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MissionAccess
Celebrating Disability Ministry Worldwide
Watch The Birdie!
His Eye Is On The Sparrow Indeed!
Greetings Fam & Friends of Team Mission Access!
In 1952 the late great Ethel Waters first recorded her iconic hymn “His Eye Is On The Sparrow.” Based on Matthew 10: 29-31, this classic has since been covered extensively by both Christian and secular artists from Mahalia Jackson to Whitney Houston.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (MT 10: 29-31 NASB)
So I did a little digging and am delighted to share my “Disability Connection” Discovery about this song here from Wikipedia:
“Civilla Martin, who wrote the lyrics, said about her inspiration to write the song based on the scriptures:
Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, NY. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair.
Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s reply was simple: “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” was the outcome of that experience.”1
What an awesome testimony of how Our Awesome Lord can use People & Families Affected by Disability to expand His Legacy Of Love for ALL People Worldwide!
So take heart, Peeps! His Eye Is On The Sparrow & I KNOW He Watches *WE*! 🙂
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda
IMAGE SOURCE: http://apprising.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Sparrow.jpg
[1] “His Eye Is On The Sparrow,” Wikipedia, last modified August 27, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Eye_Is_on_the_Sparrow
Let’s Overpromise & Overdeliver!
We Shall Overcome Indeed!
Greetings Fam & Friends of Team MissionAccess! Come let’s fly in the face of good ol’ tried ‘n true marketing wisdom that we should “underpromise & overdeliver” with Rick Berrera’s book entitled simply “Overpromise and Overdeliver.
Suffice to say that as we conclude our Summer Sanctification VBS that in fact OVERPROMISES & UNDERDELIVERY just about perfectly describes our Summer Renovation Project to help make our bathroom more accessible! However, by far the more important Renovation is the one that our Awesome Lord is doing in us. Amen?
Our scripture verse is: Colossians 3:23 (NASB) “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,”
Verses on working abound in the Bible but this one is perhaps my favorite because it answers my (2) Most Vexing Life Questions: #1 WHAT are you doing? & #2 WHY are you doing it?
Notice it says *WHATEVER*: THIS HAS *HUGE* IMPLICATIONS! So many of us struggle with disabilities & simply cannot physically or mentally do what we used to do. Gee I can’t seem to do things I did just a year or even just months ago!
BUT THAT’S NO EXCUSE! Working for God is an Honor which we ALL need to do to the best of our abilities regardless of our circumstances.
So let’s make a minor adjustment to make this verse even more powerful:
“Whatever *I* do, *I* will work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,”
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda
IMAGE SOURCE: http://cdn03.summary.com/_resources/_global/media/resized/00011/ihwx.6d0d6aff-8f3f-48cb-bc34-9fee802c110d.200.175.jpg
Best. VBS. *EVER*!!!
PHOTO SOURCE: SHEA FAM ARCHIVE
Greetings & Blessings Fam & Friends of #TeamMissionAccess!
Now anyone who has been around church or raised in church is all too familiar with “VBS” (i.e. code word for Vacation Bible School). Suffice to say Our Awesome Lord is allowing me to experience the Joy of My Own Personal VBS that can only be described as Extreme Summer Sanctification.
First let’s look at our Scripture Focus found in 2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB:
9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
Languishing in prison, the Apostle Paul penned some of the most mind-blowing truths about Grace that all but elude our instant-feedback society today. Rather than a rant about his “thorn in the flesh” Paul calmly soothes our troubled souls with his God-breathed peace about the sufficiency of Grace that comforts like none other.
Speaking of languishing…
What began on April Fool’s Day (my first clue) as what I perceived to be a no-brainer bath remodel to make our shower accessible has morphed into anything but. Being highly hygiene-motivated after a showerless season, I pounced at the first opportunity to clean up with an experience that frankly hearkened back to Nazi death camp accommodations. Yet still hanging on to hope, I text our vanishing contractor on Monday as to his ETA? To which he replies: *Thursday*?!!
He nonchalantly adds: ‘Is everything OK?
Of all the initial responses swirling about in my seething skull (including spray-painting “Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here” on the bathroom door ala Dante’s Inferno), I respond simply; “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.” Yeah verily for that response God gets ALL the glory! Perhaps there is hope for me–for us–yet!
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda
Godspeed Pastor David!
Our Beloved Pastor David Ross Whitmore
Greetings & Blessings Faithful Followers of Team Mission Access. With a heavy heart we wave a final Farewell to Our Beloved Pastor David Ross Whitmore, Senior Pastor at Bartimaeus Baptist Temple (www.bbtemple.org) who went Home to be with Our Lord last week.
Truly Pastor David was Compassion Incarnate for so many People & Families affected by disability for so many years here in Dallas! Speaking of Legacy, he selflessly picked up the heavy Cross of Caring from his parents Don & Anna Ruth Whitmore who founded the church in 1958. My Beloved husband Larry Thacker Jr. and I are truly blessed to serve there since 2008 when we discovered this hidden gem celebrating their Diamond Jubilee this year.
Oh how Pastor David Loved his Lord! & His Family! & Our Church. Yeah verily though no words suffice we simply say:
Well Done Thou Good & Faithful Servant! Godspeed To Your Richly-Deserved Reward.
