Blessed to Bless Bags

The Contents of one bag.
Image Via http://www.joyshope.com/

I will be hosting a "Blessed to Bless Bags"  event in the next couple of weeks. It is a bag filling night and , we will be handing them out at a later date to the homeless people in the Atlata Area. We need all the help with this event and even if you are not able to come you can still contribute to the cause. We will be taking donations in local dollar stores and from local businesses. These items will them be packaged into bags and delived to the homeless during the week of Christmas. The list of items is long and every bag doesn't have to have all these items in the but this is the suggest list:

Everything will be places in a 1 gallon Ziploc bag
1 Juice box
Throat lozenges
Trial size Ibuprofen/Acetaminophen
hand sanitizer
hand or face lotion
packaged hand wipes
lip balm
soap/shampoo
Small selection of ready-to-eat protein rich food such as:
Cheese and crackers
Power bar
Tuna in a bag (no cans requiring an opener)
Vienna sausages
Beef jerky
One sweet item such as canned fruit or pudding
Plastic utensils and napkin
Washcloth
Small bible or bible tract
Gloves/ knit beanie
Pair of men’s socks

I have been feeling that I have a great purpose in life than just helping my local church, I dont mean that you should not help the local church, but I feel the need to reach out, outside those 4 walls, and do something positive for someone else. I was raised in a small church growing up and the, well I guess you could call it mission statement was "The Ministry to the Forgotten Man". Our church was about helping people who had his rock bottom and give them a hand up not a hand out. Helping them help themselves and to show them the love of God through us. During my Teen years we had a homeless mission and we bused people from the streets of Atlanta in on Saturday mornings and feed them a hot meal gave them a place to take a hot shower, a clean change of clothes, a checkup from a Dr, and Dentist, and other services to help them come off the streets. We would always have a short church service and anyone that wanted would be allowed to stay on at the mission. Once they stayed they were given job training and allowed to help make the items that was sold to support the mission.
On those Saturday mornings I felt that I was making a difference. I would help wherever that they needed me in the kitchen. It might have been chopping greens, peeling potatoes to washing dishes, and then serving on the line when the people arrived, but I was allowed to help.
Now as an adult with a family of my own, I want to instil that same want to help people into my children and the people around me. If we can be a positive impact on someone elses life then we have made a difference. We take for granted most of the things that are on the list above, but to a person who has nothing this could mean the world. We were not placed here to just be here, we where placed here to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
Matthew 25: 38-40 says
38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

We need to do more than just be.

I am praying that you will find it in your heart to help and if you would like to donate you can email me at craftykate1@gmail.com I am in the process of setting up a PayPal account to recieve these donations. My hope is that this not be just a one time event. I would love to see this happen at least evey other month and try to keep in going, but I will not be able to do it with out help from other. Thank you in advnace for you help.