The Bright Spot Seed Planter

Bright Spots can grow in dark places.


The Bright Spot Report is a place for success stories
as well as a place for tips on how to create Bright Spots.


If you have a Bright Spot Story, please share it with us,
so we can create a world with more Bright Spots.



Saturday, January 21, 2012

Brett Stanwich - A Role Model that Children can Trust

The children were in constant motion and engaged in healthy physical exercise. They cheered and smiled as they learned how to play a team sport. For at least one small part of their day, they were able to step away from the rigors of the academic challenges and just have fun. I wonder if it might just be the most important part of their day. What I do know is that the Gym Teacher, Mr. Brett Stanwich is making a huge impact on these young lives in an enormously positive way.

The children look up to Brett and not just because he is much taller than they are. They listen to his commands with a smile. He keeps order amidst a seemingly chaotic gym class. Physical education in it's purest form creates a healthy body that readies the mind for an infusion of knowledge. Brett helps to create an emotional mindset that is conducive to learning.

The actions of Brett as a positive role model become attributes in the children he teaches     


Brett's Gym Class is never boring. He keeps the young people energized with his creativity. I think the students appreciate the way he changes the opportunities for exercise. He is building trust one student at a time. In a world where trust seems to be a component of erosion, Brett is a "Trust Farmer." He plants seeds of trust in the hearts of his students. If they can learn what healthy trust is, they will learn to teach trust and develop a trusting atmosphere within their school. He is the tree that children can wrap their trust around as they grow.

Buffalo Public School #6 is a better school because Brett Stanwich is a Teacher there. Children will have more opportunities in life because they have a Teacher who cares. Thanks Brett for helping to create A Bright Spot for children.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

A Ladder Prayer on the Stairs of a School

As I left my house this morning, I felt compelled to grab a book that my daughter had given me for a Christmas present. The book was "have a little faith" by Mitch Albom. I knew I had read it before but I could not recall what it was about. I thought maybe I could read it between classes during our YWAP Relationship Mentoring Program. With the little book on faith in my hand, I headed out the door.

Upon my arrival at the school I signed in at the main office and then headed upstairs to the second floor Library. As I reached the stairs, I suddenly began to pray. I asked God to make the stairs like a ladder to Heaven. I asked Him to take over today's class and surrendered to whatever needed to happen with the students that day. I smiled to myself as I put a name to my thoughts and called them: "The Ladder Prayer."  The Ladder comes from an old story in the Bible about a man named Jacob having a dream about a ladder resting on the earth and reaching into Heaven. There were angels ascending and descending on the ladder.

I walked into the class and we began to talk about trust. The first class was great as we discussed how trust is broken and how we can build a healthy self trust that will guide us in trusting others. In between classes, I left for a customary trip to Starbucks. I buy a coffee for myself and the Gym Teacher - Brett Stanwich. He is an awesome guy who always has the students active and happy. I left Brett his coffee and headed back up to the Library and I did pray the Ladder Prayer again. I sat down in the Library and opened the book by Mitch Albom. It didn't take me long to realize that I had watched the movie about this book before Christmas. A very dear friend thought that I should watch this movie and we spent a few emotional hours enjoying a deep, deep, true story. Some days just seem to be totally divinely orchestrated.


I flipped through the book and came upon a story about a farmer who loves the word; "maybe." That's another coincidence because my friend uses the word "maybe" a great deal. Here is the story:

A farmer wakes up to find that his horse has run off.
The neighbors come by and say, "Too bad. Such awful luck."
The farmer says, "Maybe."
The next day, the horse returns with a few other horses. The neighbors congratulate the farmer on his reversal of fortune.
"Maybe", the farmer says.
When his son tries to ride one of the new horses, he breaks his leg, and the neighbors offer condolences.
"Maybe," the farmer says.
And the next day, when army officials come to draft the son, and don't take him because of his broken leg-everyone is happy.
"Maybe," the farmer says.

"Mitch goes on to write: I have heard stories like this before. They are beautiful in their simplicity and surrender to the universe. I wonder if I could be attached to something so detached. I don't know. Maybe."

The word "maybe" became part of our discussion for the day. Just maybe that Teacher that you don't like needs a little compassion from you. Just maybe if we build trust in ourselves we can learn who to trust. Just maybe we can instill confidence in ourselves by helping each other. Just maybe. we can learn how to be more positive and believe in the best for each other. Yeah, just maybe we should be open to what the universe has to offer. I thank God I was open to a "Ladder Prayer" this morning because He planned my whole day.



