...the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few...

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Matthew 9:37-38

It has been another busy week at the Coop. But an amazing thing is happening. Although we have served many families, it has not felt as overwhelming as usual. As I ponder this, it occurs to me to exclaim, "Thank you Lord for sending the workers."

On Thursday and Friday, every available interview station was filled. This enabled our clients to be served in a timely manner. But most importantly, we did not have to cut off early! In past weeks, we have had to stop taking sign ins because we simply would not meet the need with the hands available.

The pantry has been able to take in several large food drives and the food has been counted, sorted, and shelved quickly.

On Tuesday night, we held the February new volunteer meeting. The Lord brought even more "willing hands" into our midst. These meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 at the Coop. If you are interested in joining us at the Coop as a volunteer, please attend one of these meetings.

The Lord is moving mightily in our midst. What a testimony to His faithfulness. I am so thankful for our wonderful volunteers. For those that are being "sent" into the harvest field.

..there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not . Luke 15-7

I am not what I ought to be...
I am not even what I hope to be...
But by the grace of God
I am certainly not what I was
-John Newton

"Chad" came in Friday. We have come to know him and to love him. He is in his 40's. He has led a life that has not glorified God. And the result of that life is written all over his face. He has raised four children. He has fathered more. He does not work regularly. He is in bondage to addictions and sin. He is a quiet, gentle man in our presence.
Last month after he left, Marlene said "I like that guy, there is something about him." I agreed.
On Friday, he told me that he wanted to talk to me. He seemed agitated and disturbed. When he sat down in the "green" chair, he seemed beat down. His hands were shaking. I learned that he was behind on child support payments to a child that he had fathered 16 years ago. He said that he had made sporadic payments over the past months, but that he had accumulated a balance of "missed" payments that he could not pay. If he does not pay $500 by next week, he will go to jail. We began discussing his situation. He looked at me and said "Please do not think that I told you all that so that you would try to help me get the money. I guess I just needed to talk to someone. I am sorry." Years of harsh living had caught up to Chad and they were staring him straight in the face. Little did he truly know, that I could relate to his story. The years that I had spent apart from God in my younger days, could have easily led me to the grave. I breathed a silent prayer and began to speak...
We talked about the prodigal son, about John Newton, and anything else that the Lord so graciously brought to my mind. I so desperately wanted him to see and love Jesus the way that Jesus sees and loves us. I was relating a story that I had learned when I took the Alpha Class about a man who was a judge and was on the bench when his beloved childhood friend came in front of him on day. He had not seen his friend for many years. This friend had taken a very different path from him. A path that led him to a court of law to face charges that he was indeed guilty of. The judge, of course, had to pronounce him guilty. He had no choice. After the verdict though, a strange thing happen. The judge rose and took off his robes and stepped down from his seat of judgment. He took his old friend by the hand and led him down to the place in the courthouse where the penalty was to be paid.
At this point in the story, Chad's lips began to quiver. His eyes filled with tears. He knew at that very moment what the judge was going to do. He had stepped down and come to his estranged friend to pay the required penalty for him. Out of pure love, pure mercy, pure grace. Chad knew that I was telling him about Jesus.
I said to Chad "Now, what are you going to do? Are you going to accept that Jesus paid the penalty for you and he is offering you new life through His sacrifice? Or are you going to turn and walk away?"
Praise God for our new brother in Christ. I could feel the foundations of heaven shaking over the rejoicing!! Thank you Jesus that you love us all. Thank you that you love Chad! Thank you that you love me! Sinners in need of a Savior. I pray that all who read this can join in with Chad and I as we can sing with a precious understanding, those poignant words of another lost sinner
who was saved by the grace of God.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
-John Newton



Praise God!!!!

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthains 12:27

Hello friends.
The Coop remains very busy. Praise God for His provision. The "call for food" went out last week as the shelves were emptying fast. Due to extraordinary demand and decreased giving in January, we were in need of food. What a joy to walk in today and see all the food that had been delivered this week. The best part... it was exactly the items that were needed. Many thanks to Kyrie Chewning and Rob Bailey who have taken on the responsibility of coordinating food drives with our churches and community. They have done an outstanding job in communicating our needs.
The Coop has been distributing around 2,000 pantry items every day that we are open. It is true testimony to the goodness of our God that no one has been turned away due to lack of provision. It is a beautiful picture of community when we all pull together for the common good of all. It is awesome to see The Body of Christ spring into action. There is nothing else like it. To know that as we pray for food, God spreads the word of our needs through His servants, and those who have "ears to hear" respond to those needs. And as a result, children are fed, homes are warmed, and hope is given, in the Name of Jesus.

the pill that makes me happy......

