I received 100 dollars during the Bless Back weekend, as did my wife...She and our youngest son had an amazing encouter the very next mornig. Weeks later, my one hundred dollar bill was still in my wallet. Then, on Mother's day I "blessed" my wife by taking all three of our boys out of the house for a few hours to run some errands. They wanted to get some "fake" flowers for an arrangement on mommy's table; so we stopped into Michaels. As we were looking around, I saw a man I knew through our practice (I am a physician).He had recently lost his wife who was in her early forties to metastatic breast cancer that she was fighting for the last few years.I knew her as well. She held that family together (like many women do) and I believe she held out the last few months to see her first grandchild born to her teenager daugther who has also been through some tough times. Her pregnancy was unplanned and she recently got out of a bad relationship with her boyfriend (the father of her baby).
The man in Michaels was buying flowers to place on his wife's gravesite and perhaps he was buying flowers for his daughter's first Mother's Day. I explained his situation to my three young boys (ages 6, 5 & 3) and asked if they wanted to bless him (if only a little)with our one hundred dollars. All agreed enthusiatically and my 5 year old who loves to give gifts took the money and walked up to him and told him the money was for him because Jesus loves him. He looked at me and I assured him this was true and explained the Cove's project. He was touched and thankful and then got down on one knee at eye level with my boys and thanked each of them and then engaeged them in some small talk for a few moments. As we walked away, my kids asked if would be hard to live without a mommy...I told them it would be impossible -- without the love of Jesus. We were all very thankful for our "mommy" that day and I think we were equally blessed by the gift we gave.

Hands and Feet Service at Summit Assisted Living

After volunteering at Summit for over a year with my now 11-year old daughter, Heidi, we both realized that the needs of seniors were so great that the two of us alone could barely scratch the surface. There were so many seniors, some with no local family, and we saw loneliness and people needing love everywhere we turned.

Heidi and I were so blessed by the seniors that we were able to work with. Everytime we left Summit, we were energized and excited that through Christ, we had been able to make a difference in someone elses life.

When Carey Manning asked the outreach team for service project ideas, I was thrilled at the opportunity of introducing volunteers to the joy of the seniors at Summit! As so often is the case, I forgot how BIG our God is. I told Carey I could get by with as few as 12 volunteers if I had to.

Thinking that I would only have enough volunteers to service the traditional seniors at Summit, I planned a two hour event where Bingo, crafts, nail polish, and refreshments would run consecutively in two activity rooms.

One of my first responses was from Denise. Her lifegroup would provide refreshments for the 60 residents and all of the volunteers! What a blessing. Refreshments taken care of with one conversation!

The week the service project list went out, my phone began to ring, and ring, and ring : )
My e-mails were multiplied. Before I knew it, I had over 25 volunteers. That gave me enough volunteers to include the Alzheimer's ward in our service project as well!!! Heidi and I have a special place in our heart for this group as this is where we focus our time, so it was such a blessing to have enough volunteers to serve them as well.

By Thursday, I had more volunteers than I needed, but these were mothers with young children calling and serving seniors is a perfect family opportunity. Since Summit has limited gathering spaces, I arranged for the children to play in the outside courtyards so that seniors could sit on the patio and watch them play.

The morning of the big event arrived. There were already Summit volunteers in the parking lot when I arrived. Volunteers from The Cove began to come through the door in large numbers!!! We had more volunteers than Summit residents.

To open the organizational session I lead people in singing, This Little Light of Mine. The entire group joined in and it was obvious God's light was with us. God was going to Light Up Summit place and the lives of its residents.

The volunteers touched residents in more ways than I could have imagined. Once we had the main activities covered with volunteers, I asked for a group of volunteers to go and visit individual rooms to talk to those residents who were not able to get out and enjoy the festivities. Volunteers were taking refreshments to rooms. Then volunteers began to offer nail polishing to residents in rooms.

My litter of 7 Whoodle puppies, were scattered all over the place. Both children and residents loved holding 5-week old bundles of fur. Residents were cuddling the puppies and big smiles radiated from their eyes and mouth!

The two hours was over in no time. I was hearing incredible stories of how much fun the volunteers and residents had.

One of the residents said it felt like it was Christmas or her birthday. She had never felt so special.

I was hearing stories from volunteers about residents that they had met that I had never heard of. The residents had so enjoyed the volunteers they begged them to come back to see them.

Families were so excited to have found a way that they could demonstrate the importance of service to their children. Children were given very special treatment, smiles and hugs by residents whose children and grandchildren had long ago grown up.

God was with us at Summit during the hands and feet service project. I'm not sure who was most touched - the residents, or the volunteers. God's light was there for all to see.

We ended up with 89 volunteers!!! Next year, I plan to include Churchill and Genesis in the outreach mission. God knows how desperately seniors need our love and he will provide Cove volunteers to meet their needs.

Thanks to all who participated. God Bless

Alice

Due to work, I missed church the weekend of the Big Give but Lainy and the kids got an envelope for me. I was fortunate enough to receive $50. I put the $50 bill in my wallet and waited for the right time to show itself to me. The following Sundays I heard great stories of how the BlessBack Project was reaching out to our community. Meanwhile, my $50 sat in my wallet collecting dust.
My brother Dan, his wife Berit and daughter Kristina, are missionaires in Cartagena, Colombia and it finally dawned on me that the Coves' $50 would probably go further there than it would here in Mooresville. So I sent him the entire packet along with the $50 bill and told him to put it to good use.
I guess I was literally passing the buck to him to do what I was supposed to do with the money. Fortunately, he knew exactly where the money could be used best and started the ball rolling.
Lainy and I went to Catagena to attend Kristina's high school graduation on Saturday, June 7th. Dan and Berit had set up a time on Friday for us to visit and bless an individual they had learned about who really needed help.
Angelica, is a 23 year old Colombian who just graduated from the 9th grade. By looking at her, we thought she had cerabral paulsy but she has never been diagnosed. She lives in an area of extreme poverty. She is one of nine children who lives with her mother in a two-room home with a dirt floor in the bedroom. She lives with constant pain in her neck and back and only finds relief while laying down. She has one sister in the local area that helps her.
Out of the nine children, Angelica is the only Christ follower and has walked to church through the pain, so she could be close to Jesus. She knows Jesus is her only way to be free of the pain. She had no idea why these Gringo's were coming to see her.
Lainy and I started to tell her (through translation) of the BlessBack Project and of a church called "The Cove" all the way from North Carolina that loved her and wanted to reach out and give to someone in need.
Although there was a language barrier, there was no barrier in sharing Christ's love that day. Lainy and I felt that The Cove reached over all the miles and touched the hearts of someone who needed help. In return, we were blessed back to see a young lady in such poverty and pain to have so much faith.
Dan and Berit had bought her and her mother some staples - rice, beans and other grocery's. She had always wanted a watch and they bought her a watch. A Spanish Bible was another gift for her.
The $50 wasn't spent completely and Lainy and I, through the help of Dan and Berit, are going to get medical help for Angelica. Starting off with a new neck brace and seeing a specialist may just be the help Angelica needs.
Looking at our pictures brings back so many great memories of the joy the Cove church brought.

Dianne & Dennis Fagone presented us with a Bless Back envelope one day before our 32nd
Anniversary. Michael & I along with Beloved Danielle's Frosty have been struggling with the sudden death of our only child and Most Beloved Daughter Danielle. Dianne & Dennis had given the Blessing to us in hopes we would celebrate our Anniversary with a special dinner. (I had shared with Dianne that Danielle had treated us to a special meal each year for all the years we were married.) Danielle was an inspiration to us at 19 years old. She Blessed our lives with the life she brought to our Family & others and we were now facing life without her. Danielle excelled in school & life by hard work & sheer determination. When adversity was in her path, or the road seemed unclear, she remained optimistic, faithful & loyal to God, Family, Friends & herself. We chose to take this Bless Back donation & apply it to Scholarships that have been established to help other students in Danielle's memory. Education was extremely important to her, & this would help others, something Danielle always did. Currently there are two Scholarships at LNHS, where she graduated Salutatorian '06, one at MHS. The last is at Chapel Hill where she was on the Dean's list along with being a member of the Marching Tar Heels, Pep Band, Mu Beta Psi Musical Fraternity & earning her EMT certification. All the Scholarships require that the recipients exemplify her qualities. Your Blessing has been passed onto others in the shape of Scholarships. God Bless You.

We enjoyed this project very much. We prayed about how we should spend the hundred dollars. It didn't take long. We felt we should give the money to someone how needed a little extra help. You know someone who works hard everyday but still has trouble trying to make ends meet. I was so excited because thats exactly what I thought God was telling me. We thought it should be a monthly bill.Something like the water or the electric.A bill that has to be paid to live. The following day I went to the water company here in Mooresville. I enterduced myself and told about the bless back project at The Cove. At first they acted as if there was know way to pick someone and be fair about it. I asked them to think out of the box and help me help someone else. A crowd had gathered and several people asked what church I went to. The only thing I could think of was what a wonderful way to spread God's word and to let people know about our Church. They needed a day to find the right person and asked would I come back the next day. They made it sound like this was alot of work to find a person and be fair about it. I wanted them to know we appreciated all the work they put into it. So I grabbed a bag of choclates and a thank you card to give them when I went back. The next day I found out the person they chose was a single mother with four kids. Her name was on the list to have the water turned off. They said the money would pay for a couple of months and keep the water flowing for know. The ladies at the office told me thank you and I explained it wasn't my money it was God's money and hopefully this would inspire the to pay it forward. Thank you Cove Church for this experience.

A friend of mine was telling me about his experiences in the Vietnam war, and mentioned that he had a fellow Vietnam Vet. that was struggling financially, and needed to find a job.
I thought this was the perfect time to tell my buddy about the BlessBack Project. I gave my BlessBack money to my friend, he added some of his own, and we helped his Vietnam Vet. friend pay his mortgage, so he could keep his home.
We also worked on getting him a steady job, so he could make future house payments.
The small amount of BlessBack money was a life-changing event for one Vietnam Vet. in need.

Thank you for the "initial push" to give. After giving away my Blessback money, my heart still feels compelled to give. I've finally committed to tithe on a regular basis, no longer just sporadically, plus my Ignite contribution for all three years, and I've been looking for ways to give my own money. Recently I stayed overnight in a hotel and upon leaving, thought about the housekeeper who probably rarely receives her tips since she is "invisible" to those who stay in her rooms. I left a $20 bill on the pillow along with a note that I wanted to bless her Sunday, and our website address. I never knew giving away my own hard-earned money could feel so good! I nearly paid for the order of the person in the car behind me at McDonald's this morning "just because" until I realized that I may need to make sure I had enough for my own order! :)

My family and I relocated to Charlotte one year ago and while the transition went well, we have struggled to find a church home. My job requires me to travel some and because I don't drive due to a vision problem, I often catch a taxi to and from the airport. This is how I met Vandi, my taxi driver. Vandi comes from Africa where many of his relatives still live. The week before we received the offering from The Cove, Vandi had picked me up and his van was really running poorly. He later learned that some costly repairs would need to be made. Vandi made the repairs with money he was not expecting to spend but he knew God would take care of him and his family. As I returned home I remember thinking to myself, if only I could do something to help. When we came to the Cove Saturday evening and received the blessing to pay forward, I told my husband I knew exactly who God wanted me to bless. We agreed to match whatever we received and blessed Vandi with $100.

