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Help Me?
Elizabeth Kilby • November 3, 2022
In their hearts humans plan their course
but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9
Friends,
I’m not very good at asking for help. I’m pretty good at telling people to ask for help, I do that a lot! There is such wisdom in reaching out to people who know and love you during stressful or difficult times. Even though I offer that advice frequently, and the people who I would reach out to would gladly lend an ear or a hand, I often forget to practice what I preach.
So, here it is, I’m asking for help! We are in the middle of launching a new website. The content on the old one was out of date and instead of trying to edit our way back to current, we decided to give it a whole make over. It will be launching by October 27th at www.harvestyouth.org. I would love some feedback and who better to ask then the people who read these monthly, who invest in this ministry, and who will tell me the truth in love? I’ll put my email address at the bottom.
We are also working on re-launching the Thought 4 Today daily devotional. Beginning in 1995, this devotional was designed to send consumable pieces of God’s Word to people who were hungry for it. We are going to be relaunching it through Facebook, the new website’s blog, and probably a weekly digest email. This will hopefully be up and running by mid-November.
Additionally, we are starting to flesh out an idea which has been in the works for awhile which we are currently calling Harvest Helps. This would be a short term program to help our neighbors in need – someone who maybe doesn’t need the long term nature of Harvest House, but could use a hand up. I have so many ideas for this and am excited to see how we can use this program to impact the Dayton area.
Finally, I am personally working on a recertification with Teen Challenge so I can continue to use the Teen Challenge Bible studies and workbooks as tools and resources for the people we serve. The three I am working on now focus on breaking free from addiction, dealing with authority, and personal responsibility.
I would LOVE your prayers as we move forward in all these endeavors! I have a note in my office which says Pray. Prioritize. Proceed. – please pray as we take on all these new things, that we do it wisely and with our focus ALWAYS on giving glory to the Lord!
In Christ,
Elizabeth Kilby
beth@harvestyouth.org
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I had a young friend write me recently recounting a terrible tragedy that had fallen on her family. "Why?" the ink seemed to scream from the pages! And "why" is a question each of us will ask many times as bad things seem to have an uncanny way of happening to good people. The answer, probably easier to digest when we're not in the throws of the pain caused by tragedy, is fairly simple at it's root. There is much evil in the hearts of men. Although God calls all people to righteousness and holy living, many will seek a path of evil, blindly following the satanic calling they've embraced. God is not the author of evil... He is the antidote! "Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord." Isaiah 26:10 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
I receive an endless string of notes and e-mails from people who tell me they want to know the Lord, but just don't know how. I find they are easy notes to answer, because God has revealed Himself in so many ways I can simply point them to His Word and to prayer and they'll find what they are seeking. Unfortunately, far too many times I receive notes back that ask me if there is any other way, generally because they've tried reading the Bible occasionally and praying and that doesn't work. Of course, going to church seems like it's also too difficult for them. There are just too many other things to do on that day, and too many reasons they can't go! The short answer is this: Only those who are willing to give up everything and seek the Lord with their whole heart will ever find Him. The casual observer who intends to seek God on his own terms will never find Him. Imagine someone you called your best friend, but who you never called and never went to see--someone you clearly only casually were interested in knowing. Would they be your "best friend" for long? "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
Harvest Youth Ministries (HYM) is an outreach aimed at young people; not a youth group. HYM is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) not-for-profit ministry. All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
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