Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Backing The Blocks! Focus #3, Boss Your Heart Blitz

I am super excited to announce Week 3's focus of the Boss Your Heart Memorial Blitz, in memory of Chrissie:  THE BLOCK FAMILY!!!  You've "met" them on our blog before, numerous times.  The Blocks started the Pass It Forward adoption fund (to pass forward to another adoptive family), and our daughter, Mattie, raised $4,000 for the Block's Pass It Forward fund back in December 2009 and January 2010. 

The Blocks are going to Guatemala, not on a short-term trip or visit, but as MISSIONARIES!  It is my pleasure to not only support the Blocks as part of their team, Back the Blocks, but also to ask you to support them, to spread the word, to pray for them, and to watch the journey unfold as God sends their big ole Jesus lovin' family to Guatemala!!!

The Blocks are truly an amazing family.  Back before we knew them well, they traveled a good 4-5 hours to come to Mattie's 12th birthday fundraiser/party, simply because Mattie was raising funds for the The Blocks' Pass It Forward fund.  We had only met the Block Family once prior to this party, yet they were committed to traveling to our little town, regardless of the HORRIBLE weather forecast for that weekend, just to show their support for Mattie, even when the party was an outdoor party with freezing temps and rain.  Now that's dedication.

The Block Family displayed their dedicated hearts once again when they chose to drive our way last May to attend Chrissie's funeral.  They could have chosen to watch it online, which would have been much less expense and far less hassle, but they chose to load up their big ole family and drive 4-5 hours, again, to an event that nobody ever really wants to attend:  the funeral of a 4-year-old girl.  They're just that kind of family:  true friends with dedicated hearts and God-glorifying character traits.  The kind of family we all hope to be someday.

I asked Amy to write a message for this post today, as I really wanted you all to get to know this sweet family, especially since I'm going to be begging you for a whole week to support them with your pledges and prayers and shares.  (Please spread the word about Backing the Blocks!  Facebook, Twitter, blogs, email...share, share, share!)   I must warn  you that Amy's post had me in tears when I hit the word "dance."  Please read Amy's message below, then go make a pledge to their family to show your support of the mission God has called them to:  Back the Blocks, Serving His Children in Guatemala for His Glory.  (Be sure to leave a comment of support for The Block Family, and let me know if you make a pledge of support so that I can update the clicker/tally at the bottom of the post.)

The following story was written by Amy Block (grab your tissues):

"Don’t be afraid your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin."  ~Grace Hansen
As I sit and reflect upon Chrissie Patterson’s life here on earth a part of me finds it hard to believe it’s already been a year since Chrissie went to dance with Jesus. Perhaps that is because as I have gotten older I realize how quickly time goes by… or perhaps it is because Chrissie still seems to be with us in a way that is hard to explain… a way that has a lot to do with how Chrissie danced  while she was here on earth…


I believe what touched me the most about Chrissie was how she didn’t wait for the perfect circumstances to begin to live, as many of us are guilty of doing. All too often we allow ourselves to become consumed with the things in life that don’t really matter.  We wait for the perfect timing, the best circumstances, the ideal situation, the greatest guarantee- and in doing so, we miss out on the opportunities to just dance.

One of my favorite memories of Chrissie was from her big sister Mattie’s birthday party. The party was held at an outdoor movie theater. There were balloons, presents, cake, pizza, guests, games and birthday hoopla happening all around. But Chrissie looked past all the details- and noticed something no one else did…
an empty stage.
And she danced.
Without a care in the world- she danced.
She didn’t let the fact that her little lips turned purple from lack of oxygen stop her.
She didn’t wait for her favorite song…
She didn’t care who was watching…
And she didn’t wait for someone else to lead.
She didn’t care that there was rain in the forecast
Or that the party wasn’t about her that night…
She just danced.
She celebrated each day as the gift it was.
She celebrated each moment -and made it her own.
And she danced.
Each one of us is given a stage in life unto which we can dance.  Most of us never know when the music will end- but how we choose to dance will affect those in the audience more than we may ever know.  
As we prepare to step onto the mission field in Guatemala a new part of our story on the stage of our lives will be written. It is my greatest desire to live out that story in the same way Chrissie Patterson did on that stage that night… to truly live each moment we are given and to make our dance count.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Block family and their children will be working at Eagles Nest Orphanage in Solola, Guatemala. They will be bringing the word of God to the children residing at Eagles Nest helping provide holistic orphan care. They will be touching the lives of the children who are served each day in the Manna Feeding program and to those who are involved in the Sports Ministry. Because Guatemala closed its door to U.S adoptions these children have little hope of finding a forever family. The Blocks would like to invite you to join their team and become involved in the work God is doing in Guatemala. Would you prayerfully consider partnering with the Blocks? They are in need of 147 sponsors who are able to give $25 in monthly support. To be on the Block's team go to www.cten.org/toddblock/ 



The Blocks need 147 families to join their team by pledging a monthly donation of $25 in order for them to go to Guatemala as missionaries for His glory.  There are 147 million orphans in the world who need our help.  The Blocks need just  147 families out there who are willing/able to pledge $25/month in order for their family to serve orphans in Guatemala.  Your tax-deductible pledge will be a grand investment in the lives of a few hundred orphans on a daily basis in Solana, Guatemala.  If you join the team to Back the Blocks, please leave a comment on this post.  (The only way for us to know if you've joined the team is for you to leave a comment after you've made a $25/month ongoing pledge.)  I (Lorraine) will update the ticker each time a family joins the team, and you'll be added to a giveaway of Boss Your Heart book/gear!  Pray for God to build this team, for His glory, to serve His children in Guatemala, and let's watch the ticker rise, just like He multiplied the loaves and fishes!  Let's Back the Blocks and get them on the airplane to serve for His glory in Guatemala.




Here are Chrissie's posts from last year:
Day 14 of Chrissie's 31-day battle, May 3, 2010:  Post 1, Post 2 (re-reading this post made me realize it was actually Chrissie's outbreak of shingles that was agitating her, but we didn't know it at the time...sigh), Post 3, Post 4


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