T&T ~ Shrimp & Grits Recipe ~ Rhia

Your Tips & Tricks Tuesday post comes from Teacha Rhia today.  She is a southern girl who wanted to share a recipe that is near and dear to her heart!  We hope your tummies & your hearts enjoy!

Hi guys! 

Today I'm taking it back to my southern roots. I made my famous shrimp and grits for dinner tonight. This is one of my husbands favorite meals...ever. 

Ingredients

•                            1 bell pepper chopped                                  2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
•                            6 green onions chopped                                1 1/4 cup instant grits
•                            1 clove garlic minced                                    4 cup chicken broth
•                            2 tbsp butter                                                   3/4 tsp salt
•                            1 lb frozen shrimp                                          1/4 tsp pepper
•                            1 can rotel

I really hope you guys enjoy my famous Shrimp & Grits.  Let me know how it worked out for you and your families!

Love ~ Rhia

Thinking of trying this recipe?  Let us know how it goes through comments, e-mail, Facebook or Twitter

Love, peace and full tummies!

A Child's Heart

Don't you just LOVE kids!
I mean seriously...
Sometimes they just PUT US IN OUR PLACE!

We learned to Stand Strong no matter what the world throws at you -
a GREAT lesson for kids and adults!!

This week was our Vacation Bible School week.  As you may (or may not) know, the ladies of 29:11 Inc. are Children's Ministry junkies so the weeks surrounding VBS are extremely busy for us.  With that being said, Praise the Lord things went well.





We take up coin offerings each day of VBS and all of the money goes to feeding children in orphanages we currently have connections with in Africa & Haiti.

It seems like each year we have children who are willing to sacrifice - I mean truly make a sacrifice - for kids who they have never met.  We have kids who give each year but there is always that one kid whose story sticks with you.



This year, that special child was Ava (red shirt, sparkly purse)
Isn't she cute?!?


Ava wanted to make a difference to children in other countries.  In her words she wanted to make "just one kid in Africa or Haiti smile."

She emptied out her entire bank and put it all in her purse to give in our offering. Ava may not have given the most money this week, but she definitely sacrificed.

She even asked to "give a speech" to the kids and parents at VBS.

Ava said that she wished she had a big big room, filled with all the money in the world.  She said if she had all that money she would give it away to make just ONE kid in Africa or Haiti or other countries like that smile.

Ava gets it.
She really gets it.

Sometimes I wonder even as adults, even as people who have started a non-profit to help orphans and homeless children around the world, even as people who work and volunteer in ministries, even as followers of Christ - do we get it?

Are we willing to give all that we have for just one smile?

Lord, give us a heart that is truly willing to  give up everything we have to follow you.  Don't let us be like the rich man in Matthew 19, who couldn't part with his possessions.  Use all that we have to further Your kingdom.

Jeremiah 29:11
 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Kings & Queens

Have you heard this song?

----------->

It puts so much into perspective.  What makes our children:

...different than these children?

The short answer is where they were born.  At 29:11 Inc. we don't believe that where you live should determine if you live.

This song is amazing & thought provoking.  It starts off with this:  

"Little hands, shoe-less feet, lonely eyes looking back at me 

Will we leave behind the innocent too brief

On their own, on the run when their lives have only begun

These could be our daughters and our sons

And just like a drum i can hear their hearts beating

I know my God won't let them be defeated

Every child has a dream to belong and be loved"

So many children around the world are alone, hungry and without basic necessities.  We want to help change that.  We are hoping that others will be inspired by our vision and will help us meet the needs of these children.  

This is what we hope will happen to all the children around the world we are able to serve... 

"Boys become kings, girls will be queens

Wrapped in Your majesty

When we love, when we love the least of these.

Then they will be brave and free 

Shout your name in victory

When we love, when we love the least of these

When we love the least of these.

...and this is our prayer.

"Break our hearts once again

Help us to remember when 

We were only children hoping for a friend"

Don't you love it when music inspires and encourages you?  I hope this song encourages you to prayerfully seek where the Lord would have you support & serve!

"Won't you look around these are the lives that the world has forgotten 

Waiting for doors of our hearts and our homes to open"

"If not us who will be like Jesus

To the least of these.

If not us tell me who will be like Jesus

Like Jesus to the least of these."

