Reflecting on 2010.......

Reflecting on 2010……..

When a year is coming to a close, I am usually the one who will say, “Whew, glad this one is behind us…….I wonder what next year holds!” Even though this year has been quite challenging, it has been well worth my time to look back, smile, and be so thankful to our Father in Heaven for all the joys, heartaches and sweet partings.  

As my memory takes me back, this is what I remember……

I’ve looked into the eyes of battered women…. abused, hungry, and homeless children, elderly who are alone and have no one to care for them, mentally ill, veterans who put their lives on the line for our freedom and are now homeless, sometimes suffering from P.T.S.D, and are many times suicidal. I’ve looked into the eyes of those who are so lost and hurting, struggling with addictions and self worth, selling their own bodies to get their next fix, or sometimes to just survive. I’ve seen the poor who are working so hard to keep their bills paid and their families fed.....single moms working 2 and 3 jobs, having to miss out on the very best years of their children’s lives to make ends meet.

I’ve stood in roach and mice infested motel rooms, walked into the woods, and crawled under bridges and overpasses to feed and clothe the homeless. I’ve looked into the eyes of those who have been hopeless because their bodies were full of cancer, hepatitis, or HIV. I’ve held the hands of couples whose marriages were falling apart. I’ve cried with parents who lost their child to an untimely death and felt their sorrow deep into my own heart.

By the GRACE of GOD, I still have so much passion to still go out into the streets of Murfreesboro and reach out to the lost, broken, hungry and homeless……passion to continue to answer the call God placed upon my heart. God deserves ALL the glory, honor, and praise for what I am able to do. There is no way I would do what I am able to do if it were not for HIM giving me the strength, endurance and passion.

This has been an incredible year! I have been given the wonderful blessing of holding the hand of a dear loved one, as he passed on from this Earth into the arms of our Heavenly Father.

My family and I have been so privileged and blessed beyond measure to take in a 4 month old baby, who was homeless, to love and raise in our home.

We’ve been blessed with loved ones who have been there for us and prayed for us.

The ministry God has entrusted us with, Last Call 4 Grace, has grown so much, in many ways, and God has blessed us with wonderful volunteers from several churches in this city.

I’ve had the awesome privilege of witnessing many salvations and rededications this year!

God has provided for every single need we’ve had. We’ve gained more friendships and re-kindled old ones this year. We’ve had so, so many opportunities to share the Word and the love of Christ with others. We have witnessed changed lives! Praise be to God!

I know there are so many things I haven’t mentioned and I’m sure if I thought more, they would come to my mind. Either way, I am very thankful for this year and I am looking forward to the New Year coming. I pray abundant blessings for all of you as you part with 2010 and embrace 2011. Let us all put our trust and hope in the Lord, for He IS!

MARANATHA

Grace and Peace,

Candy Carter

Last Call 4 Grace Ministries

Christmas Wish.......

Merry Christmas!

I am using my blog today to share a letter I recieved yesterday.

I pray that your hearts are touched as much as mine was and if there is anyone out there that would like to help this woman, please get in contact with our ministry.

Dear Candy,
                I have a Christmas wish. About ten years ago I became addicted to drugs and went from one to another. The end result was losing my kids and all contact with my family.
For the last three years I have had no contact with them and became homeless living in a motel not having food to eat for days and that is when I gave my life to the Lord, and that’s
When I meet your ministry providing hot meals for us. Many thanks to you and your husband for that. Since all of this I have been clean for three years with only one relapse and that came from
Me trying to deal with a rape that occurred in April of this year instead of going to God I tried to commit suicide and once again you and your husband were my angels that got me to the
Hospital  for mental and spiritual help. Through all of this I’am  doing great. I’am in school for LADAC which is a going to give me a job for drug counseling which will help me and others.
My brother and his wife have been raising my kids and we have now started having some open communication, they have no money for Christmas and my wish is to provide them some
Gifts I’am hoping with some help through my brothers and sisters in Christ this wish can be fulfilled. So any donations that anyone can help me with would make that dream come true.
So if you have any advice on what I should do or try I would greatly appreciate it. There are really no community programs out there for teenagers. Not sure why they believe too.
So please give me a call  when you receive this and lets see where we can go from here.

 If anyone out there is interested in helping, I will get more information on the needs of this family.

May God continue to bless you all!