http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/index.php/site/index/ en randy@credencepictures.com Copyright 2012 2012-04-01T02:48:31+00:00 http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/gods_love_always_reaching_out http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/gods_love_always_reaching_out#When:02:48:31Z {summary}Sitting at my desk at the end of long day, anxious to get home, the phone rang. My first thought was, “Another call!”  At the other end of the line, though, was the voice of a young woman in tears.  Tears of gratitude, it turned out. Her normal life had come undone when she suffered a terrible accident a few months earlier, leaving her with serious injuries.  “It was terrifying,” she said. With the help of doctors, nurses and physical therapists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, she began the slow road to recovery.  Compassionate strangers became the hands of God and her wounds gradually healed. However, with limited income, she was financially overwhelmed.  She was barely making ends meet when the hospital bills arrived.  With a little too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to pay for her medical care, she was terrified again. She faced the real fear of going under financially. But God’s long arms of love reached out, lifting the burden of her hospital bill through another group of compassionate strangers.  She received a letter I had written saying, “Your hospital bill has been paid by compassionate and mission-minded North Carolina Baptists in the name of Jesus Christ and His love.” Through tears of joy she said, “Please thank the people that helped me.  Please tell them that I really, really appreciate it.  It makes a difference knowing there are such good people out there who would help - people who don’t even know me.“ She knew that God had come near, touching her life through the care of North Carolina Baptists. Before I went home, I paused to pray.  “Thank you, God, for the hands of your love, always at work.”   Blogging, 2012-04-01T02:48:31+00:00 http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/spring_2011_topics_newsletter http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/spring_2011_topics_newsletter#When:19:41:17Z {summary}I hope you will take a few minutes to read the Spring 2011 Topics newsletter below from our Faith and Health Ministries Division. “Topics” - Spring 2011 Paul Mullen Church and Community Relations 2011-05-06T19:41:17+00:00 http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/the_mothers_day_offering_gods_love_in_action http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/the_mothers_day_offering_gods_love_in_action#When:21:15:05Z {summary}“The Mother’s Day Offering was a life-saver for my family and made all the difference in the world,” said Jim Gentry from West Jefferson, N.C. “We were so worried about my hospital bill – and the stress wouldn’t stop. We could never say thank you enough to those who helped us.  My wife and I cried tears of relief.  North Carolina Baptists took a huge burden off our shoulders and showed us that God is still working through His people.” The heart of Christ’s love overflows toward those who suffer. Near the center of His agape-type love is a Spirit of generous compassion, mercy and benevolence toward the “least of these.” The assurance of His love brings life-giving hope – and truly makes all the difference in the world. That is the heart of the Mother’s Day Offering and those who give to this ministry.Your gift makes the heart felt compassion of Christ real for hurting patients and families at North Carolina Baptist Hospital.  They suffer from the pain of serious illness, the hardships of limited income, and the literal fear of losing everything.  Your gift becomes God’s love in action – lifting the burden of hospital bills in the name of Jesus Christ.  God translates your compassion into hope and draws people closer to Christ in life-changing gratitude.“Those who give to the Mother’s Day Offering gave us so much hope and strengthened our faith in the goodness of God,” Jim said.  “They helped us know that He still cares about us.”Jim Gentry and his wife Shirley are members of Mission Home Baptist Church in Fleetwood.  They are hard working and humble people who needed a helping hand to get back on their feet after his illnesses.  Your gift, combined with Baptists across North Carolina, will become a lifeline of hope for hundreds of people like them in 2011.THANK YOU for the difference you make.  PLEASE PRAY for this ministry.  PLEASE GIVE and let Christ’s love overflow through you! Rev. Paul Mullen North Carolina Baptist Hospital (at Wake Forest Baptist Health) 2011-04-18T21:15:05+00:00 http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/gifts_that_bring_hope http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/gifts_that_bring_hope#When:15:44:42Z {summary}“We can’t say thank you enough to those who give to the Mother’s Day Offering.  My husband and I cried tears of relief and joy when our son Cody’s hospital bill was paid.  We’ve struggled hard to make ends meet since my husband was laid off – and were so worried.  We know this was God at work through N.C. Baptists.  He is still in the miracle-working business!”Thank you for helping this family at North Carolina Baptist Hospital, and hundreds of others just like them, through your gifts to the Mother’s Day Offering.  Those you help fall between the cracks of assistance.  They have a little too much to qualify for Medicaid or charity care, but not enough to pay their hospital bills. Pressed to the edge of financial ruin, they need a lifeline of hope.  Every dollar you give helps patients pay their hospital bills in the name of Jesus Christ and His love.  God is at work, changing fear into hope, through you.  “Gifts That Bring Hope” is the theme for the 2011 Mother’s Day Offering.  One of my favorite scriptures is behind the theme.  In Romans 15:30, Paul wrote,  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, that you may have all hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”God has tremendous compassion for patients and families who need help through the Mother’s Day Offering.  He knows their suffering caused by illness.  He sees them struggle under the burdens of   serious financial need – and the unrelenting fear of losing everything.  He reaches out and makes hope come alive through your gifts.I am privileged to write these patients and their families a letter that says, “Your hospital bill has been paid by compassionate and mission-minded North Carolina Baptists in the name of Jesus Christ and His love.”When Cody’s parents read their letter, hope overflowed in their hearts. “We are ordinary people living in a very difficult time. This letter brought an amazing blessing from God. My husband is young in the Lord, and this encouraged his faith.  Cody was amazed to see what God can do. My coworkers wept tears of joy when I shared it with them.  God is so very good, all the time!”Thank you for lending the gift of hope through the Mother’s Day Offering.  Please pray for the 2011 Offering.  Please give generously as God leads you. Rev. Paul M. Mullen North Carolina Baptist Hospital 2010-12-11T15:44:42+00:00 http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/welcome http://www.mothersdayoffering.org/site/welcome#When:15:54:06Z {summary}Since 1923, the Mother’s Day Offering has helped patients with serious financial needs pay their hospital bills in the name of Christ’s love.  Facing burdensome hospital bills they are responsible to pay, but struggling under financial hardships, they have no where to turn for assistance.  God’s love becomes very real when they receive a letter from Baptist Hospital that says, “Your hospital bill has been paid by compassionate and mission-minded North Carolina Baptists in the name of Jesus Christ and His love.” Every dollar of every gift helps patients pay their hospital bills in a ministry of benevolent care. The needs have risen sharply as the economy suffers, leaving many patients without jobs or adequate health insurance.  Daniel and Nichol Lancaster (son, Joshua), George and Donna Guy, and Rev. Keith and Tammy Elledge are among the hundreds of people helped every year by the Mother’s Day Offering. Your gift makes a life-changing difference.  God extends His love through you, lifting the burdens of hurting patients and families, and drawing them closer to Christ in heartfelt gratitude PLEASE PRAY for God to bless the Mother’s Day Offering and this ministry. PLEASE GIVE as God leads you. THEME SCRIPTURE:  “And so, as those who have been chosen by God … put on a heart of compassion…” (Colossians 3: 12) Blogging, 2010-03-01T15:54:06+00:00