We were poor, but the kids didn't know it. I worked throughout the week and rested on the weekends.

I have always very much wanted to walk in the good works God has ordained for us to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). Sometimes I would drive along roads and streets looking for someone I could help. I would look for people with cars broken down, or those who had a flat, that kind of thing (this was before cell phones), doing what I could for others.

One day, I became aware of a family needing food. I thought, "I don't have the money to purchase the food they are needing. Even if I got a second job it would be weeks before I would get a paycheck." As I was praying about this I thought, "What do you have in your hand?" I thought, "I have a rake in the garage." "Can you rake leaves?"

My son was a young boy. I told him of the needy family I was aware of. I told him I wanted to help them. "Stephen, could you help me rake leaves to get some money to buy food for a needy family?" He said, "Would you pay me, Dad?" "Yes, if God prospers us today with enough money to buy food for the poor, I will give you the extra."

We started out in my old Chevy pick-up truck with rakes and bags. We knocked on doors in neighborhoods that had large amounts of leaves that had fallen from the trees.

I would knock on a door. "Could we rake your leaves for a donation to help a needy family?" "No, leaves are good for the soil, they put nutrients in the ground."

Next door. "Ma'am, could we rake your leaves?" "No, my husband will do that."

Next door. "Do you need your leaves raked?" "No! I do that myself."

Next door. "Sir, can we rake your leaves?" "No, but wait a minute. See that house over there? The old woman that lives there recently fell and hurt her arm. She might want her leaves raked." "Thank you, Sir."

We drove across the way as we had been instructed. The older lady was in her yard wearing a sling. She had a rake in her hand and she was trying to rake her leaves.

When I approached her and ask her if we could rake her leaves, you would have thought that we were angels of God (Hebrews 13:1‑2).

We told her the purpose of our outing and she was so happy that we came. It was like the spirit of Samson came upon me, and my son for the next few hours. We filled my truck with bags and bags of leaves. If I remember, it was between 7-13 of the largest bags you can buy for picking up leaves on your lawn. The lady was so thankful that we came.

She gave us a donation that was large enough to purchase the groceries (for the poor) that we were needing and also supplied a small amount of finances for my son. Praise the Lord!
There is an amazing Scripture in Daniel 4:27 in which Daniel was giving instruction to the proud King Nebuchadnezzar, when he said,