Cupcakes for Life

The Starfish Story

While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water.

He came closer still and called out, "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?" The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean." The old man smiled, and said, "I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."

I have thought about this story all day long!! My heart's cry, as I am sure yours is, is to make a difference..to BE THE DIFFERENCE! Last year I heard about a group of young people doing just that. I stumbled upon cupcakesforlife.com. It was past the "National Cupcake Day" but decided this year I was going to be a part of this difference. My friend Charity had checked out the site also, and we brought it up at the ladies meeting last month. When I did I had no idea how huge our little church would go with it!! About 20 or so people baked and decorated over 1,500 cupcakes Thursday night. Then this morning me and Charity delivered the first batch to Baytown's Pregnancy Resource Center. They gave us a tour and packets to fill out in order to volunteer. I can't wait!! God's so good and His timing is perfect!

We've talked so many times about outreach, and what it would look like for Fountain of Faith. And while we have done occasional things, Charity & Remnant have been participating in Habitat for Humanity, we still haven't found the "groove" of what FOF will do & be in our community. Namely we weren't pulling in enough workers to do anything consistent...but then this idea found at cupcakesforlife.com. Wha-la, bake cupcakes..that's easy enough. Decorating is fun! Maybe people will want to do this? And they do...lots of people showed Thursday night!! More than I thought would. It's amazing what happens when people feel like they are a part of something...something bigger than themselves...bigger than our church.

So...after the tour & visit with Pregnancy Resource Center ladies we set up at Shoe Carnival parking lot, and later at Walmart. However by the time we got the pop-ups up at Walmart a downpour began. It had sprinkled all morning, but the storm blew in around 4PM. We decided not to let the cupcakes get ruined so we packed back up and found some people who work with homeless. They were so excited because, as they said, "We never get sweets!" About 15 people came out of the house to help unload the cupcakes from the bus! They also were going to share with the Women's shelter.

All in all it was a really great day, and once again my eyes are opened to the need to pour out the Love of God, and the Hope we have in Jesus Christ!! Even if it comes with the open door that a FREE CUPCAKE brings!! We even passed a cupcake to a guy at a red light when he asked about the writing on my car!

A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who helped! We could not have done it without you! Whether you baked, or decorated, or both, THANK YOU!! To all those who passed out the cupcakes and shared the story of the babies who never got a birthday, on behalf of those precious lives, THANK YOU! All those who braved the rain and stood with signs and smiles, THANK YOU!! Our church is growing strong and it's because of beautiful hearts like yours!!

Now before I go to sleep I am listening to 'Tear Down the Walls' by Hillsong United!! My prayer is that I live this life unscripted, completely self-less, and compassionately willing to open my arms, my home, and my heart to those who are desperately seeking and overwhelmingly in need of the One I call friend, Savior, and King...my Jesus.

Tear Down The Walls lyrics

Tear down the walls see the world
Is there something we have missed
Turn from ourselves
Look beyond
There is so much more than this

And I don’t need to see it to believe it
I don’t need to see it to believe it
Cause I can’t shake this
Fire burning deep inside my heart

Look to the skies hope arise
See His majesty revealed
More than this life there is love
There is hope and this is real

Cause I don’t need to see it to believe it
I don’t need to see it to believe it
Cause I can’t shake this fire burning
Deep inside my heart

This life is Yours and hope is rising
As Your glory floods our hearts
Let love tear down these walls
That all creation would
Come back to You
It’s all for You

Your Name is glorious
Glorious
Your love is changing us
Calling us
To worship in spirit and in truth
As all creation returns to You

Oh for all the sons and daughters
Who are walking in the darkness
You are calling us to lead them back to You
We will see Your spirit rising
As the lost come out of hiding
Every heart will see this hope we have in You