The real blessing came back to me when Vandi began to share his heart around what he would do with the $100. You see Vandi's mother-in-law had been visiting for nearly a month (her sister had passed here in the U.S.)and she was returning to Africa. It is customary to give a relative something of value upon their departure and following the death of a loved one - but due to the added expenses Vandi was not able to do this, until the $100 blessing from The Cove. As Vandi explained, he could certainly use this for his repairs but because God had blessed him through my gift he did not want that blessing to stop with him but instead he wanted to pass the blessing on to bless someone else. The $100 blessing traveled to Kenya, Africa where God's blessings may be shared and His glory revealed. Thank you for this amazing experience!!

My husband and I each received $5 at the Blessback service. I looked at him and knew immediately what I would do with the money. I had been told that week of a child in my daughter's kinder class who's family had been evicted from their rental home and were going through a great deal of trouble. Two kids, Mom and a boyfriend and they were homeless and moving around from place to place. I got a phone number for them and called them Mom to tell her about this project and The Cove. I asked her if she had a specific need, like a bill that needed to be paid, or rent . She has started working, got an apartment and felt like as soon as she started getting paychecks, they would be fine. (I think there was a bit of pride in the way).

So feeling a little awkward about our conversation, I went to Walmart, bought a small inspirational book of daily devotions and a $100.00 gift card. I put the book and gift card in a gift bag with her name on it and put it in her son's bookbag at school (without anyone knowing).

She looked for me at school one day, hugged and thanked me, and said that the daily devotional is by her bed and she reads it everyday.

The beautiful, bright, little boy has some behavioral problems at school sometimes and amazingly, has been doing GREAT in class lately.

I will continue to pray for this brave mother and her family to know Christ and follow Him.

The Dove House Children's Advocacy Center in Statesville, NC services children in Iredell and Alexander Counties who are victims of child sexual abuse. They provide intervention services and referal assistance through their Victim Advocate Program. They provide prosecution assistance through their trained forensic interviewer and medical care through their sexual assault nurses and pediatrician. They receive 5-6 new cases of child sex abuse a week and work with the victims and their families for 3-4 years making sure family needs are met, victims are in counseling, and perpetrators are finding consequences for their actions.

The Dove House has outgrown their current facility and are in a building campaign as well. With our $200 received in the Bless Back envelopes, the Dove House is a little closer to their new building. There will also be a tile inside the new Dove House that reads "Bless this House - The Cove Church". Maybe that will lead a victim and their family to the Cove Church and Celebrate Recovery one day. Praise God!

Mark received $10 at the church that morning. I took it from him, and gave it to the carhop girl at Sonic who takes my order a few mornings a week. She is a very sweet, young lady who is always pleasant, quick, friendly and accurate. However, the morning that I planned to give it to her, she was absent. I asked the other lady about the young lady, and she had given her the day off since she was taking her GED test that day. I waited until she came back, wished her luck on the GED and told her to treat herself to dinner for working so hard at Sonic and on her test - courtesy of the Cove Church. It has begun a great dialogue between us giving her great joy when she got to tell me that she had passed her test and would now be allowed to get her own drivers license and car.

Since I took Mark's money, he took his own money and treated the shop guys at Brawley Tire and Automotive (where our car was being repaired) to lunch.

I attended 2 services and took 2 envelopes (I came in at the tail end of the first service as I was serving in Cove Kids and didn't know what the envelope was for until I returned for Remix that night!!) One envelope contained $20 and the other $5. I prayed over this money and asked God what I could do for someone for $5. My answer . . . . grow it!! So I asked family and friends (just a few) to contribute to it. I was told that I would get help, but only received a $5 match from one member of my family. Two weeks after the bless back, I received a distressed phone call from a friend. She had ruptured a disk in her back and was in severe pain. She is a single mother with NO insurance and lost her job due to her back problems about 7 months prior. She struggles!! She told me that she had to have a procedure done to her back as an alternative to surgery where they inject a steroid into her back with a needle. The procedure is very expensive, but so much less than the cost of surgery. Her mother helped her with some of the cost and, as it turns out, the doctor and the hospital facility donated the rest. She was thrilled! But she took all of the money she had to put into this. She had gotten a speeding ticket and had paid an attorney $50 to go to court for her so that her insurance wouldn't go up. She had 1 more week to pay the fine or she would lose her license and not be able to work at all for lack of transportation. She was nearly in tears over it. Then I felt the nudge . . . . . this was my mission. I know how hard she works and the adversities she faces in her day to day life. I wanted to help. I now had a total of $30, but the ticket was $140. I am also a single mother who barely makes it paycheck to paycheck. But, I was feeling God very strongly tell me that if I gave this money to her, he wouldn't let me do without. So, I wrote her a check for $140.00 right there and she paid her fine off. A couple weeks later, I received my refund for my amended tax return. This money is for my son's college tuition in the fall, but it got me over the hump. I can pay it back to his college account. I felt it was the right thing to do eventhough I sort of panicked over how I would handle not having that money when I can't even afford to tithe. I struggle so much with that. I know that I'm robbing God, but I just don't have anything left over and usually run a little short each month. Please pray for God to move in my life in a way that a door is opened up to me so that I can fulfill my obligation to Him as that is a huge desire of mine. I just don't know how to do it. It isn't for a lack of desire . . . . just a lack of availability of the funds. But God is so good and I know that something will change so that I can give back to Him for all that He has given to me.

I was so overwhelmed from the unorthodox event. And moved by it. I wanted it to be given to something that really touched my heart. I have my favorite charities that I support but wanted something to come to me. So I prayed about it, and it came to me last Monday night during my Yoga class. There was a request for food at the Harrisburg Food Bank which is apparently almost dry. I knew immediately that was where I was going to spend the money. A real dire need right here in our own community. I wanted to go buy food and bring it, but if I wrote a check to them, my company would match it, stretching it even further. Thank you for this opportunity. It always feels so good to give back. Especially when I am so blessed already.

We recently went to a restaurant in Mooresville with another couple from our life group. A week later we went back and had the same server wait on us as before. I took this as an opportunity to be used by God to bless her. On our first visit to the restaurant she asked us to pray for her children to be healthy. I asked her how her children were as a way to open the door for more conversation. We told her that our church had given out an offering to us to use to bless people and to let them know that there are people who care about them. We added what cash we had in our pockets to the $15 we had received from the Cove and gave it to her in addition to a tip for the meal. It wasn't a lot of money, but I think it made an impact on her. She started to tear up and we told her that God loves her and sent us there to bless her. I don't know how that gift impacted her, but I could tell it did in some way. I know that we planted a seed in her heart that day or watered one that had been planted before and I know that someday someone will reap the harvest in that person. I had so much fun taking advantage of the opportunity that God gave us to bless this lady. It was so easy to give and so enjoyable that I have looked for other opportunities to bless people out of our own pockets. Thanks Cove for starting this project.

I received $50 from the Bless Back Project and, as many people, have struggled with what to do with the money. I have a co-worker who walks in the Relay for Life every year. I decided to give a $40 donation to her for The American Cancer Society and use $10 to buy a memorial for a friend who passed away from cancer two years ago. We all come in contact with someone that has been touched by cancer, be it a family member, friend or co-worker. Please remember to keep all those touched by cancer in your prayers and pray that they remain strong in their walk with God.

I was so excited to run out and Give the blessback money to a person in need or someone who would be touched, instead decided to pray about where this money would lead me. This is God and his awesome works! My fiance' mother is a Catholic Nun in a poverty convent located in Massachusettes and their building a new convent or trying to buy a building to use as their convent. My fiance' was not present at the blessback weekend and didn't receive an envelope but he decided to match whatever I brought home and send it to his mom for their building campaign. I was thrilled with joy to add my envelope that I received and send it along to the convent, and my son loved the idea and added his envelope too. This love is spread from one Church of God to another. I thank You Cove Church for igniting our hearts with the amazing works by letting God shine daily.

When my wife and I recieved the Bless Back offering we waited til we got home and prayed before opening it. We both had 100.00. But at that time niether of us had any indication of how God wanted us to give it. Our children heard us talking about it, asking each other if God has given a person to Bless with it yet.
It's amazing how God uses children. Our kids at the same time reminded my wife and I of a co-worker who has breast cancer. She is out of work, for medical reasons with no pay. So we all pray about it and we all felt God wanted the money to go to her and he wanted us to add to it. I had called her and talked to her for awhile, asked her if I could see her. Took her the money and explained to her about the Bless Back. She has returned back to work and is doing good. She is a Christian woman and we have great talks about her church and The Cove. She is amazed at what the church had done. It helped her with her bills while she had no income. I now receive alot of spiritual emails from her and that helps me get thru tough times at work.

Brittanie hobbs, I gave it to my teacher to buy supplies.$10.00

I am Tom and Lori Buzze's son. I am currently deployed to Iraq right now. My dad told me about this project and that he bought 7 books with the money him and my mom received. The book store is also sending 7 books to random troops in Iraq. I got the books in the mail and explained to the people i gave books to what it was for. Staff Sergeant Benge, said that it is amazing that a church would do what you are doing, and thought it was a great idea. He said he hopes this project works and brings people closer to God. He read the book and said it was an outstanding book. Doc James, also said that it was amazing that a church would do this. He said he hopes people will take it for what its worth and read the books and that it will help bring these people closer to God. He also said the book was very good. Private First Class Byerly also got a book. he said that is an amazing story, and he hopes the book will help him continue to grow spiritually and bring him closer to God. Byerly said he knows he needs to be closer to God and thanks you for doing this. I also got a book. I thank you for giving my parents this opportunity to help us out. Especially being over here, we really have to trust in God. I know i need to grow spiritually and i am sure this book will help me out a lot. The other 3 books are going to be turned over to Captain McCammon, who is our Chaplain. He will decide who is in need of Gods help and give them the books.