I left the school with a glow and a feeling that this was the best day that we have ever had in this school. The students were totally engaged in a lively and fruitful discussion. Their "Take Away" was filled with positive words as they went on about their day. I sat in my van for a few moments just feeling downright giddy. I noticed the vehicle in front of me had a license plate that matched the first 3 letters of the license plate that my friend has. The same friend who arranged for me to watch the movie with her. Shortly thereafter, I received a text message that contained a Bible verse from Isaiah 1:17 that says:
Learn to do right; seek justice.
   Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
   plead the case of the widow.
That was the final coincidence, on my left wrist is a bracelet with that Verse. I received that bracelet from the same dear friend that had me watch the movie and whose license plate matched the car in front of me. The same dear friend who likes to say "maybe."  Today God turned that "maybe" into "may it be."

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

The Chapel Creates a Bright Spot


Dear Chapel Family,

I am writing to you as the Director of Youth With A Purpose to express our gratitude for allowing God to bless us through your Thanksgiving Offering. The timeliness of your gift was truly divinely orchestrated.

At the time of your offering, we stood at the financial Red Sea. We were expecting money from several organizations and the money was delayed. We have 2 corporate bank accounts, one had a balance of zero dollars and the other had a balance of negative thirty seven dollars. Yes, we were in front of the Red Sea financially. To put it another way, we weren’t just standing in front of the Red Sea, it seemed like we were back pedaling toward the Egyptian Army.

I was on Day 7 of a 21 Day Fast. I have a Fasting Journal written by Jentezen Franklin and the Prayer Focus of that day was Finances and Prosperity. On that day I received an email from Daryl Largis that said in part:
“we have included Youth With A Purpose as one of the ministries included in this year's special Thanksgiving offering. The other ministries are in Niagara Falls which is also a desperate place for the gospel.  As such, I was wondering if there is a convenient time for me to get the check to you. I can come your way or if you are in the neighborhood you could stop by my office.”

(Please note: We will stand with you as we fast and invite you to join us as we fast.
If you want to know more about fasting, we love to teach!)

I cried and I’m doing it again now as I write. Our needs were urgent as we serve thousands of young people every year and we had lost a major funding source. We believe that God wants us to remain serving his children. We have seen many ministries come into the City of Buffalo and do beautiful works of His mercy and grace and then they leave. We are called to be “fishers of men” but sometimes we use a method called “catch and release.” We go into a neighborhood, serve the people and then leave them vacant without any continuing support. Sometimes I wonder if we have actually made things worse than before we came and served. Luke says it this way:

 Luke 11:24-26 The Message "When a corrupting spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn't find anyone, it says, 'I'll go back to my old haunt.' On return, it finds the person swept and dusted, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits dirtier than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse than if he'd never gotten cleaned up in the first place."


WE NEED TO BE JESUS IN THE CITY PERMANENTLY!

Please contact us if you would like to know how to get involved or what to pray for. Here is a copy of our Bright Spot Report that will give you a little more insight for your prayers. Thank you. Jesus loves you and so do we.
You'll see God's smile and celebrate, finding yourself set right with God. You'll sing God's praises to everyone you meet, testifying, 'I messed up my life— and let me tell you, it wasn't worth it. But God stepped in and saved me from certain death. I'm alive again! Once more I see the light!'
Job 33:25-27

 

THE YWAP HOPE TRUST - RESIDUAL GIVING

If you want to see your name 
etched into concrete commemorating your generosity,
you will not want to read this letter.

This is a letter for generous people who would like to give
and hear the echoes of change in the hearts of children.  
  • Your giving will put a dent in the drug pusher's profit.  
  • Your giving will silence verbal, emotional and physical abuse. 
  • Your giving will create a safe space for children to feel valued. 
  • Your giving will give children an opportunity to walk away from gangs.
  • Your giving will create businesses through the YWAP Entrepreneurial Incubation Program.
  • Your giving will take guns out of children's hands.
  • Your giving will help teach young people how to form healthy relationships.
  • Your giving will help children learn how to climb the mountains of life.
  • Your giving will never stop giving; it will be multiplied, duplicated and will become residual.
As you fill the heart of a child with opportunity, 
that child's heart overflows with contagiousness 
that spills into the hearts of more children.

