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March 2017 Prayer Letter
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![Healing Hearts Ministries Internaional [LOGO]](https://www.healinghearts.org/nimages/HHLetterhead_Web700.png) Dear Friend,  In November 2016, fires ravaged the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. All eyes watched the television coverage as the fires engulfed the tourist city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee and the surrounding area. These fires, with multiple origins, burned through 2,400 homes and buildings, causing 500 million dollars in damages. It eventually claimed the lives of 14 people and injured 134. In the days following the fires, we learned that two teenagers had purposefully dropped several matches on the ground, igniting dry brush and grass. They were subsequently charged with aggravated arson.You may wonder what this story has to do with our ministry… please read on. As the story of the fires and evacuations unfolded on the news and internet, I began praying for Michael Reed, a Gatlinburg man who was searching for his wife and two daughters. Michael and his son Nicholas had been in town when the fires were raging, and were hoping that their family members had escaped the path of the quick moving fire. As events unfolded, it was reported that Constance, Chloe (12) and Lily (9) had indeed died while trying to escape a wildfire that burned their home. In the days after the fire, I was again drawn to the plight of the family. The Reed family was new to the area. Reportedly, each member of the family had accepted the Lord as their Savior in the months preceding the fire and they had begun attending church. Days after the bodies were discovered, Michael Reed released a letter to the two teens responsible for the fires. The following is a portion of that letter.  “As humans, it is sometimes hard to show grace. We hold grudges. We stay angry. We point the finger and feel we have to lay the blame somewhere. It’s human nature and completely understandable. But I did not raise my children to live with hate. I did not teach my girls or my son to point the finger at others. John 8:7 says ‘Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.’ Forgiveness isn't for you. It is for me. It is for my son. It is for Constance, Chloe, and Lily. It is for this community who all lost so much in this tragedy. I, as well as countless others, have been changed forever because of your actions. It is up to you to seek God's forgiveness. I hope someday you can seek it and be at peace. I forgive you. My son forgives you. My wife and beautiful girls forgive you. We know you didn't mean for this to happen. We know you would take it all back if you could. We will pray for you. Every day. We will pray for your parents and your family members. Every day. We will pray for your peace. We will show you grace. Why? Because that's what Jesus would do. Faith...Hope...Love...The greatest of these is Love.”  I was particularly moved by Michael’s letter, and the following day I discovered a video that had been posted to YouTube by Constance Reed a year before the deadly fires—a video that gave a new, beautifully tragic face to this precious family. After watching this video, I wept over her pain. In it, she shares about her step father, who abused her emotionally, mentally, physically, and sexually when she was twelve years old. She talked about the long-term effects this had on her life.As a supporter of Healing Hearts, I know your heart breaks like mine over the brokenness Constance’s video revealed. The consequences of sin are just like that raging, deadly wildfire seeking to destroy every life it touches. Were it not for God’s mercy, the Reed’s story would be one of total despair. But praise God that this dear family found hope in Christ and that Constance seemed to be on a path toward healing. At Healing Hearts, these are the lives we have been called to minister to daily. If Constance had not perished in the fire, perhaps we would have had the opportunity to one day minister to her, her family, and others in their church. There are so many hurting men, women and families all around us in desperate need to hear about and experience the freedom only Christ can provide. Thank you for standing with Healing Hearts in our mission to reach them before it is too late. May we continue to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, His love and His healing. PLEASE PRAY WITH US for the hurting individuals in your life (seen or unseen); that God would open opportunities to share His hope & healing with them; for the courage these individuals need to seek help for buried wounds; for supportive, gospel-centered churches to embrace them and minister to their needs; for the ministry of our Healing Hearts certified counselors to be effective to reach them. Your faithful prayers make a world of difference, as do your generous donations. This ministry cannot exist without supporters like you. Thank you for helping make this ministry known among your friends, church, and community. There are many ways to support us and spread the word. I encourage you to visit www.healinghearts.org/supporters to discover some of the unique ways you may not have realized you could be supporting Healing Hearts.
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To Make a DonationYou may use the donation form on our website to make a donation, or you may also submit your check to the address provided below. Healing Hearts Ministries is a federally registered non-profit corporation, all contributions are tax deductible. One hundred percent of all contributions made to Healing Hearts go directly toward supporting the various aspects of our ministry no "administrative fee" is collected by a fund-raising service. All donations and expenditures are internally and independently monitored and audited. Annual financial statements are available upon request. We thank you for considering contributing to our ministry. Your contribution will enable us to reach out and touch individuals who need the hope and healing message that only Jesus has to offer. To donate online click this link: https://www.healinghearts.org/donate Send checks to: Healing Hearts Ministries PO Box 44670 Rio Rancho, NM 87174 phone (505) 355-6922 |