As I think back to the night that the blessback project began, I still can not believe it. My husband and I, along with our three girls, attend the 5:30 service on Saturday nights. Here lately it has been a struggle for all of us to attend together due to my oldest having a weekend job, traveling with soccer, friends sleepovers, etc. etc. However, on this night God had us all right there together. I watched as my children tore into their envelopes. They could not wait to see how much was inside. However, my husband and I both saved our envelopes for a more quiet, private time alone with God. You see we knew that the amount of money in the envelope was not relevant to what God was calling us to do. We knew that it was not about money. God was asking us to do something that would call us to sacrifice far beyond the $350.00 we received as a family. We were just very unclear of what it was. The following week a student of mine who is in foster care was removed from her foster home. The foster mother emailed me to let me know about the situation. Immediately, I called social services to talk with her social worker. I kept thinking of how many times this child had been moved around over the past several years. I kept thinking about my own three children and what it would be like for them to be taken to a strange house to sleep in a strange bed. I kept thinking that this child must feel so alone and wondering if anyone had ever told her about Jesus. I did not know if I would ever see her again. I immediately called my husband and told him what had happened. We talked briefly about the situation and then we turned the conversation to the blessback project. It became very clear that we were to do more than use the $350.00 to buy something for this child or provide for her in some way. I called the social worker back and asked if we could take the child into our home. As it turns out, you have to be a licensed foster parent. We were not. I was really shocked when they found other placement for this child because I felt certain that this was what God was telling me to do. The social worker worked like crazy to find a home close by so that the child would not have to change schools and I could remain her teacher for the remainder of the year. I thought that God wanted me to provide her with a family. However, I now know that my family's purpose was to work with the new foster mom, bring the child to the Cove weekend services, and be the one to share Jesus with her. In the meantime, God has also led my husband and I to sign up for the classes to become a licensed foster family. It was not about the money. It is about sharing Jesus. Thank you Cove Church for the challenge.

hi there, I kept my envelop in my back pocket hoping for the divine intervention. I was at anouther church for a speaker meeting and this group is trying to raise money for the catawba correction faciliy to buy breafast to the inmates and to attend 12 step program and to intruduce God and teach inmates from sturggles and to get to 12 meetings the imates can be introdued to step 2 and 3. Dan has been trying to get contributions and thery were alwasy slim ddonations.HE had brought a scrated out flyer to put at the coffee pot, hoping for doanatins.. hasked how it going he said , very slim; I pulled out my envelope and asking to open it.. It was 50$ and he was so excited. Dan spends a lot of his times to help the inmats have hope through GOD, and try to become members of society. It was an exciting moment and will contiue to give for that cause. I would also look at the correction units for the women. This progam can lead manyy more to christionity! Yeah more areas of help that Our ignite definitely makes a good differece!!! Thanks Mike! ps., I love vounterreing with Louis at Churchill! Bot my parents attend when they come and you can count me to help Loius!! This Sr . Living churchill is such a spiritual service and it goes beautil and smoote with not reherse!! It is awsome. I belive I have my found my outreach ministry with Loius and Donna and look forward to more beautiful precious services and Churhill! Loius is doing a fabulous job and we all love him! See you Sunday ! Pry for my mom feels better , I would love to take her and my dad. He had to go to aalz unit be are working on it!!!Thank you .

I received $20 from the blessback project. Our Lake Norman High School FCS (Fellowship of Christian Students) Club had been struggling in attendance and most people didn't even know we existed. I decided my $20 could be used to find a way to bring least a few people to our club. Me and our leader tried to think of a way to attract people and we came up with chick-fil-a as the best option. So we used the $20 as well as some of our own money to fund these biscuits we were going to get. We also thought we should get a speaker so we called up Chad; and got him to come to our meeting, and do a little message on fellowship. When our meeting started, we had about 30 people there (about 2-3 times our normal attendance). Chad gave a message that was amazing and had an evident impact, as well as the biscuits that we gave out. It was nice that the whole day we were hearing about how much these people liked our meeting by telling their friends about our club. It felt good to see people who were evident Christians, who didn't know our club existed, but now do. Thank you Cove

About two years ago I met a family in my neighborhood that had 2 children. One was a little older than my son and they played together, and the other was a little over a year old. The first time I met the mother, I knew that God wanted me to do something with them , but I didn't know what. I told my husband about the feeling I had, we knew that they didn't have any money and that something just wasn't right. The husband and wife were on again ,off again and we kind of took the older child under our wing. We brought him to church with us more often than not. I bought him a bible and talked with him alittle about Jesus. However this wasn't exactly where the Lord wanted me to work. We had been inviting the mom to church for sometime, but she could never make it. When we did the bless back project we knew that this was where our money needed to go. We bought the mom a tank of gas so there would be bo excuses for not coming. We told her that she needed Jesus in her life and that was the only way she was going to get through all this mess. However she still didn't show up. Come to find out she was staying in a shelter for battered women and was trying to keep it hidden. She told me one evening that she would like to talk to me. The next day she came over and shared alot of personal info and I ended up praying with her to receive Christ there in my living room. The next Sunday she came to church with us, and last Sunday she got baptized! Praise the Lord. I told her that Jesus didn't promise that everything would be easy, but He did promise that He would never leave us or forsake us , and everything that was happening was happening for a reason. She didn't ever have to worry about going through these rough times alone. She still has many needs but she is certainly on the right track and the bless back project was the perfect way to open the door! Thanks- James and Nancy Meyer

I shared my money with a dear friend who needed some time away as a mom to regroup. We went out for a doughnut and drink and talked about God and our children. Thank you for sharing this money so that I could show God's love to my friend who needed it.

I did not give my name on this one because i gave some money to a girl at my school today who I felt God was leading me towards but i kept it anonymous. I felt he kept pushing me to give her the money to help her out in something she is doing. I still have a little bit left from the 1000 dollars I recieved and plan on spending it as soon as God leads me in the right direction!!!!

GOD BLESS!!!

I recieved $5.00. My son recieved $50.00 and knew right away what he wanted to do with it. I was mystified. I prayed about it over and over.
I had opportunities to give but God wasn't speaking to me about it. I would ask God "Is this it?" and get no response.
2 weeks went by and still I hadn't found my opportunity. I was becoming discouraged. How could I have gotten five little dollars and be having such a hard time finding my opportunity?
Then Mike spoke about his experience last weekend and mentioned that he too got $5.00. He too was looking for the opportunity to give but kept hearing God tell him to reach into his own pocket. I was so encouraged! I don't have much to give on my own but twice I did reach into my own pocket and gave to others because God didn't tell me that was my $5.00 opportunity.
God was working through me all the while!
Then this morning I saw a man sitting rather dejectedly on the curb outside of my school. I heard God speak..."This is it". I went in and did roll call and decided that if that man was still sitting outside I would make my move. Of course he was still there.
I walked up, told him the story and handed him the money and card. He told me he had just moved here from Florida with nothing but the clothes on his back. This $5.00 was going to enable him to eat that day. He was waiting for the store to open so he could try to get a job. I also happened to have the number of a woman that was looking for employees and I gave him that. He smiled warmly we shook hands and I told him to visit the library and check out the Cove's website located on the card I gave him. As I walked away I knew that was my opportunity.
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As a new Christian (saved this last Easter Sunday!) I'm amazed at how often God does talk to me and the opportunities to see miracles every day that I missed all to often before.
I thank God for the Bless Back project. I can't tell you how many opportunities I've had to talk about what the Cove is doing and meanwhile ministering to others the miracles that are taking place in my life since I accepting Christ as my Savior.
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My story is GOD sent an angel to me. My car was broken down on the side of road and I was in a bad area. One man stops to ask me did I need help, but his reply was that he couldn't help because he was late for work. Standing there with my arms across each other, another man comes up and asks me could he push me out of the road. I was so graceful for that push. I thought that I was in debt to him and his son. After that we drove on to my job. This angel replied that GOD sent him to me. I was very puzzled about him after that, because when people come out of their mouth sometimes it's not real at all with their spirit. So he introduced himself as Sean, a man from Christ that Jesus sent to me. He pull out a envelope so I can read what was inside of the envelope, but I felt that he had done enough for me at that time, by pulling my car out the road, into the house of God’s yard safely. Then he turned to me in a nice way to let me know it's going to be alright, and that he is here right with me. Well after we nicely let each other know that it was okay, by him telling me about GOD I opened the envelope read the card then didn't realize what was in the envelope. I tried to give him the package back without being rude. I looked in the envelope again and guess what, he turn to me with a smile and reply to me that my church sows seeds and blesses people in need, and GOD sent him to me because I was broken down and in need. My eyes were filling with tears, but I was so glad that someone looks out for me at that time. These days it's hard to believe in people, because the devil is working at all times on people that aren't saved by Christ. Before I closed his door as he dropped me off at work he smile with a sun-shine face, and said GOD told me to tell you to go and tell people about GOD and Christ. I walked inside the building and started running to tell everybody, from upstairs to downstairs, in my company's building about what happened to me that morning. This Christian saved me from the storm, because I didn't have a lot of money, but he Bless me in a lot of ways that morning. Four things happened afterward in Jesus’ name 1. Didn’t have to pay AAA for them picking up my car from the church 2. Joined AAA team so that it won't ever happen again, with no contract 3. I have a cheaper insurance now 4. I have a new phone. I can really say GOD had a blessing in store for me. Thanks you Mr. Sean, I don't know his last name. Knowing this story I can say that their are "Angels" out there everywhere.

My family attends church in Kannapolis, and had actually never heard of your church before tonight, but I had to share the blessing that we received. The Eddie Waters family, who attend services on Saturday nights, paid us a visit, and filled our freezer with an abundance of precooked meals, purchased with the money from your church. This family did not have to do this at all; they have already given us much in the past, and we were always blessed. Our family is struggling with medical problems. I have end stage renal disease, which means I need dialysis three days a week. My husband, age 39, has cancer.Neither of us is able to work. We have an eight year old son, who, praise God, is healthy and strong. Last Tuesday I had a heart attack. This has been a very difficult week, but we have lived for eight years with very difficult weeks, and we have a very strong faith in God to see us through. Without Him there is nothing. He uses people like the Waters family to lift our spirits and give us reasons to smile. It will be weeks before I have to stand at a stove to prepare supper for my family. How can you doubt the love of a God who puts people like this in your life? The Waters family, Eddie, Remel,and their son Mason, did not give us these meals with the desire to be recognized or praised for doing it. They did it because God led them to. I thank GOd for friends like this, and for the blessings that are clearly being given by the people of your church. God bless you all.

The article in the paper recently involving homelessness in Mooresville has really touched alot of hearts. Particularly the lady mentioned who lives in her car. A Cove family was particulary inspired by her story. They gave their Bless Back money to her. God laid on their hearts that the giving wouldn't stop there. After prayerful consideration, they invited her to live with them. They worked diligently for a week getting her room ready and making sure she would have all of the comforts of home. The lady who was so brave to share her story in the newspaper now has a wonderful place to call "home". She is safe and secure and with one of the most giving families I have ever met.

We have been attending The Cove for a couple of months and love it. The Sunday that we received this money we were astonished that a church would give money to a group of people like this. My daughter received $50 and my son, husband, and myself received $40 between the three of us. At first we thought we would put our money together and do something wonderful. Well, my 14 year old daughter prayed over her money for days. Every day she would tell me the same thing.

My daughter is a dancer at Rhonda's School of Dance. The director's daughter was in an automobile accident last summer and is paralyzed from the neck down. Hannah was such an inspiration for my daughter, Megan. Megan kept telling me that she felt the desire to give the money to Hannah to use for herself. Well God was telling me something else. The sister-in-law of this young lady had to take over the dance business and take a hold of the family. Megan and I talked about how Christy has had to sacrifice herself for the dance business and her family since the accident. So we prayed some more and decided to give the $50 to Christy because she has had to sacrifice herself. She cried and cried and told a friend that she didn't know that she was loved until now.

