Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father.
—James 1:17 (CSB)
I’m writing to you this month because our CEO is taking time to be with her wonderful new gift—a newborn son.
In this season of hot days, my thoughts keep going to the first word in James 1:17: Every. Even the small things every day that we may take for granted, God has provided for us in His perfect timing—each day, each hour, each moment. I am also reminded of how God multiplies our giving.
I heard a speaker once talk about the young boy that the Bible tells us about who generously shared his small lunch of five barley loaves and two small fish, which Jesus miraculously multiplied to feed a massive crowd of over 5,000 people. We can imagine what that young boy was thinking, even when he was probably hungry himself:
Lord, I’m giving you everything I have, what’s going to happen now?
Lord, I’m giving you everything I have, but I know who you are.
Lord, I’m giving you everything I have, and I know what you can do with it.
Jesus took what that young boy gave and fed all of those multitudes until they were completely full.
We see God’s miraculous provision every day here at GraceWorks. Because of the willingness of our community to share from what they have been blessed with, around 50 families every day take home a full cart of food, including fresh produce, meats, dairy, and eggs.
During this season at GraceWorks, God has blessed us with the opportunity to expand the current space in which we serve our neighbors. We believe that through this additional space, our Thrift Store and Food Pantry can grow, and more neighbors can receive assistance in an even deeper way. If you haven’t visited GraceWorks recently, come check out the updates—whether it be to volunteer, make a donation, or shop in the Thrift Store.
I pray that we as a community can continue to see God’s hand at work because of our willingness to give, just like the boy with five loaves and two fish.
—David Forister, Chief Operating Officer