, he and every child shown will find their family. And, I really cannot explain why he draws me so particularly, but he does.
    Praying for Heath (and the others, but there's something special about Heath!),
    Sherry

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Loving words from kind people make our hearts glad!