Well, my son wanted to use his money in other ways. We had a long talk and decided to give the remainder of his money to a needy child in his classroom so that the student could go on a field trip to the Biltemore House.

We have been truly blessed through this experience and was glad that our family had the opportunity to discuss how to bless others and use money wisely.

Hi,
My older son and I received $10.00 and $100 respectively during the bless back service. My son used his $10.00 to contribute to his school's March of Dimes campaign. The family decided to spend the $100 on the children at Barium Springs in Troutman. We called and asked what they needed. The receptionist said one of the counselors had requested a portable CD player. So, We're headed to Walmart tomorrow to purchase that in addition to some basketballs and kickballs for the children to enjoy. This was a great project for our family. Thanks for allowing us to help others.

Teresa
Austin, Ashley and Alex Wrench

I have befriended a family that has had many misfortunes, their grandchild was abused by the dad, they themselves were investigated. They rehabilitate animals for non -profit, this costing them quite a bit of money to do. They are relocating to "disappear" and the lending wasn't all that it was cracked up to be and once they closed on their home, they only had $80 left to their name to move and provide food for their family of 5. A co worker put this envelope in my mailbox and I knew right away what God wanted me to do. I got them a Walmart giftcard, so they could buy things from food for them to animal needs as well! This was truly a blessing.

We put our money together and decided to give it to a single mom that had recently made a life change to follow God more fully. We passed on the bless back money to her one morning, not knowing that she had just lost a crown on her front tooth that morning. She had cried and prayed to God for answers because she did not have enough money to go to the dentist..see, she was to start a job where she would be seen by many people, and she was devestated to think of doing so without having been to the dentist. She was able to get into the dentist that afternoon and started her new job today ! What an amazing "God Thing"

My story is a very simple one, I went thru Cancer about three years ago about the same time Jackie did, so the money went to my Doctors office because they have a booth at the relay of life every year. Jackie and I both had the same doctor office and I wanted to do something so people don't forget, we lost a wonderful member of our church. I also told a friend about what our church was doing and he gave me a top of a race car to have auction off at the relay of life booth.
Annie Raborn

Sam and I attended the Bless Back service and I received $50 and Sam received $20. We have a neighbor who seems to continually experience lawn mower problems. Sam and I combined our Bless Back money and Sam added to that amount in order to purchase a new lawnmower for Frank and Mary. Sam explained that the blessing originated with the Lord and the Cove Church. Frank and Mary live on about $900.00 a month and it was totally beyond their expectations to be able to buy their own mower. God is good and his blessings are boundless. Sam and I experience this on a daily basis. Thank you for helping us to bless those that are less fortunate than we are.

I was blessed by a member of your congregation with a book entitled "If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat." It comes at a time when I'm really making some big decisions and hoping to step out of my comfort zone in ways that I have never done. Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement....

We live in Minneapolis, Minnesota and were blessed by a gift from the Weber family. My wife has struggled with breast cancer for two years and was just put on hospice this past week. Our family of six is heart-broken. We have many medical bills and have tried to work on a strategy to deal with that but this blessing came as a total surprise to us. We are so grateful to the Cove and the Webers and are now taking this idea to our church in inner city Minneapolis where so many need to be "blessed back". Thank you for your blessing and for igniting a flame and passion for "blessing back" many miles from North Carolina.

Like many of you, I was really struggling with exactly what to do with my Blessed back money. I had prayed and prayed about how God wanted me to use this money. A single mom with 4 small boys kept coming to mind. I continued to pray was this the family that I was suppose to bless. I ran into her at a Saturday night at church, I stopped and asked how she was doing. She began to cry, we sent the boys to the car and she and I began to talk, she was still without a job, was struggling to keep gas in her car so that she and the boys to get around. At that moment, I had my answer; this was the family I was suppose to bless. I told her that I wanted her to take my Bless back money and use it for gas so that she could continue to look for a job and be able to get the boys around. She continued to tell me she was going to loose her child-care benefit on Tuesday at 9:30 am if she didn’t have a job before then. We stood in the parking lot and prayed for a miracle for a job before Tuesday morning.

I have to say that God still performs miracles if you just pray, have faith and trust him. Here is her story: It was Tuesday morning and she still had no job. Her deadline was approaching fast she got on her knees and again prayed to God for a miracle. Her phone rang and it was a woman with a Home Health care company asking if she could come and fill out a job application. She said, YES, but was thinking it was too late to keep my child – care benefits. But I thought I have to try, so I called the lady helping me with the child – care benefits and I told her I was trying to get a job really hard. She said all she could do was to move my deadline to 4:00 pm that afternoon. If I found a job before 4:00 pm I would keep my benefits. I said thank you. I run to the interview, when I walked in and started talking with the lady interviewing me attends the Cove and we were in the newcomer/membership class together. She said, I’ll have to give you a job. I asked her today. I explained that I needed confirmation of a job by 4:00 pm. She called and let them know that she was hiring me. I NOW have a great job and still have child-care benefits for my youngest son. GOD does do Miracles.

That day in the auditorium…an offering? My husband and I look at each other. What do we do? Neither of us have any money. As I reached in the box I put back the envelope that I have in my hand and ask the person “One envelope per family?” He says “No everyone takes one.” When we get to the car my husband opens his $10 and I open mine $1,000. He just grins at me….God gave that to you because he knows you’ll do the right thing, he says. We smile all the way home.

We are in the drought of our lives. Concerned about food and gas for the coming week and God gives me $1,000 to bless someone else. I don’t have a dollar in my wallet or checking account for that fact and nothing coming anytime soon and God wants me to give this money away? I have always considered myself a giving generous person but you are talking about the basic needs in life food and shelter. This money would go a LONG way towards our past due mortgage and past due car payment. After some good counsel and lots of talking to God, I know what I have to do. I had to sit on it for a couple of days. Asking God basically are you kidding me? I got quiet with God for the first time.

The first person God blessed with this money in my wallet was a gentleman I started a conversation with at a gas station. My kids wondered why I was talking to a stranger. Thus began the wonderful conversation about these days you can’t speak to your neighborhood because society says they are all bad people. This stranger was Otis Westmoreland Jr. God told me bless this kind man with $100. Otis’s words were “I heard about you Christians doing this kind of thing” “My wife will be so excited” and “God Bless You”

The second person God blessed was “Tammy”. A wonderful waitress who ultimately told all of her 70 co-workers that God had blessed her with $100. Her manager made note of it on the Blessback website. She sent me a couple of cards a few days ago. She included a pin from her company that they give out to staff who go up and beyond for their customers. She said the pin wasn’t much but she wanted me to have it to know what the $100 meant to her. I will treasure it.

Now, here’s where it’s gets interesting. I was sitting at ball practice one night talking about going to Opening Day. One family said they couldn’t commit they were working on one car. I said that’s OK just hope you can make it. Didn’t think much about it then but as the next couple of days went by this family stayed on my heart. Several days went by and I knew I had to approach them to dig a little deeper. I kept asking God well God what if they don’t have another car; I can’t buy a car…what if it’s going to cost more than the $800 I have in my wallet? God kept saying just go and ask. So the next practice I made a beeline to her. I began “tell me about your car situation”?
She said, “I have been laid off and it’s just a matter of getting the money” I asked about how much would it be to fix it? She said $500. Well, I must have been glowing at that point …I asked, “Can you come with me for a minute?” As we walked to my car I asked her if she had heard about the Blessback the Cove was doing, she hadn’t. She said they had come on Easter and loved it and wanted to come back but because her car wasn’t working they couldn’t all come. They were looking forward to coming when their car got fixed. As I reached in my car I began to get emotional. She had no clue what I was about to do, I’m sure she thought I was giving her a bible or a CD, something inspirational. I apologized for getting emotional and I began to say things to her that I didn’t know I had in me. I told her to hang on things would get better and that God would carry her thru. I told her that God was right there with us and this was all about God and not me. As I explained the Blessback she had tears in her eyes too and she said it must show on her. I said absolutely not that this was God answering her prayers. She said her unemployment was going to run out in two weeks and she didn’t know what they would do. I continued to say things that God put in my mouth with tears streaming down both our faces. She still didn’t know I was giving her money. It was AMAZING God was right there. I finally took $500 out of my wallet and placed it in her hand and said, “Here’s $500 go get your car fixed.” Tears streaming down our faces she said, among other things, along with big hugs, “Oh we must go tell my husband.” I said no you just tell him and I’ll see you at church.” God then decided our conversation was over and the bottom fell out of the sky. As the rain came down I sat in my car overwhelmed with what I had just experienced.

As I write this it occurs to me the day I gave the $500 we got a contract for some work, the first time in ages. We will complete the work at the end of the month. Also, I asked God the other day OK God my hair is getting pretty messy how am I going to get a haircut? Then I go to lunch and a friend says hey are you in to spas? I said only if they can cut my hair. She said she had a gift certificate she wasn’t going to use and she wanted me to have it. Now if that isn’t just plenty…

Here’s where it gets really really
interesting. I am still walking around with $300 in my wallet waiting for God to move me in the right direction. While at home today making arrangements on bills to try to push them out one more week, I get a call it’s a Pastor from ANOTHER church. He makes sure I am who I say I am. I confirmed and he says my husband and I need to make arrangements to come by his church that someone has left a $1,000 cashiers check there for us. I wasn’t sure I heard him right and I made him repeat himself. He explained that it was given anonymously and that he didn’t know the person himself. I said I know you aren’t going to tell me and that I should just Thank God. He agreed. Now… this will go a LONG way to those overdue bills. What a blessing.

To say I have really grown through this is an understatement. I can’t thank The Cove and God enough for bringing me here. Funny thing we started going to The Cove at the beginning of the Journey of Faith…well no kidding this is truly a journey and I know we have just hit full speed ahead…thanks to the Ignite Campaign!

You can’t out give God!

I was in Life Group and my friend, Donna, who I'm in The Ripple Effect with, mentioned a lady who was found living in her car. She needed a place to live and had literally nothing. So, I told her, along with another friend, I wanted to donate the money I was given. We all praised God for the opportunity!

