Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2012

3 Ways You’re Heard

Vision Christian Center Church of Bourg, Louisiana 20 Year Anniversary, under the leadership of Pastors Kim & Vanessa Voisin, was celebrated July 7-8, 2012.

I’ve known the people of this church and region since Hurricane Katrina, when they helped lead the region in recovery as CitiIMPACT Ministries shipped them supplies & sent thousands of volunteers into the Gulf Coast arena. (get latest news)

20 Years, that’s not a lot in the scheme of the world, but certainly it’s a lot of years in the life of that community. US Congressman Jeff Landry, Parrish President Michel Claudet , local pastor leaders, ICFG President Glenn Burris, Jr., and myself shared the accomplishments of VCC at the celebration. 3 Elements of “Voices” Heard stand out in the community that we can apply well to our own “Voice”. You might call them basic tenants of a platform that leads others well with a strong “Voice”.

1. Faith Vision Christian Center, and perhaps your own vehicle of influence that carries your “Voice”, was birthed in the faith of leaders who developed a team around that faith in a vision for the community of a preferred future. Pastors Kim & Vanessa certainly have their own personal faith in the Jesus Christ, and their lives’ activities have shown their faith by their works. Likewise, the Church they lead is known throughout the region as a center of Faith. Faith in Jesus Christ, in what we are led to be & do, is a paramount platform component of our revealed Voice.

2. Family Those attending VCC today are a mixture of those who began the church as a team, their kids, their friends, their grand-kids…Family! It’s a family community of those with a common vision based on faith. The family atmosphere extends beyond the borders of the building throughout the region and world. Their partnership with CitiIMPACT Ministries, myself & others allows them to reach the world with their “Voice” through family. No one who goes to the church ever leaves there without feeling a welcome by the family “Voice”.

3. Friends Jesus is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. “No greater love has no man than to lay down his life for a friend.”, Jesus. Representing that love of Friendship is part and parcel of long-term collaboration building influences. Perhaps our own visionary “Voice” will resound much quicker through our Making a Friend & Being a Friend than any other way. At least it’s a significant part! Certainly the contagious aspects of Friends is running throughout VCC.

Faith, Family, and Friends are great ways to ensure the “Voice” we have is not only inspired and heard, but even more, heralded.

Those in attendance that weekend in Bourg, Louisiana were so overwhelmingly appreciative to all of you as you partner with us in the restoration of the Gulf Coast over these last 7 years. Thank all of you directly from each of those speakers personally, the community of Bourg and all of Louisiana.

What are some ways that Faith, Family and Friends has been vital in your “Voice” being heard?

What are some ways they can be enhanced in the heralding of the “Voice” you’ve been given?

Blessings, JD Smith

Posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2012

ALL SYSTEMS BACK ONLINE

ALL SYSTEMS ARE BACK ONLINE

www.JDSmithOnline.com (NEW POST COMING SOON)

www.CitiIMPACT.org

THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE…IF YOU TRIED TO SEND US AN EMAIL YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN BOUNCED BACK…PLEASE TRY AGAIN ASAP.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************

Our Web Site SERVER for www.CitiIMPACT.org IS DOWN

& OUR EMAILS WITH IT.

Our web server is down & our emails tied to it.
We processed over 700 emails yesterday which is unrelated to this.
We’ll be back shortly..be patient with us.
Improving for the future takes a little unexpected pain today. 🙁
hmmm………………………………………….HOPE REMAINS!

You can contact us through our Facebook Pages still. www.facebook.com/JDSmth & www.facebook.com/CitiIMPACT.Ministries

Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2012

Three Keys to Waiting.

How much do we like WAITING?! I’d say NOT or NONE!

Waiting is as old as time itself. We rarely are anything other than patient when waiting for the future vision, much less the immediate urgency of some need(s). The last few years I’ve experienced with thousands of people around the world the required waiting time…for supplies, HOPE, HELP, volunteers in harsh disaster zones. Even last week in power outages, floods & fires; people are desperately waiting.

Yet, we see at least 3 Things to note about Waiting. Allow these to catalyze your thought, hearts, prayers and actions towards making Waiting more attractive!

1. TARRY! is a word often used to describe or as a synonym for Waiting. It’s fullest meaning is to continue where you are, what your are and who you are until the realization of what you Wait for comes to pass. Remember on Whom you wait more than for What you wait.

You have a vision, dream, goal, or even immediate or emerging need. Tarrying while it’s solution comes is not always so easy. Habakuk 2:3 tells us to “though it tarries, wait for it, for it shall surely come.”

