Stories, News & Updates...

Valdosta Daily Times Recognizes Heart to Heart

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:45:25 -0500

Heart to Heart
Mentoring program pairs girls with women in the community
Valdosta Daily Times - Johnna Pinholster - Thursday, January 28, 2010
Story Link Here
VALDOSTA — A group of women are striving to change the futures of young girls.
Developed by Heart to Heart, a local organization formed in 2008, the mentoring program for young girls will host an open enrollment from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday at the Mildred M. Hunter Community Center.
The goal of the mentoring program is to pair girls between the ages of 10 and 18 with women in the community and have monthly activities that bring everyone together, Diane Howard, volunteer, said.
Howard said she and others were prompted to develop the program after hearing Andre Newson of the Mildred M. Hunter Community Center speak at a gathering of ministers and residents following the mass shooting at Hudson Dockett.
Though the Heart to Heart program will have a Christian foundation, the participating girls will be exposed to a variety of different academic and social activities, she said.
Volunteer Denise Famellette said they want to provide girls with different opportunities for their life.
“We want them to see different lives for themselves, to learn about themselves and discover what their gifts are to create a different life,” she said.
The volunteers met earlier in the week to discuss development of the program and some, through other organizations they participate in, already have girls who want to be a part of the program.
At the forefront of the organization is the goal for mentors to be a guiding force in a girl’s life.
“Through our love, we can show them His love,” Kerry Montgomery, volunteer said.
Famellette said that she can relate to many girls’ stories, especially those fraught with uncertainty.
She ended up in Valdosta after being sent to live in a group home. A disruptive home life in Dalton made her uncomfortable with living at home with her mother, she said.
It got to the point where she found a mattress in the woods, placed it in a tree and covered herself with cardboard boxes at night because she didn’t want to be at home.
One night, when it started to snow, Famellette said she came to the realization that she could no longer live the way she was living and the next day at school she told a counselor about her situation.
She was then sent to a group home.
Famellette said she wants girls to know they can take their gifts and God’s love and create the kind of life they want for themselves.
“It’s so important to show that God loves them right where they are,” Famellette said.
The organization is still in the beginning phases, and Howard said she is trying to arrange a regular meeting place and transportation.
Howard said she has already been amazed at the outpouring of support from the community.
The first event the group will attend is the Pure Love Conference on Sunday, Feb. 21, at Mathis City Auditorium.
Though an open enrollment is scheduled for Saturday, Howard said girls and mentors can sign up at anytime.
To learn more about the program, including how to get involved, call Diane Howard at (229) 244-3998.

Heart to Heart News!

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:20:51 -0500

Praise be to God! The past month has been one of praying and waiting on the Lord’s directions for Heart-to-Heart Mission. I must confess, praying comes easy but waiting on the Lord doesn’t.

You may recall my last H2H message announced a girls’ mentoring program meeting to be held January 30, 10 AM, Mildred Hunter Community Center. Because Parks and Recreation facilities are used every night of the week and on Saturdays for existing programs, H2H cannot schedule regular meeting at Mildred Hunter Community Center or at any Parks and Rec. facility.

Thank you for praying for God’s provision for H2H to host programs for youth as well as their families. God has opened several doors, all to the same location: the LEILA ELLIS BUILDING, 601 N. Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia 31601. This building houses LAMP and some agencies. H2H will have access to the meeting room in the Leila Ellis Building and a designated H2H space will come soon.

Monday night, Jan. 11, Larry and I meet with the LAMP Board and Heath Strickland, LAMP Ex. Director, requesting H2H be “adopted” by LAMP as an arm or extension of its ministry. The details of this “adoption” process are being discussed and I’ll keep you posted. By being an arm of LAMP, H2H will gain 501c3 status which allows donators to receive tax-exemption on their gifts to H2H. Also, H2H will be eligible to apply for grants and funding from private foundations. Note “private foundations” not the government. While Christians must render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, we should not expect Caesar to provide for us. God is our provider, Jehovah Jireh.

