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{Straight From the Heart}   *Thursday Angels*  7/18/00
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Welcome to "Straight From the Heart!"

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Thanks!
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I forgot to wish my beloved sister-in-law, Jana Conway a happy 
birthday yesterday!  Happy birthday Jana!

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Thursday Angels

By:  Susan J. Letham

David and Jessica are angels -- but only on Thursdays. On
angel days, you might see them riding their bicycles along
the street, feathers flapping in the breeze as they make
their way to wherever they're needed.

A Miracle? Well, yes and no.

David and Jessica are very human angels. Thursday is their
lecture-free day. David is studying to become a doctor and
Jessica hopes to teach history. A couple of years back, they
joined the Angel Team at a local Christian radio station and
pledged to spend several hours a week actively helping
people in need.

They weren't the only ones. The Angel Team is comprised of
young people in their teens and twenties with a will to
bring joy to their community through action. They don't
preach. They don't ask questions about creed or color. They
simply roll up their sleeves and act.

Life in the city can be tough, especially for the sick, the
elderly, and the lonely. The youngsters saw the problems
and decided to actively create solutions to the loneliness
and isolation in their community. They chose to become
angels. Now, when someone needs an angel, Jess and Dave just
slip on their wings and turn out to do what they're called
to do -- literally.

If you need an Angel, call!

The phone lines are busy. Katie, a stressed single parent,
needs someone to collect her daughter from kindergarten.
Mrs. T. has a broken hip and can't get out to buy groceries.
Thomas is 80, alone and depressed. He needs someone to talk
to. All Katie, Mrs. T., and Thomas need to do is pick up the
phone and dial an angel. The station switchboard pages the
nearest available angel and help is soon on the way.

At first, the wings were a publicity gag to draw attention
to the project and attract volunteers. The angels fully
intended to do their good works in secret, but soon changed
their minds.

"People stop me and ask about the wings", says Jessica.
"They love the angel idea and what it stands for. The wings
took a little getting used to but now I see them as a
visible signal against the 'me first' mentality. They're a
great conversation starter. Also, a lot of people see
teenagers as a problem but they'll talk to a teenage angel!"

I'd say that David and Jessica and their friends have truly
earned their wings. And as for the miracle, well, you make
up your mind on that.

If you're in the city one Thursday and see a a couple of
teen-angels on bikes, give them a wave! Better still, follow
their example and ask yourself how YOU can be an angel.

© 2000 Susan J. Letham
susan.letham@rz.hu-berlin.de

Send Susan an email and let her know what you thought of her story!

*~*~*~~~~~~~~~*~*~*~~~~~~~~*~*~*~~~~~~~~*~*~*~~~~~~~~~~*~*~*
Susan J. Letham is a British writer who lives in Berlin,
Germany. Susan writes inspirational articles for print
and radio, publishes writing-related ezines and teaches
online writing classes.
Inspirare: http://www.angelfire.com/journal/inspirare
Contact: susan.letham@rz.hu-berlin.de
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REQUESTS:

I am asking for prayer for the family of one of my former basketball 
players, Pam Paynter.  Her father died in a car accident over the 
weekend, and I ask that you lift their family up in prayer.
Thank you...
Michael

*****

From:	anewsome@usitc.gov

Good Morning, I would like to ask for prayers for my friend Helen Brown, she 
is fighting cancer and I know that with prayers anything is possible.  Please 
pray for her.   Thank you

*********
From:	Stndupdble@aol.com  (Angie)

Michael,

Please put this prayer request out to your readers.  In the past, we 
have prayed for my nephew Rudy in his struggle with heroin addiction.  
He continues . . . and has just "walked-out" (again) from another 
rehab. after being clean for approx. 5 months.  He still thinks that 
he can handle this problem on his own, without the help of God.  He 
is not "sure" about following the Lord and his eyes are not open to 
the Lord at this time, so I ask for prayer for my nephew Rudy that he
will resist the temptations of the devil.  I have faith in the Lord!!!  God bless all of you for your prayers and may the Lord bless you richly!!

Because of Him,
Angie (stndupdble@aol.com) - your words of encouragement to me and 
my family are greatly appreciated.

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Thought For The Day:

"Motivation is where your dreams put on work clothes."
(Parkes Robinson)

Verse for the Day:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the 
Lord, not for men."
Colossians 3:23

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"They will remember you if you are the best reader in the class - or 
if you throw up at lunch."

Parent's Thought For The Day

"One thing you can never find in a teenagers room is the floor."
(Bruce Lansky)

Coach's Thought For The Day

"Perform the best you can for when you find that you perform your 
best, there is still so much more in volleyball to do better, harder, 
faster, and smarter.  It is just like when you go for a long journey.  
You go as far as you can see, and when you get there, you can see 
farther."
(John Kessel)

Deep Thought For The Day:

"Ever consider what our dogs must think of us?  I mean, here we come 
back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul - chicken, pork, 
half a cow.  They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!"



  _
/_/\/\    MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\  /    THUNDER27@aol.com   http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/  \    "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \   Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body I live for the Son
   \_\/   of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."  Galatians 2:20	


Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business)

"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video 
we gave them. They loved it, to say the least!  Within thirty 
seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too.  They said it was 
the best Christmas gift we could have given them!!  You did such 
a beautiful job!  They were so suprised and so touched---they 
really, really, really loved it.  Thanks for helping to make it so 
special to us all.  My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for 
the video too!  Thanks again!"
         
Kelli  (RKaGe@aol.com)    College Station, TX 

Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out the web page for Michael's video production business!
 Video Imagery 
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