Share5 by WorldWins is Now at Share5.org

We've Moved to Share5.org!

That's right!  Our official blog has moved to incorporate with our full website, now at http://Share5.org.

Please click the link or image and come visit us at our new online home! 

Share Well With Others!

Chad, Amy, Emily, and Dillon Houck

A Different Miracle, A Divine Success

First of all, on behalf of Share5 and The Revolution Tour,  THANK YOU to everyone who helped by being a part, large or small, of Different Miracle in Dawson Springs, KY October 1st through 5th!  We were able to bring the Robinson family home to their newly restored home in style, and to say the least, the response was life changing.

PRESS COVERAGE

iSurf did an awesome 5 min video piece on the project here

NBC 14 reported it from Evansville, IN both at 5pm and the reveal at 10pm here

You can also see over 100 photos of both before and after on our Flickr account

Specifically, thank you to these great companies and individuals without whom this would not have been possible! 

Lowes of Madisonville

Home Depot

Walmart

Brothers BBQ

Lakewood Carpets

Carter Plumbing

Dawson First United Methodist Church

Crosspoint.tv

Covenant Community Church

Todd's Furniture

Gaylord Opryland Hotel

Rainforest Cafe

Bob Evans Farms

TGI Fridays

Aquarium Restaraunt

... and the over 100 volunteers, donors, and churches from states across the US who worked so hard and gave so much to make this a reality.  You blessed more than a family.  You ignited a community.

The Different Miracle Countdown Begins

We are officially now less than 4 days from taking over the house for Different Miracle. 

So far, over $1200 in funds has been raised, and while things are not entirely worked out, here is what has transpired in the last few days in the way of NON-cash contributions...

• Many local people have volunteered labor for the upcoming build Oct 1-5
• Sherwin-Williams has agreed to donate our paint
• Lowe's HEAVILY discounted a new range and several lights
• Someone donated over 100 sheets of sheetrock
• We are waiting to hear on some potential furniture and flooring donations
• We have had a sign company donate some various items you'll see in the finished pictures...
• A church in Nashville is beginning to help us coordinate a plan for the family while we work on the house.
• and finally...  The family is now registered at Walmart for your gifting convenience

  under "Different Miracle"!

We will have an organizational meeting on Sunday at 7pm in Madisonville, KY to finalize alot of the remaining details.  We have made two trips to the home for measurements and prep planning, and the homeowner has made significant steps in preparing for us to take over, so here we go!

We are still greatly in need of some final cash resources, as it looks like we will need 2 new showers and some baseboard heaters, so if you can help out in that way, please see don't hesitate - use the button on the left!

We'll look forward to sharing the progress with you, and ask for your prayers as we start the construction work on the 1st!

Different Miracles. Same Love.

This morning, in connection with The Revolution Tour, we embarked on what will be our most ambitious ministry project since starting the Share5 Tour.  We are joining forces with local churches and businesses to share LOVE with a family desperately in need of some.

We desperately need YOUR help to show this family that tragedy will NOT be their legacy.  Their father has recently been encarcerated for the abuse he tolled out on the family, and now a mother finds herself in an unsuitable living condition trying to provide for four children.

We are looking for churches and groups to "adopt" portions of this project.  Due to confidentiality and geography, the most viable contributions outside of Kentucky will likely be your financial support. 

We are looking for one or a couple churches that can team up with us from the Nashville area to host the family while we renovate their home for a week.  We would love additional sponsors to help us with funds to send them on a shopping spree.  Dignity prevents us from sharing the details of this situation, but trust me when I say that this family deserves a fresh start. 

Can you or someone you know be instrumental in helping us give them one?  If so, please contact me directly by phone at (208) 585-7370. 

Thank you for your help.  You can also twitter this with http://bit.ly/28bQvX #miracle, or share this with your Facebook or MySpace crowd. Whatever you do, help us share the LOVE. 

Time to Take The Field

Earlier today I was struck with an idea in an image, a vision if you will, of a baseball team.  Though I have never played organized baseball beyond tee-ball, the vision was emphatically clear.  It was a metaphor of the church.

Baseball players all have specific positions on the field.  Some are better at the quick moves required on the infield, others at making the adjustments needed and having the leg speed to cover the relative vastness of the outfield.  One is specialized at delivering the ball, and another specialized at catching it.  There are multiple coaches, some working with the pitchers, others focusing on other aspects of the game, and finally, the GM who heads up the whole show. 

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. - Ephesians 4:15,16

The team trains, each person on the team studies and practices his role, and finally, the team suits up in the team's uniform bearing the team's name, and...

You see, that is where the vision turned odd.  The team was all practiced up, all suited up, and fully equipped...

...BUT NEVER LEFT THE DUGOUT AND TOOK THE FIELD.