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda
IMAGE SOURCE: BBTEMPLE.ORG ARCHIVES
Godspeed Barbara Bush!
Well Done Thou Good & Faithful Servant!
Greetings & Blessings Faithful Followers of Team Mission Access! This month we honor the Life & Legacy of former First (& Second!) Lady Barbara Bush who went Home to be with Our Lord earlier this year.
Rarely do we have the joy to witness someone who so graciously embodied The Wife of Noble Character found in Proverbs 31:10-31!
Yeah verily was Barbara Bush that & so much more for our generation! And in Washington DC no less!
Enjoy my podcast to celebrate her Good & Godly legacy.
Well Done Thou Good & Faithful Servant! Godspeed To Your Richly-Deserved Reward.
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda
IMAGE SOURCE: http://www.newsweek.com/who-are-barbara-bushs-children-former-first-lady-leaves-behind-daughter-four-891400
Going For Silver
On February 22, 2018 Reverend Billy Graham went Home to be with the Lord. In stark contrast to the recent 2018 Winter Olympics in Seoul where it was all about Gold, we witnessed in his quiet, humble Homegoing a true servant of God “Going For Silver” and giving the Glory to God.
Let’s look at a verse from his final Sermon that he never preached:
Galatians 6:14 (NASB): “ But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
Now THAT’S a verse that should be preached at ALL our funerals, Amen?
Here’s another verse that really reinforces the concept that it’s not about us by using the analogy of silver:
Psalms 66:10 (NASB) “For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.”
Why silver? Because when refiners superheat it to burn off the “dross” (i.e. impurities) they know it’s pure when they can see their reflection in it.
As Christians we may be going through some fiery trials in our lives. I know that I certainly am! At times I just don’t think I can take it anymore!
But here’s the cool thing: if we persist through the fire and don’t give up we no longer see our reflection—we see His!
So Go For Silver Peeps! And Give The Glory To God.
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda
IMAGE SOURCE: goo.gl/9n4DZS
United We Stand In Honor
A Rare Glimpse of Unity to Honor Reverend Billy Graham
Greetings & Blessings Faithful Followers of Team Mission Access! Yeah verily today our nation in mourning over the Homegoing of Reverend Billy Graham witnessed a miracle: UNITY!
Oh I could talk about being saved at a 1973 Billy Graham Crusade in Cleveland, Ohio. Or about how Billy personally preached to 200 million people over his more than 60 years in ministry. Perhaps I could wax eloquent on his humble casket made of plywood by prison inmates.
But just to make absolutely sure we once and for all “get it” that it’s not about any of that, Our Awesome Lord orchestrated one final miracle via Billy: A Congress United.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 NASB
The Good News for ALL was and is and is to come that Jesus Christ is Lord. May that simple yet profound Truth Reunite Us once again.
Godspeed Reverend Graham! Well Done Thou Good and Faithful Servant. We are eternally grateful for you.
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda
PHOTO SOURCE: https://media.fox5dc.com/media.fox5dc.com/photo/2018/02/28/BillyGrahamCapitolCeremony
So What’s YOUR Legacy?
IMAGE SOURCE: goo.gl/4k224H
Greetings & Blessings Faithful Followers of Team Mission Access!
What better way to continue our Legacy Series than to ask a very personal question: So What’s YOUR Legacy?
Our focus is on a book by Charles Spurgeon entitled The Power Of Prayer. How during my time studying at DTS did I miss this book? Suffice to say I share this special podcast so YOU don’t miss an incredible opportunity to build YOUR Relationship with Him through focused & fervent prayer in 2018 and beyond.
Hey Look! There are thousands of books on prayer! Jesus even gave us His Lord’s Prayer. But I simply do not believe that it was ever meant to be The Prayer To End All Prayers. Far from it! Rather it was designed as a firm foundation on which to help us build our own Personal Legacy of Prayer.
Happy Prayer Power Legacy Building, Team! 😊
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda
Happy New Legacy 2018
Building Hearts & Homes Through Relationships
Greetings & Blessings Faithful Followers of Team MissionAccess! As we boldly forge ahead towards a Happy New Year 2018 I am blessed to share this vision of a Happy New Legacy born right here in Texas for People & Families Affected by Disability worldwide.
In his book “Welcome Homeless: One Man’s Journey of Discovering The Meaning Of Home” successful businessman turned philanthropist Alan Graham shares his plan for creating a sustainable solution for People experiencing homelessness, many of whom are also challenged with disability.
Rather than simply building houses he begins by building Relationships to fill our deepest yearning for Home that’s hard-wired into our hearts by God.
Check out his video: Community First! Village – A New Movement
And stay tuned as we build together towards a Happy New Legacy in 2018 & beyond!
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda
IMAGE SOURCE: http://faithandlifebookstore.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/welcome-homeless.jpg
Opportunity Knocks! FALL 2017
Greetings & Blessings Faithful Followers of MissionAccess.org!
FALL 2017
Greetings & Blessings Faithful Followers of Team MissionAccess!
As we Fall into Winter 2017 I am thankful for Faithful Followers like You who “Like” what we do and support us Exceeding Abundantly throughout the year.
Click here to find out more: MA FALL 2017 OPPORTUNITY LETTER: Leaving A Legacy 112917
Thanks For The Opportunity!
In His Accessible Grace,
Linda Thacker
Executive Director