The Battlefield - Ripe for the Harvest

Since becoming a believer, I have been drawn to the stories of missionaries - of selfless sacrifices, leaving family, friends, risking their own health by living in a more primitive land, risking their lives or even losing their lives, to share the Gospel.  Missionaries showing Christ's love through their kind acts of service; building relationships so that those they serve would come to know Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

As I read the above words describing a missionary, I picture another servant - our military.  How great is their sacrifice, some paying the ultimate sacrifice...

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

The battlefield - a mission field ripe for harvest, where young Marines are facing their own mortality every day - without Jesus...

Such an incredible opportunity to reach a Marine in their own mortality...  How great a Gift, to share the Gospel that promises Eternal Life, with a Marine who is willing to die, so that we might live free.

Through my son-in-law's experience in Afghanistan, while he served as a U.S. Marine, the Lord placed a desire on my heart to minister to Marines.

The ministry was born out of a telephone call with my son-in-law as he sat on a hill in Afghanistan.   I remember thinking how incredibly clear the connection was even though he was across the world!  He mentioned the socks that I sent him in a Care Package and how much he appreciated their quality.  He added that he wished that all the Marines could receive these particular socks saying they were the best he'd ever worn!   The conversation then moved on to catching up and just enjoying our time "together".  When I hung up the phone, I began to ponder our discussion about the socks.  It was then that the Lord provided me with the ministry focus - to send an encouraging letter, a Gospel of John tract and a pair of combat socks to a Marine.

In the days that followed, I prayed for direction as I faced what seemed like daunting obstacles.  I looked into 501C charity requirements, but didn't meet the criteria.  With the stringent privacy protocols involving our military, I didn't know how I would even obtain a list of Marines to reach!

The Lord then led me back to an online community I already participated in, MarineParents.Com where I noticed for the first time the The Care Package Project.   I read their mission statement which stated, "The Care Package Project's mission is to support deployed troops by sending care packages with letters and content donated by individuals in communities throughout the United States."  I made contact with a MarineParents' Care Package Project representative where I learned that my ministry could fall under the umbrella of MarineParents.com, solving my 501C issue, AND that they had a list of Marines that would receive the Care Packages!  The Lord had provided solutions to the initial obstacles I had faced!

I did have one further concern.  Would MarineParents.com allow their Care Package Project to be used for sending the Gospel to Marines.  Not only did they allow it, but each person I dealt with involved with the Care Package Project was a Believer!

My next step was to contact Covert Threads, the company where I had purchased the socks for my son-in-law.  I spoke to the owner who is a Believer!!  He was so excited and encouraged by the ministry.

I then contacted the The Pocket Testament League where to my utter joy I discovered that they have special combat Gospel of John tracts with non-reflective paper for the troops safety.

In the weeks that followed, I received brochures and posters from the Care Package Project and Covert Threads to be able to promote the fundraisers.  The Lord was providing everything!!

The Lord led me to name the ministry, the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry.  "And having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace." The verse's description of the "feet's" purpose in the armor of God seemed so fitting in light of the Marines receiving socks and the Gospel through this ministry!

All the pieces were in place!  Now it was time to pray that the Lord would provide the financial gifts through His people.

The Lord moved my own church family to participate.  The Lord also moved several local churches to host fundraisers as well.  We were able to conduct the fundraisers remotely by providing an Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry Packet containing a bulletin insert, a poster and brochures.

Since the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry began in 2011, the ministry has raised almost $7000  reaching just about 1000 Marines with the Gospel!   Praising God for how He has blessed this ministry!

I have entrusted the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry into the Lord's hands.  There have been years that the ministry raised a large amount of money.  Other years, when the monies raised were not as much, the Lord was able to multiply the amount of gifts we were able to purchase - like the bread and the fishes.  This past year, however, we only raised a fraction of what we had in the past.  The economy is hitting churches hard which has effected the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry.

I was actually at the point of praying, wondering whether the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry had served what God had intended and whether it was time to end it.  I just wasn't sure how else the money could be raised...

During the week I was praying and considering the future of the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry, I happened to read two blogs, both dealing with ministry.  One blog post dealt with a ministry desire placed upon the heart years ago, but one that the Lord was waiting to launch in His perfect timing; the other blog post encouraged those who are in a ministry to "not grow weary of doing good".   As I read both posts, I felt the Lord was telling me to continue on with the Sock Ministry...

I continued praying...

It then became apparent that the Lord was changing the means in which He would provide money to share the Gospel with the Marines.  I felt the Lord calling me to use my blog, a blog which could potentially be seen all over the world!  It was then that I established a page dedicated to the ministry as part of my blog's website.

I don't even remember how it happened, but somehow I became aware of PayPal's donate button which can be used on websites for fundraising.  Like all the details of this ministry, I believe the Lord led me right to it!

I installed the donate button on the blog a little over a week ago with plans to introduce the ministry at the end of April, just before Military Appreciation Month which is held in May.

Within just days of installing the donate button on my blog, I had a gracious donation from a sister blogger in the United Kingdom!!  I felt like Abraham when he laughed!  I was laughing thinking, "Of course the Lord did that!"  I then had another very gracious donation from someone in the midwest!  And both of these donations happened without me "promoting" the ministry!

The Lord has already done such an amazing work through this ministry over the past four years.  The following is an excerpt from a letter which I received from MarineParents showcasing the enormity of God's blessings toward the Marines.

"The Executive Director of MarineParents and myself were near tears when we saw all the boxes of PERFECT socks that the Marines wear and need...

In closing, on behalf of the Marines and the rest of the staff at the Corporate Office at MarineParents, we are unbelievably touched by the gracious donations of your group...

May you and your Sock Ministry continue to be blessed abundantly by God's Graces, Karen!"

Indeed!  May God continue to do great and mighty things through this ministry; that many Marines would come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

All Glory and Honor to Him!

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MINISTRY UPDATE - August 18, 2015
SOCK MINISTRY NO LONGER TAKING DONATIONS.

It is with great disappointment that I will be suspending the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry until further notice. 

I was notified today by MarineParents that the Care Package Project, our sponsor, stopped accepting donations in July 2015 due to lack of need.  {The staff at Marine Parents normally receives addresses of deployed Marines which in turn would receive the Care Packages.  With the recent draw down and more special operation deployments, MarineParents has not received enough addresses to sustain the Care Package Project.

The Care Package Project will be having one more unofficial packing day to clear out their inventory. Please be assured that the funds you donated through my blog will be used toward the final care package shipment by Marine Parents.

In the meantime, I will be looking into other sponsors for the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry in the hopes of opening up the ministry to donations again.

Thank you again for your past generosity. 

Blessings,
Karen 

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If you would like to participate in the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry, you can use the donate button located at the bottom of this post.

If you think your church would be willing to conduct a fundraiser, please use my email contact form, and I can provide your church with more information and/or an Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry Packet.

If you would like to use your blog to conduct your own fundraiser with all proceeds going to the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry, feel free to include a link to this blog post.

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I thank you for allowing me to take the time to share what the Lord has done to bless the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry.  You can read more about the ministry here or visit the Ephesians 6:15 Sock Ministry Facebook page.

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing

 is just a drop in the ocean.  But the ocean would

 be less because of that missing drop."  

Mother Theresa

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