For those of us that like to hunt, we know that we have to get up really, really early to get to our spot in the woods. We also know that we want to get to our spot in the woods as quietly as possible because we don’t want to stir up the critters. Now, I don’t know how many of you have ever been deep in the woods at 5 am in the fall, but it is so dark that you can’t even see your hand in front of your face. That being the case, it could spell disaster for a hunter. Fortunately for me, when I leave camp, I have a small flashlight clipped to my hat. When the light shines from that flashlight, only then am I able to see the trees in front of me and any other obstacles on my journey to my chosen spot. What an amazing difference that small amount of light makes in the dark woods.
Now, we (as believers) are like that small flashlight. Spiritually, the world is dark just like the woods are at 5 am in the fall, and God wants us to shine just like the flashlight. In Matthew 5:14-16, God explains it this way,
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
To God’s glory He wants us to share His love with others.
We have an opportunity, through Serve St. Louis, to be a light in our community. Churches throughout the St. Louis area will come together October 7th & 8th to serve our community through a variety of service projects. On Saturday, Oct 7th, Quest has 4 projects:
- Community Garden
- The Well
- Home Repairs
- Soldiers Wish List
Which project is God calling you to? For planning purposes, it would be a huge blessing for the project leaders if you sign up early and don’t wait until the last week. You can also help with the Soldiers Wish List project by buying the needed supplies for the gift packages:
Serve St. Louis: Soldier’s Wish List Donation Needs
We will be making 81 care packages and need goodies to fill them!
We Need Large Quantities of the following:
- Protein Bars (like Clif Bar brand)
- Drink mixes for water
- Snack foods, such as:
- Rice Krispies Treats
- Sauce Packets (from Arby’s, Taco Bell, etc.)
- Microwave Popcorn
- Peanut Butter Crackers
- Oreo cookies
- Pop-tarts
- Fruit Snacks
We Need 81 Christmas Gifts ($15-$20 value):
- DVDs (new releases are preferable)
- Books (i.e. Ready Player One, Red Rising Trilogy, etc.)
- Sporting Equipment (Frisbee, soccer ball, basketball, footballs, nerf guns, etc.)
- Puzzle Books (Sudoku, Mind Games, etc.)
- Board Games
No blankets or chocolate please because they’re stationed in a very warm environment. All Donations need to be dropped off at Quest NO LATER than Sunday, October 1st. Please include your receipts with your donation.
If you don’t have time to shop but would still like to give financially, we will shop for you! You can write checks to Quest and simply write “Soldier’s Wish List” in the memo field.
Let your light shine!
Peace,
Steve