Do you brighten up the corner where you are? Spending my summer days with children at The Learning Station prompted this story. Each week, we loaded up and headed out in our community to share sunshine and do good deeds. The children blessed others received more sunshine than they spread. They also anticipated heading over to Tim’s Gift Inc. to read in the library or gather around the prayer table and talk about issues that threaten to take away their sunshine. Praying together troubleshoots problems that can easily paralyze happiness and hope.

Satan searches for situations to fill our lives with storms instead of sunshine, stirring up confusion and chaos that cause distress, division, even death. When comfort, contentment, peace and promise live in our hearts, God reigns. He is a God of order. Living connected to Christ allows us to enjoy life (even the valleys) with His sweet spirit flowing, while showing others we are His. Keeping our corners clean and connected to the Father is wise.

My little corner is centered around 108 and 112 Northeast Blvd., where God has called me to teach His little children and give help and hope to people in need. How thankful I am for family, friends, and folks from all walks of life who support Tim’s Gift Inc. prayerfully and financially. Our mission includes helping cancer patients and their families, recycling medical equipment, providing financial assistance through The Hope Project, helping widows and widowers through New Beginnings, and having weekly prayer on Tuesdays. We strive to share sunshine and brighten up the corners of our community by giving help and hope.

Helen Steiner Rice’s poetry always brightens my corner. Reading a collection of her love gifts is inspiration to keep on doing the work God has called me to do. I love sharing the good news of a Lord who loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins, a Father who cares for His children and longs to have a personal relationship with them, a Lord who looks after His sheep and hopes they will hear His voice, follow His calling, and brighten up the world with His love.

“We cannot all be famous or be listed in ‘Who’s Who,’ but every person great or small has important work to do. For seldom do we realize the importance of small deeds or to what degree of greatness unnoticed kindness leads—-For it’s not the big celebrity in a world of fame and praise, but it’s doing unpretentiously in undistinguished ways..the work that God assigned to us, unimportant as it seems, that makes our task outstanding and brings reality to dreams. So do not sit and idly wish for wider, new dimensions - where you can put in practice your many good intentions. But at the spot God placed you, begin at once to do little things to brighten up the lives surrounding you. For if everybody brightened up the spot on which they’re standing by being more considerate and a little less demanding, this dark old world would very soon eclipse the Evening Star, if everybody brightened up the corner where they are.”

Are you brightening up the corner where you are? People recognize the important work we do, but the reward comes when we please Jesus. Sometimes, we are misunderstood as we strive to do good deeds and spread good news. Jesus felt the sting of persecution but kept spreading sunshine and doing what His Father called Him to do. His love brightens up heaven and earth. His amazing grace saves us. Whatever we do in this world - big or small - to glorify His name is recognized by God, our Father. Never be discouraged by naysayers. Stay closely connected to Christ and enjoy a life of love, laughter, and lifting others by sharing sunshine wherever you go.

The Learning Station children anticipated summer days when sharing sunshine brought them closer to Christ. Working alongside our boys raking yards and pruning shrubbery for widows brought tears to my eyes and joy to our hearts. Good deed days were my favorites. After working hard in widow or elderly peoples’ yards, we enjoyed cold water and prayer time with the dear people we helped. One triple digit, July day brought the best blessing when we visited my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Holland. We sat in her living room sharing old and making new memories. The boys’ songs and prayers lit up her face like a flashlight. Visit after visit, we carried sunshine to corners of our communities. We were experiencing God and loving it.

Tim’s Gift Inc. is a ministry where doing small things to give hope and help to people in need brings big blessings to them and to us. I am in awe of how great is our God and how He can work all things out for good in our lives. His children who walk with Him and talk with Him understand the beauty of His blessings when following His calling. I thank God every day for a second chance at life. His healing power is a gift that makes doing His work even more meaningful. When I hold hands and pray with people, help complete applications for the Hope Project,, write notes of encouragement, watch folks filled with gratitude accepting medical supplies, equipment, or financial help, even see joy on people’s faces making donations or becoming Hope Partners, my heart beats with thanksgiving and honor that God is using Tim’s Gift to brighten up corners for people who need help and hope. Thanking God and all the people who work with us and volunteer at Tim’s Gift Inc. is something I do every day, especially when I talk to Jesus. We could not continue doing what God has called us to do without His blessing and protection, people’s prayers and willingness to help as Board Members, volunteers for Tim’s Gift Golf Tournament and The Rise Up Conference, donations of money and medical items.

Blessings truly come from honoring God and humbly doing the work He has assigned us to do, unimportant as it seems. That makes our tasks outstanding and brings reality to our dreams. My dreams come true every day as I teach His little children and give help and hope wherever He leads to whomever is in need. My life is in His hands and I’m lovin’ it!

I believe — with all my heart — one of my tasks it to help people cherish and love the Lord and their loved ones before it is too late. I am crazy in love with my Lord and loved ones and never let the sun set when things aren’t right between us. I clean out my heart and tell them and Him ‘I will love you forever’ and I will!

How about you? Do you need to make things right with someone you love? My friends, please don’t delay. Repent, forgive, release your love. brighten someone’s corner today.