BALLERS BREAKFAST

Young men shaking hands without animosity, drugs or guns. This is the future.

Today is the beginning of a unique opportunity to do something special. It's simple and easy, just click a link and vote for BALLERS BREAKFAST. 

 https://apps.facebook.com/sf_neighbor_assist/

A couple of kind folks wanted to help some kids in the city share in some life changing opportunities. As a State Farm Agent for over thirty years, John Mouw knows a few things about protecting and helping people. John and his wife Janice have been helping the community through their kindness and generosity for a long time. John passed on the information about a big opportunity to share in a grant from State Farm. Five local mentoring organizations decided to work together as a team to help some young men escape the poverty, segregation and violence of the inner city. Thanks John and Janice for all you do, we appreciate you! And don't forget to vote! https://apps.facebook.com/sf_neighbor_assist/

What will your vote do?

BALLERS BREAKFAST will create hope beyond the violent streets. Through a weekend mentoring and athletic program, the Hope Center will attract young men from the violent neighborhoods of Buffalo. The initial program will run over the summer as an open basketball league to be played outdoors (indoors due to inclement weather.) Every Saturday morning will begin with breakfast and a mentoring session. The power of this program lies in the number of collaborating organizations collectively combining their strengths to provide hope and a future for young men who are at-risk of violence. After the morning session that will last approximately 2 hours, the young men will play ball for about 4 hours. The league will follow strict adherence to the code of conduct used in high school sports. Funds would be used to purchase portable rims and backboards, training materials, facility maintenance, and youth program needs.

How much of a lasting impact on your community will your cause have?

Collaboration between community groups is a model of teamwork that will impact a city. Young people in gangs who fight turf wars against each other have witnessed the acrimony between politicians, government agencies and community organizations. Urban Christian Ministries, Mentor Force, Xertion Youth, Project L.E.E, and The Homicide Education & Prevention Project will combine forces and work as a team. Putting young people first and pooling talents, resources and expertise will become a model for a segregated community. All of the leaders of these respective organizations have personally felt the devastation of losing a young man to violence. They are all personally involved with young guys who are members of gangs. We recognize that the young men want to live safe and productive lives but lack the belief in themselves to make it happen. We are changing neighborhoods one young person at a time. Through a team approach we will reduce violence, poverty and segregation in Buffalo.

 Could you please help us? It's easy to click a link. Please vote for Ballers Breakfast. There are 5 organizations collaborating to give young men a chance to climb above poverty, segregation and violence. It's easy for each of you to vote 10 times per day for Ballers Breakfast. 

https://apps.facebook.com/sf_neighbor_assist/

Young men at peace, the violence has stopped.

You can make a difference by voting 10X per day until May 17th. Please forward this Bright Spot Report to everyone who has access to Facebook. You your Smart Phone right now, it's simple and it may save a life.

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.

Bob Kuebler

Founder / Mentor Force

Mentor Force is an organization of initiators.
We help young people who are at risk of leading impoverished and violent lives.
We teach teachers, mentors and youth leaders how to build healthy relationships that make young people feel valued. Our goal is to ensure that every student has the benefit of being guided by a Mentor. If we can help you reach your potential as a Mentoring organization please contact us:  

716-830-8240 or mentorforcebuffalo@gmail.com. www.youthwithapurpose.org

We are available for school assemblies and educator conferences.

https://apps.facebook.com/sf_neighbor_assist/

The Word on 420

The Palm leaves that spell "420" came from Life Church on Palm Sunday.

That's when Jesus rode on a donkey as folks paved a palm path for him.

The palms lay upon the decaying leaves of old life with signs of

new life poking up through the deadness.

New life is springing up!

          So what are you smokin'? 

          You may be aware of what 420 means and you're here because you're inquisitive. If you don't know the history behind 420, it's a celebration for pot smokers. These are folks who partake in the mind modifying method of marijuana ingestion. There is a pretty cool story behind 420.

