Scammed?

As my mom and I entered the Christian bookstore at the strip mall, a woman sitting on a nearby bench called out "Mam? Mam! I'm a single mom, out of work, and I was wondering if you would buy something from me so I can buy some groceries?" A little girl in a bright yellow shirt sat next to her, presumably her daughter.

"I'll think about. Will you still be here when I come out?" My mom asked. But I didn't hear the lady's reply as we walked into the store.

I couldn't help but think to myself she sure knew what she was doing, picking the Christian bookstore as her "shop."

At the checkout counter, my mom asked the our cashier "Do you know anything about the lady out front who is trying to sell something?"

"No," she replied. "I didn't know there was anyone out there."

"She said she's a single mom and wanted money for food." My mom explained. The cashier gave one of those knowing looks.

"I guess I'll have to call security on her." She said she hated doing it. But we understood. No solicitors.

My mom and I paused before walking out the door. There was no avoiding the situation. It's not that we didn't want to help her, but... The lady was still there, and when my mom told her that she didn't like giving money away to strangers, the lady's face fell a little. "I'm trying to think of what's around here..." My mom said. It was then I realized my mother's intention. She was going to buy the lady's groceries.

"There's a Winn-Dixie across the street," The lady replied, pointing to the busy intersection on her left. "You could buy me a gift card," she suggested hopefully.

"I don't think so." My mom replied. "I'd like to go with you. I'll drive over and you meet me there.

When, the lady did show up, along with her daughter my mom asked "Where do you live?" The lady named an area nearby.

As we walked along the grocery aisle, the girl fell in step next to me. Before I could utter a word, she piped up, "What's your name?"

"Tori." I replied. "What's yours?"

"Gabriell. I think Tori is a pretty name."

"Where do you go to school?"

"P-------- Elementary." The school she named was in the opposite direction where she supposedly lived. "Do you want to be friends?" I said sure. She chatted on about this and that, asking me questions, even made me do a pirouette when she found out I did ballet. I found out that she had a nine year old brother.

After we had checked out, Gabriell's mom said to the cashier, "Is there a place I can put my cart? I need to go get some bread." My mom and I went out to the car.

"Should we wait and see if her friend comes to pick her up?" My mom asked. The lady had told us a friend would pick her up. I did wonder why she had stayed in the store and not come out with us.

"No, it's none of our business," I replied. Actually, it was. After all, we had just bought her groceries. But what was done was done. "Give to those who ask," right?

As we pulled away, we saw a man, possibly the father, walk into the store with a boy who may have been nine.

A single mom? Maybe. Out of a job? Maybe. Lives in that certain area of town? Doubtless. We were probably ripped off. However it's not my place to judge, though I have done a good bit of supposing. I just hope that what my mom and I did had some sort of positive impact on this lady and her daughter.

Tori
P.S. On a side not, if you can ever help it, don't go to Winn-Dixie at night. It's kind of scary.

Reminder

This is just a reminder- The Dove Awards air tomorrow, Thursday, starting at 8 PM ET. However, if you miss them, they air again twice after that. They are approximately two hours, but just approximately. They are shown on the Gospel Music Channel. Be sure to tune in!

Are You Scared?

Recently God has taught me a few things about fear. It all started when I got a creepy chain email. It was a story about a girl who died an awful death, and another kid who got “taken” by her “ghost” and died in the same way. It then threatened that if you didn’t forward this email to your friends, her “ghost” will come for you.

Even though I don’t believe in ghosts at all, and the story was not logically sound, the enemy gripped my heart with fear. I spent some time praying and in the word for a while. Later, I checked Snopes. I found an article about it, and, not surprisingly, it said that the whole thing was false. The crew at Snopes had done some extensive research that showed that there were no deaths any place in the U.S. of that kind anywhere near the date specified in the email.

