Thursday, September 27, 2007

Let Your Light Shine Before Men


Bob and Britt and I found 25 high school kids from Britt's high school to help run the Candlelighters Night Run in our community benefitting children with cancer at Cook Children's Hospital. Above are seven of our high school girls who were The Chip Officials giving out the chips and cutting them off the ankles as the runners crossed the finish line.
Candlelighters Chidhood Cancer Foundation is a national grassroots “families helping families” initiative founded in 1970 by parents of children with cancer. Today there are more than 50 chapters in the U.S. One of my dear friends, Julie Gayle, is the president of the Board of Directors for the Fort Worth chapter. It was the privilege of our high school teens to participate in helping raise funds for this organization who is making a difference in the cancer community of Fort Worth.

While our students had lots of fun volunteering---handing out glow sticks to cancer patients, cheering runners on, being Chip Officials and clipping chips off their ankles, and handing out bottles of water to those who crossed the finish line---yes, it was a fun volunteer project, but it was a visible presence in our community of a group of LCCS high school students who cared about making a difference in someone else’s lives. Teens today are so self-obsessed in how they feel, how they look, how they dress, how they come across. But here was a group of 25 teens who cared to offer their time and smiles and help for those who are quite desperate at this moment in their lives.

There was a local teen named Trent who didn’t make it to the race this year---he passed away a short few weeks ago. But 50 of his loyal supporters donned red T-shirts and ran the race in Trent ’s honor. You can’t pass out water and witness something like 50 red-shirted runners passing you by without evaluating why am I here and what will I do with my life? What an honor to Trent's name to have such loyal family and friends show up and carry the torch, so to speak. It moved me deeply.

A diagnosis of childhood cancer is devastating---overnight, normal lives turn upside down. But these 25 students helped make this race successful and they were actually a small part of raising thousands of dollars that will go toward the Candlelighters programs and services in our community. Our kids may say that all I did was pass out a glowstick or a bottle of water or clipped a chip…but it is the light that we have in our hearts that we give away. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14. Thank you for letting your light shine before men on a Fort Worth night. You were noticed!















10 comments:

Anonymous 9/28/2007  

HEY MOMMA!!!!!!!! I love you...and i do read this...

Brooke 9/28/2007  

this boo is for you, mommy!!!

:) sounds like yall had a great time cheering those people along! how fun!!!

Jane 9/28/2007  

Bev,
I continue to think of you and check your blog. What an amazing witness for Jesus you are. Your blog is such a testimony and I read it for inspiration and reckoning. Thank you. Thank you also for all your wonderful words of praise, encouragment and support for both Katie and I.

Claire Walker 9/28/2007  

I am going to have to go to church on Sunday this weekend--so sorry bev. What about next weekend? Or sunday?

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 9/28/2007  

until i can get to find your blog thing...let's do next saturday at The Village...i have been out of town for past two sundays and really want to go to my church this sunday...always available mostly saturday services...october 9th---sounds far away...5pm...can't wait to see you

Holly 9/28/2007  

Sounds wonderful, Bev! I am so sorry to bombard you with emails about San Antonio...I am praying for you, Friend! And I'm excited about Oct 12th!
Love and prayers,
Holly

Praise and Coffee 9/29/2007  

Wow, what great kids!!
Blessings.
Sue

Toknowhim 9/29/2007  

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I can sense a passion that you have for your marriage and the Lord through your comment. Isn't that cool? Stop by anytime, and I will visit you as well.

jen 9/30/2007  

Have I told you how cool I think you are? :)

Connie Barris 10/01/2007  

Working with Hospice.. We are seeing younger and younger patients.. I never thought about dealing with Children.. but I recently went to a seminar on how to deal with children... oh my, God will really have to walk me through this every step of the way..

then I found out last week that my son's best friend may have cancer. We have been praying. He is to have surgery this week. And we haven't told our son yet. Nor does the little boy know... We were at our boys football game Saturday and his mom just cried through the whole game. I just held her hand and prayed silently. I'm not prepared for this. I do it daily, but I'm not prepared for this.

Thank you for what you are doing Bev.. thank you...

Connie

Praying for Our Friend Joanne Psalm 131:3 Waiting on God. Hope Now. Hope Always.

House of Blessing Tribal Childrens Home

House of Blessing Tribal Childrens Home
"Whoever welcomes a little child in My Name, welcomes Me." Matthew 18:5 We have posted pictures of the orphans receiving their gifts from you. Scroll down to the post entitled "Today Was the Big Day." Many orphans didn't own anything of their own, but now do, because of you.

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I've met some amazing women through blogging. I would love to hear from you. My personal e-mail is:
sixbrandons@gmail.com
I have another blog where I blog daily as a small group of us read through the New Testament this year. It's called A String of Pearls. We carry each other on mats (when we just can't walk anymore) to Jesus and sweet things like that.

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