sweet, sweet progress

Okay, so bank account? Check. Hello, in business, how you doin? So in the next few days we will opening a PayPal account up strictly for this cause, so no more having to funnel through my various channels to get the fundage to where it needs to be...and that's in Bibleland.

Also, once I polish off this here post, I'll be heading on over to order those Bibles and the ball will officially beging it's roll. Mmmm...hot, gooey rolls outta the oven...

it's a mad world

So, again, downtown today working on the show and I see another woman asking for money. I reach in my wallet and scoop out $2 - again, needing that Bible to bridge the gap! But, nevertheless, I handed her the money and left her with a "God bless."

Oh, and...

After a big scene today with lotsa food, I went out into the world in search of people needing to eat. I walked blocks and blocks, finally finding one lone homeless man, who I had to pretty much convince to take a fresh, still sealed footlong hoagie we didn't use. It was still cold and had all it's freshy goodness inside. He seemed oddly taken aback at my offering, uneasy, maybe even a little untrusting that someone would hand them food. This is kinda how it went down, script-style...

EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET - DAY

Brennan carries two hoagies and several bags of rolls down the street, in search of someone in need. He spies a homeless man - let's call him FRANK - walking ahead carrying a white trash bag filled with old clothes.

Brennan picks up the pace and starts to walk along side Frank.

BRENNAN

"How ya doin?"

Frank looks at Brennan quizzically, but soon gives half a smile.

FRANK

"Fine...I see you got two footlong hoagies there..."

BRENNAN

"I do. You want one?"

Brennan holds out a hoagie, but Frank waves it off and says...

FRANK

"Nah. Those are yours."

Brennan again waves the hoagie in Frank's direction.

BRENNAN

"No, they're really not. We were shooting a scene for a show, and these are what I had leftover...so I either have throw them away or...

Frank pulls back like "oh, you got to throw them away?" Brennan reads this and replies...

BRENNAN

No...I mean I want you to take them because I don't want them to go to waste.

FRANK

Okay. Whatcha got?

Frank checks out the hoagies: an All-American and a Turkey and Swiss. Brennan continues...

BRENNAN

Take them both.

FRANK

Nah, I only want one...

Brennan slowly nods and hands over the Turkey and Swiss. Frank smiles and takes it. He looks it over, then asks...

FRANK

So, is this cool?

BRENNAN

Yea. Very cool.

FRANK

Okay.



******

So that's how that went down. The weird thing to me was that not only was "Frank" apprehensive in taking food from me, but he also didn't want any extra. Just one. I left thinking that this was crazy. Why wouldn't he take more? I even offered the bags of rolls I was carrying, but he declined them.

The same sort of thing happened earlier at lunch. I was carrying two fresh bags of rolls by the catering truck when a man stopped right in front of me and began to dig in a garbage can for food. I offered him the two bags of rolls and he replied, "I'll just take one."

I was bewildered to say the least. Here was a man digging in the trash for food, but not willing to take all that I was offering him.

I chalk these experiences up to one of two things: either both men didn't want to leave me with nothing for fear that I wouldn't have more to give out to others in need, or to myself; or, that they have become so far removed from individual people offering them anything but a stiff arm outside the confines of a soup kitchen or organized event that "giving" has become a fairy tale to them. Some alien idea that they are suspicious of.

We have to change that.

on the path

If you're a FB friend of ours, sorry for this story repeat, unless you wanted to hear it again anyway...

We were shooting the show downtown today and I stopped to give a man $2 - wish I had a Bible! - and he said, "Thanks man, how did you know? You a mind reader?" 

I laughed and said, "Kinda."

He smiled and asked, "Keep me in ur prayers!"

To which I replied, "I sure will."

I think this is a true testament that A COUPLE BUCKS AND A BIBLE is right on track! I went to lunch thinking this was awesomeness, only to then wish I had explained the cause to him and taken his picture. He seemed a man of God, despite his current predicament, and he would've been great to be the first photo of someone our mission touched...sans Bible. Ah! I know. But, even still, he was placed on my path today for a reason, and I think that reason was God telling us we having something here in our lil' start-up non-profit spread the Word and lift up those who are down cause.

