a heart for service

this week has gotten busy again. i've got too many projects on the go and feel like my brain is just getting pulled in too many directions. i need to sit and make some lists to calm my thoughts down and i just don't have the time or energy. maybe tomorrow. i got another chance to talk with my dad and he feels better than he has in ages. i think his appendix has been bothering him for longer than he realized.

today i head to the foodbank to help them organize all of the donations for their garage sale friday and saturday. liam and i took all the overpriced leftovers from our church garage sale over on monday and i think that should give them a good base for theirs along with the stuff from their basement. D (what i'm calling the director there) said that they've never had such a good handle on their stuff before - knowing where it all is and having quick access to it. it will be even better when we can get that stuff cleared out and i can re-shelve that space so it will be more workable for them throughout the year.

god is doing something amazing here. liam's position has been integral in allowing him to get the pulse of our community, in the town and the county as a whole. he has been leading our areas non-profits in gathering together to network and begin to get their ducks in a row for the provincial liason who is coming in june to meet with them. she is hosting listening meetings all over the province to hear what the area non profits need and will take those talking points back to the provincial government and seek to begin to meet the real felt needs of the communities. the liason is an incredible woman who has been working for the poor for decades.

what has happened here in our county is that because of these breakfast meetings the non-profits have begun to dialog and interconnect in a way they haven't before and when they meet in a couple of weeks they will be able to all ask for "one list" of workable plans instead of 40 different lists all looking out for their own work - and this list is brilliant. little on the list costs anything - it's mostly about permission. clearing red tape, opening access to things the government is doing already. it is so intuitive and inspired i just know god is in it.

D told us while we were there monday how encouraged she was to see everyone working together and how important it was to have someone new to help gel them and overcome the personality pitfalls that have plagued many of them for years. i am so proud of liam and the work he is doing. these people have no advocate, they all work so hard to care for the forgotten. it is incredible to see how this is all coming together and how excited people are in working together. coming into this with a heart for service instead of looking for power has really been a living witness and the kingdom is breaking through in places that we could never imagine. it's very exciting.