The house will cost $372,000.

You’ll need to make that bathroom ADA compliant. $25,000 right there.

You’ll need to add a sprinkler system on every level. That’s going to run you upwards to $80,000.

You need a parking lot but you also will need to rip up part of that parking lot and add a 15 foot green space with 2 in caliper trees. Easily 20 grand.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Talking about money at that level could make you sick to your stomach. It’s like we’re Scrooge McDuck and can take the daily money swim. It could make you think you have this insurmountable mountain in front of you. And never mind this is just the tip of the ice berg. These pricetags could make you think the reality of The Sparrow’s Nest is never going to happen.

But dollar signs don’t scare me.

So don’t let them scare you either. 

We are a rich and wealthy people filled with creativity, ingenuity, and resourcefulness. We have stepped into a God-given vision and He already has the finances figured out. We just need to not be afraid to step into the opportunities He places before us.

If you think broke, you are broke.

If you think cheap, you are cheap.

If you dream and trust, and are obedient and trustworthy with little, He will draw you into His vision and trust you with much.

Let’s be very open with our concerns and questions. Let’s draw them out into the light and get rid of the bogey men trying to turn our dreams into nightmares.

What are you worried about with this project?

What concerns you about building The Nest?

What scares you the most?

We’re in this together. We’re all a part of The Flock

~Carissa

“Part of the power of compassion is that it allows us to love others despite their faults, which is at least in part how we each need to be loved. We need to see the facts clearly. Compassion is not blindness. Compassion is a kind of daring. Too love is to risk, and in being compassionate, we dare to love even though that love may bring with it disappointment and pain, as well as joy and happiness. One of the essential truths about compassion is that is requires strength. In it’s highest state, compassion is a form of courage.”

What did you like?

What did you not?

What was confusing?

What would add to the event?  

We hope to see you back next year!

We’re so excited… the R.U.S.H. 5K is happening… soon!   Are you ready?

The run/walk is this Saturday, May 5, on the Katy Trail, starting at 9am in Frontier Park in St. Charles, MO.  If you’d like to join in this family friendly event, but haven’t registered, you can register at packet pickup locations or race day at the stage prior to the 9 a.m. start.

If you’ve aleady registered, here are a few reminders:

PACKET PICKUP:

• May 3rd 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Bridgeway Development Office 1570 S. Main St, St. Charles, MO 63303
• May 4th 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Big River Running O’Fallon MO
• Raceday Registration and Packet Pickup Starting at 7:30 a.m. at the race site.

Please note: all registration fees must be paid in full on or before packet pickup.

PAYMENTS:

Payments can be made at packet pickup on May 3rd or 4th at the locations listed above, or on race day at the race site starting at 7:30 am, in the form of cash or check.

COMPANY MATCHING:

Some companies in our area provide race matching donations each time an employee participates in a race supporting an eligible non-profit organization, such as the Sparrow’s Nest. Ask your company if they have a race matching program.

We look forward to seeing you at the race!

I hope you won’t let Mother’s Day just be another Hallmark holiday in your family. I would encourage you to make a $20, $50, or $100 tax-deductible gift in honor of your mother.  Or maybe you’re like me and your gift needs to be in memory of the most important person in Heaven this Mother’s Day. Moms, don’t be embarrassed to ASK for this gift as well.

Email carissa@thesparrowsneststl.org the contact information by May 1 and we will mail or email a card for your mother or in memory of your mother by Mother’s Day on May 13, 2012.

You can make this tax-deductible donation online on our secure site at http://www.thesparrowsneststl.org/how-you-can-help/give/donate-on-behalf-of/ .

Or mail payment to 6209 Mid Rivers Mall Dr. #119, St. Peters, MO 63376.

Donate this Mother’s Day on behalf of your mom

and let us tell her how generous she really is. 

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.  ~Washington Irving

The “f” bomb: forever forward; faith, family, friends, food and fitness http://wp.me/s17eQX-figment

 * fledging - caring for and rearing a young bird for flight

But if I told you all of this was in preparation of finding The Nest I hope you would understand my slight preoccupation. For over a year now, and definitely for the past 100 days, myself and our Building Committee as well as several other volunteers and supporters have been inquiring about land, calling about empty houses, and chasing down leads for possible locations for The Nest.

If you recall I had asked you to circle April 29 on your calendar because that’s when we had petitioned God to make it clear to us what His plan was for this aspect of Sparrow’s Nest. Believe it or not, we think we may have a really good match.

We’re terribly excited about a certain location. It’s centrally located in St. Charles. It’s very close to the services we will need. It’s the right size, it will need minimal renovations, and it has the stinking parking lot. The area seems to be zoned for our type of services. The price is not outrageous. And we can visualize the girls living there. There’s a great space for the house parents living quarters. It just seems to fit.

