In 2 Kings 4:1-7 A prophet died and left debts that his widow and two sons could not pay. The creditor decided to take the two sons as slaves in payment of the debt. When the widow begged for Elisha’s help, the Lord miraculously provided them with enough oil to sell and pay off the debt. But the account wasn’t just about the debt; it was about the faith of the widow and her sons. You see, God told her to go collect jars and bring them to her house. So she collected all the jars she could. No neighbor left unbothered, no relative left alone. They borrowed every jar possible. They brought them home and the Lord instructed them to take the small jar of oil (what they had) and begin to fill these jars (what they expected God to do) from it. The oil did not stop pouring until every jar in the house was completely full, and then it stopped. The debt was paid and the widow and her sons could live in peace.
This year we set out our jars and now God is filling them. In fact, we couldn’t wait until school was out to begin construction on the newest addition to the campus. The government extended the school year on us at the last minute, and the new construction has to begin now to be completed by the start of school next year. The new construction, practically speaking, means more classrooms, administration offices, and more restrooms; but to us it means so much more.
It means more students that we had to turn away this past year. Students who were left out of the Morning Glory Story can now be penciled in. It means more lives to shape and craft into the young men and women that God has designed them to become. It means more souls to lead to Christ and more hearts to give to God. It means fewer fireworks victims, fewer abused children, fewer neglected children, fewer lost children, and fewer children forced to trade childhood in early. It means that dreams can become realities for the first time in generations for new families. It means new little voices praising and worshiping God in the new open auditorium.
Last year has brought so many changes and improvements to Morning Glory Christian Academy. We had a larger than usual number of groups on campus during the year working and sharing our passion to make the campus safe and attractive for our kids. We brought in jars and now we now have two new amazing playgrounds, numerous new classrooms, a newly renovated pre-primary complex, security cameras, extra parking designated for students with bicycles and motorcycles, and numerous staff improvements such as Discipline Officer and the Academic Dean.
2014 was a fantastic year for our students. We taught our kids to bring jars of first-fruits of practice and discipline and now ALL of our arts programs placed first in almost every category in which they competed. Lori set out jars of challenge for our older students and this year they learned to write a research paper (a skill not even taught in the colleges there) and we had to teach the teachers as well. This year has been a fantastic year spiritually. We set out jars of souls that needed Jesus and numerous souls were traded for eternity and hearts forever changed. The worship on campus is still my favorite part every time I visit. There is just something about six hundred kids truly worshiping God that will thrust you into the Throne Room of God.
Last year we introduced a bunch of brand new partners to the Morning Glory Story; Partners who have already left their fingerprints all over the ministry here. We set out jars needing land that seemed impossible, but those jars were filled because when it made no sense we obeyed God. And then we set out jars praying for a new building that seemed like an impossible dream a few months ago. Before we knew it, the money was being transferred for a building
I believe the best is yet to come. So I want to share another portion of the Morning Glory dream that God has given us. After completing the new building and classrooms, we will have the other half of that land left. We believe that God is leading us to build a similar building on that tract of land for our Building of the Arts. One of our greatest achievements that showcases giving God our very best are our arts programs. So we set out jars. 
We believe that God will fill our jars from a church or churches who have a passion for teaching students to use their artistic talents to glorify God and provide the $65,000 for an Art Complex featuring a band hall, choir room, dance hall, and a flag corps center where our students can have a designated place to learn and rehearse.
Land in Guatemala is a very valuable and limited commodity. We are limited in growth by the amount of land we have in which to grow. Right now, a prime piece of real estate directly connected to our land has become available. This land will not last long on the market, so we have a very limited window of opportunity. The first $25,000 owns this land. This land is extremely desirable for several reasons, one of which is that it will give us the much needed alternate access to the road. This means our buses would not have to figure out how to turn around on campus, we could route them out of that access safely and quickly to get them on their way with a lot less danger to the students. So we set out jars knowing that there is a professional that understands the value of land who could provide this gift. We need someone to step forward and provide the beautiful gift for this land.
Lori has been struggling with a walker for the past few years. The fact is that she still has trouble with her legs buckling under her when she walks. This year, we would love to present Lori with an electric scooter that would take her all around campus (right now she is limited to a small area where she can go). This would enable her to visit classrooms, monitor the campus’ activities first hand, and to be able to get around without requiring other adults to help her. We can get her a durable scooter and have it equipped to her specifications for under $5000. So we set out jars. We believe that God is already encouraging someone to step forward and fill this jar. Perhaps you have a firsthand understanding of how restrictive physical limitations are? Maybe you would like to give this gift in the honor of a family member who struggled with being able to walk. Maybe you are part of a senior’s group at your church and you would like to make this your gift to Lori this year?
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Maybe you want to challenge another Sunday school class in your church to a friendly competition to see who can raise the money first and then take the rest and put towards a nice party for the children. The jars are set out, and we believe.
