Getting by with a little help from my friends....

Wow. Is all I can say.

I am lying in my bed next to my Presley girl literally worn out and exhausted.

This past Sunday we had our first SHINE Mission Project. It was a big success!

Many, many donations later, my garage was filled to the rim! I am not exaggerating.

I was thrilled! But, I have to admit a little overwhelmed by the monstrosity of it all. If you know me at all, you know that I do not like clutter if I can help it. In fact, I tend to "throw things away" just because I get tired of looking at it.

My garage being so full with stuff would have made me go crazy a year ago. I mean CRAZY.

It's truly amazing how the Lord changes our hearts!

Seriously, I never ever would have taken on such an endeavor even a year ago. If you know me, you know this is true.

Today, I had three incredible friends come over and help me to sort out the donations. We thought it would be very helpful to organize the items for the shelters. Little did we know what we were signed up for! Oh my!

Mary arrived first. Her face said it all when she saw my garage.

Tiffany arrived next and walked in and smiled her big beautiful smile and started laughing. It was a sweet laugh mixed with "oh my heavens".

Danielle arrived last. She turned the corner into our garage and gasped. Seriously she did.

At this point, my heart started racing and I could feel panic and nausea coming on.

How in the world were we going to organize all this stuff?? 

I wanted to RUN. FAR FAR AWAY. I wish I was kidding. 

How could we ever make sense of it? My mind was racing, my heart was pounding. I prayed right then and there that God would give me peace.

I knew this is exactly what He had called SHINE to do as a group. I knew it was of His leading, so I knew He would get us through this day.

And, He did.

My eyes are spilling over with tears as I think of my precious three friends. They stayed for 3 hours and we finished.

Kids were running around everywhere. We were tripping over bags. But, we did it.

The Lord somehow enabled us to finish this project within a decent time frame.

I am not kidding when I say this, but during the whole 3 hours I asked myself if i would have helped my friends out in this way?? Would I have spent 3 hours doing this for someone else??

Yikes.

Today, I can happily say I would. I am so indebted to these girls and their sacrifices of their time, their gas money, their energy...everything.

To say that I am grateful is a complete and utter understatement.

Words cannot describe my gratitude.


Proverbs 20:6 
Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?


Proverbs 17:17 
A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

Not just for these precious three, but for all the families that donated, prayed, and encouraged this
whole Mission Project.

Thank you.

The SHINE donations before our organizing :)

God bless these little working hands

DONE!

really DONE. 

hitting my pillow,

jill