We have  a lot more hoops to jump through, a lot more questions to be answered, and a lot more money to raise. But I wanted you to be praying for this. Satan is not going to be happy at all with this progress. He’s really going to come after us. So we plan to go on a prayer offensive. I would encourage you to dive deeper into your prayer life like never before. Pray for discernment, wisdom, and sound judgment for  the Board of Directors. Pray for favor with the City of St. Charles. Pray for significant donors and grants to come our way. Pray the house would be a blessing and would glorify God.

This is a picture I took of one the windows that is boarded up on the house we are looking at. It represents a lot of things to me. I want to rip it down and let the sun shine in that room just like I want to rip down the board Satan has tried to place over these girls. I want the light of Jesus Christ to shine on them through the safety of The Nest.

Let us know if you’re praying for this. If you have any questions or concerns about us moving forward on this property let us know those things as well. We’re all in this together. We’re all One of The Flock.

~Carissa

At The Sparrow’s Nest we strive to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness. Many people question our fortitude and strength when they look at what we don’t  have. However, our attitude is one of awe of what we do have.

When you start from nothing it’s actually really easy to be grateful for a $5 donation, a tub of gently used maternity clothes, or a roll of stamps. We’re still brought to our knees when one of you say you want to be “One of The Flock.” We’re so thankful for your open hearts and open minds and the belief in the power of an invisible house. We will be thankful for the girls that will one day fill our house. We’re thankful for their trust, for their desire to be a great parent, and their love of their baby.

This week we’re thankful for the blood of Christ that makes our mission possible. God is the author of second, third, and fourth chances. He is the example we follow for extending grace,mercy, and love to The Least, The Lost, and The Lonely. It is His death, burial, and resurrection that gives our ministry Life.

This month, we are following a beautiful example set by author Ann Voskamp in her book One Thousand Gifts. Her basic premise is  giving thanks for the life you already have, to find the life you’ve always wanted. We are following the example of Christ at the Last Supper, the tradition of the Passover Feast of Thanksgiving.Voskamp explains;

In the original language, “he gave thanks” reads “eucharisteo”. The root word of eucharisteo is “charis” meaning “grace.” Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave thanks. It also holds its derivative, the Greek word “chara” meaning “joy.” Deep chara joy is found only at the table of eucharisteo- the table of thanksgiving.

All of that is wonderful, and beautiful, and God directed, and blessed.

But it takes just ONE conversation with a parent educator telling me “I don’t know what this young woman is going to do. The options are so limited,” to remind me we must push forward with fervor.

It takes just ONE email from a service provider asking again, “when do you think you’ll be up in running, what are doing in the meantime,” to motivate me to not rest until this is completed.

It just takes ONE phone call from a young pregnant woman to put it all in perspective.

My challenge for you this week is to do just ONE thing to help a pregnant teen in need.

Maybe it’s ONE prayer for someone you don’t know.

Maybe it’s donating ONE package of diapers to a local Pregnancy Resource Center

Maybe it’s you becoming an active volunteer and becoming “One of The Flock.”

Maybe it’s ONE connection, phone call, or email  you’ve been meaning to make on behalf of The Sparrow’s Nest.

Maybe it’s ONE more donation to The Sparrow’s Nest

Whatever it is, just choose to do ONE thing in the next couple of days. Don’t minimize the size or the impact. Just do ONE thing. And watch.

I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything,

but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything,

I will not refuse to do something that I can do. 

Helen Keller 

Diann is the mother of one of our great volunteers Marla Stover. I got to meet her personally at another volunteer’s fundraiser. She took me aside and told me why she gives to The Sparrow’s Nest. Of course it made me cry, so I asked Diann to write her thoughts down here for you to see also. Just sit back and be blessed by a proud mama and grandma. ~Carissa

I first heard about Sparrow’s Nest through my daughter. My warmed heart felt like a pat of butter melting in a microwave. What a wonderful and much needed ministry!

One day I received an email from Carissa. “Asking for money”, I thought.

But wait. After explaining what Sparrow’s Nest’s mission is and how they pray to accomplish it, the letter stated it’s need and then came my surprise:  the request now turned to asking the reader to push his/her chair back from their computer and pray.  That request, to put prayer before giving or not giving, before any amount is given is what moved me to give.

I did pray and was led by the Holy Spirit to give and the idea popped into my head to give an amount reflecting the year my grandson was born.

Thank You, dearest Lord for sincere believers who totally rely on You.

To be entered in the drawing all you have to do is comment on this post with the phrase “I’m One of The Flock!” and then pick one of these options as well.

1. Share our fan page, http://www.facebook.com/thesparrowsnest on your facebook page
2. Or sign up for our e-newsletter on http://www.thesparrowsneststl.org
3. Or tweet “I’m One of The Flock!” to @TheSparrowNest

The winning name will be picked at 3 p.m. Friday March 23rd.

On a journey to discover her hidden past and find hope for her unknown future, Hannah discovers Every Life is Beautiful. http://www.octoberbabymovie.net/