What does YWAP do?
  • A Community Outreach/After School Program 5 days a week year round.
  • We serve about 40 healthy snacks and hot dinners 5 days a week.(approx. 7,000/yr)
  • Our Relationship Mentoring Program reaches 100's of students in class during the school day. All aspects of relationship building are covered in including: suicide, bullying, business creation, respect for authority, self accountability, discipline and more. Our goal is to be in every Buffalo School.
  • The Wilderness Adventure Program takes young people into the Adirondack Mountains. We teach life survival skills that help them climb the mountains of life.
  • YWAP Leadership Camps are designed as retreats that promote healing and understanding.
Our Youth Center has only had 8 people work in our kitchen and 3 of those people have had family members murdered by a bullet to the head. We are located in one of the poorest and most dangerous sections of Buffalo. All of the families who live here are at risk. We need your help.

Through your giving, you will promote healing, understanding and business creation that will be contagious and residual. We are asking you to help support Youth With A Purpose financially. All one time gifts, monthly support and Program Sponsorships will be residual because they keep creating more opportunities for young people to grow.

We are asking for your help. 
Thank you for your Residual Giving.
 Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
"Find new ways, 
  in as many ways, 
    in more excellent ways, 
      on all of your days, 
        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director
Youth With A Purpose
In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood
157 Locust Street
Buffalo, New York 14204
716-830-8240

"All Children Are Gifted" 
 http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.   
Youth With A Purpose Inc is a 501c3.
Your donations are tax deductible and will help build character in young people.







Sunday, December 11, 2011

THE YWAP HOPE TRUST - RESIDUAL GIVING

If you want to see your name 
etched into concrete commemorating your generosity,
you will not want to read this letter.

This is a letter for generous people who would like to give
and hear the echoes of change in the hearts of children.  
  • Your giving will put a dent in the drug pusher's profit.  
  • Your giving will silence verbal, emotional and physical abuse. 
  • Your giving will create a safe space for children to feel valued. 
  • Your giving will give children an opportunity to walk away from gangs.
  • Your giving will create businesses through the YWAP Entrepreneurial Incubation Program.
  • Your giving will take guns out of children's hands.
  • Your giving will help teach young people how to form healthy relationships.
  • Your giving will help children learn how to climb the mountains of life.
  • Your giving will never stop giving; it will be multiplied, duplicated and will become residual.
As you fill the heart of a child with opportunity, 
that child's heart overflows with contagiousness 
that spills into the hearts of more children.

What does YWAP do?
  • A Community Outreach/After School Program 5 days a week year round.
  • We serve about 40 healthy snacks and hot dinners 5 days a week.(approx. 7,000/yr)
  • Our Relationship Mentoring Program reaches 100's of students in class during the school day. All aspects of relationship building are covered in including: suicide, bullying, business creation, respect for authority, self accountability, discipline and more. Our goal is to be in every Buffalo School.
  • The Wilderness Adventure Program takes young people into the Adirondack Mountains. We teach life survival skills that help them climb the mountains of life.
  • YWAP Leadership Camps are designed as retreats that promote healing and understanding.
Our Youth Center has only had 8 people work in our kitchen and 3 of those people have had family members murdered by a bullet to the head. We are located in one of the poorest and most dangerous sections of Buffalo. All of the families who live here are at risk. We need your help.

Through your giving, you will promote healing, understanding and business creation that will be contagious and residual. We are asking you to help support Youth With A Purpose financially. All one time gifts, monthly support and Program Sponsorships will be residual because they keep creating more opportunities for young people to grow.

We are asking for your help. 
Thank you for your Residual Giving.
 Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
"Find new ways, 
  in as many ways, 
    in more excellent ways, 
      on all of your days, 
        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director
Youth With A Purpose
In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood
157 Locust Street
Buffalo, New York 14204
716-830-8240
 
"All Children Are Gifted" 
 http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.   
Youth With A Purpose Inc is a 501c3.
Your donations are tax deductible and will help build character in young people.



Saturday, December 3, 2011

The YWAP Hope Trust - HOW TO BE HEALED

This is the Relationship Tree.Two trees grew separately from the ground and connected about 15 feet off the ground. Then they separated and grew into the heavens. When two become one, they are stronger and still continue with their individual growth. When giving and receiving become one in God's spaciousness, there is healing.
Today is Day 6 of The YWAP Hope Trust - A Study In Giving and Receiving.

How to be Healed

 There are times in life when we do not feel like giving. We may be in a valley season of deep pain caused by depression, death, disease or divorce. It is not easy to stand during a tsunami of contrary winds. Curled into a protective fetal position, we try to escape the pain. Giving may be the last thing on our minds. We feel empty, How can we give out of our emptiness?

When all of the leaves have left the tree, it would appear that the tree has nothing left to give. A tree never stops giving, The leaves may be gone for a season but the branches still give a safe resting place for the critters.