Also, we registered the DBA today. O-fficialness! Now we petition the state for non-profit status. I hear that is a bit of a chore, but the cause will climb mountains...

glorious stuff!

The other day my mom and April - on two separate occasions - told me we should start the cause now. Get out there on the street. Pound the pavement. Start handing out stuff. Get the ball rolling. Take pictures. Say "cheese." (And I wanna make t-shirts.) So, after talking with April...

Okay, we can't wait! We have to do this thing now to set the example rather than have the money all in first, then start. Because the truth is: the money will never be all in. There will never be enough we can do to help spread the Word to those who need to hear it the most. So...

...here we go! Amazingly, some recent SUPERDONATERS stepped forward and helped the cause exponentially. I'm not sure if I can name names, but if I get the go-ahead, I'll be namin' names.

However, it is not about how much anyone gives, but the reason behind their giving.

A little quick math: $4 = one NIV shirt-pocket New Testament Bible and $2 = a homeless person's gift

So four bucks - roughly your typical Starbucks sipper - is all it takes to change a life forever. Does that seem a little drastic? Forever? Well, it would be if it were little ol' us thinking we were wreaking cloud-parting, sunshine-breaking, everlasting peace-inducing change...but, it's not. Jesus gets the credit on this one. Color us messengers.

Click the "DONATE" icon on the top right of this blog should you feel compelled to do so. ALL, and we mean ALL, proceeds go to the purchasing of Bibles (plus shipment and taxes) or to turning big dollars into one dollar bills. Oh, and then maybe some for the paperclips to affix the $2 inside.

who we are

This is what's what...

You're at a stoplight. Don't look to the left, don't look to the left, don't- ah! You looked! You see a homeless person with their hand out, asking for a little compassion...as you sip your $5 latte. And like most times, you try to avert your eyes, praying that they didn't see you looking at them. "Oh God, please say they didn't see me..."

Let's say they did. Because, they did. A frail woman, or a poor forgotten war veteran, caught your gaze. You know you have some loose change in the ashtray, or a couple dollars in your pocket, but...the light may turn green, you're in the middle lane, you're late for a meeting, they're just gonna buy beer with it anyway, blah, blah, yada, yada...

Making excuses and hiding behind them isn't the way it was designed to be. We are meant to be givers, not hoarders. What's just some spare change to you could very well be living or dying to them. No joke.

Hey, we know that money doesn't grow on trees. If it did, we'd live in a jungle. We just want to give a little something to those in need in order to help put food in their bellies...and God in their heart. That's right, the Big Man upstairs. We want to introduce them to Jesus Christ. The two dollars entices them to take the book, the amazing story does the rest.

We don't car salesman the thing at all. Simply: Here's a couple bucks and a Bible, dude. Read it. For real, it's good stuff.

That. Those words up there. Probably gonna be our exact word-for-word handoff to them. Do we know what they're gonna do with the money and the Bible. No. Do we know that we brought the Word to someone who desperately needs to hear it? 100%

Welcome to a couple bucks and a Bible. We hope that you'll help us on our journey to spread the Word on the street.

Here's the particulars...

For starters, we are keeping it simple. Clearly the need is great, but our reach is not yet as massive. It may start out as basic as: We're at a stoplight and spot a homeless person on the corner. We reach into our glove compartment and - BOOM! Here's a couple bucks and a Bible. Dude.

Depending upon the level of Christian and like-minded support, we may be able to go out in full force into the streets. Like a gang. A cool, dollar and Bible hander-outer gang. (Do we get leather jackets?) However...no way to tell as of yet. Let's let God helm this one. We will go and grow wherever and however we are able to.

The cash flow needed to get the show on the road: $1275. This covers 300 people, each getting a NIV shirt-pocket New Testament (with complete Psalms & Proverbs) and two bucks!

WE ARE NOT TAKING A PENNY. We, as fellow Christians, are simply following a lil' WWJD? 

What does this have to do with you?

That's up to you really. Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. After reading this, will you have been compelled to give anything in hopes of bettering your world and bringing one more soul closer to God, or will you simply surf on over to another page and forget we are here? Whichever you choose, feel no pressure. Come and go as you please, Christian or not.

You have to do what in your heart feels right. Maybe this isn't it. Or...maybe it is.