It’s Time for GOOD NEWS!

All it takes is watching a news network and we’ll hear about another devastating killing, a robbery, a disastrous storm, accidents involving the loss of life, and so much more. I am no longer a “Bad News” enthusiast. This blog today came from a couple of events I attended recently.

The first one was by New Heart of Texas Ministries. I was invited to attend this gala for raising monies and awareness of the work this beautiful ministry is doing. Their mission is to provide hope and healing for those whose hearts have been broken through traumatic events such as abortion, sexual, physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse.

At the event, we heard from individuals giving their personal testimonies of healing from this loving and caring restoration of the lives of many individuals. Mary Lee Mason, is the president and founder of New Heart of Texas Ministries. She felt called to start her own ministry in 2011. Mary Lee attended her own Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat (the abortion healing portion of the ministry) in 2006.

After Mary Lee’s retreat and healing from abortion, she felt called to help other women and men to heal from emotional traumas in their lives. She began leading Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats in Central Texas in the fall of 2006 and now are in Houston. We heard testimonies of those suffering from the trauma of war, of abortions, of broken and hurting families being positively impacted and restored by this beautiful ministry.

Then, last Friday night, I attended another beautiful gala for Seedling Mentors. This beautiful program helps children in Central Texas who have incarcerated parents. Through mentoring by loving, supportive and caring mentors, many of these children have thrived. We heard beautiful testimonies of young people who regularly met with their mentors and went on to complete school and even college – now, being mentors to others also.

Seedling mitigates the impact of parental incarceration on children through school-based mentoring. Their Mentor Program provides caring and consistent adult role models that help instill in each student that they have worth and the potential for a bright future regardless of the issues they might face due to parental incarceration. Since 2005, Seedling has served over 2,500 children.

I was able to donate into both worthy causes. I don’t tell you that to impress you, but to impress upon you that there is GOOD NEWS in our world. There are many programs, camps, ministries, and charitable organizations that do wonderful things for people who desire to be helped.

St. Francis spoke these words: “Preach the gospel at all times and sometimes use words.” I desire that my “preaching” comes with “doing”. I desire to have the heart of Mother Teresa who didn’t look the other way when she saw the hungry, sick, and dying.

I desire the heart of the Good Samaritan who didn’t look the other way when he saw the Jewish man on the side of the road after being beaten and robbed. Although Samaritans and Jews despised each other, the Samaritan helped the injured man. Jesus shared this parable in response to a provocative question from a lawyer, “And who is my neighbor?” The conclusion is that the neighbor in the parable is the one who shows mercy to their fellow man.

I hope this blog causes a little spark in my readers to desire to be “Good News” missionaries. Enough with the gloom, despair, and agony ON ME! May we become the ones who don’t look away, but our eyes are wide-open to spreading “Good News” every where we go!