This project has been such a blessing for our family and I want to sincerely Thank the Cove for this exercise. I, Dan, have been holding on to my envelope and waiting for just the right moment. I was given $5. May not sound like much, but oh it has been. I have had opportunities to sit down for coffee, help someone at the pump, etc,. I have done those things, let them know that God loves them, and what this project is all about and it has been wonderful. I would just give what I had in my wallet....But, I could not let go of my $5 from the Cove. I knew something was coming so I added more to the envelope ($20). My Mother-in-Law has a friend she works with staying at her house with her and I heard in passing that it was because she works forty minutes away and could not afford to go home until Friday when she gets paid. Well, I was driving my son to his fitness class and on the way home, it hit me so hard and I could barely concentrate on driving. I grab my envelope, wrote on it that God loves her and use this for her fuel needs... "Love, The Greenwells and the Cove Church". I gave it to my sister-in-law to take home to give to her, felt good, and went to pick up my son. When I got back... Wow! Apparently, this person's brother called her to tell her she needs to come home because he has had car trouble and would not get to go to work. He was worried. My mother-in-law offered her her last $20 before payday, because it was the right thing to do. Then my sister-in-law, right at that moment, walks in with the the envelope to give to her. They all looked at each other and couldn't beleive it. The presence of the Lord was with them and they felt it. Wow!!
God is wonderful and his timing is miraculous! Praise God and Praise the Cove. Thank you for the experience. It is one me and my family will never forget!

We're new to the Cove and we're really enjoying everything about it... The kids go to Cove Kids and love it too. That's where they were the Sunday that Mike handed out the bless back money. We decided to wait to open our envelope until after church and we were all in the car. I explained to the kids, who are 8,6, and 4, what the envelope meant and what we were to do with it. I asked everyone to think about it, look around each day, and see where God leads us. We opened our envelope and found $5. The kids were thrilled and began to talk about who they wanted to share it with. It was difficult to know exactly what God wanted us to do with our money, as I am a hospice RN and see desperate needs daily. We held on and waited. Our children go to Davidson Day School and on February 17, 2008 a student by the name of Harrison Nichols lost his 5 year battle with Neuroblastoma, a cancer that forms in the nerve tissue. He was a young 3 years old when he was diagnosed and fought a long hard battle until his death at 8 years old. The school has started a scholarship in honor of Harrison that will be given each year to a student in financial need because of circumstances beyond their control. A Physical Ed teacher at the school, Tamara Gallan, ran in the Charlottesville Marathon last weekend in honor of Harrison and asked for sponsors. We felt this was a great way to support an incredible mission. Caroline, our 8 year old daughter, wrote a letter to "Coach Tam" explaining the project and how special the $10. is. (We doubled the gift). We felt proud that it represented the members of the Cove Church. Coach Tam ran the 26.2 miles in 4 hours and 41 minutes and had a great time doing it... We have shared the bless back website and encouraged folks to check it out. We want to say thank you for the opportunity to teach our children the value of giving. You all do a great job at the Cove...

Derek, Mason and I received a total of $25. I explained the BlessBack Project to Mason's kindergarten teacher and asked if she knew of a child in need. After talking to the school princial and guidance councelor, they informed me of a family in need. I purchased a gift card from Foodlion and had Mason take it to school for them. This was a good lesson for Mason, to understand the importance of giving.

I was raised in an independent baptist church so when Mike said we would be taking up an offering I got my purse and proceeded to write a check... then Mike laughed and I found nothing funny about taking an offering. Then the ushers started passing out money and I realized what was so funny (of course, with an explination from my friend).
My first thoughts of receiving this money ($50) were that I am horrible with money I will end up spending it on myself. So I hid the money from myself till I had ample time to pray about what I should do with this money. While I was fervently praying about the money my youngest son's father contacted me. I have to preface this with he has had very little contact with me since I found out I was pregnant, so it was a great shock when he called. He had gotten married about a year after I had our son and was now going through a divorce.
Of course, my mind started racing when he called me but I just prayed about it. I called him back and told him I would love to take him to lunch so we could discuss things. We went to lunch on April 15th (which is his birthday). I had baked him a pound cake for his birhtday and used the money to feed us both.
Now the cool part.... He couldn't understand why I was being nice to him after he just up and left. I had the awesome oppurtunity to share my faith and that it was not me who was being kind to him but Jesus through me. Because in my flesh I could be extremely upset with him (as I was) but through prayer and finding forgiveness myself I was able to forgive him and show him Christ's love when he most needed it.
I gave him the remaining money so he could get a haircut or whatever else he needed to do... once again this shocked him because I am a poor, single mother of 2. I explained to him that this church that I had been attending gave out money for us to bless people with and he was the "people" I chose to bless.
I not only got to bless someone but found out that I was extremely blessed myself! Thank you cove church for giving me the oppurtunity to share my faith!

i live in southern charlotte,i was having a bad morning so i went to eat at a pancake house alone. after enjoying my meal i went to pay and realized that i didn't have my wallet. I was stressed out to say the least. i went home and came back with my money to find that the man in line behind me had payed my bill. he may not have realized but he made my day ... and i can't wait for my opportunity to "bless back"

My story is about a little gift, a little change, and hopefully a little step. I received a tiny book from a member of the Cove Church. The book is "If You Want to Walk on Water You've Got to Get Out of the Boat" by John Ortberg. It discusses Mathew 14:25-33 the story of Peter getting out of the boat in stormy seas because Jesus calls him. It describes the faith that Peter showed to leave the comfort and relative safety of the boat, because he had a higher goal. That wasn't the end of trouble for Peter, but it allowed him to achieve more than the other people in the boat. It is just a matter of faith.
"How much faith do I need? Not a feeling of certainty. Just enough faith to take a step."(p.37) That is my new goal, simply to take a step of faith.

I am a resident of Mooresville, NC. My daughter attends a near by elementary school. She has made friends in school with a little girl who has had to deal with a lot of unfortunate circumstances. Her father had been sick and on disability (unable to work) for awhile. I am sure that we can all imagine what a loss of an income can do to a family. Last week, my daughter’s teacher called me and told me the child’s father suddenly died. Myself and the other home room Mom kicked into “help” mode immediately. We have collected many donations from people in the area including money, clothing, assistance with food etc. to help this family through such a heartbreaking time. The response has been amazing.

A few days ago the other home room mother contacted me saying she had an envelope for me to deliver to the family. It was an envelope full of cash coming from a member/attendant of your church. The card explained that each person in attendance at a certain service a few weeks back was given cash to spread through the community for people in need with the stipulation it couldn’t be given back to the church. The other home room Mom had called a friend to see if they could possibly donate some services to the family. Not only did they do that but they then contacted her with the envelope. I am pretty sure two people pulled their funds from that service to help this family. I can’t tell you what an impact this has and will have on this family. They have not been attending church for awhile although the grandparents do attend a church and hope one day they will return to a church. This money is going to help them buy necessities they need to get them through a period that is going to be agonizing. Mostly though what the money represents is what I think is going to have the largest impact on them. It has really shown them grace and that they are loved by God and people that don’t even know them.

The mother wanted me to be sure to contact the church and the family to say thank you so I am writing to Thank you for the money on behalf of the family and the people that gave the money to this family (From this story they definitely know who they are and I don’t want to expose them incase they would like privacy). I know you may not hear about how every dollar you gave that day is impacting the community but I thought if you heard just one story you could imagine how the other funds are helping others as well. I personally am very touched and inspired by your churches generosity and I know anyone that hears this story will be as well. You really are helping and touch people’s lives through God. God Bless you all and GO COVE CHURCH.

I took Marge out to eat for her birthday and looked over and saw a man there that I knew needed the money. I met this man at Celebrate Recovery and knew that he lost his job. His brother was treating him for Brunch. He was very thankful to get the $5. He brings some very tasty food to CR, yum yum!

A few days before the Cove gave me $50 I saw an article in the Mooresville paper about homeless and poor people in Mooresville. Two men living in a tent and a lady sleeping in her car trunk. Some of these people go to the Soup Kitchen. I kept praying for a certain person for me to meet to give my $50 dollars to and this lady that sleeps in her trunk kept coming to me. Long story short, I went to the soup kitchen, told Jody the director that I wanted to help that lady. I was able to meet her and after many tears hand her the money. I just rec'd a note from Jody that this lady rented a camper with her money so she could have a roof over her head, a locking door and a bed to sleep on. She told Jody after the first night how well she slept. Thank you God for directing me there and for the Cove to give me the money. Incidentally, if anyone would like to have their house cleaned, it's spring house cleaning time you know, contact Jody at the soup kitchen at 704-660-9010 and she can make contact with this lady.

Keith and I decided to spend our combined $70 on items that Barium Springs Children's Home needed. We tried to contact people to see what exactly they needed because their list online was so extensive and where we needed to bring the things we bought. We got no response so decided to raid Walmart and surprise them. We also made sure that every register we checked out at that we told them what we were doing!

Here's what we got...
12 cup coffee maker
Toaster
9 pack of wash cloths
6 bars of soap
4 Deoderants
Can Opener
4 Shampoos
2 Hand soaps
8 Tooth Brushes
Colander
Cutting Board
4 Tooth pastes
2 Pitchers
Measuring Cups
10 Preschool books

We arrived and the people had heard of the Cove Bless Back Project but were amazed that God had lead us to them. We pulled my car around and the staff's eye were huge! My trunk was full. It took several trips for both Keith and I to bring it all in! They were so grateful and said that people only bring them things at Christmas.

I'm not one of your memebers, but I am one of the people that was blessed thru project. On Saturday two weeks ago my husband and I hepled a person in need. The person needed gas and a few groceries so we gave her 50.00 to make it for a few days.
That very Monday while I was out doing my job
one of your memebers stated that when you passed out the offering that Sunday I came to his mind. It's not so much that I needed the money, at that time in my life I needed to be
reminded that God does and still is very near
to us. I would like to thank the person for being and instrument that God used that day to reminded me.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/cindyjahraus

My story is a bit different – we have some very good friends (Joel and Cindy) who were members of the first life Group Jill and I joined back in Goodyear Arizona. We got to know and love this family very much in our time with them and have been blessed beyond words description for having them in our lives. The story begins some 20 months back when Cindy was diagnosed with breast cancer – a particularly nasty version of it that appears now destined to take her life, but in the end that is not what I want to focus on. I want to tell the story of Cindy’s amazing strength, her courage to stand firm and her ability to fan the flames for Christ even higher as she fights this cancer. Never wavering or faltering, she is a true hero for Christ and even now, in her most desperate hour clings to His cloak, rod and staff for comfort. She is an amazing women and throughout this experience she has NOT focused on the cancer - rather - the joy she has that Christ was so active in her life.

I find it astonishing how God can use these stories to minister and witness to people Cindy doesn’t even know both through the CaringBridge site noted above and now also through places like the Cove and the Bless-Back project some 2,000 miles away.