There are several things that can bring comfort during the storm. Friends who listen with their hearts are invaluable. Counselors and support groups can be safe havens that create safe places to vent and cry. Surrendering your weakness to God is the best place to start. Give yourself permission to feel frail and take a deep breath. This too shall pass, there are better days ahead. In a minute, I'm going to give you something that you may not have heard before. But first, let's look at another tree picture.

The rings on a tree will tell you how old it is. An old tree has to weather many storms. It's roots stretch deep to form an anchor in the earth. The circles represent the years of life. Sometimes we feel like we are going in circles. Change your perspective, weathered storms create circles of life that give seasons of productivity.

The keyword that will help you create healing for yourself and others is spacious. Pain is localized, God's spaciousness is infinite. It's another matter of perspective. When you feel broken, imagine a wave breaking in on the oceans shore. The breaking wave recedes back into the unlimited buoyancy of the entire ocean. 

Psalm 18:19 "He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."
Psalm 31:8 "You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place."  
Psalm 104:25-27 "There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time."

Spaciousness

 The current event of painfulness does not define your whole life.The pain is only a small snippet of time in your life compared to the larger picture. One event in your life does not define your life. If you love somebody, you love them over the spaciousness of their whole life. You don't love the bad things that happened to them but you just believe that God works everything, the good and the bad, into His greater purpose. 

 

When you are in the darkness, focus on one tiny light at a time. Let the tiny light be the beginning of your victory story. Let the tiny light be your testimony of overcoming your adversity. This is where faith comes in. You cannot develop faith unless you are tested. Your faith muscle needs to be broken down before it can be built up into a stronger faith. This is a natural process in God's kingdom of spaciousness. 
Fasting

 Ask someone to send out prayer requests for fasting and prayer. There is power when people will humble themselves and pray. I'm asking you to give of yourself to create a hunger and thirst for more of God as you seek His mercy and grace to be showered upon someone who needs healing. Please consider fasting as a three-fold fold cord that will: deepen your relationship with God, defeat destructive powers and principalities and open the floodgates of heaven with immeasurable blessings.
Joel 1:14 New King James Version (NKJV)

14 Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;
Gather the elders
And all the inhabitants of the land
Into the house of the LORD your God,
And cry out to the LORD.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 The Message (MSG)

12 By yourself you're unprotected.
With a friend you can face the worst.
Can you round up a third?
A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped
.
 Ps 27:13-14 I am still confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. 
Fervent Diligence
When you are desperate for healing, find a way to give an opportunity for someone to pray and fast for you. You will release a healing flow of God's grace and mercy that will become reciprocal. I do not know what healing is, only God does. He will reward your faithful and fervent diligence as you hunger and thirst for the spaciousness of His love.
 Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
"Find new ways, 
  in as many ways, 
    in more excellent ways, 
      on all of your days, 
        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director
Youth With A Purpose
In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood
157 Locust Street
Buffalo, New York 14204
716-830-8240
 
"All Children Are Gifted" 
 http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.   
Youth With A Purpose Inc is a 501c3.
Your donations are tax deductible and will help build character in young people.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

The YWAP Hope Trust - The COST of NOT GIVING

The YWAP Thanksgiving Celebration is Tuesday 11-22-11.  All are welcome and there is no cost.  Generous people counted the cost and shared their hearts in giving.

Today is Day 5 of The YWAP Hope Trust - A Study In Giving and Receiving.

The COST of NOT GIVING 

 Tuesday, November 22, 2011 is a very special YWAP Day. We will open the doors of the Holy Cross Youth Center for our 8th Annual Thanksgiving Community Celebration. EVERYONE is welcome to enjoy a free turkey dinner. Most of the people who prepare the dinner are volunteers. Most of the clean up crew will be young people volunteering to help their community. It is another opportunity to give.  If we don't keep our young people busy in safe, positive and challenging activities, they will become idle and susceptible to damaging at risk behaviors.
 Young people who are not given the opportunity to give
extract a large cost from the community.

Young people from YWAP were given the opportunity to help The Teacher's Desk set up their store. Teacher's are given the opportunity to receive classroom supplies. Students are given the opportunity to receive better tools for their education. They receive better grades that gives them more confidence. Giving is reciprocal.

When water is contained in a pond without a current that is out-flowing, the water becomes stagnant. A rushing river carries life sustenance downstream. A heart that is not given the opportunity to give becomes stagnant and eventually calcifies. The heart is a muscle that needs to be growing through giving.
A heart that does not give will eventually undergo atrophy. The cost of not giving is a hardened heart.