          Back in the 1970's in a California High School, some young folks gathered after school at 4;20pm to smoke some dope and get stoned. They eventually coined the term 420 as a cool way to say: "Hey, ya wanna smoke some dope?" The writer of this blog freely admits to an inhalation or two (or 420 or more). That was many years ago when I was in search of some meaning in my life. Smoking and drinking were a way of escaping the confusion of not knowing why I existed. Now I know.

          Now I get high on God. I literally walk around higher than a kite everyday. My perspective on life is much deeper than the high of an inhaled weed. I started reading holy books trying to find God. The only truths that I could find that were proven over and over were in the Bible.The munchies that you experience when you get high on weed pale in comparison to my hunger for God. I developed an insatiable desire that grows everyday. I found that there are some things in the Bible that are hard to understand, learning comes slowly. I found that some folks who portend to be Christians are really hypocrites (sometimes I'm a hypocrite.) When I realized that everyone makes mistakes, I began to understand what the Jesus story was all about.

          If you are arrested and charged with a crime, you will eventually appear before a judge. He will pronounce you guilty or not guilty. Jesus took all of the charges that could be levied against you and paid the penalty. He served our sentence so that we wouldn't have to. If you want to know more, talk to God. The following list is all of the 420's in the Bible. If you don't understand one then move on to the next one. Later, come back to the one you don't understand and look it up in a Bible. Study the surrounding verses, the time period (customs) and who the writer and the audience might be. Ask God to reveal to you the understanding that He would like you to have. I hope you enjoy a Holy Spirit high with a new 420 experience. 

"And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock."

Genesis 4:20

"Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand."

Exodus 4:20

"And he shall do with the bull as he did with the bull as a sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them."

Leviticus 4:20

"But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.”

Numbers 4:20

"But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day."

Deuteronomy 4:20

"And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal."

Joshua 4:20

"And he said to her, “Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there any man here?’ you shall say, ‘No.’”

Judges 4:20

"Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon;"

Ruth 4:20

"And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she regard it."

1 Samuel 4:20

"Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing."

1 Kings 4:20

"When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died."

2 Kings 4:20

"And the sons of Shimon were Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth."

1 Chronicles 4:20

"the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn in the prescribed manner in front of the inner sanctuary,"

2 Chronicles 4:20

"There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the region beyond the River; and tax, tribute, and custom were paid to them."

Ezra 4:20

"Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

Nehemiah 4:20

"They are broken in pieces from morning till evening;
They perish forever, with no one regarding."

Job 4:20

"My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings."

Proverbs 4:20

"Destruction upon destruction is cried,
For the whole land is plundered.
Suddenly my tents are plundered,
And my curtains in a moment."

Jeremiah 4:20

"The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord,
Was caught in their pits,
Of whom we said, “Under his shadow
We shall live among the nations.”

Lamentations 4:20

 “The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth,"

Daniel 4:20

"They immediately left their nets and followed Him."

Matthew 4:20

"But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Mark 4:20

"Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him."

Luke 4:20

"Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

John 4:20

"For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

Acts 4:20

"He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,"

Romans 4:20

"For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power."

1 Corinthians 4:20

"I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you."

Galatians 4:20

"But you have not so learned Christ,"

Ephesians 4:20

"Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen."

Philippians 4:20

"Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick."

2 Timothy 4:20

"If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?"

1 John 4:20

No More Tears

Tears can be beautiful. 

          Sometimes (many times!) life gets hard. When you learn to embrace struggle, you get stronger. The storms of life are meant to be weathered as learning opportunities. Life is like the Four Seasons; changing, harsh, growing and exploding! Whatever season you are in embrace this thought:

"THIS TOO SHALL PASS!"

GOT TEARS?

May your tears fall upon your heart
Like the rain falls from heaven upon the earth.
God hears your cry for a fresh start,
Tears are showers upon a garden of new birth.

You've walked through a valley weeping.
Now with each day your Spring grows stronger.
On God's mountain you'll soon be leaping.
The story of His grace in your life grows longer.

Your cup of life is overfilled with tears,
It's time to pour it out on a new endeavor.
Look back, He's carried you for years.
His mercy and goodness are yours forever.

Revelation 21:4 - "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Psalms 56:8 - "Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book?"

Psalms 126:5 - "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."

Revelation 7:17 - "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."