Jill and I too prayed about what to do with the Bless-Back money and our hearts kept falling on Joel and Cindy. Image the mounting medical debt the 20 months of battling cancer can bring - the surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation treatments, pain medications, travel, in-home care and the list goes on and on. So, Jill and I have combined our Bless-Back, doubled it and sent it to Joel with a letter explaining what the Cove has done. We have seen it time and time again posted in this site how God amplifies a small gift and does wondrous things with it when given in His love. It’s my prayer that the $20 I got and the $5 Jill got from the Cove(doubled to $50) given to Joel and Cindy be lit on fire by God and only as He can do and completely cover their medical expenses…

This note was posted by Joel today (4/16) on the CaringBridge site and is a testament to the faith the family has:

“Cindy made the formal decision today to no longer do any chemotherapy. We were told there would not likely be any possibility of curing the cancer now although it may slow the progress. Cindy is so uncomfortable without heavy doses of pain medications that she said she simply cannot live like this. She said "I am waiting for the Lord to take me home now" and she appeared to be totally at peace with that decision. She is a woman of amazing faith and courage. Of course her words were hard for us to hear but when we see her day after day in pain and becoming less and less alert, and knowing that she'll be in heaven with a new body, it's just not right for us to continue to cling to her for our own sake. I discussed it with the kids and we all said the same thing.........we don't want Mom to suffer anymore. Of course we all said that we will continue to pray for divine intervention and healing but if that's not God's will, then we need to trust His plan. We may be heart broken but we'll all be okay knowing our family will all be together in heaven some day. What a promise God has given us to see each other again! That is the only thing that keeps this family going right now. We have been overwhelmed again this week with your show of kindness and affection for our family. I couldn't possibly begin to list everything because honestly, it's overwhelming! We even had about 20 Park Avenue Church singers show up in Cindy's room last evening to sing her all the songs from Park that she said she was missing by not being able to get to church. Talk about a blessing! It was a glimpse of heaven! The nurses even opened the room door so other patients could hear as they felt it was such a blessing to everyone! So again, our hearts may be breaking but our minds are on set on Jesus. God only knows the timing if Cindy passes away, but we trust that divine plan for her. Meanwhile please continue to pray for healing and relief of pain for Cindy and that God would continue to wrap his arms around Cindy and all of our family and friends because that's where our true strength comes from. Joel”

God is so awesome and this family knows it and feels it – even through this trial… What an amazing story they have to share!!!

I had been holding on to my envelpe for awhile praying about how god wanted me to bless someone. My envelope held $50 and I didn't want to use it frivolously. God really showed me a huge opportunity and I took it. I was on my way home from dropping my children off at school and there was a traffic jam. I noticed as I approached that a young lady was blocking the right lane with her hood up. I pulled around in front of her and asked her if she needed help. She said yes, she didn't know what was wrong. After I checked the car, I told her she was going to have to have the car towed as it was either the battery or alternator. I told her I would drive back around through the traffic jam and push her car with my van up into a church parking lot and give her a ride to work. She agreed. As I was driving back through the traffic jam I was reminded I still had not blessed anyone with my bless back project. After I got her car into the parking lot. I offered her a ride to work. As we were on our way she explained to me that the car had been in and out of the shop because it was expensive to fix and she had just gotten it back last night and it just died in the middle of the road. She told me she just didn't know what was next and thanked me for the ride. I then told her about the bless back project at the cove and handed her my envelope. She wanted to know what it was. I told her that Jesus loved her and was leading me to help her and she should open it. She thanked me tremendously and told me I didn't have to do that. I told her again it wasn't me. It was a bless back project from our church and that the lord wanted her to have it and that he loved her. She said she was attending Newbirth Church in Charlotte but I invited to her to our church and showed her the website on my envelope. I pray that she will attend and that she will find the love and grace that we have found at the cove.

My Blessback money, along with additional monies from me, have gone to their rightful recipient, however the spirit of giving the Lord's money is still in my heart.

In my entire life, I've never "won" anything. Last month, a local grocery store where I have a loyalty card you scan each visit, called to tell me I won a $100 gift card from them. It took about 4 weeks to get to me, and last week my son told me his class was collecting mint-flavored gum, altoids and beef jerky for the soldiers. (The first two because they "only brush their teeth twice a week" he said).

When my gift card arrived, we went to that store and bought $50 worth of gum (250 packs)and in the spirit of caring, I also bought a handful the $1.00 reusable shopping bags for my own use, to make my own small difference on the environment. I'll bring those bags with me when shopping at Target, Walmart, grocery stores, etc, and will be able to refuse the plastic bags which I normally save and recycle.

Mike and team... I hope this project boomerangs forever!

Doug had an idea one morning, what if we could take this money and multiply it (kind of like the Big Give, but on a smaller scale). We decided to add our own money to the $10 church has already given ($5 each), and reached out to family and friends to see if they would be willing to contribute too.

We decided to help a family that we know could use it. The daughter (single parent), son and grandmother and grandfather all live together.This family has been living week-to-week, and was renting in the Gastonia area. Recently they inherited a small home and decided that paying mortgage and repairs was better than paying rent month to month. They did not anticipate the amount of work and cost the home would need, as it is currently unlivable without some needed repairs. On top of the costs of this home, they are strapped with their rent payment as well. I anticipate they thought this new home was building to the future, but currently it has added to their already challenging expenses. This family is so gracious and giving in their service to others, we were hoping to ease their burden and help show them love and support.

What began as $10 has turned into over $450 for this family (45 times the original gift). They came to our home on Monday and I asked if I could talk to them. I think Ashley (the daughter) thought there was something wrong. Anyway, I told them about the Bless Back project and then told them that Doug and I had sent an e-mail out to friends and asked if anyone wanted to contribute.
When we gave it to them, we prefaced it by saying that this was truly a God thing and that this was not a gift from Doug or Dee. We told them the response was overwhelming and that some people indicated they were giving, but that we hadn't gotten all of it yet, so there was more to come. We presented them with their gift and needless to say there were tons of tears and hugs. We have talked many times about sometimes a little faith in God, faith in others and faith in ourselves, can open up doors and opportunities to better things. She told us she had been praying about their situation and had faith it would all work out. I don't think she anticipated it would work out this way through the love of others, a little sacrifice and this gift. I think this was an answer to her prays, and can say her faith has grown leaps and bounds. Which in all honesty is what Bless Back is all about. It is not about money, it is about reaching people with the love of God. Thanks for giving us this opportunity to not only share the love of God with others, but experience first hand how giving can grow God in our own hearts.

I was in Christies hallmark store in Mooresville yesterday buying my mothers day cards. There were yellow signs all over asking people to buy cards for our troops. Every isle I went to, every card I wanted, had that "sign" This I believe was GODS sign to me. I made my purchases, and spoke with the woman who worked there explained the Cove,and to my delight, that woman goes to the Cove!! I gave her my $10. I asked her to buy all the mothers day cards she could, and mail them to our troops, so they can send their moms a card. I know the time was right because those "signs" were all over, including the Cove member who helped me. GOD has blessed us so much! Thank you Cove church.
bonniemaiello@hotmail.com

I want to share my struggles with my BlessBack money. I recieved $50. I have been praying on how God wants me to use this money and that he would also use me when giving. I have tried twice to give and found both times were not the right time.
When I recieved the money a persons name popped immediately into my head. I work with this person, she is pregnant. She lost a baby about 6 months ago. She went to the doctor for a regular appt. She was supposed to hear the baby's heartbeat, there was none. She was devastated. Now being pregnant again she has no health insurance. She is very scared. She figures she is at the same number of weeks again when she lost the first. She does not have the money to pay for the doctor visit outright therefore, she has not been to the doctor yet. She is probably about 10 wks. I went into work the next day so happy I had chills ready to give her my BlessBack money. I told her the story and she told me she could not accept the money. She is borderline believing. She said she would feel she had to pay me back. I told her this money was not my money it was Gods money and she would not have to pay me back. She again said NO.
The next story I want to share is this. I needed to give someone change for something they paid me for so I had to go to the convenience store to get change. I went to the exxon on griffith st in Davidson for change. As I was driving away from the store on the way to The Cove, I saw a man on the side of the street hitting golf balls into a field. I noticed he had amassive lump on his head. Immediatedly the money was in my head. I started to talk to God and ask him what I should do. Meanwhile I am driving up Beaty st. thinking what if he needs this money, what if he is really sick and does not know Christ as his savior. I got all the way to the top Of beaty st near 115 and I turned around. I went back to the man. I parked my car and walked up to the man. I said" I see you like to hit golf balls." He said "yes." I then said to him "may I ask what happened to you?" He says "oh it's a birth defect." I said "oh ok, I just wanted to make sure you were ok and if you needed help I wanted to help you." He said "no I'm ok" with a snicker. I said "ok God Bless You" and walked back to my car. I got into my car and said to myself you IDIOT!!!
The reason I wanted to share is because even though I have not given the money yet God is bessing me, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I TOLD A STRANGER GOD BLESS YOU!!!!! That means so much to me. He is teaching me to be patient,trust him,and listen and although I still have the money maybe I have planted a seed. I was on my to the church because I am a DC4K leader and I was 20 minutes late for that session. Today I feel that may have been worth being late 20 minutes. Like I said I have been praying God would use me. Be patient if you still have the BlessBack money, God is with you. God will let you know when the time is right, I was trying to hard.

I attend a Christian school and we are in the middle of Missions Week at school where we help out different countries of the world. This year we are helping out Iran. A missionary came and spoke to us about the Iranians and showed us a video. It talked about how Iran was smack dab in the middle of all the Islamic countries and yet they are the most open people to the gospel. To help feed these Iranian people with the hope of Jesus Christ, people travel around with New Testaments in their backpacks or something. To help these people, the students can bring in $5, which will pay for one New Testament. This is what my friend and I have decided to do with our Bless Back money, which by the way is one of the coolest projects the church has ever done, and we have a VERY COOL church! Even though I will probably never meet the people I buy a Bible for, I will know that I gave them the opportunity to know Christ.

After much prayer I felt lead to give the bless back money to a neighbor who takes up offerings to buy flowers for those that are in the hospital and often times she puts alot of her own finances in the flower fund and she lives on a fixed income.She ask me if she could give it to sisters'house.It was in the amount of $10.00.She was so surprised that a church would do this.I explained that our church is interested in the needs of the community.The needs of the soul,body,and mind.I call our church "The Healing Balm Church".I was a victim of abuse and my soul is receiving a healing from your ministeries.A church that gives back.Love you all and I know God will provide for Ignight project.There are alot of hurting people out there like I was and the Lord wants to use our church to meet the needs.My neighbor said this act of kindness has been noised abroad.God bless the Cove Church.

Unfortunately, we missed the Sunday that initiated the Bless Back Project. But that did not stop me-- it gave me an answer that I have been looking for! You see last year I heard a story about a man that saves his $1.00 bills after he goes to a drive through for coffee or fast food, etc. He was able to take a vacation each year by what he saved. I decided to give it a try and by December 31,2007 I had accumulated $371.00. I paid my son $20.00 to count it and put the rest away waiting for inspiration as to what to do with it. Well, you guessed it, in the last 3 weeks I have been led to 3 people and all I have done is reach in the envelope, grab a hand full of dollar bills and pass it on. My family is SO blessed and SO thankful for what we have that this small act has made my heart lighter, my step quicker and hopefully made God smile. Thank you for inspiring me continously!