Nevertheless, I am very grateful for some of the lessons that I was able to learn. There are so many people who are so fearful. They are believing the lies. One girl who had forwarded it at one point wrote “It’s true! Cameron (the girl) don’t come for me!” I am sure that many people forwarded it out of fear. They didn’t want to die, and they though that forwarding that email would protect them. They didn’t understand that “The Lord almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, He is the one you are to fear, He is the one you are to dread.” Isaiah 8:13

Although I experienced some fear, I didn't forward the email. I deleted it. God controls my fate, not some stupid chain email.
-Bethany

I emailed this story to Tori after it happened, and she replied with a tale of her own. Her it is (with her permission, of course):

Do you remember the time a few years ago when I was kind of depressed because I had had an awful nightmare? I had let the Spirit of Fear take hold of me. The thing I saw is something one could very easily do, though the results that came of it were outlandish and si-fi -impossible. So I wasn't that scared, but I was depressed. Do you know how many times after a nightmare I've wondered: "How do people who don't know Jesus cope with this?" Whenever I had a bad dream, I would go and wake my mom. She would escort me back to my bed, pray with me, and leave. I don't know why (though I do know), but that always had a calming effect on me. I wasn't scared after that and was able to go back to sleep.



Anyway, there's the long version. Here it is in a nutshell: Jesus conquers fear, and I don't know how people can live without Him!

-Tori



If you ever receive a suspicious chain email, you can search at http://www.snopes.com/ and they can tell you the status of it. This is at least the third chain email myth that it has dispelled for me.



In closing, I just wanted to share a verse with you. It's 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."



Bethany:)

Good Friday

Today is, for many, a holiday with a small amount of mourning. People go to the beach or theater and hang out while taking the day off. Of course, for some, Good Friday is just like any other Friday. But in my family, Good Friday is pretty much the same as Memorial Day Weekend minus the home school convention that happens on that date each year. The other main difference is this day is set aside to remember the death of Christ instead of our war heroes.

On this day, I have mixed feelings because as I mourn Christ's crucifixion, my thoughts can't help but jump ahead three days in history to rejoice in His Resurrection. His humiliating death on the cross was terrible. Yet I know that He is not still dead- He is alive, and I cannot cry over his seeming destruction while I know this truth: He is risen. And the purpose for which He died is amazing. He died so my sins might be forgiven. Because of the events that happened on this day centuries ago, I will live eternally.

Tori
P.S. For a short touching story of Jesus' Crucifixion, read chapter 11, "Remember Me" of Chuck Colson's book Loving God.

Building Up

I meant to post this earlier this week, but life has been crazy! Any prayers for me and my family would be greatly appreciated. We are going thrugh a big remodel.... But, enough about my life. Here is the post!!

Ephesians 4:29, NIV Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Italics added)

The words we choose to use say a lot about who we are and what we value. The words we say can build others up and encourage them. Or, we can cut them down and make them feel awful. What do people feel after talking to you? Do you honor God and others with your words?

Tori alerted me to the No Cussing Club (www.nocussing.com). Even though I don't have much of an issue with it, I am going to take the challenge to bring awareness to it. I encourage all of you to do the same. Honor God with all that you say.

I won't cuss, swear, use bad language, or tell dirty jokes. Clean language is a sign of intelligence and always demands respect. I will use my language to uplift, encourage and motivate. I will Leave People Better Than I Found Them!

Click here . . . I ACCEPT THE NO CUSSING CHALLENGE!

If you go for one week, you are an apprentice. One month, a journeyman. One year, a master. Will you take the challenge? I did.

The Prayer of Saint Francis

I take a pointe class from our local Christian dance studio here in Orlando. Our big recital is coming up in a couple of months, and we just completed the choreography for the dance. It's to "The Prayer of Saint Francis" by Sarah McLachlan. She uses her voice well in the song, and the lyrics are, obviously, the Saint Francis' prayer put to music. Here are the words, for you to ponder:

Lord make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
And where there is sadness, joy.

O divine master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive-
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Tori
P.S. please note that this is only one of several versions of The Prayer of Saint Francis. Also, as I have not heard any of Sarah McLachlan's music besides this one song, I'm not sure whether it is recommendable it or not.

Prayer Team

I know, we mentioned it in the last post. But, here it is again. This time, I want to go into more detail. We need your support. Last Friday I was at a service at my church and the preacher spoke on Acts 4. When the Sanhedrin released Peter and John, they went to the body of believers, and they prayed together. Two of his points were, Dependence on each other, and a humble dependence on God in prayer.

We are depending on you. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says: "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." Please, if you find any ways to encourage us, know that it will be greatly appreciated!

We are also humbly depending on God in prayer. We are asking that you would do the same for us, so that we can have all of the strength and resources that we need to run our ministry. We are a people called to prayer. It needs to be the core of all that we do. If you would are praying for us, thank you. If you would like to start praying for us or want to receive email prayer requests, please email us at armsofloveministries@gmail.com. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support!