 James 5:1 The Message
[ Destroying Your Life from Within ] And a final word to you arrogant rich: Take some lessons in lament. You'll need buckets for the tears when the crash comes upon you. Your money is corrupt and your fine clothes stink. Your greedy luxuries are a cancer in your gut, destroying your life from within. You thought you were piling up wealth. What you've piled up is judgment.

Families are given the opportunity to share with other families. Children carry the seeds of giving in the rushing river of their souls. As they grow, the seeds of giving germinate and are dispersed through their actions.

If you have not lived a life that has permitted you to learn about the extravagant bounties of giving, start with one small act of giving. Give somebody a compliment. Give somebody a smile. Give silence when you are angry. Give a penny. Give a positive thought. Give a prayer that is only spoken within your soul. Give somebody the opportunity to give to you - ask someone for help. Too often we do things on our own that were meant to be shared blessings. By not giving somebody the opportunity to give help, the cost to you will be a growing selfish pride. Nobody needs to know that you are giving. Your heart will know and the kingdom of God resides within you.

Ephesians 3:20 The Message
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working
within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. 



 Philippians 2:11-13 The Message
That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.


Philippians 4:23 The Message
Receive and experience the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, deep, deep within yourselves.



1 John 2:26 The Message
I've written to warn you about those who are trying to deceive you. But they're no match for what is embedded deeply within you—Christ's anointing, no less!

 1 John 4:11 The Message
My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!

Time is of the essence to become a giver that freely gives the perfect love that is planted within you. Thanks for you time. Go do something nice for somebody. Jesus loves you and so do I. 

A young person who is taught how to give will become an older person who generously gives. 

 
"Find new ways, 
  in as many ways, 
    in more excellent ways, 
      on all of your days, 
        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director
Youth With A Purpose
In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood
157 Locust Street
Buffalo, New York 14204
716-830-8240
"All Children Are Gifted" 
 http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.  

Friday, November 18, 2011

The YWAP Hope Trust - GIVING REVEALS YOU

We The People need more Bibles.  
  Today is Day 4 of The YWAP Hope Trust - A Study In Giving and Receiving.
"Giving Reveals YOU"

If you ever catch me without my Bible, I will give you 10 bucks. If you ask me if I have my Bible and I do, then you will have to open the Bible and read something. In 10 years, I have only given out 10 bucks. A young lady whose birthday happens to be tomorrow, caught me without my Bible. I could have argued with her because my Bible was just inside the gym where I was standing outside. I gave in and she received her 10 bucks at the Annual YWAP Community Christmas Celebration. I think it was the best thing that could have happened because there was an immediate increase in young people asking to see my Bible! The young people would give me a question and I would give them the Word. I gave the ten bucks and it became a silent seed in their souls as they gave more questions and received more of the Word.

It's easy to spot a Clown. It's not always easy to spot a giver.

Your giving reveals to the world a reflection of the love of God that resides within you. A clown reveals he's a clown by just dressing and acting like a clown.  A clown calls attention to the fact that she's a clown. The whole point in being a clown is to make people smile and bring joy and laughter. A clown gives the gift of heart smiles. Do you give the gift of heart smiles? Even a clown with a sad face can give a gift. If you are sad or depressed, ask a friend to help you give to somebody. Giving can release pain. It doesn't matter who you are or what you may have done, please know that you are loved! This may sound corny because I may not have ever met you, but I love you. My love for you is a reflection of God's love for me. We love because He first loved us. We have been created to receive and give love through our actions.

IT JUST FEELS GOOD TO LOVE!

Giving is reflected through many expressions.
The reflection of your heart is stillness. A body of water without ripples. Silence is speaking. The love you give is louder than the love you hide. A smile and a tear do not make noise. The memory of your giving is set apart in the quietness of the receivers soul. Your acts of giving are a communication between you and God. He knows the enormous capability that He has placed in you to give love. Sometimes it's hard to fathom, the greater the pain, the greater the potential to love. It's muscle building at it's finest. Tear down to build up.  

Through brokenness you are given a greater capacity to love.

Matthew 6:3-4

The Message (MSG)
2-4"When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure—'playactors' I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

Are you clothed with cheerfulness when you give?
 Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody. 
Jesus loves you and so do we.


"Find new ways, 
  in as many ways, 
    in more excellent ways, 
      on all of your days, 
        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director
Youth With A Purpose
In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood
157 Locust Street
Buffalo, New York 14204
716-830-8240
"All Children Are Gifted" 
http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.   
YWAP is a 501C3 that has served thousands of children and their families for the past 10 years. Will you join us in giving?