Y’all, the non-profit should be officially up and going by the end of this week. With that being said I wanted to share the mission and vision statement of Rays of Sunshine Inc. This has been the most unexpected, amazing adventure that God has taken me on. A dream I didn’t know I was dreaming. God is cool like that.

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Rays of Sunshine: Love first. Teach second.

(Inspired by Robyn Young Glosson’s heart for kids.)

Vision Statement:

Rays of Sunshine: A world where all students’ physiological needs are met first.

Rays of Sunshine understands the important role that physiological needs such as food, clothes, and proper supplies play in a student’s livelihood. If these vital needs are not met first then the student’s academic success rate diminishes dramatically.

We call ourselves Rays of Sunshine when in all actuality the true Rays of Sunshine are the children that we are serving. They are our future. Our hope. God’s children.

🔆Our board is set (thank you sweet ladies). We already have a few Sunbeams (monthly backers) ready to give.

🔆Will you pray for Rays of Sunshine Inc.? We want to be lead by God. We want to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We want to help.

🔆Will you pray about how you could help? Maybe be a Sunbeam? Maybe a prayer partner? I will post more information about that next week.

John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Matthew 25:40 says that “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for ONE of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Jesus is concerned with the one.

Sometimes God shakes you up, twists you around, and leaves you standing up like you need a shot of V8.

▪️Currently Me▪️

Y’all, I don’t know why. I don’t know why because I’m not God.

I don’t see the big picture like God does.

I don’t know what’s happening next week.

But God does.

All I know is that I have to have hope.

I have to have peace.

And I have to have faith.

I have to switch my thinking from flesh controlled to Kingdom driven. God needs us moving. He needs us stepping out and stepping up.

Don’t be scared to be shaken up for God. If God is shaking you – He is using you.

Be used.

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

Not everyone is gonna like you.

But if we’re honest – you’re not gonna like everyone either. I’m not being mean – it’s just human nature. It’s that stinkin flesh.

You can’t let it eat away at you though – don’t let it become a bacteria that infiltrates your soul. You can’t live in a state of constantly wondering what you did wrong.

But what you can do is keep being nice. Keep working hard. Keep loving Jesus.

Don’t grow bitter. Just try to be better, right?

Not everyone is gonna like you; however, Jesus always will. You are His. He likes your quirks. He likes you and all of your personality “flaws”.

Y’all, Jesus loves you. And Jesus loves me – this I know for the Bible tells me so. Amen!

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

I’m shook.

One of the latest phrases being spoken by teenagers and young adults all across America. Y’all, I’m 38 years old. I’m reaching the point where I just don’t quite get some of the new lingo.

However, yesterday at church my sweet friend sang a song that I’ve heard a million times before, and in that moment the words flipped my heart and mind upside down.

🎼Little boy, six years old

A little too used to bein’ alone

Another new mom and dad, another school

Another house that’ll never be home

When people ask him how he likes this place

He looks up and says with a smile upon his face

“This is my temporary home

It’s not where I belong

Windows in rooms that I’m passin’ through

This is just a stop, on the way to where I’m going

I’m not afraid because I know this is my

Temporary home.”🎼

In that moment the phrase “I’m shook” resonated so deeply within me that I literally was shaking.

Let me tell you when those words will shake you to the core – when it’s your 15th year of education and you walk through the halls unable to count on two hands how many kids are displaced.

Taken from their homes.

No mom.

No dad.

Shoved from house to house because nobody wants them. Nobody wants to deal with them.

Nobody wants to deal with their behaviors. Behaviors caused by their parents doing drugs and alcohol while pregnant. Behaviors due to constantly being abandoned. Behaviors that these kids literally cannot help.

But educators.

For about 8 hours a day we can be their mom.

We can be their dad.

We can be their home.

We can be Jesus here on earth.

We can, and we should.

We can’t give up on these kids because God hasn’t given up on us, and He could have – and He should have.

Y’all, I’m shook.

But I’m glad. As an educator I need to be. I need my heart to break wide open for these kids.

