How One Boy Made a Difference for 5,000 people

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand: Part 1

A Boy’s Faith and a Basket 

This is a great story of how we can trust God to always provide for our needs. Read below if you need a refresher or skip the text if you know the original story, but it’s always good to read again! 

Next Goal: $5,500

Deadline: October 5^th

Total Goal: $16,962

**Please read to the end to find out about the Bread Basket Challenge! More info to come later on about how to make a real life “bread basket” to help the hungry in need! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates by clicking the button under my name and picture above!**

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand: The Original Story, for your refreshment and knowledge

John 6:1-12

6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), ² and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. ³ Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. ⁴ The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

⁷ Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages^[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

 What does this all mean?

What did it take to feed all these people? 5,000 people?!

All of these people were fed, to satisfaction with only 5 small barley loaves. 5 pieces of bread multiplied thousands of times over! A miracle that only God can do. God always provides for all of your needs, even if it takes a small or large miracle! 

A little boy, giving what he had, with faith and hope. Jesus took this and expanded it immensely above and beyond the little boy’s dreams. He can do the same for you and me.

It is the cry of my heart to share God’s love and redemption story with the people I come across on The World Race, both on my team and squad I am working on and with the people in each country we are there to help, whether an orphan, a street person, a widow, a businessman or church member or pastor. I want to show God’s amazing, unfailing love and his unfathomable ability to create in you a new heart!

  When the little boy opened his heart to share his faith with the men around him, even though they didn’t think he would really help them, (even if you don’t think your help is needed, please know, I do need your help and want to bless you and partner with you on this journey and help you along on yours as well!) God saw his hopeful and trusting and generous heart. He was giving what he had. His lunch. His resources. His time. He wanted to give it away, possibly having none left for himself so that he could help fill the need he saw. 

In deciding to go on The World Race, I am leaving a lot behind. Comfort. Convenience. Family and friends that I care for and will miss. Quality time and holidays and special events: nearly a whole year’s worth of time with them. The possibility for a good paying job and the ability to make a good year’s salary.  The world I know.

I am not doing this to get something in return. Though I love to travel, it’s not the reason I am going. I could easily go abroad to teach for several months or a year and make money to fund my own travels afterwards .

This is a volunteer mission. This is my calling. This is me being obedient to God and going out to the nations to really make the love of God real to people and not just talk about it. To take action and do what is needed to make God real to people. 

I am not going on a vacation, though it is exciting to travel around the world. It will be work. Nearly everyday. For almost a year. At orphanages, or teaching English. Doing construction for a church or walking miles to go speak in a remote African village. Even on days off, as a missionary, you could be needed and easily “called in” or get a knock on your door (or tent) to come and help. Different cultures have different expectations.

I look forward to this. To learning. To giving. To sharing life and showing God’s love and grace to others, with His strength and help, of course!  You might even come to expect and want this lifestyle, as even when taking a “day off” or traveling, God might open the door to a new ministry opportunity that you enjoy or you might make a new friend that you share God’s love and hope with or someone who encourages you! 

 By the way,  I am not saying I am the perfect missionary! No way! But I want to really shine for God and do the work He has me to do for His great purposes and for His glory. It is God working through me to make this possible. And God working through you! I need you to join me in this journey.

I want to let you know that I need more than funds. I really need partners, a team to help me to achieve my goals and go on this Race to do the work God has called me and to reach the people He wants to reach. My heart is for the world and that includes you. I want to journey on this life together with you and learn more about you, friends from near or far. I want to get to know you or reconnect with you and encourage you on your journey too, whatever that is. 

Bread is needed: How to help

1. 1. Words of bread- I need your encouragement! Follow me on this blog, comment, email me, write me a note of encouragement and spread the word about this Race!
2. Faithful prayer is needed to sustain me with the bread of Life that God fills our baskets with: Please consider being a part of my prayer team to commit to praying for me leading up to and during the World Race! Just click on the previous link to pray and give me your contact info you’d like to share so I can let you know my current prayer needs. In the comments, let me know you want to join, even just by writing PRAYER TEAM! This part is crucial and I really need your prayers throughout this entire journey to do this. 
3. Bread to fill the basket of generosity– will you faithfully give what you are able? I need monthly donors to rise up (like yeast) and commit to doing whatever they can monthly to help send me on the Race and get me to my goal so I can GO! (Just check off the monthly option at the bottom when you give.) A one-time gift will also help me to meet my next goal.

Bread Basket Challenge #1:

My next goal, in line with Jesus Feeding the 5,000 is $5,500, as there was some bread left over after everyone was fed! Please help to FILL this basket  by October 5th so I can meet my goal in time!

 

My bold bread-wise challenge to you is not to leave this page without considering being a part of the team and letting me know which option above you would like to help with by clicking on one of the linked words above for the option you . Even if you just let me know you are considering one of them or if you’re not sure or have some questions, please do reach out and let me know! 

The deadline is October 5th and I need your help to reach this goal and beyond, as this will allow me to go in January fully funded, the total amount being $16,962. So yes, I need a miracle and anything you can do will help!

I am asking you to please challenge yourself, like the little boy, to step out in faith, give whatever you can and join me on this epic journey!  

(I need all of this by January to go on the World Race! Will you take a step of faith and see God multiply what you give to help others in need? Watch God be faithful in your life and share with the homeless, the poor, the orphans and children around the world who need someone to step up and help them.) 

The easiest and fastest way to give is to click here or to click on the Orange Support Me tab at the top of the page. Thank you for your generosity in sharing “bread” to change lives! Please don’t forget to choose the monthly option if you are able to by selecting the box where it says”recurring donations”! Your monthly gift will go a long way and fill many baskets. 

Please subscribe now for updates above at the top of the page (Subscribe for updates- under my picture and name) to see what’s next and get Part 2 of the Bread Challenge and outreach to feed the hungry!

Thank you for considering being a partner on this journey- I need your help and support and please reach out to me if you feel led to or it’s on your heart or you want to know more. Comment below or message me through the contact button above on the left hand side or email me at [email protected]  (or Facebook!) to please tell me which option above 1, 2, or 3 (or all 3!) that you would like to help me with!

God will use what you give and share in a MIGHTY POWERFUL way for the nations and will bless you as part of this kingdom journey as well!