Thank You for Sharing God’s Heart!

“May the Lord repay you for what you have done;”

Ruth 2:12

I have to say a big THANK you to all of you who participated in this year’s Heart for the Disabled. Today, the five special-needs families we featured will open their doors and be surprised by a huge, happy, box of encouragement, sitting on their doorstep (and for some of those families, our Area Ministry teams will be standing right there, hand-delivering those boxes with smiles).

Over the past month, I’ve wheeled by the mailroom to take a peek at those Heart for the Disabled boxes where we’ve been collecting the notes and other gifts you’ve sent in. I got a kick out of the crayoned Valentines sent in by kids, and I took a minute to read the Bible promises that you jotted. I was really floored to see how many of you generously included a gift card or check.

Earlier this week, our team here at Joni and Friends packaged up everything that came in and mailed it so the boxes would arrive early today, on Valentine’s Day. Honestly, most of these moms and dads of special-needs kids don’t even have time to think about Valentine’s Day. Most can’t afford a fancy dinner out. And so, while others “talk” about love over a candlelit dinner, these boxes will literally show the power, hope, and joy of God’s love! And you and I have had the privilege of being the visible representation of the love of Jesus Christ to the world!

Oh, friend, when I think of those hundreds of Valentines, poems, little presents, and McDonald’s gift cards? When I think of the Scriptures and assurances of prayer? Well, all I can say is, because you took the time and effort; because you gave, I’m joyfully praying II Corinthians 9:6 over you, asking God that “whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” You have sown Gospel-seeds of hope and encouragement, and I’m asking God that you reap an abundance of the same! And I know these families would echo that!

And hey, if this “thank you” catches you a little unprepared, like, “How did it already get to be the middle of February?!” because you’ve been intending to drop something in the mail for one of these families, and you forgot… it’s not too late! Additional cards always trickle in after our initial box has been mailed. We simply package all the “late-coming encouragement” and pass it along, too! So, get that card in the mail today!

So, in the words of Ruth 2:12, “May the Lord repay you for what you have done;” may the Lord bless you for having God’s heart for the disabled!