A great old time leader named Abram (later Abraham) at least once was tired of waiting. Genesis 15 recounts the story. God led Abram by the hand when he could no longer endure the waiting and showed him the stars. Don’t you just love how the King of the Universe has taken this broken man by the hand, touching him with His Glory & Greatness! God reminded Abram for whom he waited more than for what he waited.

2. PRAY! Well of course you’re praying. Right? And, who is praying with you? Folks, you are leaders of your families, businesses, churches, and communities. The weal and woes of those you serve as you lead are enormous, not to mention your own life, heart, physical & fiscal situations. Prayer is the key element in life, especially in the waiting line.

1 Thessalonians 5:25 ^“Brothers and sisters, pray for us.” Yes, do that. Pray for one another. Pray together. Pray often. Pray first. Pray foremost. Pray with thanksgiving in all things for the soon coming, no longer waited for, answer!

3. LIVE! Often situations just seem unbearable any longer, we feel dead to life. The vision seems impossible, the enemies too big, the light at the end of the tunnel is anther train about to run us over. Too many times we are a bloodied mess in our own minds if not literally from the battles.

Ezekiel 16:6 Gives us a picture of how the Lord sees you & me during such times. “‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”

SO, go ahead right now, get up out of the dust and LIVE life while you tarry and pray.

Old & New Friends, encourage one another in word & deed!

LIVE, LIVE , LIVE. IT’S NOT OVER. GOD IS STILL ON HIS THRONE OF GRACE FOR YOU. You, your family and your friends will soon WAIT NO LONGER!

We’re Waiting on God, nothing or no one else! What are some situations you have been waiting for God to show up in? Celebrate that it’s coming soon, and share with us!

Posted on Wednesday, July 4, 2012

United States of America. STILL.

Some say barely, others say not, but this is still the United States of America.

Pray for, Protect & Defend that every day.

The United States Constitution.

Read It. Believe it. Be it!

We The People… that means us.

Posted on Monday, July 2, 2012

Cliched or not: JUST DO IT.

Sometimes there isn’t enough time to talk about Doing Something.

Sometimes people JUST DO IT.

If you need HELP or can HELP. Contact us now.

DISASTER MINISTRIES CitiIMPACT Missions ABOUT

SEE STORIES HERE & HERE from this past weekend.

Sign up TEAMS HERE

How is your family & community dealing with the HEAT & other disasters?

Tomorrow I’ll have an UPDATE on FREEDOMS in the USA. Watch for it:

Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2012

3 Places of Strength for Living

Climbing those mountains and obstacles in life can be overwhelming. It’s especially overwhelming when we attempt that in our own strength.

Psalm 68:28 ^“Summon your power, God^[j];
show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.”

King David of old found the key secret. The strength of God is the solution!

1-On the way up, the Lord is our strength. Difficult climbs require the fortitude and character that the strength of God can pour into our lives. Climb without fear!

2-Going down requires different muscles in hill climbing doesn’t it? So the hills of life, those obstacles overcome, next coming down is the challenge. It may not appear so, but surely our experiences show it to be. Often this is where our “heart”, passion or faith, become weak or weary. Go down boldly with focus on He who helped you climb!

3-OK, here is my own difficulty: Sitting Still. WOW. How hard is that? A mother or father watching a sick child may often wonder what to do, wringing their hands and hearts with anxious moments. How many times have we all said, “If I only could do something!” Even in the stillness our sufficiency is of God. None else nor anyone else satisfies.

Sandy Turner, a CitiIMPACT Missions Advisor in Florida wrote last night, as she prepares to serve others, “There’s a certain helplessness ones feels in the midst of the storm. I sit with my family, safe for now. Our home is JUST high enough. Just far enough away from the rivers. So, we are safe. As of this writing, Black Creek, in rural Middleburg (near Jacksonville) is quickly flooding. It is already above the “100 Year” flood stage. I have family there…” (Watch for more from Sandy & others soon on the Florida situations.)

Allow the joy of the Lord to be your strength today! The cloud of witnesses who have gone before us are cheering us on as the King of Glory, the Lord High and Mighty, strengthens all of us to climb the mountains, get down the other sides, and sit still when we must!

What are some times you’ve climbed, descended or sat still that the Lord showed His might strength to you?

Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2012

The LOVE test?

Are we all filled with the Holy Spirit?

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:4

How about this as a life-changing litmus test? Sounds like LOVE!

Gal. 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

What ways has LOVE or other fruit of the Spirit been powerful in your life?

Let’s compile our stories for celebration together!

Comment or contact us today.