500 Turkeys Update (God - Is that you?)

We are at the end of the task list but the blessings will continue.  Thanks to everyone who has participated in 500 Turkeys so far.  

Lots happening lately!
Turkeypalooza on Nov 2nd was a huge success raising over $5000.  Nov 3rd THOUSANDS of food items came through the church doors that had been collected for months from places all over NWI.  About 1000 of each item to feed 500 families.  We then had enough to buy the turkeys and fill the boxes.  

I'm just in aw of what has happened.  
My God shouldn't surprise me anymore but He keeps on doing so.  

607 Meals boxed!

Funny story though...  you see, we planned to feed 500 families but God had other plans.  We continued to plan and prep as nominations kept coming in.  This year we had a waiting list in case we came up with extra food or meals were left.  During this time we were offered a gift of new boxes to pack the food in.  They said, we will print 600.  "But we don't need 600.  We only need 500." They said, well, they will print 600+ anyway.  I thought, OK, we will have extra.  THEN we made the tickets and ordered 500.  They came and were numbered but they stopped at 498.  A call was made to the printer and they said, "Sorry.  We will send you 100 more."  We didn't need 100 more, just 2 more.  We only planned to feed 500.  They told us that 100 is the amount they were sending.  OK, we will have extra.  

Soon after that the nominations had reached 600 and the waiting list was closed.   Then it HIT ME!  600 boxes, 600 tickets and 600 families with more resources coming in...  He was telling us that 600 was the number this year.  CLEARLY :-)  We dove right in to make the rest of it happen.  We had a couple large donations to get the rest of the food.  We found a great deal at Target for the other 100 turkeys (2 weeks from Thanksgiving) and we still had funds and support coming in.   We thought about what other needs people have so we added some extras... who doesn't need toilet paper?  2 rolls per box!  A push for seasonings is adding garlic and cinnamon to each gift.  We bought 600 4pks of margarine to add in and TODAY we were gifted 600 pumpkin pies at no cost!  Tuesday and Wednesday we had over 150 volunteers and pre-packed 607 meal gifts.

Valpo Vikettes Serving w/ 500T

I used to think it was crazy when people said that God spoke to them.  He spoke to Adam in the garden, Noah built an Ark, Moses had a conversation with a burning bush and He even spoke through a donkey in Numbers 22:28.   Jesus says in John 10:27, NKJV: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Now I understand.  To hear Him is to know Him personally.  I knew my moms voice as a child calling me home for dinner.  I now hear the Lord speak to me.  He calls out to me to come to Him, follow Him and honor Him.  Sometimes I have to listen really close and there are times I don't hear him at all.  Those are the times He has to teach me HOW to listen.

I'm thankful for those times.  I'm THANKFUL for my Father and my family.  Just listen and say, "YES."

Have a blessed Thanksgiving! 
JENI BOLTON

p.s.  Hope to see you for distribution days.  Sign up at www.500turkeys.com/volunteer IT'S NOT TOO LATE to serve.