Hello friends.
I hope that you are well.
I want to tell you about Arlene. Last Thursday in the middle of "controlled chaos" :) , a woman and her friend stepped up to the front desk to sign in. The woman was visibly shaken and had tears in her eyes. She was desperate for assistance to keep her power turned on. Her name is Arlene. Her friend is Cody. The softness of her eyes struck me.
As her bill was over the $150 that the Coop could assist with, she needed to show me the difference. This is required so that we know the client can indeed pay the entire bill. Otherwise, the money given by the Coop has served no purpose.
Arlene did not have the balance. She was given a list of other possible sources of assistance and told to return to us when she had gathered her portion of the amount due on the bill. She left us with a heavy heart full of sorrow and worry.
The next day, the front desk person came into the office to tell me that she had returned. Praise God that she was able to make arrangements for the balance due on her bill. The Coop assisted her with the remaining $150.
As you all know, we have had plumbing problems over the last week. As I was speaking to Arlene, the pantry supervisor came over to report that the bathroom in the pantry trailer was still not working properly. I asked Cody if he was handy with plumbing. He was more than happy to assist us with the problem. He came back a few moments later with a big smile on his face reporting that he had already solved the problem. The valve had been shut off. Oops! It brought me joy to see him smiling. It brought Cody joy to "give back" to us as well. God is so good!
As I hugged Arlene goodbye, she looked at me and asked ..."please tell me what pill you are taking that makes you so happy." I spelled it out for her. J-E-S-U-S. No pill. Just joy beyond circumstances. I could tell that she was assuming that I had "no real troubles", so how could I understand. I began to tell her of my precious daddy's recent, unexpected death. Of my mom's fight against breast cancer that required over a year of intense treatment. And just as we breathed out, daddy died. There is NO WAY that I could make it one day without Jesus. He is the gas in my tank, the air under my wings, the twinkle in my eye.
Arlene looked longingly at me. At that moment, I loved her so. I sang a song in her ear. It goes like this:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Thank you God for sending Arlene and Cody to us, not once, but twice. And thank you that you saved the best for last.

So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. Genesis 22:14

Hello friends!
I often think of Abraham and his faithful obedience. Even as the Lord was walking him down a path that seemed a sorrowful destination for Abraham, the sacrifice of his beloved son Isaac, he stood firm under the direction of God. How pleasing this was to God. Abraham was willing to do for God, what God would later do for us through Christ Jesus. This event confirmed that Abraham was the man that God could use, and would use, to help lay the foundations of our very faith. The ram in the thicket is testimony to the utter provision of God. How this event must have strengthened Abraham's faith to soaring heights!
We are learning at the Coop that God is at His best, when things seem at the worst.
As I have previously mentioned, due to overwhelming demand, the shelves at the Coop have been very bare. But, we have chosen not to fear. We stand on the Word of God that He will indeed provide.
It is with great joy that I report to you that the kids at Pharr Elementary did not just meet their goal of collecting 2,009 cans over this last week. They exceeded it. 3,115 cans and counting!!!!! Kids, you are awesome!
In addition, several local churches are conducting food drives this weekend. What a joy and tremendous encouragement for the Coop.

In the midst of our very busy week, the pipes under the pantry trailer burst. What could have proven a stressful distraction, turned into a testimony again of God's provision. Thanks to Matt, Cliff, Reese, Mike, and Mobile Mini for helping to "dock our boat" and get us back on dry land. The damage was minimal. And we all say....God is good!!!

..for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Dear friends. Whew! What a day at the Coop. As many of you know, the Coop has been very busy lately. Many have come for assistance. And there is no sign of any slow down. In January, there were 503 client visits. An increase of 25% over previous months. Over 31,000 pantry items were distributed. In contrast, around 16,000 pantry items were donated. We started this year in the after glow of increased giving at Christmas. Praise God! For we have needed it! Not one has been turned away due to lack of resources! As January came to a close however, the pantry shelves were looking very bare. Our response to this opportunity......PRAYER. We have chosen to trust God as He provides Manna for the Day.

Well let me tell you His response. He called up a miniature army. We have been blessed. Partee Elementary conducted a food drive that was delivered this week. And at Pharr Elementary school, nothing short of a miracle has occurred. The kindergarten and first grade classes of Ms. Karambelas and Ms. Powell are on a crusade to collect 2,009 cans of food in one week. It all started last Friday when students in these two classes conducted an impromptu food drive after hearing of the bare shelves at the coop. This spawned an idea...to challenge the entire school to reach the goal of 2,009 cans in one week. Oh don't under estimate the power of a fired up kindergartner. Or the enthusiasm of a determined first grader. Their story made the front page of the Gwinnett Daily News yesterday. The community was invited to join in. Kids were raiding their parents pantries, donating their ice cream money, and spreading the word all over town. The school is a buzz with the 2,009 challenge! As food has been collected, it has been delivered throughout the week. The kids at these two schools have literally kept their very neighbors from going hungry this week. GO KIDS!!

Kids are awesome, because kids are simple. You tell a kid that you are sad, he gives you a hug. You tell a kid that you are cold, he shares his coat. You tell a kid that you are hungry, he shares his lunch. Take note friends. This is pleasing to God. After all..God loves a cheerful giver.

God Bless.

Here we go....

Hello friends. Welcome to the brand new, hot off the press blogspot for the SE Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry. For those of you asking........Who????

We are a 501 c 3 ministry serving families in crisis in Snellville, Grayson, and Loganville Georgia. Our main mission is to help feed prople. We can give about one week's worth of food every 30 days. We also help with utility payments and prescription drug assistance. But by far the best we have to offer is the love, hope, and encouragement that can only be found through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

We are on the front lines. It is indeed heavy work. But it is also the most wonderfully fulfilling work on the Earth. How many miracles we witness. How many hands we hold. How many smiles we share. I would like to use this forum to give you a glimpse into the heart of the Southeast Gwinnett Coop. You will laugh with us, cry with us, and be in total awe of God's detailed love of His people. This is above all HIS ministry. We have merely been appointed His guardians for this season. And we are honored to act as His hands, feet, and heart to our community that is hungry for some Good News for a change.