I glance around my world everyday and think to myself “there but for the grace of God go I”. There are others around us who have existed in some of the darkest places imaginable and ONLY by the grace of God, and those He placed around these people, have they been rescued. I often question why very visible, well publicized causes don’t become “resolved”. But just as quickly as this thought crosses my mind do I give my own answer….. “we live in a fallen world”. We CAN get involved and make a difference. Any positive difference is something and it’s what God has called us to do.
We are to show HIS love in a darkened world.
While working with another group I began several years ago called “Card Angels” (we created and donated handmade cards for Cancer Centers and various other organizations), I began to see how the model for that organization could be used in other ways to support and encourage other creative while continuing to make an impact in the world around us.
We create as a ministry and are always seeking out organizations to donate our handmade items to. There are so many organizations needing help yet it became difficult to know which groups to donate to as well as what to donate and how much. We assumed that if we were struggling with this, that other creatives may be as well. We wondered how to remedy this……we prayed for God to open doors and reveal what our role could be and as expected, He showed up and revealed in a mighty way!
As we began to learn more about getting involved and making a positive difference and praying for this specifically, God pressed upon our hearts the opportunity to create and donate handmade art elements that would bring hope and encouragement to others. We now knew our purpose and made the decision to take the next steps.
Theresa spent weeks in her studio, praying, researching and creating. Once she had the idea, she began contacting others who could help bring it to life for other creatives. We identified an organization called “Meet The Need” which provides software that can be used to join volunteers together for specific needs. This ensures whether the entire need can be met and what exactly is needed for donations. (More to come on this part of our campaign soon!)
We oversee Parables of a Crafter and the home of the official Crafting Bug collection. We identify the talents of artisans and creatives and share their stories with the world around us to inspire and encourage others. We are also working on providing the ability to identify and sign up to support organizations that would benefit from handmade items.
Be it one card, bookmark, or possibly a mixed media canvas or memory / prayer box, our vision remains the same…..
“Create if Forward!”
Mark & Theresa Calderini