The cupboard is bare; those are the words that I received from West Virginia yesterday. It’s been a very hard winter to date with over fifty inches of snow and more on the way. More jobs lost for six hundred and fifty people, those who have been bringing the needed food and clothing has been hindered not only by the weather but also the economy.
These folks in West Virginia are not able to help one another and they depend on the help from other areas. I have preached throughout my ministry that you can’t give what you don’t have. That also brings to mind how many times we spend $$$$ on something we really don’t need when we could have been blessed beyond measure by giving to another cause.
We need food items right now more than we need the clothing, but we will take both. I have contacted two churches that I have not asked previously to help this time. I’m so thankful for those of you who have supported this work in West Virginia and would appreciate any help you can give now. But the greatest need now is for can goods, paper products as well as Dollar General Cards of any amount.
Yes, these are difficult days for many people today; some whom we love dearly are suffering due to the economy. Yes all have felt the results of a strain on the budget due to inflation and the enormous utility bills due to the extreme cold. Let’s not close our eyes or turn our heads to the fact that some of our closest love ones and friends are hurting today. It’s hard enough to feel the times with the dollar not going as far as it use to, but there are those who have lost their jobs and searching with no results as of yet, then there are those who have had to take on a second job just to make ends meet giving up valuable time their family.
Let me urge you to pause for a little time to think of those around you and to prayer for those we know who are affected. I's bigger than I can handle but not bigger than God, it's in His hands.
I want to leave you with these words of the apostle John. "But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him, 20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. 24 And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us." 1 John 3:17-24
About Me
- Mayhew Marianne West
- Married for over 50 years, we called Lexington County our home until I entered the ministry in 1972. During the next 20 years we lived in Saint Matthews, Greenwood, Varnville before moving to Saluda in 1995. Marianne retired first in 1997 and I retired twice, in 2002 and again in May of 2009. We have four children and six grandchildren and love traveling in our Motor Home. We have traveled in 48 of the 50 states and I don't believe we can drive it across the ocean. We are now engaged in our new ministry, The Shepherds Hands.