Giving Tuesday 2018: Meet Amanda

After all the mega shopping weekend hubbub of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday– there is “Giving Tuesday!” Giving Tuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Giving Tuesday serves to remind all of us to be outwardly focused…to look to our communities and to those in need and donate towards helping them.

This year I’m partnering again with the Glory House ministry for Giving Tuesday. I have served with this ministry in a teaching and volunteer capacity for many years. I mentioned last week about how Glory House helps women rebuild stable foundations as they find hope, healing and direction in their lives. This week I’d like to share with you one of the hope-filled stories that happen every day at Glory House. Continue reading and watch a video to meet Amanda and learn about how God, and Glory House, have changed her life and how she’s building a better foundation for herself and her daughter!

I would also like to invite you to pray and consider giving a financial gift on this Giving Tuesday to help us raise the money needed for each of these women. Your gift will help women and their families transform their lives as they come from all over the United States to break free from drugs, alcoholism, anxiety, depression, and other life issues.

Please check out the Glory House Website and Facebook to learn more about what they do…

Glory House Website

Glory House Facebook

Meet Amanda

A couple of years ago, Amanda came to Glory House addicted and struggling as a single mother. However, when God began to work in her life through Glory House, everything changed.

Amanda was adopted at just 12 days old by Paul and Dana Higbee. Like Paul and Dana’s other adopted children, Amanda was special to them. They raised her with the Word of God as a lifeline and set her on a path to success. Still, Amanda struggled with her identity and her desire to truly embrace God as a Father. This led to a life of seeking for an identity in drugs, immorality, and illegal activity. Like most people that abandon a relationship with God, she found herself hopeless.

When you find yourself alone at the lowest part of your life, you can be assured that God is still with you. Amanda also found that to be true.

What made a difference in the Higbee Family?

That answer is not a “what” but a “who”. Jesus made a difference in Amanda and then she made an impact on the rest of her family. Thankfully, we get to be a part of the process. God chooses to work through each of us individually to bring hope, healing, and direction to people. This is why you are so important.

Glory House will invite 6-8 women into the program in 2019. Glory House takes on the responsibility of the women’s physical needs so that they can focus on the one thing they most need, a relationship with Jesus. During that time, they help them discover their identity in Christ, their God-given abilities, and most of all, their new found life in Christ.

Here is what it takes to impact 8 women at Glory House:

• Food: $3,120
• Housing: $7,920
• Utilities & Operations: $3,360
• Transportation: $4,080
• Spiritual Discipleship: $3,120
• Other Living Expenses: $2,400

Approximate Total for 8 women monthly: $24,000
Approximate Total for 8 women annually: $288,000

Glory House is supported by people like you who pray, give of their time, and donate financially. Moreover, your generous donation doesn’t stop at Glory House. Your influence spreads from each woman into the families they impact. Those families help others and the impact continues. This is all made possible when you choose to make a difference.

When you partner with Glory House, you are giving women an opportunity for God to work healing in their lives. You can see lives changed and families restored just by generously donating your financial support.

Please help us raise the money needed for each of these women!

Take A Practical Step to Support Glory House this Giving Tuesday 2018:

• I would love for you to join with me in supporting this life changing ministry on this Giving Tuesday! Please pray about giving to help them raise the money needed for each of these women. If you are ready to give now, you can click on the secure Glory House PayPal link below…

• Please share this content across your social networks.

Tell your friends too! Giving Tuesday marks the beginning of our revenue campaign to see the lives of women in Tulsa changed by the power of God!

• If you are unable to give financially, would you please partner with us in prayer for this ministry and the lives of the women and families affected?

Please stop right now and say a quick prayer for…

-Provision–financial support and needs of the program

-Wisdom and guidance–for the leadership, staff, teachers, and volunteers

-Open and teachable hearts, transformation, and full restoration for the women in the program

-Grace, healing, and restoration for the families

-Continued progress, direction, favor, and success for the graduates of the program

Know someone else who could either benefit from Glory House or who would be interested in supporting this ministry? Share this post via the sharing links below!

#GivingTuesday 2017: Glory House

Hello everyone! Since today’s blog post falls on #GivingTuesday, I’d like to take this opportunity to share a participating organization that is very close to my heart—Glory House. In case you don’t know #GivingTuesday is the biggest day of the year for online charitable giving.

Here is some background information from GivingTuesday.org

“#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.”

This year I have partnered with the Glory House Ministry for #GivingTuesday to help spread the news about their Restoration Program. This is a wonderful ministry that I have come to know and love over the past several years. They are helping women and their families transform their lives. Women come from all over the United States to break free from drugs, alcoholism, anxiety, depression, and other life issues, Please check out their Website and Facebook to learn more about what they do.

Glory House Website

Glory House Facebook

My involvement with Glory House

Several years ago Susie Barnes, Executive Director of Glory House, started asking me about the success skills classes that I teach at a local college, and we agreed that these “life skills” weren’t just applicable to college students.  EVERYONE needs to learn and know these skills! We decided that this type of class would be a perfect fit for ladies going through the restoration process.

So, I developed a curriculum for a Life Skills class that helps the ladies learn how to practically apply God’s Word in everyday, real-life situations.  We focus on topics such as communication skills, time management, note taking skills, goal setting, career prep, money management, problem solving, overcoming insecurity, finding their gifts and talents, and much more. We learn about the practical side of these various life skills and then also focus on what God’s Word has to say about each of these areas of life as well.

I’ve now been serving at Glory House for the past 6+ years!  I love working with these ladies so much—they feel like family.  Honestly, sometimes I really wonder who gets more out of our classes…them or me!  God has really taught me so much, and I’ve grown spiritually and developed my own gifts more just by serving them.  Supporting Glory House is a perfect opportunity to shine God’s light to some wonderful people who will in turn pay it forward by shining an even brighter light of a restored life that glorifies God and points people to Jesus.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)

Take a look and Ms. Jerry Kay’s, Ms. Amanda’s, and Ms. Emily’s stories…

Ms. Jerry Kay:

Ms. Amanda:

Ms. Emily:

2017 #GivingTuesday Goal

This year Glory House has a goal to raise $14,000 on #GivingTuesday. $14,000 is the amount of money it takes per month to keep Glory House running.  Reaching this goal will enable this ministry to continue bringing Hope, Healing, and Direction to women and their families everywhere. Meeting their goal will also help Glory House finish 2017 strong financially.

Take A Practical Step to Support Glory House this 2017 #GivingTuesday:

I would love for you to join with me in supporting this life-changing ministry on this #GivingTuesday! Please pray about giving towards their $14,000 goal. If you are ready to give now, you can click on the secure Glory House PayPal link below…

Know someone else who could either benefit from Glory House or who would be interested in supporting this ministry? Share this post via the sharing links below!