Author Thread: working with and for God ? working with and for God Posted: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 8:34 AM (CST) Last week, my daughter and I gave our money back to the community that we got from Gracepoint. I got $10 in my envelope and Paityn got $50 in hers. My family and I figured this was God saying he knew who gave more openly so he trusted Paityn with more. I struggled with what we should do with it for a few days. I then had the idea hit me over the head that I was supposed to go this Dillons store in a poor part of town and help some families with their groceries. This store is one that I used to use when I first moved to the Wichita area. So Paityn and I started our journey by going to the bank to turn her $50 in to five, ten dollar bills. We did this so the combination of her money with mine would give us six, tens and we could try to help 3 people with $20 each. We drove to the part of town with the Dillons, only to find the Dillons store had closed and was boarded up. So I wondered why I was called there if that was the case. I didn't wonder long however. As we pulled away from there, I saw a young Mom carrying her bundled up baby as she walked down the sidewalk. This looked to me in a way kind of like a modern day Mary, with her baby and her needs. Paityn and I stopped her and explained how GP was giving back, and explained that we would like to help her, we gave her $20 and a GP card.......she took it and said "are you serious" with so much surprise and excitement in her voice- it was great! Paityn and I continued on our journey and had not gone far at all when an old, black man crossed the street in front of us carrying a small cardboard box with a couple of blankets in it. This looked to be his only possessions as he appeared to be in a homeless state. We stopped him, explained about GP, then gave him $20 and a GP card. He was so very grateful, and expressed his thanks so many times. Paityn and I then anxiously forged on, on our journey to see who else God had in store for us to meet that day and help. We by accident discovered another Dillons store in a poor part of town, and this was open for business. I was very pleased to discover that we were going to get to help someone with groceries since this was what I initially felt I was supposed to do. Paityn and I walked in to the store and almost immediately saw a young couple with a boy about the age of 5 who was being a pain and running around. We walked the store a little, and I knew we were supposed to help that young couple. God threw them right in front of us right when we walked in the door, why I kept walking in search of others who knows.....I should have known. Anyway Paityn and I talked and agreed to help the young couple, so we looked for them and as we approached them- the Mom was checking prices on mac and cheese and things and saying her husband this one is $2 too. It then became even more evident how much they needed the help. While hearing those comments made me sad, it also made it that much more exciting to help them. I explained to the couple what GP was doing, I then told them Paityn and I wanted to help them as I gave the $20 and a GP card. The Mom said "well aren't you nice!" I explained it wasn't me......it was GP and God. She replied "thanks" with a smile. Her husband never said a word, he looked at me with a look that seemed to be a cross between shock, and caution, almost like he was waiting for the hook? I told him have a nice night and we walked away. Thank you Gracepoint for giving me this chance to touch these lives, and thank you for letting me experience this with my daughter so she lived this lesson early in her life so she can learn like all of us need to, to be more thankful and grateful for what we have, and to remember to help those with less when we can. I have no doubt that lives will be changed and people will come to know God thanks to this giving by Gracepoint!! They may not end up at Gracepoint, but this will indeed bring some to God........thank you Gracepoint and thank you God for using me as a conduit while doing this. Jason Smith