Glenn had suffered more than one loss in his life.  Losing his wife several years ago was the most painful blow he had been through.  Losing her to cancer was more than he could bare.  That’s when the downward spiral into drug addiction began for him. 

Someone he thought was his friend introduced him to crack cocaine.  At first he found that it seemed to overcome his grief and give him the energy he needed to get through the day.  But he soon found that he needed more and more cocaine to reach the high he needed.  Before long, the drug had overtaken his life and he began to lose control.  He began spending huge sums of money to try and stay high for the day and then for as many days in a row as possible.  He then found himself hanging out with a bad crowd and a nightmare life he would never have imagined for himself. 

Then the day came when he had finally reached rock bottom and knew that he needed help.  He went to detox, hoping that he would be able to get into the UGM men’s recovery program.  He was able to do so and he began to surrender his life to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

He quickly found out that surrendering your life to Christ was the opposite of surrendering your life to drugs.  Instead of walking down the path of destruction, he found himself walking down the path of life that only Jesus can provide.  Today he is following the teachings of Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit, drawing him deeper into relationship with the Lord.  He now knows what the psalmist was talking about when he wrote in Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy.” 

Years of teaching children about salvation through Jesus puts me on my knees before God. I want the eyes of these little ones to be quickly opened to the truth. But I have to trust in God’s providence.

When the time is right, God awakens an individual from spiritual death into a new life. We become born again. It’s painful to see the ones we love going through life without Christ. So then, the children must become aware they are sinners in need of a way to be saved from God’s wrath. They must then believe that only through Jesus is salvation possible.

I can’t force them into making a decision to follow Christ. All I can do is repeat the Gospel over and over and over.  Please join me in praying for these dear children.

Domestic abuse is an ongoing reality for many of the ladies in the North End.

As these ladies come to us for help, we pray with them and tell them of the resources available.  We do what we can to help them and their children in some cases get to a safe place.  There are times, too many times, when the lady tells us her abusive, domestic experience and we give her the options that are available for her to get to safety, but she doesn’t act on our advice and goes back to the abuse. 

We are so thankful that there are safe places for abused women.  We pray that they would be brave and take the steps to bring change and hope to their situation. 

Please pray with us for the women in the North End who are experiencing domestic abuse, that they would put their in trust God and take the steps to safety and a better life.  Please pray also for the perpetrators of abuse, that they would seek change through the Lord Jesus Christ.

A few wistfully warm summers ago, a small green finch flew into a closed window. It fell as if dead. The watcher looked on and said to the Creator…’you saw it fall, you can lift it up again if you want’. Nothing happened. The bird twitched, but lay there.

Then a quiet voice said to the watcher. “Go. You are my hands and feet. Reach out to that little finch. I do want it lifted up. “. The watcher rose…got a cardboard box, filled with soft rags and a saucer of water. Gently he lifted the bird into the box, splashed a little water and left the finch to rest.  Two hours later, that bird arose, drank and flew off. The watcher had witnessed the lesson. “I cared for that little bird so much that I put you there to care also.”

February 22^nd is the  UGM's “Coldest Night of the Year” Canada wide walkathon. Are you a watcher, or are you a doer? Are you waiting for other captains and other walkers to sign up to participate? Does the word “Coldest” fill you with trepidation?

For many of our homeless, our street guests and recovering addicts, they may be experiencing a finch, glass like moment. The reflection of what the world was offering enticed them into a head long embrace, only to be hit by a wave of trauma, a push back of pain and a bucket load of rejection. There was no answer to that pain until Jesus intervened.

Yes it may be cold on that night, but the warmth of Jesus Christ, His love and His beautiful tender compassion can be channeled through your hands and feet!  We so would value your presence, your support and your gifts for this event.

Is that quiet voice challenging you? Is Matthew 26:46 the call you have been waiting for? Every person and child we serve is a tremendous honour. Come share with us!  Sign up or donate today:  https://cnoy.org/location/winnipegnorthdowntown

Thank you God for what you are doing in my life!  God is using everyone around me to teach me and mold me.

Jer 33:3:  ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’