Please continue to pray for God’s provision for H2H as we stay focused on pointing the way to hope for the lost, the hurting, the needy in Valdosta. And we know that way is the only way—through our Savior Jesus Christ.

Praise be to God for the individuals and groups have already stepped forward and offered to share their time, talents, and treasures with others. One group, Project 363, is working with Mark Stalvey, Ex. Director of Valdosta Housing Authority, to build a shelter or pavilion at Hudson Dockett housing for groups (churches, Sunday School classes, Bible study groups, etc.) to host outings for the residents. More to come on the details of this building project.

Calling all women—young and not-so-young who are interested in being involved in the Girls’ Mentoring Program. Please contact me ASAP (dhoward202@mchsi.com, 229-244-3998, or 229-560-5692) if you would like plan an activity or help with an activity or be a mentor. We will meet January 26, 6-8 PM, at the Leila Lee Building, 601 N. Lee Street, to map out the Girls’ Mentoring Program. This evening will be the first time all those interested in being on the women’s mentoring side of the program will meet.

Then, January 30, 10-11 AM, Mildred Hunter Community Center, H2H will begin the official sign-up process for girls, ages 10-18, who wish to enroll in the program. Attached is a flier. Please pray for God’s prompting those girls He will call to be mentored. And by the way, I’m praying for His prompting those women He will call to be mentors. Please join me in that prayer.

Please share this message with interested folks. And please contact me if you have questions. dhoward202@mchsi.com, 229-244-3998, or 229-560-5692

Cross Examine

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:47:15 -0500

Cross Examine is a bold new Christian television program from Coral Ridge Ministries that is set to launch in 2010. This weekly news-magazine program will be hosted by Del Tacket - author, architect, and teacher for Focus on the Family's "Truth Project;" and veteran broadcaster, John Rabe.
Cross Examine is a new kind of TV program that will bring viewers riveting real-life stories to help them understand life in light of the Cross and in light of the Bible. This is an outstanding program worthy of your full support!

Applying Biblical Truths

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:00:39 -0500

We have completed all of our “Tours” of Focus On The Family’s The Truth Project, but we are far from done! Sunday night we began a new section of our Biblical Worldview Study.
“Applying Biblical Truths”, our next study, will take us a little deeper as we continue to stare into the face of God. Very exciting!
We hope you will join us on Sunday evenings at 6pm for our Biblical Worldview Study. If you can’t make it, you may follow along by viewing the slides as the recorded audio presentation plays. We will try to make them available as soon as possible.
Thanks and God Bless!

"Hegel and the Power of 'Crisis'"

Wed, 6 Jan 2010 21:39:35 -0500

One of the most prominent philosophers of the 19th Century was G. W. F. Hegel. Discarding an absolute notion of truth, he saw today's "truth" merely as a passing "bloom" in an evolving process of new "blooms." Ideas and truth advance, he believed, only as ideas come into conflict. This occurs when a counter idea (the antithesis) arises to challenge the status quo (the thesis). It was this "conflict" or "crisis" which brought about the "higher idea" (the synthesis).

Marx and Darwin applied this notion to the social and biological realm. Marx and Communism stood on a pillar of revolution. The "higher social order" could only arise from the "crisis" of conflict — the proletariat arising to battle the bourgeoisie. Darwin and Neo-Darwinian theory see the higher biological order arising only from a life and death struggle — as favorably mutated forms win the battle for survival over the less fortunate ones.
I hear many Christians propagate a form of this "Hegelian" thought by stating: "Well, you know that real growth only comes out of a crisis."
I challenge that. (Ha! My antithesis!)
It is true that the Lord CAN bring good out of evil and out of a "crisis." But that is because of His grace, not necessarily because of His design. The famous verse in Romans 8 states this: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Notice that the promise isn't for everyone and "all things" certainly must include both "blessings" and ordinary events as well as the bad stuff or "crises."
This is much different that saying good "only" arises from a crisis...
To read the rest of this story, visit Del's blog, Truth Observed...

