Wow... where has the time gone? Simply Grace is blessed to have been blessed in many ways in the past couple of months.

First of all, we celebrate in the answer of prayer for the Kredit family. Precious Maryn has joined their family through adoption and is a true gift from God, Precious in his sight!

We have had the opportunity to meet and help the Hernandez family of Sioux Center, whose business and home burnt. Thanks to all of those who so graciously dropped off cold weather clothes for this family. I believe that I have taken 7-8 boxes to the family in total. They are very appreciative and have loving hearts. I'm proud of each of you for sharing and being obedient to our call.

In addition, the All Kids Can program is up and moving. We've been able to sponsor and help 4 kids. 1 with Dance, 2 with Hockey and 1 with a medical need. We had a generous donor that has made this possible and we greatly appreciate their support of this ministry that keeps our kids as a primary focus! Look for a fund raiser in the near future so that we may enable more kids to do the things of their hearts desires!

We pray that God is blessing each of you, and that he will put our next opporutnity in front of us.

All kids Can!

We are lifting up All Kids Can this week as Mel is rocking this ministry out! They have a team, a plan, advertising and hopefully some money and some kids who need stuff to participate in extra-curricular activities.

Simply Grace is simply some women with a passion to do something extra for God, to give God glory by helping others...Simply Grace is not just being doers but reminding ourselves and others that it is simply about the Grace. No conditions, no economic equality, no justification...few expectations...grace. We need to demonstrate it because Jesus gave it freely when he gave his all for us...

These girls are sold out to make a difference. Join me in blessing them and lifting up the Simply Grace efforts and especially the All Kids Can as we gear up for school and all the programs we offer in the community.

Show us favor, Lord, and teach us more about who you are and how to share your love.

-respectfully, humbly submitted by Niki...the pray-er, not the do-er.

what's up?

Simply Grace girls are gettin' busy, that's what's up! Mel has a meeting for All Kids Can tomorrow. Lifting up prayers for that ministry. Lord, let the people who come to the meeting be inspired to help make it possible for kids to sign up for sports and activities even without the money to buy equipment. Let there be a spirit of generosity and sharing the burden so that those who have can share with those who have not. Keep it holy and humble, Lord, and bless the kids who will benefit from this program. Help them to know that it is because of you and your kingdom work that we want to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Also praying for Danielle as she puts the women's retreat together for the fall. God, just make the path straight and help her to navigate the planning stages. Give her passion and enthusiasm and confidence and a sense of what you want from this, what you desire to reveal to us in Romans 12.

Praising you, Lord, for the speaking conference Jen attended and the amazing connections you made for her, confirming her desire and place right where you want her to be learning and growing. Thank you that is was possible for her to do that and now speak to her, God, in the big and small ways, so that she can form the words you would have her share with others.

Me? Keep me praying. Keep my posture kneeling before you on weak knees with feeble arms lifted high. Help me to speak less and listen more and to cling to you, Father, to line up with you every time I think of it and to do less and less for the world and more and more for the Kingdom of Jesus.

Bless Simply Grace if it would give you glory, Father God. Amen.

sorry, I messed this up...read by time, not by posting...I accidently hit publish before I was done, then was in a hurry. apologies.-Niki

Several days since that day I have walked the path and there was no water cooler and it was fine. Today I went out walking in haste. I was frustrated and overwhelmed and needed to burn some negative energy and pray and think. I was distraught. It was 3pm and it was hot. I found myself wondering between pounding steps if the water cooler would be there. I thought to myself, 'this would be a good day for the water cooler to be there' and not just for a drink. As I pictured the cooler standing in the shade on the picnic table, I also wondered if there would be a new verse on the bottles. What might God want to tell me today?

Before long I was thirsting more for the scripture on the bottle than the actual water and wondering and hoping...I rounded a corner of the path and could then see down the way to the tree and the table and There It Was! The blue cooler, resting quietly in the shade...I began to weep. I walked and I cried and I marvelled at how thirsty I was, how hot it was, how near and how far I was to the wonderful water and I just knew there would be words from the Lord inside. I just knew it.

"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in faith, and in purity." 1 Tim 4:12

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We have a long bike path in our town that wraps around the east side of town. I walk it often, as do most other residents of our town. Last week I was walking on a hot morning and came upon a cooler standing on a picnic table with a sign that read "help yourself". Inside the cooler were bottles of cool water with a bible vers stuck to them. How refreshing and suprising and delightful! I did help myself and said a prayer of thanks for whoever was thoughtful enough to be a silent blessing to me on my walk. A small gesture that did big things

its all about the link

I'm gonna try to take over this blog as my contribution to our Simply Grace ministry. I have zero admin skills, I have very little vision or passion for ministry in a global sense...but I am the fourth quadrant of Simply Grace because I listen, I pray and I care. I also write. :) I can write here and write on my personal blog and maybe 10-20 people will read my blog each day because I've been at it awhile. I may say very little that is profound or worthy there and save it all for this blog...but if noone reads it, its irrelevant.

I get amazing revelation from God all the time. If I post all of it on the other blog, noone would find this one or find us. It's all about the link. If somehow I can link up a few high profile blogs with this unknown one, someone may read this one and strike a match that burns a flame that starts a fire of revival and purpose for the Lord...that would be so cool. If someone could learn about Simply Grace and sow in seeds of money, time, effort and prayer in a way that would mushroom out and explode a ministry into greatness for God and usefulness for 3 amazing Christian women who I call my friends...that would be so cool. Maybe it's all about the link.

It is with God. It is all about the link. If we don't click on it, tap into it, read about and ponder, we are separate from Him. If we just turn our faces to the Father and Author and Redeemer and Friend, if we drag the mouse to the link and click...He can open new windows, reveal new screens, teach and empower us for whatever He has planned, waiting just beyond the link. But we have to click on it. We have to go a step further. We have to search and wonder and seek and actively participate in this crazy thing called faith and walk with the Lord, and learn.

It's all about the link so maybe, with God's blessing and a fresh breath of His Holy Spirit, we can make the link and someone may find it.

praying specifically for the following:
1. Jen's speaking conference in 2 weeks.
2. Jen's idea to have a monthly community working women's bible study over lunch hour.
3. Mel's ministry for kids who want to do extracurricular activities, called All Kids Can.
4. Danielle's plans for a women's retreat in the fall.

These are women who love the Lord and are seeking to serve Him with gifts, talents and faith...show us the way, Lord!