Hope & a Future

Jeremiah 29:11
 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Statistics & Saddness

I know that anyone can make a statistic say whatever they want and that you should always "proceed with caution" when someone gives you a number or a percentage.  Therefor, this is a link to the Orphan Coalition with their information, numbers and where they got them.

Now for the heavy...

This hurts my heart.

For some people, it is easy to think of societal ills such as homeless, orphaned children and human trafficking as distant problems but these things, while highlighted in third world countries, happen everyday in the U.S.

I was shocked to read the number of orphaned children in the United States - 123,000

and then the number of children moving throughout the foster care system - 463,000

Here, at 29:11 Inc. we think that even one child without a permanent home is too many. While many of our pictures and stories are of children around the world, in third world countries, we NEVER want to forget that there are children here in need of hope and a future.

This is where you come in.  

We want to be encouraged by what you are currently doing in your own community to help homeless and orphaned children and how you think 29:11 could help.  Comment below or contact us with your thoughts and ideas and as always SHARE us with your friends, family, co-workers...anyone who has a similar passion to help those in need here and around the world.

As always

Jeremiah 29:11
 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Opportunities

Here at 29:11 Inc. we have some exciting opportunities we want to share with you - our loyal supporters.  

Again, let me start off with saying thanks!  We truly love everyone who takes the time to read our blog, support us financially and pray that God will be glorified by what we are doing at 29:11 Inc.   

Our first totally awesome bit of information is that we have the opportunity to share our passion with a local church.  We will be attending a service, sharing our passion, vision and plans with a local congregation and taking a love offering.  Anyone out there starting a non profit knows how difficult it can be to get your information out there and get support financially.   

If you would like to have us come and share who we are and what we do just contact us using the "e-mail us" bar to the left!!

                                                    

      

Our second awesome 
opportunity is to partner with another non profit, Eternal Outlook.  They are an organization focused on helping people discover their gifts and create opportunities for them to serve.  They also help promote ministries (like us) to get more stable financial support.  As we have said, ministry isn't free, and we think it is awesome that God has connected us with others whose vision is to help organizations like ours.  


We are extremely excited about these recent opportunities!  Almost as excited as this adorable little guy! 







The last thing we want to share with you comes from our friend over at Babbling Abby and it fits where we are and what we need to remember:

For now  love and prayers! 

Jeremiah 29:11
 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Updates!!

First of all we want to say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for continuing to follow, pray for, & support 29:11 Inc. even though we haven't been updating our blog like we should.

We are making changes to keep you informed so you can help make our dream of 29:11 Inc. grow, and change the way communities worldwide support their homeless and orphaned children. 

We understand that not everyone can help overseas or support us financially - that is why we urge you and your circle of friends and family to pray.  Stay informed as to current and future goals, opportunities, and needs so you can be praying for 29:11 Inc., our members, volunteers, and those we are serving. 

We also hope to have local volunteer opportunities so check back with us regularly to see how you can get involved!!

Yesterday we had a meeting. Several decisions were made and ideas were discussed. Here are our most recent updates: 

* money was earmarked to file for our  501(c)(3) and our legal partner is moving forward with that process 

* a Social Media Coordinator was elected  - this is something we are excited about and we hope you are as well - we promise to do a better job keeping our supporters & followers informed and updated and keeping all of our social media linked 

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on Twitter

* we discussed an upcoming trip to Kenya and how exactly God would have us move - please keep this is your prayers as we have heard "go" but not many other details - specifically when

* an idea was brought up about partnering with a church we are currently connected with to create a day center for children - we will post more details regarding this project along with pictures later this week

*cookies were had by all (well almost all ha ha) if you haven't had fresh cookies from Panera you should!!

Okay, so that last part didn't have much to do with the meeting but I think it is relevant information for anyone reading who lives near a Panera Bread - and hey, maybe they will support us for giving them a shout out! 

For now, that's where we are. Focused, planning, praying & listening...

Jeremiah 29:11 

  For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Zumba for a Great Cause

Please come out to Covenant Church in Shepherdstown, WV
Saturday, April 20th from 11-1
Tickets are $10

This is 29:11's very first fundraiser. Please come out and support such a great cause.
Kenya 2013 is coming up fast. Lets Zumba and raise money together!