Mitchell Swaback Foundation

VOLUME 63 • DECEMBER 1, 2009

Dr. James MacDonald IT TAKES TIME

Might I remind us all that we're not the first Christians who have ever lived. The whole "walk by faith, not by sight" has been going on for dozens and dozens of generations. There were people 500 years ago who thought they were the first to face trials like we do today. They thought their experiences were new just like we think ours are new—even as the mothballs are gathering around our feet. The pages of church history are filled with people who have drawn down on the truths that we're talking about right now and proven God faithful in their generation. You're going to do the same.

These, our faithful predecessors of faith, would tell you if they could that the trial that you face today will turn out to be for your ultimate good. It may not seem so today, but really, it will.

I love the honesty of Hebrews 12:11: "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant." Discipline seems painful because it is, but "later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." If you're patient, there's fruit coming, like a farmer in a field harvesting a crop long after he planted the seed.

Do you already see the peaceable fruit of righteousness growing in your life? Do you see yourself changed by God's training? Of course that growth is conditional to you cooperating with what God is doing. The good that God is bringing to your life can be seen only through the perspective of time. This trial is for your transformation, so that you might stand in that long line of generations of Christians—"so great a cloud of witnesses," says Hebrews 12:1—who would shout out to you today, "Keep going. Good is coming. It'll all be worth it. Don't give up! Look to Jesus."

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:7-11

~ Dr. James MacDonald

For more from James MacDonald on "igniting passion in the people of God through the proclamation of the truth," visit Walkintheword.com.

1	IT TAKES TIME
2	HELPING THE HOMELESS!
3	SHATTERING THE SILENCE OF ABUSE
4	YEAR END GIFT
5	MITCH'S JOURNAL

HELPING THE HOMELESS!

Mitchell Swaback Charities As the holiday season approaches MSC has committed this Christmas to help make a small difference for a few homeless individuals living in the Phoenix area. We are currently making plans to create 150 care bags to hand out on Christmas morning to those living on the streets. Each bag will be filled with food, as well as needed essentials like a new pair of socks and a new t-shirt. Also included will be a Bible and a track telling about the love of Jesus Christ and what salvation means. Mitch would often head downtown Chicago to feed the homeless or volunteer at a city shelter during the last few years of his life. Every time he volunteered a Saturday morning at a shelter, he would very often be the one who was blessed more than the individuals who he actually helped. Our goal is to do the same. As the majority of us celebrate Christmas with our families in front of a home cooked feast, we ask you to help us share a little of that comfort with others this Christmas.

Each bag will cost us $15.00 to construct, if you'd like to make a donation to cover a couple bags we would love your help! Make a donation today; noting how many bags you'd like to cover the expense for. We've set a goal for 150; help us reach that before Christmas arrives!

SHATTERING THE SILENCE OF ABUSE

Abuse, all kinds of abuse silently destroys our community's everyday. Take the story of David Smith of Phoenix, Arizona. At age 22 David weighed an incredible 650 pounds. Most people's first reaction is, how can they do that? Those people have no self control, just stop eating.

David grew up a pretty normal kid but he grew faster than his peers. At age 12 he was 200 pounds and the teasing and name calling tore away at his heart. By age 16 he was nearly 500 pounds and dropped out of school from the physical limitations and the constant ridicule. His home and eating became his safe place. Isolated and alone he grew to 650 pounds. He contemplated suicide, surgery to restrict his eating, or reaching out to someone for help. A young personal trainer took up the challenge and started David on a program and provided round the clock supervision. In two years David lost 430 pounds.

David's story was recently shared on TLC where he read a letter he wrote to his trainer well into his recovery. "I have never shared this with anyone", he started. "When I was six years old I was molested by a neighbor boy. I felt so ashamed; I could never tell anyone and it made me feel like I was dirty".

David's soul was attacked and he believed his only recourse was silence. It led him to a safe place and he nearly ate himself to death to cover the shame. There are millions suffering with wounded souls. David's story is intriguing. Intriguing enough to make it into a widely watched television special where we are amazed at what can happen to human beings and we miss the point completely. It is time to shatter this silence and speak out from pulpits, classrooms, and media about the devastation of abuse to the soul.

If it is just too hard to confront the issue in your community, then consider calling on Holding on to Hope Ministries. They will speak to your school, church, or organization and at least bring the subject out in the open. Keeping in quiet is just allowing millions to suffer without hope. Call us today. www.holdingontohope.org. 623.341.5792

YEAR END GIFT

Please consider a year end gift to Mitchell Swaback Charities.

As we all gear up for a busy holiday season all of us at MSC ask you to consider making a year-end gift to our charity. The days of December will go by fast, so don't delay and send in a year-end gift today. 100% of your gift will go directly towards our projects, what a special way to close out 2009 by helping others who don't have the means to help themselves! Every single dollar collected by MSC is used directly for this cause and we treasure each and every donation.

So before you head out shopping or jump online for your Christmas orders, visit our web site and send in a gift today! Wishing you and all of your family a very blessed Christmas and New Year.

Mitch's Journal

Saturday 2/14/2004

I feel God is pounding me to use my leadership and my outgoingness to tell others about him. To go out and challenge people. Every single day I have opportunities to share my faith with others.