The Power of Prayer -- A Testamony

For over 30 years my church has run a Shepherd's Table offering a free hot meal to anyone who shows up on Tuesdays Nights. In June of this last year we had to shut down because of lack of funding and new health regulations that would require alterations to the kitchen we could not afford. We also now, because of Michigan Law, needed a licence. All of this, lead to us asking ourselves what to do. There were other expenses and the recent council decision was that the Shepherd's Table had to make its own way because the church couldn't afford to help it. We have an old building that is pretty as a picture (see above -- yeah that is where I preach every Sunday -- God is good to me) but needs a lot of TLC. With our 140h anniversary coming up in needed a new coat of paint. With a wooden structure you really can't skimp on that.

Without any clear direction or resources, we decided to pray about the situation. Well Prayer works. In August I received a phone call from the local TV station about our situation that was a result a letter written to a newspaper that wanted to do a story on our situation. We did the story and the floodgates opened:

1. $4000 was donated to painting of the church cutting the cost for this project almost in half.

2. Since the story over $8500 has been donated to the Shepherd's Table which has gone toward the upgrades of the kitchen including plumbing work and a new commercial grade refrigerator that we just put in the basement this evening. Along with the extra money going to the continued operations of the Shepherds Table and our food pantry.

3. We are now legal and licenced with a great deal of favor given to us by the Health Department. Only one more major project remains and we have been given a five year grace period on that.

On the first Tuesday of October we reopened and for the last month have had an average of 50 people each week. All of this in Michigan with its absolutely terrible economy.

If I had tried fundraising for this I would have fallen far short of what happened -- All we did is prayed and God answered and moved on people's hearts to give.

Glory to God!!!