Greetings from Heart 2 Heart

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:28:56 -0500

With reflections of 2009 and plans for 2010, I send you this message from Heart-to-Heart (H2H).

On December 19, some of the children and their parents who live at Hudson Dockett were special guests at a Christmas celebration. These children and their parents are friends of Michael Barlow and Justin Patten and residents of Hudson Dockett. Praise be to God for the relationships Michael and Justin are building with the residents of “the Dockett.”
And praise be God for bringing individuals and groups to minister along side Michael and Justin by providing a home cooked dinner, many gifts for the youth , and Bibles for the parents at the Christmas celebration for the seven families which included thirty-three children and eight adults. Having visited all the mothers and having prayed with many of them, I know they appreciated being remembered at the time of our Savior’s birth.

Now for 2010. These families and countless others need to know the hope that only Jesus Christ can provide. The government is not and can never be the savior for these folks or for any of us for that matter. Only Christ can give us everlasting hope—which is all that really matters. Food, shelter, and clothing plus bikes, dolls, jewelry, toys, and games may be needs and wants of us mortals, but these things only matter for the short term on this earth.

So the focus of H2H in 2010 is to continue providing hope for the lost, the hurting, the needy in Valdosta. The earthly needs of food, clothing, and shelter seem to be covered by the government, many agencies, and some churches while the toys of Christmas are usually provided by many individuals. Now, let H2H point to way to hope—Jesus Christ—in 2010.
Many individuals and groups have already stepped forward and offered to share their time, talents, and treasures with others. What is needed is a place or location for these folks to implement programs and activities for youth and their parents. Please pray for God to provide a place where these youth live: Hudson Dockett and Ora Lee West. The youth need a safe haven for planned out-of-school activities to be held from 3-6 PM, the hours most youth are vulnerable to temptation and “adventure” in the street. Several proposed programs include (but are not limited to) a mentoring program; computer training; nutrition, health, and hygiene instruction; time and money management; child care instruction; academic tutoring in math, language arts, science, and social studies areas; arts and crafts activities; field trips to local business, centers, and parks for learning.

At this time the only program scheduled is mentoring for girls. The first meeting to introduce the program and to begin enrolling girls will be held January 30, 2010, 10 AM at Mildred Hunter Community Center. Please tell anyone interested about this meeting. I will prepare and send out a flier soon. Needed are girls ages 10-18 who want to be mentored, mature young women and older women who want to be mentors, and much prayer for God’s will to be done. And, places at Hudson Dockett and Ora Lee West are needed for this girls’ mentoring program to continue after this initial January 30 meeting.

Please contact me, Diane Howard at 229-560-5692, 229-244-3998, or dhoward202@mchsi.com, if you know of girls, young women, or older women who are interested. And contact me if you have questions or need more details.

Mentoring Program

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 21:23:20 -0500

Praise be to God for His grace and mercy!

At the Heart-to-Heart meeting last night, Michael Foster discussed the details of the monthly Boys’ Mentoring Program at Mildred Hunter Community Center. Since this current program is for boys only, the need for a girls’ program is apparent. Several of the women stepped forward to begin a girls’ program in January 2010. The date, place, and format are to be discussed in the
next few weeks. Organization of the girls’ mentoring program will be led by Kristi Godwin, Vivian Sabbath-Vaughan, Mallory Cowart, and Diane Howard.

If you are interested in volunteering and being involved in the Girls’ Mentoring Program, please contact me at dhoward202@mchsi.com, 229-244-3998, or 229-560-5692. And please share this message with others.

Even if you are not led to be involved in the girls’ or boys’ mentoring programs, please pray that God will be glorified as we share His love and present the message of His saving grace to the youth of our city.

Diane Howard

"Who Will Be the Next Stepping Stone?"