I need to simultaneously be focused and shook.

I need to take every step, every single day, for Jesus. I need to be mission minded, and as an educator – these kids are my mission.

Dear God, keep breaking my heart for what breaks yours.

“Love always protects, love always trusts, love always hopes, love always perseveres.”

– 1 Corinthians 13:7

Educators.

You are called.

You are called to the biggest -most important – mission field in the entire world.

Our children. Our future.

These kids need love and hope and comfort and peace. These kids need confidence in their abilities. They need to hear truth spoken in love.

These kids need you.

These kids need Jesus.

And that’s exactly what God has called you to do. He has sent His Spirit to us so that others can see and hear and feel Jesus.

This is serious.

You are on a mission.

Every single day.

Every single minute.

Guard your heart.

Guard your mind.

Guard your mouth.

Teach them.

Guide them.

Lead them.

Love them.

You are called. And if He called you then He has equipped you. You are vital. You matter every single day. Believe that. Live that.

Now, let’s go.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

God is not a checklist – points finger at self. It’s easy to slip into a lifestyle where we inadvertently make Him just that – especially if you’re a rule follower. Especially if you have the “this is what I’m supposed to do” mentality.

I repeat God is not:

Completing your bible study – check.

Paying your tithes – check.

Saying your prayers – check.

Attending Sunday School – check.

Posting a Bible verse on social media – check.

Attending a conference – check.

God is a relationship. God is a craving you have deep within your soul that can’t be – won’t be – satisfied unless you spend time with Him. Real time.

Time that you want to spend with Him. On purpose. Intentional.

God is your best friend. The one you just have to call. The one you have to tell your secrets and dreams to. God is your everything.

Be so in love with God that those things are just what you want to do. Not what you have to do.

Don’t let God become a checklist. Let God be the only thing on your list – and everything else will just fall into place.

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:16

You can’t save yourself.

Doing bunch of good stuff for people – for God – isn’t going to get you a one way ticket into Heaven.

That’s not how this works.

God is the ones who saves.

By His grace.

By His sacrifice.

However, if you have surrendered your soul to our Savior – if you are in fact all in for Jesus – then you will want to work your tail off for Him.

You will want to serve.

You will want to sacrifice.

You will want to shout about your salvation from the rooftops.

I hope that’s you.

I hope that’s me.

I hope we truly are all in for Jesus.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;” Ephesians 2:8

🎼Remember your people. Remember your children. Remember your promise.🎼

I never really thought about the lyrics to that particular song until I was driving down the road the other day and it came on.

It kinda hit me like a ton of bricks.

The thing is God always remembers His children. We are the ones that forget about Him.

Forget about His power.

Forget about His promises.

Forget about His peace.

Forget about His protection.

God doesn’t forget about us. We get scared or stressed or caught up in the day to day and we forget about Him.

We get sidetracked, dismayed, and disheartened and we forget about His promises.

Today I urge you not to forget. No matter what happens hold on to the covenant that you entered into with Him – that He entered into with you.

He takes that seriously, y’all.

His word is solid.

His word is unwavering.

His word is good.

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9

Ladies, you can do it all – you just can’t do it all every single day.

Wife.

Mom.

Work.

Read.

Dream.

Inspire.

Exercise.

You have to prioritize.

Maximize.

And sometimes minimize.

God made you strong – just look at Ruth.

God made you capable – just look at Elizabeth.

God made you smart – just look at Esther.

God made you a leader – just look at Deborah.

God made you exactly who He needs you to be to do what He needs you to do here on this earth.

Don’t doubt your capability – the capability that God gave you.

“God is within her, she will not fall.” Psalm 46:5

Will you say yes?

▪️To God.

▪️To God’s will.

▪️To getting out of your comfort zone.

Will you say yes?

▪️To serving.

▪️To helping.

▪️To loving.

▪️To giving up “your” dreams.

Will you say yes?

▪️To trusting.

▪️To giving.

▪️To big faith.

Will you 100% – cannonball off the high dive – all in – say yes to God?

Will you?

“20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21