Daily Hope and Inspiration

Those hard to open presents…. It seems we have had that one gift that is hard to open. You know, the one that is wrapped so tight it takes something stronger than kitchen scissors to open and usually contains what seems like military grade indestructible packaging? Maybe it’s different for you but each year someone in our family receives this well wrapped gift and we all get to watch the receiver try with all their might to open. Sometimes we even have to pitch in to complete the task. In the end the gift is opened and usually heartfelt thanks is offered to the giver...note that I shared “usually”!! We can have the same challenge with our spiritual life. When we get wrapped so tightly in worldly clamors and bound up deep in material wants and self-will, we make it nearly impossible to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit that resides in our hearts. It’s not that we don’t deserve God’s spiritual love and gifts, rather it’s the fact that we are bound up, or wrapped so tightly if you will, in the chaos of this material world that we cannot open our hearts to receive God’s love, grace, and peace…Check your experience… “We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him.” Big Book pg 46 Lord, help us to open our hearts to receive Your gifts of love, grace, and everlasting life, AMEN. “Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.” Ephesians 4:18 Have blessed day y’all! Furniture Bank has helped many folks this year with a HAND –UP as they worked with various organizations to gain skills and jobs to escape homelessness and, helplessness to gain self-respect and self-sustainability!! Your gifts, donations, prayers, and financial support made this possible! Families, veterans, elderly, physically and mentally challenged, as well as others are now enjoying homes filled with furniture and furnishings as they rebuild their lives. MAKE A DIFFERENCE! ALL donations to Furniture Bank are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and 100% goes toward helping the families, veterans, elderly, and other individuals in need. You can donate any amount for a tax deduction and tax receipt, BUT…. a gift of either $400 as an individual or $800 as a couple to Furniture Bank, Inc. a 501c3 public charity, can also reduce your tax bill to the State of Arizona by that amount dollar for dollar! It’s easy and you can make a big difference on how Furniture Bank can further help our families and individuals in need. http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html