Hope CDA Does Not Live by Bread Alone
The Hope Herald
In the beginning of Matthew 4, Jesus has been fasting in the wilderness for 40 days. It is at this point that Satan comes upon Him, tempting Him. At one point, Satan tells Jesus to turn the stones into bread, and Jesus responds that, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
We, too, believe that Christians should live on every word that comes from the mouth of God. To be true followers of Jesus, we must embrace the Word of God, the Bible, and live out every teaching that the Bible provides.
Commanded to Care for His Temple
In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul tells us that each one of us is the temple of the Holy Spirit. This means that God is living in each one of us.
Because of this, it is important that we care for that temple. If one looks at the story of Solomon’s building of the temple, which is told in 1 Kings 5-7, you will see that this was a truly majestic work. The detail and craftsmanship were quite extraordinary, ensuring that the glory of God was on full display.
We are God’s temple as well, and He wants us to care for His residence. This means caring for our bodies. God wants to see us healthy. In 3 John 1:2, John begins his letter by praying that Gaius would be in good health. God is praying that each one of us would be healthy as well.
A Call to Improve Health
We recognize that our participants need to be in good health. While our primary purpose is to help them to grow their faith in Jesus, the reality is that physical and mental health are nearly as important. As a result, many of our men are seeing counselors and/or talk with Lavonne. They are getting an opportunity to improve their mental health.
However, the physical health has been one area where we have fallen short, particularly when it comes to eating and drinking the right things. This has become one of the primary focuses for 2025 – to help our men to have incredible temples of the Holy Spirit.
This began this last Friday when Ally Emerson-Brown and Amy Doerrfeld came from ASAC to speak about energy drinks and Kratom. Many of our men drink large amounts of energy drinks every day, and there is a growing concern about how these beverages are impacting their overall health, particularly in regard to sleep patterns and medications. We wish to see our men at their physical best, and these drinks could have an adverse effect.
What Goes into a Man’s Body…
In addition, we wish to help our men to eat better. Many eat processed foods or spend far too much at fast food restaurants. These types of foods are not good for them, and we want them to have the best possible life. This means eating healthy, delicious foods that will help them to improve physically.
To help reach this goal, we are looking for volunteers who would be willing to shop with three or four of our men to assist them in finding healthier foods. We then ask these volunteers to teach that group of men on how to make nutritious meals that taste good and are good for them.
We are currently working on a grant to help support this mission. Our hope is that the grant will help subsidize the costs involved in paying for nutritious foods. However, we are willing to put our money where our mouths are and provide some of the cost for our men to purchase healthier foods.
It’s a Win-Win
The benefits of eating healthier are obvious. A person who eats nutritious food will live longer, have a healthier body, improve digestive function, maintain a healthier weight, and feel better about the way that he looks. The immune system will improve, bones will be stronger, and there is less risk of health maladies, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
People who eat healthier feel better about themselves. They lose weight, are stronger, and have a more positive outlook on life. This will help our men to have a better outlook, fueling their recovery.
In addition, it will also help them to build stronger ties with those who wish to volunteer in this mission. Volunteers will play an important role in helping our men to reach their physical goals, but they will also build stronger relationships with the men. It will be something where everyone benefits.
Come Join in the Fun!
If you feel called to this mission, please email Dr. Robert Pannier (Rob.P@HopeCDAcr.org) or our Volunteer Coordinator, Tahsha Jones (Tahsha.J@HopeCDAcr.org). Help turn our men into amazing temples of the Holy Spirit.
We Have Another Mission
Hope CDA is also looking for a group of drivers who are willing to make runs Monday-Thursday to pick up supplies for the foremen. The driver or drivers would go to Menards, Home Depot, or Lowes, pickup needed supplies, and deliver them to the various work sites.
In doing this, it will help make our foremen and participants much more efficient because they will not have to leave sites to get materials. In addition, it will help volunteers to make a huge impact on the success of Hope CDA.
If you are interested in filling one day a week or more, please contact Tahsha Jones, our Volunteer Coordinator. Email: Tahsha.J@HopeCDAcr.org
Hope Good News
Hope CDA staff and participants will interview three candidates to join the program this week. Mike Fekete, Zephaniah Wilbur, and Chris McFadden will interview on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings… Dr. Pannier will be driving Troy Lloyd to Central Christian College of the Bible on Monday, March 10. Troy has already been accepted and is doing an orientation of the campus. Troy will be the third Hope CDA participant/graduate to attend college this year… Second Chance Month is in April. Hope CDA staff and participants will be at various churches throughout the area speaking about second chances. If you or your church would like to get involved, please contact Dr. Pannier.
Prayers for the Week
We ask you to join in prayer for these things:
- Mike Fekete, Chris McFadden, and Zephaniah Wilbur will interview to join the Hope CDA program. Please give them and us the wisdom to know if this is the right fit for them.
- Jason Young will have a biopsy on Thursday. We pray that it comes back benign, and that Jason will live healthy for decades to come.
- Nick Schiefer lost his grandmother last week. We pray for Nick and his family as they mourn the loss of their beloved grandmother.
- We pray for new enterprises at Hope CDA.
Tuesday Night Encouragement at Hope CDA
This Tuesday Susan Johnston from Central Furniture Rescue will be at Hope CDA to deliver the message on Encouragement Night. Susan provides an amazing service to the community and we are always honored to have her come and speak at Hope.
In addition, the amazing ladies of Compass will perform prior to Susan speaking. They always provide an amazing set of songs, and we know that this Tuesday will be no different.
