REFLECTIONS

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 

~ Matthew 11:28-29

Dear Friends,

While in Milwaukee recently, I was introduced to a Wisconsin delicacy – the paczki.  Some of you are familiar with this Polish donut since it’s available just for Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent begins.  Some of you may have entered an intentional season of observing Lent, and if you have, I trust you are sensing God’s presence afresh.  Even if you are not observing Lent, God’s invitation to find refreshment for your soul is always available.  If there’s something I have learned in my years of knowing Jesus, I can always find rest in Him no matter how chaotic the world is.  He is gentle and humble in heart and giving Him my burdens makes life much sweeter.  Hallelujah, what a Friend!

Your support is vital, and there are so many ways you can show your support. We are always thrilled to receive checks or online gifts from donors (thank you!).  But there are times when it might be advantageous for you to invest in BrookLink’s mission through gifts of stock or a direct transfer of funds from your IRA.

For instance, if you are over 70 ½, you may be eligible to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD).  QCDs are a direct transfer of funds from your IRS custodian to BrookLink that count toward satisfying your required minimum distribution, if certain rules are met.  Making a gift of stock can offer the financial benefit of no capital gains on appreciated stocks and allow you to deduct the full value of donated stocks.  Please rely on your broker or your financial advisor to see if either of these options may be a good fit for your household.  You can ask your broker to provide you with the fair market value of your stock on the date of transfer for tax purposes.  Please inform us directly of your stock gift so we can make sure you receive proper receipt of your donation.

I enjoyed some local office time with Ann Woelfel and Lindsey Hulstrom during my visit in February.  Ann remains a valuable part of our team as she is available for special projects and plans.

We know that we can do nothing without Christ, so your prayers for our abiding in Him are of the utmost importance, and we thank you for lifting our staff and global partners up in prayer.

Shalom,

President

Facilitator Terry Heyward recently returned from serving with International Needs in Ghana.  Together with the local medical staff, they served medical outreaches to over 2,000 people!  “This is my happy place,” she says with a big, grateful smile.