Dear Mike, first off I love the Cove Church. It has been my home church now for three years now and I can honestly say it has been a blessing for me....I have a grandson by my son who was involved with a young women who had two other sons, my grand son's name is Jacob, I have not seen nor heard of my little grandson since he was about 2 years old and now he is about 11 or 12...His mother doesn't corenspond at all with my son nor me and I have felt the lost of his prencense in my life. When Edwin and I recieved the money given out at the church, yes I thought of the places here in the area of Mooresville, but felt the nugging in my heart to give to the Boy's and Girl's home of North Carolina, I just felt it would be much needed in a place such as that....so this is where we place the money that God gave us that day....I know in my heart it was used for the children's sake there....Got a many thanks back from the home.....GOD BLESS!

I was blessed with $5. I know of a single parent of two; who is in high school full-time and employed full time. Thus, I added to the money and gave it to her. She does not receive any type of assistance as she wants to make it on her own.

A couple of people came to mind once I received the bless back offering. After discussing it with my husband, Jon, I decided the person to receive the offering would be Brandi, a young girl who cuts my hair at the Wal-mart hair salon. Brandi had be-friended me and my youngest daughter, Dana, during a hair-coloring crisis that Dana had late one weeknight last year -- taking time out of her night to help two strangers figure out what to do about a distraught teenager whose hair had been turned platinum by another hair dresser. She was so sympathetic and interested in helping -- along with one of the manager there that evening, also.
As it turned out, the manager person ended up rescuing Dana, but I started going to Brandi. I learned she was living with her boyfriend and did not have a good relationship with her mother. She didn't mention a father figure at all. Brandi has a very warm spirit about her and wonderful smile, and she just made an impression on my heart. When I went to get my hair cut again, Brandi was gone. I was so upset....as any female is when they find someone they really like fixing their hair! So, I started going to Melissa, the manager, that was there the night of the Dana hair disaster. Melissa did a great job with cut and color -- so, I was pleased, but still wished I knew what happened to Brandi.
About a month ago, I found out Brandi was coming back to the salon. Once back, I went in for an appt with her to find out she and her boyfriend had broken up and she was living with her grandfather in Hickory. She had not heard from the boyfriend since the break up, and I could tell was feeling sad. I knew at that point I had to find a way to witness to her, and the Bless Back Offering was the perfect opportunity.
The opportunity came Monday night. I had the offering with me and went to Wal-mart for some other things and looked for her in the salon. She wasn't there. As I looked around, I saw her sitting on a bench against the wall near the checkout area talking to a man. He had a camera in his hand, and my first thought was that he was trying to hit on her. I walked by and paced for a while waiting to catch her when he left....which took a while. I saw her give him a hug and thanked him for talking to her. Once he walked away, I called her name. I told her I wasn't stalking her, but was waiting on the man to leave and asked her if she had five minutes. She said, "Yes, that she was getting ready to leave, but had five." Then she said, "Do you know what that man was talking to me about?" I said, "No." She said, "He was talking to me about the Lord." I said, "Well, guess what?" She said, "What?" I said, "Well, I have a blessing for you from the Lord", and she put her hands to her face and said, "Oh, my gosh, I think I'm going to cry." I then proceeded to tell her that the Bless Back Offering was a blessing from God on behalf of the Cove Church as a way to let people know that God loves them. I told her how much money the Cove was passing out, but not to get too excited....that her envelope did not contain $52,000 -- it was just a portion of it. I also asked her if the man talking to her was from The Cove Church, too? She told me she didn't know what church he was from. I told her that if two people came to her in one day within five minutes of each other to talk about the Lord....someone was trying to get a message to her, and we both laughed. She said he was trying to help her with her relationship issues, as her ex-boyfriend was black (Brandi is white) and her grandfather does not accept him. We talked about that a bit, and about church in general and what the Cove was like. She made the comment that she felt like she needed to find out who she was before she got into another relationship. I asked her if I could make a suggestion, and she said I could. I told her to give God a chance first. I told her if she would put some time into learning about God and what he had in store for her and her life, he would give her the right mate in life. She seemed to agree.

I had put one of the Cove's small business-type cards in the envelope that tells what time the services are and pointed out Re-mix to her since she is 21. I told her that she could bring a friend if she was nervous about coming alone or I would be happy to meet her there to give it a try. She seemed very relieved that she could wear jeans or whatever she had on as she works till 6:00 on Sunday and would have to come straight from work. She seemed shocked that Mike wore shorts and sandals. Brandi had to leave, so we hugged and said our good-byes. As, she headed towards the door, I saw her stop back in the salon and hold up the Bless Back offering and tell the girl behind the counter, "Guess what I just got? I got a blessing from God." I just walked away smiling. :o)
So, I am hopeful that this Sunday, I will have a guest! Thank you, Cove Church, for helping me step out of my comfort zone!

P.S. Jon gave me his Bless Back and I plan on giving to the manager, Melissa, as soon as I can catch up with her! I want them BOTH to experience the blessing!

Our family received $135 and we were led to help a 2 year old child that has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (T-cell ALL). We decided to add to the amount that we were given and we have donated $300 to the family of Owen Bandy to help with medical expenses associated with his treatments. Owen is a beautiful little boy that is currently undergoing the 4th stage of his treatments. Please read about Owen and his story at www.caringbridge.org/visit/owenbandy

I was amazed the day the Bless Back Project started at the Cove. As a matter of fact, I was so confused when Pastor Mike said he was going to pass the collection plate "for the first time ever" - I reached quickly for my checkbook! My kids and I were really excited when we figured out that we were getting money from the Cove to bless back! My 8-year old son was so excited, he went back home and told some of our neighbors that we were praying about who to help & bless, because if we didn't do it we would go to h_ _ _! I knew right away what I would do with my $50, because God had already been nudging me to return to a place that my children & I had previously taken donations. I was drawn to Troutman and My Sister's House, a battered women & children's shelter operating under the Fifth Street Ministries in Statesville. When we visited them before with donations, the place really touched us. When I finally went back today, I also gathered some clothes, took my $50 and my husband and I also gave them an additional $50. The Cove is doing wonderful things in our community and this bless back project is certainly one of them. God steered me back to a place that had previously touched my heart and for that I am grateful, and I am so grateful for the Cove Church.

I received $100 for the Bless Back Project. This was just days before I left for West Virginia with OutReach. I increased the money by 30% and went to Kohl's. I purchased towels and washclothes, bubble bath for the ladies, stuffed animals for the kids, and new white socks for the guys. As a team we spit into 3 groups. Each group was given these items to offer to our families. They were all very thankful.

While working on our house, the home owner got a visit from Jehovia's Witness missionaries. She and her brother boldly and lovingly declared their faith in Christ. After the Jehovia's Witness left, she commented that "They come in their suits looking nice. If they don't come with a hammer in their hand they can just keep on moving down the road."
The work and gifts of the Cove Church mean so much to this community. It's a genuine way to share the love of God and I'm honored to be part of a church that helps in this way!

I have been a regular visitor to the Cove for over 3 years now. Shame on me for not putting both feet forward. I just kinda been hanging out behind the scenes - - being a procrastinator. However, God had a different plan and his own schedule for me.

The weekend you guys gave away the money was just amazing to me. I've never been to a church that did anything of the sort and publicily spoke about it. The good ole' Baptist church I grew up in always asked for money before the preacher ever spoke a word. God Bless them..!!

However, when I received my envelope, it didn't matter to me if it had $5 or $1,000 in it, I was definitely going to let God move my heart and do something positive and enriching to help someone. This was definitely a pivotal moment for a church to step up to the plate and start a campaign with such a heart-warm gesture to help others first. Amazing!!!

Any case, I'm kinda long-winded forgive me.. My plan "was" to get more involved at the Cove - - God had greater plans without procrastination involved. I had been dealing with a lot of emptiness in my life; second divorce; teens gone wild; overwhelming work responsibilties - - you name it, I was dealing with it. I tried to control the situation many times myself instead of giving it to God and let him work in my life. Then, on a whim God spoke to me; I decided to get involved in this missionary trip to West Virginia.

With the West Virginia trip quickly approaching during the time you guys started the Ignite campaign with the $52k give-back, when I got the my envelope my heart was moved right away to do something with the money to help someone on the missionary trip. I was excited. However, I wanted to do more; I wanted to expand on what the Cove was doing. Again, it didn't matter the amount in the Ignite envelope - - it was my goal to see if I could raise more money. I went to work that Tuesday and sent an email to my co-workers that I was going on my first missionary trip (leaving that Thursday) would anyone like to contribute to the WV Trip to help a family. In less than 24 hours and to my amazement; I collected almost $300; the Ignite enveloped contained $20. People was just coming to my desk handing me money.

God has his own plan for our lives and his plan included a gift for me too. This gift came in meeting my new spiritual friends that I traveled with to WV such as Lauren Rallis who I considered my mentor - -she mentored me during the entire trip - -she is a pro on these trips and the woman can out work any man I know with hand-tools. Also, Ronnie Mangum and Barry Brewington who I watched their leadership and spiritual character with amazement. Then, their was Tonja, Lisa, George, Diane, Chuck, Mike and son, and Don from the Cove that went with us; and my new found friend Alvin --the camaraderie, the spirit-filled, the laughter; the snoring at night was unbelievable amongst all of us. I kept saying to myself this is what teambuilding is all about (when done in the name of Jesus )- - far better than any corporate teambuilding I've been too previously.

I know this was God's gift to me - - bringing these people in my life. As for the money, what woman can go anywhere even WV without going shopping. Lauren Rallis and I hitched a ride to the Magic Mart; the WV version of Wal-Mart. We had a great time just using the money to purchase items for this needy family and for the McDowell County Mission to use for other families in WV. God is so Good!!

Without hesitation, my first missionary trip was enriching, encouraging, depressing, fun, spirit-filled, great food etc. No single emotion can explain what this trip brought into my life. I'm still talking about it. Also, I realized that no matter how much money you make, your status, the house and cars; we are all God's children. And, even though their are depressed situations all over the world; I can go just 4 hours away and see conditions that is almost unreal in America. Totally eye-opening.

I have been so blessed and successful in my career and my life. I believe when God blesses you with a gift or a talent; it's "our" responsibility as human beings and as God's children to reach back and pull those up that need a lift or helping hand. Over the last 3 years, I have watched (from the sidelines) all this positive mantra, the love for others, the giving going on around me at the Cove with only one foot in the door and one foot out. I asked myself "why" many times - - God gave me the answer rather I wanted to hear it or not. I'm definitely a work-in-progress; however the gift from the Ignite campaign was to help others, but it also blessed me by igniting my spiritual journey with Christ. Now, I'm excited to have both feet in the door.. I have decided to join the Cove very soon and take the May class; because I will be traveling for work during the April class. I have my 11 wonderful new spiritual friends from the WV Mission Trip that I stay in contact with over email and in church and I'm sure to add to that circle of friendships as I continue to get involved at the Cove.

Ok, I know it's time for the Academy Award song to start playing with my wordiness but to The Cove, your $52k was not just used in the LKN area; your gifts were expanded and used in distant places to help people in need. Your gift blessed me with new spiritual relationships through friendships at the Cove and move me closer to my spiritual journey with Christ. I THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! You guys are simply amazing!!!

