Brenden Foster’s Last Wish (Age 11)

The day I met Brenden Foster, I met an old soul in an 11 year old’s body.

“I should be gone in a week or so,” he said calmly.

When I asked him what he thought were the best things in life, Brenden said, “Just having one.”

I didn’t understand how this child, who was a year younger than my own son, could be so courageous facing death.

“It happens. It’s natural,” Brenden told me.

Three years ago, doctors diagnosed Brenden with leukemia. The boy who once rushed through homework so he could play outside found himself confined to a bed. But there was no confining his spirit.

“I had a great time. And until my time comes, I’m going to keep having a great time,” he said.

Brenden’s selfless dying wish was to help the homeless.

“They’re probably starving, so give’em a chance,” he said, “food and water.”

But Brenden was too ill to feed them on his own. So volunteers from Emerald City Lights Bike Ride passed out some 200 sandwiches to the homeless in Seattle.

Then Brenden’s last wish took on a life of its own.

A TV station in Los Angeles held a food drive. School kids in Ohio collected cans. People in Pensacola, Florida gathered goods.

And here in Western Washington, KOMO viewers from all over took part in the Stuff the Truck food drive in Brenden’s honor. Hundreds with generous hearts donated six and a half huge truck loads of groceries and more than $60,000 in cash to benefit Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline.

Brenden touched hearts all over the world. His wish came true, and he lived to see it.
“He had the joy of seeing all of the beautiful response to his last wish,” said his grandmother, Patricia McMorrow. “It gives him great peace and he knows that his life has meaning.”

“He’s left a legacy and he’s only 11,” said his mother, Wendy Foster. “He’s done more than most people dream of doing just by making a wish.”

Days before dying, Brenden surprised us with a sudden burst of energy. He wanted to get off the oxygen, hop out of bed and go buy a video game. Wise beyond his years, but still a kid.

“I have been so blessed to have this child. A mother couldn’t ask for a better son,” Wendy said.

The B-Man, as his family called him, had one more wish before going: sprinkle wildflower seeds to save the bees. He had heard bees were in trouble.

Someone answered B-Man’s wish. A retired pilot asked his pilot and flight attendant friends to sprinkle wild flowers around the world, from Bali to Brazil, on Brenden’s behalf.

When asked what made him sad, Brenden said, “When someone gives up.”

Brenden Foster never gave up. Even as he clung to his last hours of life, Brenden kept giving.

“Follow your dreams. Don’t let anything stop you,” he said.

By Elisa Jaffe BOTHELL, Wash

Quit your worship charades

Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings— meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don’t have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.

– Isaiah 1:13-17 (The Message)

Deep Calling Deep

So I am reading this book called “One Word from God can change your life”. The book is an excellent book but I wanted to share with you a couple paragraphs from the book. I believe it will change some peoples lives.

Many of us have even recognized the truth — that it takes faith to receive from God. So we’ve studied the Bible, confessed particular verses over and over and memorized every key to spiritual success. Yet to often, instead of causing us to flourish in faith and prayer, our endeavors have left us dry and spiritless. Why is that? It is because we can’t have real faith just by knowing principles. Real faith comes from knowing the Person behind the principles.

That’s why the Apostole Paul in his great statement of faith wrote, “I know who I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12. Paul didn’t say, “I know what I have believed.” He didn’t say, “I know the principles and steps I have believed.” He said, “I know the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

You see, real praying comes from the heart hungry to know God. It comes when we cry out, as David did in Psalms 42: “As the hart pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God. My inner self thirsts for God, for the living God…[Roaring] deep calls to [roaring] deap at the thunder of Your waterspouts; all Your breakers and Your rolling waves have gone over me” (verses 1-2, 7, The Ampliied Bible)

When a person is hungry, the deepest part of this spirit begins to call out to God for something to fill that hunger.

It’s important not just to know the Word but you gotta know him intimately. Find out what makes God laugh, blush, and smile.

Take Charge of Your World

Genesis 1:26-28 (Message Bible) says

God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them
reflecting our nature
So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
the birds in the air, the cattle,
And, yes, Earth itself,
and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
God created human beings;
he created them godlike,
Reflecting God’s nature.
He created them male and female.
God blessed them:
“Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”

And the King James Version says:

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

This has really been hitting me … you and I are the executers of God’s Will in the earth. Why do you think it says “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. (Mark 11:23 NLV)

You have to speak to thing and believe in Faith that God is got your back. He gave you the authority. Speak to your finances, speak to your struggles, speak to your obedient children, command spirits to leave, etc.

Now … remember … some things will only take place with prayer and fasting. I mean that is what Jesus said when the disciples were unable to cast the devil out of the possessed boy.

After arriving back home, his disciples cornered Jesus and asked, “Why couldn’t we throw the demon out?” He answered, “There is no way to get rid of this kind of demon except by prayer.” (Mark 9:28-29 The Message)

You can take charge of your world … with some prayer and some fasting … a voice and some faith. Raise your voice … take charge.

OH BTW … even Adam and Even had communication with the Father while they had dominion over the earth. He met with them in the cool of the day.

Don’t you want to be happy?

Over the last few weeks some thoughts have been on my mind that I wanted to share with you. I am sharing this particular thought tonight with you because I really feel like someone out there needs to hear it.

Over the last few weeks I have had the opportunity to sit under and listen to some great speakers and children’s ministers and through this time of growing I began to pull some things together.

We each have our own destiny. It’s unique like our fingerprint but sometimes our hands are so full of our own baggage that we can’t grab our destiny.

Some of us may put the baggage down periodically and enjoy some of our destiny but then we pick the baggage back up and end up just moving around our destiny trying and trying to grab it and take full charge of it.

We can’t live our destiny with the baggage in our hands. There is no way that it’s possible.

Our destiny was planned by God before we were created according to the Word. We will never be happy till we are living out our destiny. Want to be happy? Put the baggage down and step into your destiny.

Cast your baggage (cares) on Him. Think of a fishing pole. When you cast it you throw it as far as it can go … NOW CUT THE LINE. Quit reeling it back in.

Some people think they can’t put the baggage down but the truth of the matter is that you can. Remember the Joy of the Lord is your strength. Get in your Word, sing praise to God. Praising God is a great way to build strength. The Word tells us that. Why do you think they always sent the praisers out before the army when they went to war.

I have had to set some baggage down over the last few weeks and to be honest I was that person saying “I can’t do this … it’s to hard.” but the more I got in my Word, the more I spoke the Word over my life, the more I praised God … the more I was able to put down and bless God … I haven’t picked those things back up.

So my challenge to you today is to start walking in your destiny. You have the instructions and you have someone on your side that will fight every battle that may come your way for you. Just trust Him. It’s truly a walk of faith.

(Thanks to Mrs Val for expounding)