Love & Charity

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Marian Hope Academy’s scripture focus this year has been Mark 12:30-31: Love the Lord your God with all our heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.

Of all the commands God gives us in His word, the greatest is LOVE. The Bible does not say Love the Lord with a “little” or “some” or even the “majority” of your heart…we are commanded to LOVE Him with ALL of our heart, soul, mind and strength. And then we are to LOVE others (not judge nor gossip about others; we are to LOVE). That may be easy to say, but are we doing it and are we teaching our children to do it?

In Bible Study at MHA, the students have learned to think about and analyze “love” as a verb. We have gone to scripture to help us put “love” into action. The students have spent the past two months solidifying “charity” in their hearts…as Charity is definitely an act of LOVE. As a school, we chose to bless New Day Foster Home which is an amazing organization in China that takes care of children with significant special needs; some of which are life-threatening. Each classroom planned and executed their fundraising ideas. The students researched, created timelines, developed a cost/profit margin, delegated out responsibilities, worked together as a team, created beautiful posters, wrote quotes and scriptures about charity and so much more. The students in one class decided on the slogan, KIDS FOR CHANGE; BUILDING HOPE, as the name for the event. The event was a huge success and the students bought in close to $1,000 for New Day.

change drive

To kick off the event that week, the students had a change drive which totaled close to $700 just in pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters…and it was an amazing math lesson filled with predicting, estimating, calculating, graphing and much more. Hands-on, functional learning…and all for a good cause and to Glorify God!

Over the past few months, we have tied in the scripture verse from Philippians 2:4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Wow, hard stuff to conquer especially in our era of competition and pride.

Through this event I truly saw LOVE and CHARITY move from the mind to the heart. Humble giving!

-Angie Knight, Founder of Marian Hope

Help Us Fill Josiah’s Closet!

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Dear Friends and Family~

This has been a remarkable, life changing year for me as I have watched the Lord reveal His miraculous love and grace through the opening of Marian Hope Academy. “We are not of this World” goes through my head frequently as I pursue God’s calling for my life. To be able to help young children (despite learning differences) truly recognize the amazing, wonderful, unique creation they are and watch lives transform through an education rich in Christian roots, is an absolute joy. It is my hope and constant prayer that every child we serve will be flooded with the Holy Spirit and go into this world equipped with God’s armor. I have never been so busy, yet never felt more at peace.

Our staff felt called to provide our Marian Hope Academy students (and their friends and family) opportunities to give to those in need throughout our school year. If you want to see your child glow with the fruit of the Spirit…gentleness, kindness, joy, peace, love, goodness…seek opportunities for them to give and do for others. Our students have collected toys, food, and money for a couple local and international mission projects over the Christmas season. Our spring mission project is to collect 0-12 month spring/summer new clothes for Josiah’s closet through the Women’s Clinic of Kansas City. Young moms choosing “life” get incentives to shop in Josiah’s closet by taking various parenting classes. A guest speaker came to MHA and shared with our students, through age-appropriate communication and activities, the beauty of life (I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:…Psalm 139:14). The students have a goal to collect 135 clothing items. MHA may be small in number but our students and their families/friends are huge in heart:).

baby clothes

Will you help MHA collect NEW 0-12 month spring and summer clothes (boy or girl) for our spring mission project? We would like to have all clothes collected by March 28th.

Ways to get it to us:
Email me to make arrangements for pickup OR drop items off at Marian Hope Center (14820 E 42nd St, Independence).

Lastly, please pray for the Women’s Clinic of Kansas City and the moms and babies they serve.

Thank you for helping us support this amazing organization we have in our community.

In His Service~
Angie Knight

In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’~Acts 20:35