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:36:08 -0500

The story of the Pilgrims, and Thanksgiving in general, has been reduced to some sterilized icon of people in funny hats & clothes who said "thank you" to the Indians. Not that there is anything wrong with saying "thanks" to folks around you, but the deeper story of the Pilgrims

is often lost in the commercialism and now the crazy advertising of "Black Friday."
Which, by the way, in our town starts at 4am! Can you believe that?
No offense to those of you who will get up at 2am or earlier and rush down to stand in line in 20 degree weather to spend your money. I wouldn't do that in the middle of the day, let alone the middle of the night. But... to each his own!
However, the story of the Pilgrims runs deeper than just a "thank you." I have often quoted William Bradford, their first governor, where he states of them: "Last and not least, they [the Pilgrims] cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least of making some way towards it, for the propagation and advance of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world, even though they should be but stepping stones to others in the performance of so great a work."
This "zeal" to lay "good foundations" or merely end up being a "stepping stone" for others is quite remarkable and extraordinary in our day of "it's all about me and my story" outlooks and attitudes.
See, the Pilgrims were carrying on a Christian tradition... a Christian "worldview." It is a worldview that sees our lives as not the center of the known universe, but as a part in the larger story of God. They used the word "Providence." And they were standing upon the foundations of those who came before them... stepping on the stones that others had become so that they, too, might walk onward....
To read the rest of this story, visit Del's blog, Truth Observed...

Acquiring Perseverance

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:05:22 -0500

The Lord thy God will putout those nations before thee by little and little.
Deuteronomy 7:22

We are not to expect to win victories for the Lord Jesus by a single blow. Evil principles and practices die hard. In some places it takes years of labor to drive out even one of the many vices which defile the inhabitants. We must carry on the war with all our might, even when favored with little manifest success. Our business in this world is to conquer it for Jesus. We are not to make compromises but to exterminate evils. We are not to seek popularity but to wage unceasing war with iniquity. Infidelity, popery, drink, impurity, oppression, worldliness, error; these are all to be "put out."
The Lord our God can alone accomplish this. He works by His faithful servants, and blessed be His name. He promises that He will so work. "Jehovah thy God will put out those nations before thee." This He will do by degrees that we may learn perseverance, may increase in faith, may earnestly watch, and may avoid carnal security. Let us thank God for a little success and pray for more. Let us never sheathe the sword till the whole land is won for Jesus.
Courage, my heart! Go on little by little, for many littles will make a great whole.

Charles Spurgeon

Heart to Heart

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:04:24 -0500

January 2008 God impressed on several people in Valdosta to come together and to work together for the sake of the youth in our city. This movement became known as Heart-to-Heart. For about a year, we not only held meetings to talk about problems and needs, but also we actually did things with and for youth.
As Mayor Fretti stated at the community forum held at City Hall Annex on Friday, the kids got our attention last Sunday night with the mass shooting in our city. And, God got my attention!
I have confessed my failure to stay the course with Heart-to-Heart (H2H) and I lost sight of what God had called me to do. I began doing my own thing. I have ask God to forgive me and I now ask those of you who were involved in H2H to forgive me also.
H2H needs to meet and plan ways to reach our youth. More importantly, we need to act. Enough forums, meetings, and discussions have been held. We know there is a problem. We must act. And we must act as our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus has called us to act. We are His. We call ourselves CHRIST—ians. Now we must act as Christians and not just talk like Christians.
Please join us Tuesday, Dec. 1, 6:30 PM at Mildred Hunter Community Center. If you or your groups have ideas to interact one-on-one with youth in our city, please share these ideas. If we all do a little, then the many “little bits” will add up to a lot and make a big difference.
Andre Newsom will share information about the mentoring program he has implemented at Mildred Hunter Community Center. Learning about this program is a good springboard for discussing and making plans for us all to do a little.
We have a problem in Valdosta. It is not a southside, eastside, northside, or westside problem. It is a city-wide problem. We are all affected. We are all responsible. We should all seek God’s direction for what He would have us do. And then we should do it!!!
Please come and invite others who are called by His name to come on Dec. 1, 6:30 PM.

To God be the glory,
Diane Howard