Our churches are not the game.  Our churches are the locker room where we put on the name of Christ.  The dugout is where we prepare for the upcoming challenge, but eventually, we have to take the field, each to our own position, and take on our opponent who stands at the plate waiting.  On the field is where churches become "the Church".

Do not be confused.

WE ARE NOT THE SPECTATORS.

WHEN YOU CHOSE TO FOLLOW CHRIST, YOU LEFT THE STANDS.

Now it is time to take the field.

Are you ready to play ball and get a little dirt on your knees, or are you hangin' in the dugout?

No More Tears...

Have you ever done something stupid in the name of curiosity?  Recently I was borrowing a shower at a friend's house that has small children and my attention was grabbed by the new Johnson's Baby Shampoo packaging.  For some reason I zeroed in on the "No More Tears" label and almost without thinking, I set forth to see if it really was "as gentle to eyes as pure water". 

I got my hair good and wet, lathered up nice and thick, and then, without much further thought, opened my eyes and let the foam run right down into them.

Fortunately, the labeling on the bottle was as accurate as could be.  As crazy as it sounds, the shampoo cause no noticable irritation to my eyes.  Satisfied that my hypothesis was now proven however, I began to ponder what I later realized was the real lesson from this little experiment...

Are we, as those who label themselves "Christians", as forthright in our own labeling?  Can others count on us to be as gentle and tender as the One whose name we so proudly bear?  Please, share your thoughts with me!

And, by the way, feel free to try this on your own.  That fresh baby smell alone is worth it.  =)

Everything Sad Is Coming Untrue- CD Review

This past Sunday night we had the privilege of attending a pre-cd release concert in Wisconsin for Centricity Recording Artist Jason Gray.  His new CD "Everything Sad is Coming Untrue" releases today nationwide, and my bottom line review for this album is... BUY IT!

Ispired by a passage from Lord of the Rings, where Sam asks Gandolf if "everything sad going to come untrue", Jason's title track is beautifully written, both times.  Thats right, there is a part I and a part II, and while both reflect a different season and mood, they are both right on.

Amy's favorite track, For the First Time Again, includes beautifully crafted phrases like "Sometimes I think I know too much, but even then its not enough.  Can you take me back so I can move ahead?  Take me deep inside the grace that forgets instead of down the well worn path of my regrets.  I'm older than I've ever been.  Can you take me back and make me new again?  Cause I need you now, as much as I did then."

Finally, my favorite track on the album is titled "Fade With Our Voices".  It is a an excellent wakeup for those of us, like myself, who need to check our motives and our actions to see if they are lining up with our speech.  It's words challenge us to "make our lives a melody that we proclaim when we live in Jesus' name."

But don't just take my word on it.  here is what NewReleaseTuesday.com had to say about this new project. 

Jason has an uncanny ability to absorb images, emotions and truths from a variety of sources: theology, literature, relationships, his own struggles, pop culture, poetry, etc., and to pull together those diverse strands into a unified whole. Over the years he has developed a razor sharp knack for saying deep things in a way that the rest of us can relate to.

Do yourself a favor and head over to http://JasonGrayMusic.com today and pick up this new release.  It will be a great add to your collection, and a blessing to your daily walk with God!

His Faithfulness, Your Hands

This past month brought us a roller coaster of what seemed like bad news that God turned into great opportunity through His people.  Foremost of all of the events was the breaking of our motorhome transmission in Rapid City, South Dakota.  Thanks to the generosity of a single donor, what was intended to deflate, delay, and depress has become both an amazing testimony and one more stunning example of God’s faithfulness.  (As a bonus, we also now have a 100,000 mile warranty on a new transmission!)

This is just one example of how God is using people just like you to meet needs from the simple to the more difficult.  If you would like to be a part of what God is doing with and through Share5, we have a few specific needs for you to consider.

Taking to the Air

We will once again be working with Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee in Atlanta for Catalyst Conference, October 7-9.  Our challenge, however, is making the October 11 departure for the fall UTHbuild trip in Phoenix.  We would like to leave the RV in Atlanta and fly.  We have enough frequent flyer miles for one ticket, and have had $200 pledged towards the remaining tickets.  They are currently between $220 and $275 each, and we need to buy three tickets.  If you have either a) 33,000  flight miles on Delta, or b) can make a cash donation toward the purchase of the tickets, please contact us.

Web Development

With our book “Share Well With Others” coming out in October, we would like to redesign and upgrade our current Share5 website.  We are looking for a skilled web developer to assist and/or direct the project, as well as funds to offset development costs.  (Contact Chad directly by email or by phone at (208)585-7370.)


