Update 2017

Happy New Year Everyone!
Please allow me to say a huge “Thank You!” to everyone for 2016.  It was by far our busiest and most successful year in ministry since we started.  When we looked back over the year it was pretty amazing to realize how much the Lord accomplished through Reasons for Hope* and your partnership with us.
Now it’s 2017 and it doesn’t look as if things are going to slow down any.  Please let me give you an update and the direction we’re headed this year so that you can better pray for us.
Everything that we produce this year is with the focus of equipping parents/grandparents/leaders to have conversations with their children/grandchildren, students.  We believe that effective ministry is going to start at the grassroots level with sold out, born again, Bible believers reaching one person at a time!  In order for that to happen, we have to converse with the lost and “train ourselves out of a job”, so to speak.
What I mean by that is we have to pass on what the Lord has given to us to the next generation.  So, the first tool we’re releasing this month is called, “Fast Facts!”  Currently we have produced 24 of these short videos.  We have 6 of each of the following animals; Elephant, Giraffe, Hippopotamus and Lion.
The whole concept is for parents/grandparents/leaders to show the short video, (less than 1.5 minutes) and then have a conversation with their children/grandchildren, students.
The conversation, depending on how deep you want to take it, will last anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes.  There is a Study Sheet that corresponds with each animal containing questions, worksheets and even a coloring page for younger children.  It has all of the information that you need to be effective in teaching.
We currently have a PDF file of the study booklet that folks can print out that have questions to help the leader to facilitate the conversation.  But, we also have an artist that is producing custom artwork for each animal booklet.  These should be completed by April, Lord willing.  I should have the final Giraffe booklet by next week!  Here’s a sample of the artwork so you can see what it will look like.

Something that we never expected also happened on this project.  A while back I was blessed to meet a man named Jim who works at PUREFLIX.  When we showed him what we were working on and what we had already produced, he got excited.  We are very happy to announce that Reasons for Hope* has partnered with PUREFLIX  and we are giving them exclusive rights to stream Fast Facts! AND our last video project, WMI: Unearthing the Truth!
PUREFLIX currently has over 500,000 subscribers and the number is growing every day.  For them to appreciate the work that we’ve done and give us the opportunity to be seen by a much broader audience is a blessing.  Suffice it to say, we’re excited about this opportunity.
I’ve already written 12 scripts for V. 2 where we’ll be talking about Bats, Bees, Birds and Butterflies!  Please pray that these will be as effective at starting conversations that we believe they can be.
By the way, we’ll be in San Antonio in March at a Christian Film Festival with; WMI: Unearthing the Truth!  We entered it into the competition so it will be interesting to see how it is received!  Please pray that God would be glorified through this process.
In February I’ll be at the Chicago Field Museum leading my first major tour with a number of high school students from Iowa and Michigan.  I’ve been through the museum a number of times and led smaller groups through.  This will be the biggest undertaking that I’ve ever done there.  Please pray!  This is a huge opportunity to impact the next generation.
And speaking of museum tours, let me give you a brief update on our Smithsonian Museum of Natural History App that we’re producing with Liberty University.  It is moving forward.  In December I took two of the three students who are working on the App on a tour through the museum so they could see what it is exactly that we do.  The feedback was phenomenal.
WE NEED PRAYER!  We’ve taken the video, we have the concept, now it is my job to produce the content to fill the App.  This is such a huge undertaking and we’re such a small organization, it can be overwhelming to say the least.
In addition, my travel schedule is getting started again so my free time is disappearing.  Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not complaining.  I just want to be as honest as possible.  There’s a LOT to do and there’s no way it’s going to get accomplished in our strength alone.  WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!
I take off for Fergus Falls, Minnesota tomorrow where I’ll be speaking at a school and a church.  After that I’ll be in Miami, Florida speaking at another school and churches.  God is good and we appreciate all of the opportunities we receive.
Make sure to stay in touch and let us know how we can pray for you.
Stay Bold,
Carl and the rforh Team
P.S. – If you have any contacts in the Chicago, Pittsburgh or San Antonio areas I have an opening to speak while there on other ministry.  Please put them in touch with us.  Chicago is Wednesday, February 22nd, Pittsburgh is Sunday, March 5th and San Antonio is March 12th & 15th.  Blessings all.