(In case you missed it….please read the answer to prayer at the bottom of this blog.)
Drug Overdose Deaths: Prescription or Illicit?
In prescription drug abuse, there are typically two classes of drugs that are abused: pain relievers and anti-anxiety medication. Together, they kill approximately 70 people every day. According to a USA Today article from February 2012, that is more than double the amount of deaths resulting from illegal drug use – all illegal drug use.
An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that 106,000 hospitalized patients die each year from drugs that are properly prescribed and administered. More than two million experience adverse side effects.
In this day, the day we live in, we must be more alert to the needs and activities of our people. Proverbs 27:23 says, “Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.”
With all of that said, we do recognize:
1. “If a doctor placed someone on a prescription drug, then that doctor (or another doctor) needs to take him or her off”. NEVER advise someone to stop taking a prescribed drug!
2. Reformers Unanimous has some excellent resources, written by Dr Crabb, that you can take into your community and find doctors who will treat patients in conjunction with their spiritual advisers. It has been our experience that most doctors welcome the help.
3. Some people do need psychotropic drugs to bring them to a place that prepares them for spiritual growth; however, mental disorders are being over-diagnosed, and psychotropic drugs over-prescribed. Second and even third opinions on a mental disorder, should be encouraged, along with the aids Dr. Crabb provides for us.
Dr. Crabb is forming a new group of medical professionals, worldwide, in an attempt to educate, encourage, and associate together, for the cause of Christ. Dr. Crabb has a heart for helping people on a large scale, beginning with their spirit, soul, then body.
A quarterly newsletter will be the means of communication as well as weekly blogs. If you know of a doctor in your community that we could contact and connect with, please fill out the requested information at sl.reformu.com/rumed. We would like to have 500 names in the next 90 days. We are asking everyone to help make this a reality.
RUI Missionaries – Travel Schedule
We would ask that you keep us in your prayers as we travel to the following locations:
Benjamin Burks
May 4-6 (Fri-Sun) Ocala, FL
May 10-11 (Thur-Fri) Rockford Training Days
May 12-13 – Hartford, CT
May 18-20 – Available Date (call if interested)
May 27-June 5 – Madrid & Asturias, Spain
June 11-13 (Mon-Wed) Lancaster, CA
June 15-17 (Fri-Sun) Aumsville, OR
June 21-22 (Thur-Fri) Rockford Training Days
Assistant Director Ryan Jiles
May 4-6 (Fri-Sun) Clearwater, FL
May 25-27 (Fri-Sun) Bellefontaine, OH
*If you going to be near one of the listed locations and would like to attend please contact [email protected] for the church address.
(Yesterday’s prayer request update)
Dear faithful friends,
First of all, I just want to say “thank you” for your prayers and love for this ministry! The responses that we received from yesterday’s email were overwhelming and certainly an encouragement to our staff! Here is our official update:
Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” God heard and answered our prayers and turned the hearts of bankers!!
As we entered the meeting with our bankers we were not sure what to expect, but the obvious question was how much the Men’s home appraised for; and secondly, how much would be financed for?
The answers to those questions started with the appraisal which came back at $500,000. This was not a big surprise given the decline in the housing market and the fact that our building is “special use”, meaning not many other options can be used for building other than what we currently use it for. Unfortunately, when that is taken into account, it does not help the valuation. Five years ago that building appraised at $795,000, so you can see how the market has affected the value.
What happened next was nothing short of a miracle! The bank stated to us in our last meeting that they could not finance us for more than 50% of value (which meant we would have to come up with close to $250,000) and that is what we expected. However, both of the bank officers came into work this morning and felt they should do something different. They then told us that they would finance 70% of value! This is amazing because even if everything lined up perfectly, the standard would be to finance 65% (and not everything lined up perfectly). But in God’s grace and answer to prayer, they favored RU. God turned the heart of the “kings” (leaders) because of the prayer of His people!
Here are the facts as we stand now: the bank needs $125,000 by June 20 (in 6 weeks) to continue with our current arrangements. This is so much better than the $250,000 we were expecting; however it is now time for us to go back to work, and to pray, and to watch how God will meet this need.
The timing of this need corresponds perfectly with our Annual Super Scrub car wash which happens to be on June 16th.
Friends, there are no coincidences with God! He has a plan and purpose. Last year, our Super Scrub car wash resulted in nine people trusting Christ as their Savior and about $80,000 brought in to put a new roof on the Men’s Home. This year, God has increased our goal and broadened the opportunity for Him to do something even greater!
Please watch for the emails and correspondence regarding our Super Scrub Car Wash…and join us on our efforts!
Again, thank you for your prayers, and continue to pray for God’s provisions for the continuance of our Men’s School of Discipleship.
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