God Bless All that you are Doing!!
Gaye

This Bless Back Project has been driving me as insane as it has Mike Madding. For two weeks I have held on to my $10.00, listened for direction, listened some more and NOTHING! I felt Mike's pain in Re-Mix service last night when he said he was having the same problem.

I realize it was only $10.00 that I was given but that didn't lessen the responsibility to use it as God had planned.

It was very difficult for me not to give it to my step-daughter who is struggling financially, but I wasn't lead there. I had been thinking about a lady in my Celebrate Recovery group, but wasn't lead there either. Finally, after hearing Mike say he had a plan for his Monday I had had enough! I made up my mind during that service that I was going to Walmart immediately after the service and buy a bible or devotional for the lady in my group. Afterall, even MIKE finally had a plan for his!

Right after church last night I went to Walmart, directly to the book section and started looking for the perfect bible or devotional for this lady. I love Joyce Miller so I was looking at the ones she had there. Next to me was a woman doing the same thing. She was looking through the devotionals. We struck up a conversation and she told me she was looking for something for the mother of one of her second grade students. She wasn't sure if the woman believed in God so she wanted to give her just the right book.

She went on to say that this little boy's mother was in Baptist Hospital and her class was putting together a gift basket for her. She was in Baptist because they were taking her baby (her third child) early because they found cancer under her arm and in her breast and it was spreading too fast. The baby is only 30 weeks along but they couldn't risk waiting any longer or the mother would surely die. She said her heart was breaking for her student because he is so distraught and keeps asking if his mom is going to die.

We finished our discussion, she picked a devotional and I picked up my bible and devotional for the lady in group and she walked away. Instantly I had this overwhelming feeling that THIS was the person I was supposed to help! I didn't have the cash on me so I went to the checkout and purchased a $100.00 Gift Card for Walmart (yes, I added the rest because that's what God told me to do). I was kicking myself for letting this woman get away but I was sure that if this was the right person, God would help me find her. And there she was. I handed the woman the gift card and explained what was happening with the Bless Back Project and she got goose bumps and thanked me over and over again. I thanked HER for making my day, knowing that I found the person God wanted me to help...in HIS time, not mine.

She asked me my name so she could tell this woman who the gift card came from. I told her "my name is Bonnie, but this gift is straight from God through the Cove Church. I am only the deliverer".

Thanks again to the Cove for initiating this project. I can't tell you how blessed I felt leaving that store, knowing that through the Cove Church and little old me God reached out to this family in need.

Please keep Skye Durant and her family in prayer. If there is anyone else here that wants to help this family I'm sure if you call Baptist Hospital they will direct you.

Bonnie McAlexander

As soon as I was given the envelope during the Remix service, I knew where God wanted me to give the money away. I just didn't know who to give it to. For the past two and a half years I've been a student at UNC Charlotte and it has been a struggle trying to shine as a Jesus follower in such a secular environment. I know that Jesus wants to illuminate this campus and I have been praying for God to reveal how I might best use the $20 entrusted to me. I was planning to give it to my philosophy teacher, but we all know how God can change our plans on a dime. I was just speaking with a classmate in my German class, his name is Robert and he is a Messianic Jew. He brought up Jesus and the beliefs he and his synagogue had. My heart began to pound in my chest, "This is it!" I thought. As we walked up the stairs I talked to him about the BlessBack Project and about The Cove (I'd already spoken to him a bit about us before). He seemed almost shocked when I gave him the money, but it was awesome! I invited him to come to the Remix service with me this weekend and I'm planning on picking him up Sunday afternoon in Charlotte to head back up to the church. I had to come right to the library to share it with everyone. Our Father is doing some amazing things and I feel so blessed to be considered worthy enough to be His vessel. Praise God...

At our last Life Group Meeting (Dee Duren - leader) we were asked if anyone had any Bless Back stories to share. Almost all still had their blessing, and were waiting for God to speak to them. There were a couple of suggestions for use of the monies and someone thought we should pool our money to make more of an impact. Listening to my heart I shared this story with the group.
A lady, Barbara, from the church where I grew up, South River Methodist in Rowan County, lost her brother, her home and all her possessions in a house fire on Sunday morning, April 6, 2008. Her brother was disabled from a stroke and she tried to get him out from the fire unsuccessfully. She was overcome by smoke inhalation and was taken to the hospital where she stayed overnight and is now staying with her Aunt.
After sharing with the group, some thought we might want to her out and I told them that I thought they should pray about their decision and what God may lead them to do. As I was leaving that night several members handed me their envelopes. Dee emailed us that week asking us to pray about Barbara's situation and about the possibility that our group may want to help her out.
I don't know what God may lead us to do financially or otherwise for Barbara, but I do know if you allow Him, He will answer all your questions, fulfill your needs, cease your worries, and bestow more blessings upon your life than you thought possible. Praise Him!

My wife and I have been together almost nine years. We have had our good times and our struggles. During this time my wife's parents have always been there for us phyically or financially. We feel we are pretty independent but when the chips were down we always had someone to bail us out. We never think that maybe sometimes the ones helping us need assistance also. My mother in law just started a new job but had been out of work for two months. My father in law had a good steady job but due to layoffs he is now only contracted for jobs which means paychecks are not coming as steady. After service on Sunday I felt a strong urge to bless my wife's parents with our blessback money. I spoke to my wife after service and she happily agreed. My wife and I each received $10 and we added $280 more to it and dropped it in the front seat of their car with the blessback cards. They called late Sunday night in tears after finding the envelope. They thanked us for the blessing that was bestowed upon them. We let them know that it was not us that had given this to them but it was a blessing from Jesus Christ, for without him it would not have been possible. The feeling my wife and I felt from this moment could not have been greater knowing that someone in need had been blessed. Thank you Cove Church for reminding us of that.

I am a regular visitor to The Cove and have really prayed about what to do with the bless back money that my husband and I received. Today as I was driving home with my kids, I saw the man at exit 33 that I know others have already helped. I have not seen him in a while and I have been a little concerned about him. As odd as it sounds, I was actually happy to see him. I pulled my car onto the side of the road and he came over to my window. I offered him the money that I had received in my envelope and reassured him that Jesus loves him and better times will come. He told me that today would be he last day here and I asked where he was going to go. He said that he didn't know and then pulled a check out of his pocket. He told me that his disablity money had finally come through after all of these years and he couldn't wait to goto the bank and open an account to begin to rebuild his life. He also told me that a member of our church had offered to help him open this bank account and knew of someone that was willing to give him a car. He told me of the life he used to have and said that none of that mattered because now he has God in his heart. I feel blessed to have been able be a small part of his day. Thank you to The Cove and all of you for everything you continue to do to help those in need. God Bless!

I've been getting my haircut at the same place for the last couple of years. The person that cuts my hair likes to golf, so we usually talk about golf. This week we were talking about the Kansas-Memphis basketball championship game. Well, I had my Bless Back envelope in my pocket for over a week and had been praying about who to talk to, so I asked, "Heh, have you heard about that crazy church giving away all that money?" I knew she works with another hair stylist that attends Cove, so I told her about Cove having ushers come forward for an offering, except they handed out thousands of dollars to give away to bless people. Knowing that the next day was her birthday, I told her God wanted to bless her, handed her a Cove card with all the service times on it,invited her to church and gave her the Bless Back envelope with $5 in it. As I left, I said, "Consider this the best birthday gift you'll ever get."

Yesterday a friend of mine and I decided to grab lunch at a local Mexican restaurant in Cornelius. When we arrived our waitress (a young woman) approached us. I noticed that business was pretty slow, there were maybe three other tables in the entire restaurant. Before I left, I folded the twenty-dollar bill that I received from the cove underneath the check, along with a note that said "Thank You. Have a great day! God bless." When I got up to leave I realized as I approached the door that I had left my box of leftovers sitting on the table. I ran back to get it and the waitress was there...she had tears in her eyes, had my twenty in her hand, and was talking to the kitchen staff, smiling.

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to participate in the BlessBack Project. There are so many people that need to see God's love in action...and WE as his people need to make that happen.

My sister attends your church, and invited my dad who attended a few weeks ago, when your church presented everyone with this challenge. My dad gave me the envelope with the money, and it had $10.00 in it, to which he added 10 more to it, and gave it me to help out some one in need.
The next week I prayed to the Lord for an oppurtunity to meet someones need, and the Lord provided that oppurtunity, this past Wednsday night at Wal-Mart. I had just pulled into the parking and parked when a young lady knocked on my passenger side window, I rolled down my window, and the woman, embarrassed, and quite sheepishly asked is she could have some money for gas. Her and her husband were close to running out of gas and they lived about 20 miles from thier home.

Wal-mart had a close gas station near by. I not only used the money from your chruch and my dad, but added more money to it, to help this desperate couple in thier time of need. While the husband was filling up with gas I gave them a Gospel pamphlet and my buisness card.

God bless,
helping the needy

I just wanted to tell you what’s happening at the Mooresville Soup Kitchen because of the Bless Back money. Josh Pech gave his to a homeless man who’s working and starting to get his head above water. Marge Bode gave hers to a woman who sleeps in her car and who is planning to come to The Cove this weekend. Justin Barnes, Angie Kern and Jason Caudill all brought me their envelopes and money and I had a huge shopping spree at Aldi’s, buying the canned goods we use each day to feed all these people. Jason also brought a bag of batteries that were on sale at Walmart and will be perfect to help start some Father’s Day gift bags for our clients! Thanks so much for sharing!

I went down to Amtrack the other day to pick up my ticket. I had never been down there before. I thought that I was lost so I stopped at a gas station to get directions. There was a older man that had on ripped up dirty clothes on. When I stopped he came up to me and asked if I could buy him something to eat because he was hungry. He then apologized for begging, but he was hungry. He then stated that he hated begging for money but at this point he had no choice. Once again he apologized for begging. I told him that I was lost and looking for Amtrack. He told me he could direct me, and promply gave me directions. With adding he hopes I have a good day. At that point I gave him the $10.00 dollars from BlessBack. He told me that God was going to bless me. He also added that it was alot of money to be giving, he could take less to get something to eat. I told him no, and on that note I promptly left and went to Amtrack for my ticket. As I was driving away he was yelling God is going to bless you. The feeling that I received from that jesture was already a blessing. Thank you!

I read your article today in the newspaper and just wanted you to know how blessed I feel for this project. I am a member of New Perth A.R.P. Church in Troutman. This story and the others I have read have inspired me in my Christian walk. Everyday I watch the news and read the paper hearing about all of the negative things that are in this world. There are loved ones in my life that have given up on this world and are just content with simply waiting for their blessed time to meet the Lord at His second coming. I have never felt that this was my role in life. While I am strong in the faith that I am saved by His grace, I am still dedicated to making my journey here a more blessed experience. Jesus left this world with an instruction for us to spread His love and grace to others. When we do for the least of these we are doing it for Christ. There have been times when I myself have been the "least" of these and have been thankful for my Christian friends and family for their support and help. God is great and I am filled with a joy and the desire to share this with others.