Publishing Seed Fund

We will be self-publishing our book, which means that we will need to pay up front for the first print run.  If you can help us offset the costs of the books by investing in this process, we would love to hear from you.  Expected expenses for various portions run from $250 to $2000, and we would be happy to share our plan with you if you are interested.  (Contact Chad directly by email or by phone at (208)585-7370.)

Fill‘er Up

Our single biggest ongoing expense is fuel.  If you can help us with a contribution to offset our fuel expense, we sure appreciate it.  We’ve even made it easy.  Just shoot it to us through our PayPal Fuel Fund!  We now have a paypal debit card that we can use right at the pump, and you have the ease of our online contribution system!


Of course, if you would simply like to make a one time contribution to Share5, or wish to set up a monthly recurring donation, we would greatly appreciate your support in that manner as well.

Finally, we could not do what we do without your faithful and continual prayer support, so please, remember us and all those around the world who so greatly appreciate your prayers.

Thank you!

Prego To Go - One for the Road

Some of you are inevitably wondering how Amy’s pregnancy is going. Others of you are now saying “What?!? Amy’s Pregnant??? I thought this was about a new spaghetti recipe!!!” Well, here is the update and the gameplan for "Baby on The Road".

We found out that we were pregnant while still in Boise during the summer, so we were able to have an initial appointment and labs worked up, as well as a first ultrasound to see a heartbeat, courtesy of The Baby Place . Since then, we have been monitoring heart rate and blood pressure as we go. (Easy to do when at WalMart!)

Amy sent out an email to the Christian Midwife’s Association, and we got several replies from midwives offering their services free of charge as we travel. We are headed to Illinois in a couple of weeks to meet up with one such woman for another checkup and possibly an ultrasound. (If anyone knows additional midwives in Nashville, Atlanta, etc., please let us know!) Amy is starting to feel movement now, which is always a little freaky I hear, and all is going well. The initial nausea has subsided which certainly makes travel a bit smoother!

Our plan is to continue normal routines until likely late December or early January when we will select a city in which to settle for a few months. Current candidates include Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas, and Atlanta. (suggestions welcome!) The common thread? Warm winter climate with tolerable temperatures from Jan- March, and a Christian midwife with whom we can share this birth process. (communities with greater than 5% chance of snow during those months need not apply… Sorry Idaho.)

We sure appreciate your prayers, and if you have any suggestions for great southern towns that we should be considering, please feel free to add your comments below. We’ll be posting more information on the baby, Amy, and the Prego to Go story as things develop. Like a good spaghetti sauce, it will be simmering for a while. Check in with us later!

From Butternut Squash to Jesus

Thursday we arrived in Minneapolis, MN after our exciting couple of weeks in South Dakota.  Needing a quick restock on the groceries, we were exstatic to find a Trader Joe's Grocery while on the highway south of St. Paul.  Once inside, we met two women, Carol Rage and her friend Pat who was visiting from Florida. 

What started as a conversation about butternut squash soup quickly turned to Jesus and the joy of serving him.  I (Chad) spoke with Pat as Amy and Carol conversed, and our little divine fellowship moment lasted the better part of 15 minutes in the soup aisle!  After we had exchanged contact information and talked about connecting with Pat and her husband sometime down in Orlando, the two ladies thanked us for encouraging them and headed for the checkout.

About 30 minutes later, Amy's phone rang.  It was someone from White's Funeral Home in Burnsville, MN about 10 minutes south of where we were.  It turns out that our two new friends had been very busy since they left us!  They had immediately driven to Carol's church, Faith Covenant Church, and asked the staff there if we could park there for the week.  It turns out the church was hosting a HUGE urban camping event called MUUUCE -  the "Most Unbelievable Ultimate Urban Camping Experience" for approximately 750 JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS!!!  Instead of saying no, they called the funeral home across the street and gave our information to them, which is why Amy got the call.  In the meantime, we got connected to help and voluteer for the MUUUCE event, so this morning we were able to help them serve breakfast to the 750 sleepover attendees.  Emily and Dillon did an excellent job at putting smiles on the faces of sleep deprived teens, to say the least, as they handed out apple juice, orange juice, and milks.

Shortly after breakfast, we took a ride to one of Burnsville's many parks.  While the kids were playing in the water, we got to spend a bit of time (30-40 mins?) talking with and encouraging a person who was there at the park monitoring the facility.  It continues to amaze me how God is opening divine appointments with opportunities to encourage people along the way.  We went for groceries on Thursday and ended the day today completely taken care of for a parking spot, with the opportunity to encourage yet another few individuals in their struggles and in their walk with the Lord.

Thanks to everyone who makes this possible.  I wish there was a way to tell you how much it impacts people when someone with no time agenda can just sit and listen to whats going on in their life, and then respond with biblical encouragement.  Thank you for granting us that opportunity!