AWO Annual Yard Sale Fundraiser 2012

I thought I would give you an update on just how well we did at this year's yard sale. First of all, let me say that my heart was overwhelmed with gratitude as we unloaded and set up the tables. I had no idea how much others had sacrificed for us. I saw so many wonderful, beautiful, sentimental, and even very valuable items that were just given to us freely. I know that God is an awesome God and that His power is limitless. I know that He uses humans (like myself) to help others. It never fails to amaze me, though, when I am on the receiving end of that goodness. I stand in humble awe at the degree to which you allow Him to use you. I cannot thank you enough for your prayers, support, encouragement, and donations--every little thing makes a tremendous impact, not just on me, the Arms Wide Open Ministry, and the kids I work with, but also on our community. I hope you can appreciate how far reaching what you have done truly is!

Now, on to the details of the sale... The kids who came out and helped me Friday and Saturday were allowed to pick out some items, mostly clothing and shoes, so no one went away empty handed. The clothes we received were in such great condition it is almost like they got a new wardrobe! Because of the abundance of items and the wide variety of things we had (thanks to you!!), I believe our booths were the busiest ones there! When all was said and done, we walked away with $652.00 to go toward our summer camp and other activities! That is well worth the effort and time you put forth to go through your things and get them to us, and we cannot thank you enough for the priceless gift you have given us! By that I do not mean the monetary value as much as the support. In ministry work it can be tempting to become weary at times, and discouragement can set in. Thanks to your continued encouragement and support that has never taken hold of me! Just knowing that you value this work enough to stand behind me and support me goes a long way toward energizing me, building up my faith, and motivating me to continue moving forward in His work and His will! That gift is priceless beyond measure!

On behalf of myself and all the kids who benefit from Arms Wide Open, we THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! This year's summer camp well be our best ever and I know that God has great plans for us!