For Him and Them by Dean Cowles, YPN President

A monthly message from YouthPartnersNET President Dean Cowles.

For Him and Them by Dean Cowles

April 2008

"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."
Benjamin Franklin, 1817

Hopefully since you are reading this thank you letter, you're fully alive. And the fact that you're reading it in April probably means taxes have been on your mind.

First of all I want to thank you and the IRS. I want to thank you because getting this "tax-deductible receipt" from us for your gift this month means that you believe in what YouthPartnersNET is trying to do to serve children and youth living in America's at-risk neighborhoods. I also want to thank the IRS because they require charitable organizations like YPN to give you these receipts so that they can be "certain" you actually gave it. Plus it gives us a chance to share with you each month how much your gifts really help.

However, I do have one complaint with the IRS. Sometimes they just don't believe you or me.

Last month my wife and I got a "certified letter" from the IRS that I hope you won't get. It was a letter "to examine your 2005 and 2006 tax returns." In short, it was that word we all dread "AUDIT"!! However, this time it was a good "examination". In fact it was the kind of letter I hope all Christians get from the IRS at some point.

You see, like you, we give donations to lots of Christian charities and churches. My guess is that we gave so much to so many that the IRS just didn't believe us. They questioned our "tax deductible contributions". So thankfully, like you, we saved all these "receipt" letters and had to make a copy of each one, mail them back to the IRS to satisfy their skepticism. Actually I don't really blame them. That's their job to be skeptical.

It's no wonder the IRS challenged our deductible claims. According to the Giving USA Foundation Report, "Middle-class Americans only give away 1.2% to 1.4% of their annual incomes". That's sad, isn't it? Christians didn't fair much better than the general population only giving away 2.6% of their annual income.

So when you sit down to your annual filing, look at it as a chance to send a good positive message to the IRS. Yes indeed, we do give a lot of our income to others because that's what Jesus commanded us to do and that's what in our hearts.

Oh, and when you send in your returns, why not add some encouraging words:

"The Lord loves a cheerful giver."

"To whom much is given, much is required."

"Whatever you have done unto the least of these, you have done unto me."

For Him and Them,

Dean Cowles
YouthPartnersNET President

LIVE COMPASSION!

Your Donations at Work:

SAFEPLACE is a ministry of Edgewater Baptist Church located on Chicago's north side. Their mission is to serve this at-risk neighborhood by providing school-age child care in a creative and safe environment for spiritual, academic, emotional, social and physical development. They do this through three components.

In its 10th year, the Afterschool Program offers homework assistance, tutoring, recreation and life skills learning, Bible teaching and discipleship during the school year. They currently serve 96 children, about 65% come from homes where Spanish is the first language. In its 17th year, Summer Day Camp offers six weeks of fun, recreation, field trips, Bible teaching and a safe place to hang during the long summer days. Last year this program served 175 children from families all over Chicago's north side. Then in its 6th year, Youth Leadership Initiative has been a training ground for young teens interested in serving their peers, their community as well as their world. 23 teens enrolled in this program last year and many will return to SAFEPLACE to serve as teen staff in the Summer Day Camp program.

YPN is excited to once again provide a grant for these amazing programs that impact so many children. YPN was also able to match a couple of youth groups to SAFEPLACE this summer through our CityConnexx program which will provide additional funding for their Summer Day Camp along with valuable volunteer hours.

SAFEPLACE Prayer Request:

SAFEPLACE asks for prayer for two 8th graders, Christan and Idel (far right in photo). Both of these boys have been recruited by the local gang Latin Kings.

Christian was to go through initiation rituals several weeks ago. SAFEPLACE staff were able to intervene. Christian's mom sent him out of the city for four weeks. Upon his return he came to us and said that he had changed his mind and wanted to "get right with the Lord". Since then he attended a YWAM conference and he is excited about learning how to serve the Lord through the arts. This indeed is a miracle. Please pray for Christian that he will continue resisting the persistent call of the local gangs.

Idel's story is not as encouraging as Christian's. One would think that Idel would not be drawn to gang membership since his father is in prison for drug dealing through gang affiliation. However, Idel is looking for "respect" that he thinks he can get by becoming a member of the Kings. He has been dealing drugs lately and is in real danger. Pray that he will make a firm decision to follow Christ and find his identity in Him.

Please pray for these boys!

• Visit the For Him and Them Archive