We have no building on campus that can seat ALL of our students at one time. We have no place to showcase our arts programs, our academic programs, our religious programs, or even our graduation programs. We believe that there is a person or a group who could provide $1,000,000 for an auditorium/gymnasium that can seat up to a thousand people at a time. In two years, we will be at almost a thousand students enrolled in school and nowhere for friends and family to come to share in their educational/artistic/spiritual benchmarks. This means we need land enough for a building with adequate parking for buses, cars, trucks and the occasional argumentative donkey. This building would have to have access options sufficient for the traffic and parking laws. The building would require large bathrooms with showers and changing areas. It would need a stage and universal floor for both athletics and audiences. The building would need to be fully enclosed and reinforced to serve as an emergency shelter and headquarters for emergency relief and rescue for the region. Among our resources here at Morning Glory, we believe God has already provided this money to several churches, groups, individuals who, when combining God’s gifts, can partner with us in this practical way and fill these jars we have set out.  I know my God is BIG enough to do more that we can dream or imagine. I know He can give it to us any way He chooses. I believe 2015 is the year when Morning Glory Christian Academy finally becomes the worst kept secret in the world. The Spirit of the Lord is active and busy on our Campus. The Mercy of the Lord is active and busy in our Teachers. The Grace of the Lord is active and busy in our Administrators. The Love of the Lord is rampant among our students and faculty. The Delight of the Lord will be demonstrated by the generous and sacrificial giving by you to make this a reality for Morning Glory Christian Academy. It started with the jars.
We would love to be at 100% with our student sponsorship by the end of 2015. This is a very real and doable goal. So we set out jars for the kids. We just need individuals, youth groups, Sunday school classes, women’s groups, men’s groups, Christian businesses, etc. to contact us and get your child’s bio right away. As a sponsor I can assure you, they love getting to know you. And finally, I want to see Queno and Lori get a financial raise. These two are the bedrock of this ministry and they have been there for 35 years and are making the same income as they did 35 years ago. They are way past due for a raise. The problem is they will not accept a raise until our budget is consistently able to support the kids, teachers, and staff first. So we have set out jars for Queno and Lori. We need new revenues of income for 2015. We need churches who don’t yet support us to come on board. We need professionals to “pay it forward” to these college graduates who could be making ten times their salary working in America, but have chosen Kingdoms over Mansions. So we set out jars for new partners. The truth is, if each of our readers would designate $5.00 a month to Queno and Lori’s salaries, we could finally pay a fair and reasonable wage. The next time you stop for a cup of coffee, let it remind you of how very little it takes to make a difference in Queno and Lori’s lives. Our jars come in all sizes. Where God guides, He provides. We just obediently set out our jars.
Finally, 2015 will be the year of Spiritual Victories. I get so excited just thinking about what is right around the corner. We talk a lot about the school, but I haven’t even mentioned the phenomenal growth in the churches that Queno has started. I haven’t mentioned that we are praying for ten Spanish speaking ministers who would be willing to take on a church because we have ten new areas that desperately need a church, but the workers are few. So we are asking the Lord of the Harvest to send us workers, pastors, mentors, teachers, youth leaders, and prayer warriors. And He will. But please, work with me here, help us give Him something to send them to. We have jars set out for these churches, please designate a gift for the church work. I dare your church to challenge your members to start another church in Guatemala—a sister church that you make possible. I dare you to challenge your church to honor those who built their church and fill these jars.
Maybe you think we have set out too many jars? But as I read the account of the widow, I noticed that God left it up to her to decide how much blessing she wanted. He never told her how many jars to gather. She could have only gathered a few, not wanting to appear foolish and needy to her family, friends, and neighbors. Perhaps she felt guilty as the house filled up with jars? Maybe you would consider her greedy and selfish? But God left her blessing up to her. He knew that she could never gather too many jars for Him to fill. He knew what He wanted to do for her. He knew his daughter desperately needed him to provide. So he left her blessing up to her. The oil stopped as the final jar filled.
My God is still the God who provides for His children! How embarrassed would we be if we responded to His instructions with only a few jars? Oh, no. We gathered jars from every corner of every place until we could find no more jars. We know that He will fill EVERY jar we set out. You can decide for yourself what your blessing is to be, but for us—we have these jars. How big is YOUR God? How much can He do through YOU? How big is your CHURCH’S God? Do you have any projects that are impossible for you to do without God? If you don’t, then perhaps it’s a good thing you are reading this…God is going to bless BOTH of us with these jars! If you never have a “God Project” (a project ONLY God can do) for you church, then you are preventing them from seeing God’s power and providence. If you don’t have a “God Project” for your family, then you are robbing them of the opportunity to see God work. The jars have been gathered. They have been set out. You know they are there now. So, the only question left is, “What are YOU going to do?” If you think that God did something amazing for the widow and her sons, then you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. 
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