"I thank God for cocaine!"  I read a woman's testimony and this is how she began.  It certainly piqued my curiosity.  As I read further, it turns out that she was an alcoholic, facing a long slow death by wine.  Then she was introduced to cocaine.  Within a year she had reached the bottom of the pit and cried out to God for help.  She explained that cocaine sped her decline, causing her to seek God seriously.  At the bottom, in answer to her prayer, Jesus saved her and changed her life!

Financial needs are another way that people reach rock bottom.  When money is plentiful, people don't seek God as fervently as they do when money is tight.  Their desperate situation causes them to cry out to God for help.  Riverside is blessed with extremely generous people!  We regularly purchase and receive grocery store gift cards.  This allows us to regularly meet people's physical needs while also sharing the good news that Jesus died for their sins and offers forgiveness and life!

Over the past few weeks Riverside has been blessed to be able to distribute thousands of dollars to families in need.  I love being the instrument that God uses to answer their prayers!  I had the privilege of sharing the gospel with 5 people over the last few days.  Two of them were so touched that they began to cry.  They were so overjoyed that God had heard their prayer and met them at their point of need!  Thank you, Riverside, for being so generous with your money.  You could choose to give elsewhere, or to spend your money on other things, but you chose to give - and God is using your resources and generosity to answer prayer!