Sudan School Update…

    As many of you are aware, GRN is renovating the second largest school ever built in Southern Sudan. The project has been very challenging and at the same time very rewarding. Currently hundreds of children are enrolled in the Loka Senior Secondary School and are receiving quality education on a daily basis.

 

    Our latest task has been the rebuilding of one of the many dormitories located on the campus. This marks a new phase of this project which will include a boarding program. The school is highly regarded as one of the best schools and draws students from various locations in Southern Sudan, which requires them to find lodging. Some of the students walk as far as fourteen miles per day to attend classes, yet that is seen as acceptable and is considered “local” for those students.

 

   Since the peace treaty was signed between the North and the South in 2005, many Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have come to help rebuild Southern Sudan. With this influx of NGOs comes a challenge to find necessary supplies to renovate the school. Because of the supply and demand issue, the cost of everything has skyrocketed. For example, a 2×4x10 piece of wood used to cost us approximately $4.00 (This lumber is cut by hand). Now the same piece of wood, if you can find it, is roughly $8.00. In some cases, items are as much as ten times what they used to be when we started the renovation process. Thanks to the faithful friends of GRN, the work hasn’t slowed down.

 

    Please pray for us as we continue to rebuild this historic school, which, to the people of Loka is a beacon of hope for generations to come.

Tell a friend… 

Be sure to encourage your friends to log on to Connection Corner© for a dose of normal Christianity. By spreading the word, you can make a difference in someone’s life. Remember, people matter!  

The Normal Christian *lifeonline© 

Welcome back friends! We are glad you could take a moment to connect with us today. If you are living real life like most of us are, you might notice that life is crazy! There can be a lot to do in the course of our day or week. In this week’s episode, you will find encouragement to have a heart of compassion in the midst of hectic schedules and busy days. You will also get to hear a personal, touching story of compassion from Tom when he was just starting out in ministry.

This week’s video is 7 minutes, 12 seconds long. We apologize for going over the 5-minute limit, however we believe you will find the message from Tom very encouraging this week. Thank you for connecting with us today!

Prayer request…

Hi friends,

We hope your week is going great and that you are loving life.

We have a prayer request to pass on to you. GRN is working hard to get the message of “The normal Christian life” into the hearts and homes of as many people as possible. One of the ways that we are doing this is through our weekly broadcast, ”The normal Christian *lifeonline,” aired right here on Connection Corner. Our need is straight forward. We need video equipment. We have done the research and we feel confident that we can purchase what we need for right around $2,500.00.

Would you please pray for this need and let us know if you hear anything that could help us in our quest to acquire this equipment?

Thank you and God bless your weekend!

The Normal Christian *lifeonline© 

Welcome to another encouraging broadcast from Tom Zurowski, Director of Global Response Network. It is our passion here at GRN to encourage you to live a lifestyle that matches with the Bible, that is, to live what we call, “The Normal Christian Life.”

We believe this weeks broadcast will continue to help you do just that. Check back for more inspirational thoughts throughout the week posted on the blog!

Worship leader in the making…

Megan Zurowski gives her little brother, Jeremiah, a piano lesson. Enjoy the music. Enjoy the spirit. Keep smiling.

The Normal Christian *lifeonline©

God calls us as normal Christians to live life from the inside out. Sadly, many people look good on the outside and yet are in shambles inside. In this weeks broadcast, GRN Director Tom Zurowski shares some encouraging thoughts to help each of us take off the plastic shells and live our lives authentically for the Lord, from the heart.

We hope this episode blesses you…Have a wonderful week!

The power of words…

What’s in a word? According to the Bible our words are extremely important.

Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”(NLT)

All of us have fallen in to one of two categories; either we wish we hadn’t said something or we wish we had said something. Many of us have fallen into both. There may have been times in my life when my tongue has really hurt people. In one case the pain I caused with my words was so deep that it took months to repair the damage. Maybe you can relate?

Words are so powerful. With one sentence you can shape a child’s future. With a kind word you can lift someone’s spirit and help them make it through another day. One negative statement can haunt a person for life, while one positive statement can bring confidence that will carry someone on life’s journey. words can comfort or condemn someone. Words are powerful!

There are also times when we should have said something and didn’t. Those times can be just as destructive. Maybe you were raised in a family where the words ”I love you” weren’t said. Perhaps we have been so self absorbed that we missed an opportunity to say ”Thank you” to someone who did something for us. Maybe our lack of words portrayed a lack of care and compassion. 

Let’s take a moment today and consider the things that we say. There may be a coworker, a fellow student, a teacher, a friend, or a family member that needs an encouraging word today. Let’s work on being people who carry life and truth to people with our words. Someone needs you today. Let’s show people that they matter to us.

The Normal Christian *lifeonline©

Ever find yourself desiring the very things that Jesus came to deliver us from? Do you find yourself returning to the “dumpster” of your old life? If you can relate, then GRN Executive Director Tom Zurowski has a few encouraging thoughts for you on this weeks episode of *lifeonline.

We hope *lifeonline will spur you on in your walk with God today!

The need we all have…

    “Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.  The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!  I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’   

    “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’  I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

How many times have we stood in our shame and brokenness and had to beg God for His mercy? Maybe even today you are sitting at your desk reading this and thinking, “God, that’s me, I’m the sinner who needs mercy.” God’s answer to us is the same as it has always been – humble yourself.

I am convinced that as long as we are on this earth we will need God’s mercy. Normal Christians are not perfect and for that reason we best be humble.

If you are in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness today, simply humble yourself before God and ask. The hope we have is that “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning…”(Lamentations 3:22&23)

Humility is not weakness. Humility points to being real. Normal Christians are real and as Charles Spugeon once said “we are but men, frail, feeble, and apt to faint.”

Let us repent of our sin, humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift us up.

Onward Christian soldier!