“We held hands and prayed for Jesus to help us no matter what happens. Andrew cried out, “Mommy, Hold Me!”, sobbed Ashley. Andrew has aspergers and has never before asked to be held, which is common with his symptoms.

Her whole house blew down around them. Yet, they are ALIVE! 

Recounts Jason just last night, “My family and I were in a state of disbelief”. That was made even further difficult in that Jason was in Afghanistan at the time of the tornado. It took him 5 days to get home. His entire home was destroyed, except just a few possessions. Yet his beloved family did survive with their lives, in a storm shelter in what was once their garage. He adds, “A normal day in Oklahoma, in just a few minutes suddenly turned into the single most life-changing event in our family history. We felt helpless and overwhelmed, but most of all blessed that we had made it through the tornado with our lives.”

“Today”, he goes on, “we’re cleaning up the few items we could salvage and are gaining a sense of hope.  With help of therapy and love from CitiIMPACT Mission Teams, our children are slowly beginning more normal levels of activity. We’re still overwhelmed with all that has to be done, but remain optimistic the future holds stability for our family.”

Because of your efforts with CitiIMPACT, many such stories of HOPE and HELP arise from the destruction of natural disasters, and the disasters of life in general. Please continue to Support and BE Part of the efforts with us for those who need “a sense of hope”. Together we are reaching families like Jason’s in several states right now.

Be and ACT like this, another young man named Andrew long ago:

Mark 1:16 “As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said,“and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.”

Blessings to you today!

JD Smith

CEO CitiIMPACT

www.CitiIMPACT.org
www.facebook.com/CitiIMPACT.Ministries

We really do need you to bring your HELP & HOPE to disaster zones, because impacted people are falling through the cracks…and THEY NEED YOU.
Please read & follow the steps so that your Mission Team can have the best experience possible without putting a burden on the people and community you desire to serve.
We’ve worked with close to a half million volunteers in the last 8 years, so we’ve been able to discover a functional structure that brings great sustainable impact to people’s’ lives.
Blessings,
JD Smith
CEO CitiIMPACT Missions
www.CitiIMPACT.org

Ephesians 6:10-18 We all need this, truly.
The attached video of Amanda Thatcher reflects that (the text follows the video):

Ephesians 6:¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

May the Lord bless us all with His Peace again, one and all. After all, Love will conquer all.

JD Smith

Blessings,

Martin

JD Smith

Meet Tim Davis! A few months ago, I met Tim and his wife Pam during CitiIMPACT’s earliest First Response efforts for Hurricane Isaac in La Place, Louisiana. I shouldn’t have met Tim at all. Tim is supposed to be DEAD. 

Friday night March 8th around midnight, while waiting with Tim for an overdue tour bus full of college students, I learned that about 20 years ago Tim was given 2-5 years to live due to a catastrophic lung ailment. His life changed dramatically from a highly paid contractor for a major oil refinery to near death and poverty. Tim and his wife, Pam, had four little children and what seemed to be no hope….but God..

At the bottom points of their lives, they discussed the nearing end. At that moment, by faith alone, Tim decided, with encouragement from Pam, to live every day he had left for the glory of God, rather than lay down and die; to believe God wasn’t finished with him rather than merely believe the fatalistic but real doctor reports. That’s been about 15 years ago now. Tim no longer contracts nor makes a six figure salary, he doesn’t even have insurance. He has raised his kids. He serves in a local church in La Place Louisiana as the maintenance supervisor. I call him The Maintenance Missions Minister. I have yet to meet anyone in Louisiana who can keep up with the pace Tim has everyday as he serves, with less than half a lung. How many times I’ve heard Tim say, “JD, I can rest in heaven, people need HOPE.”

Your Missions Team can be served with HOPE, too!

As we all go through our lives, we have the awesome opportunity to live every day for the glory of God, or just wait to die. It may be less obvious a decision than Tim made, possibly not as overt. Yet, the decision must be made.  Tim and Pam have experienced the grace of God for real in their lives and give Him all the glory for that. They have served about 200 Mission Teams in the last 7 months alone, who have come to the area to bring HOPE and HELP to families overcoming Hurricane Isaac. Those teams have received the same amount of real life HOPE as they have brought, from such people as Tim and Pam.

What ways are you deciding to live daily rather than die? 

HOPE given on Staten Island by college women!

When have you met God at a dead-end and received new HOPE in life?

You can be part of giving HOPE and receiving HOPE in places torn by tornadoes as in Henryville IN, West Liberty KY, Hattiesburg MS, Petal MS, Tuscaloosa AL, Joplin MO.

AND in places like Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Isaac and other disaster occurrences in life, like the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.

My prayers for God’s richest Blessings and HOPE for all of you as you LIVE! JD Smith