Two Earmarks of God's Work

Everywhere we look there are forces and circumstances that break apart and scatter people.

Two Earmarks

We have recently been reminded by Christ's life that faith is characterized by "gathering" and "generosity" (Luke 11).

These are earmarks of God's actions among us. When we see these happening, we know where to put our support and what to cooperate with.

Want to see what God is
doing in the world?

Look for deeds that are healing divisions between people and gathering us together. Avoid people, organizations, and media that are divisive in language, visuals, attitudes and actions. Embrace what is conciliatory and usually you will find openness and generosity in there with it.

Generosity seems easier to spot, but it comes in many forms from handing a street person some change, to listening to someone's problems. We thank God for a generous plumber who recently broke away from his schedule to come over and help in an emergency.

In Tough Times

When times are tough it is harder to be generous with schedule and resources. But, without generosity toward one another, how will we survive the tough times? Yes, God will save us. God's way is to engage the flesh and blood walking on earth. We come into tough times often because we do not live as God's gathering, generous people.
That's learning the hard way. We know we're tired of it. How about you?

Still learning and growing,

Mark and Donna Turner
November, 2010

We Have Power of Place

Arts Home Base - Main house viewed from office/studio -- Here we can produce our films and art, house collaborating artists, and hold events. Situated in a mountain retreat setting near a historic California gold mining town, we neighbor other facilities which can house larger retreats and temporary production space. Helping us keep this property is a substantial boost to the creation of art and films which draw people to God. Through this place you can be an important factor in art and films which give countless people hope and courage to do great things.

When you apply for a job you expect the establishment to have some structure in which to work. Even if the job is out in the field, or on the road, you have someone someplace to relate to. We usually steer clear of a "business" which can not be found on the map.

So, too, artists usually need to operate out of more than the trunk of their car.

Ten years ago we were helped with a major gift to begin purchasing the place for our arts ministry. You can be part of the beauty and inspiration which now flows from this arts haven in the mountains around Julian, California. From here we have created art for ministries in Africa, Australia, North America and the global Internet. From this home base we assist and teach arts in our city as well as overseas. Having this place has made it possible to create art that carries the light of Christ around the world.

Please visit our "Art Gets Home" page http://indiegogo.com/Art-Gets-Home . Watch the video there to see pictures of the place. Listen to Mark's three-and-a-half minute presentation and peruse the levels of contribution from as low as $20. We are giving away signed art, photography and films as "thank you's" for contributions.

Art Reveals the Unseen

Drawings for the film "To the Diggers" -- Here is a sequence of drawings by Mark Turner studying a TV studio camera and camera operator. A TV studio is usually a mass of technology that we don't want to look at. Everything is focused on the illusion created by the gleaming set. But, these drawings show very intriguing shapes, lines and colors behind the scene which will entertain our viewers' eyes. Part of the mission of our film of drawings is to reveal more than the viewer normally thinks about. As a film the drawings will move through the field of vision and show a relationship to each other. In the gallery the drawings will stand alone as still images. In both ways the art will illuminate the mind and heart of the beholder.

Not Knowing Everything Is Very Freeing

by Mark Turner

The same picture can take on wildly different meanings depending on your attitude, world view, and faith. Remember that we do not see the whole picture. There are unseen things going on. That's not just “spooky talking”; it's just reality: you can't know everything! So, looking at the circumstances of your life, pessimism could be completely unfounded. Well, optimism could be unfounded too, . . . unless you embrace faith.

Faith informs our view point that yet unseen good is coming, that observable bad circumstances are not the whole picture, that God is always working all factors together for the good. Scripture is packed with promises and reassurances that God loves and delights in us, that God is everything we need, defending, rescuing and providing regardless of the way things seem.

Is God delaying the help we need? We simply can not see God working out factors we do not even know are part of the picture. Too often the “normal” response is to focus all of our strength, soul and mind on ourselves as the self-sufficient masters of everything. This could and does kill people. I mean, consider the stress that puts on us.

Give faith a boost by remembering that we do not know everything, but God does. Say, “Hey, for all I know God has the answer right around the corner.” Is this self-delusion? Call it what you like. I think a lot more is accomplished with this attitude than when we say, “I know it all. Get out of my way,” and then proceed to make things worse.

Those that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, rise up with wings, run and walk without fainting (Isaiah 40:31). Value your understanding, but do not rely exclusively on it since it is but one aspect of the picture. Rather, acknowledge God in all your ways and He will direct your path (Proverbs 3:5).

Thinking and speaking with faith releases us from the pressure to fix everything ourselves, which is the impossible obligation put on us by a self-centered world. Interestingly, when we acknowledge we don't know everything, we relax and experience the joyful freedom needed to release creativity for effective partnership with God in ultimate solutions. Why would we want to live any other way?!

Art Gets Home - grab this place to radiate hope

Through this place you can be an important factor in art and films which give courage and hope to countless people. Help us secure our home base by either going to http://www.indiegogo.com/Art-Gets-Home , or going to http://www.horizongate.org and clicking on the "Donate" button to participate. (donations are tax deductible)
Beauty and inspiration will keep flowing from this place if we work together. $2,700 is needed by Sept. 30. An additional $5,619 will be needed by the end of October.
The equivalent of 12 pledges of $110.58 per month is needed to keep up on the payments. Call Donna's cell, 760-445-9470, to pledge.
Here is a concrete way to support the arts that inspire the world to do great things.

"To the Diggers" Film Enters News Media

Drawings of political campaigns have given way to drawings of news anchors and pundits. These drawings will be part of a montage corresponding to this part of the poem:

"We, transfixed by
images, Chew on shiny, tasty,
sexy fear, . . ."

The poem speaks of the transitory nature of statements blown out of proportion by the media today.

Mark spends many hours searching for models and then creating the drawings. The overall effect of all the drawings with the rich sound track will be very engaging. To see more drawings and follow the progress of the production go to Mark's blog, http://artingle.blogspot.com .

We Help Other Nonprofits Use Business As Mission

Non-profit organizations are feeling the loss of support as the economy has cut employment and as large donors have pulled back. Many charities and ministries have closed their doors. Many churches have measured a sharp decrease in giving. Horizon Gate too is suffering. But, the needs for which a mission was started do not go away just because the money does.
The Ministry of Helping Non-Profits
This is why we have attached to our mission "cause marketing," the work of helping other non-profits raise funds by inviting people to switch brands in support of their cause.
Newman' Own brand helped popularize "cause marketing" by donating all company profits to charity. The Shaklee corporation is giving non-profits free, perpetual fund raisers. At no charge, Shaklee, the number one all natural nutrition company in the U.S., is providing a state-of-the-art shopping web site and the means to earn a large, residual income internationally. As non-profits accept the opportunity, the Turners receive a percentage of their Shaklee business and that helps support the ministry of Horizon Gate too.

Organizations Are Signing On
One church has signed up under the Turners and another church is very positive about it. We will soon present the concept of "cause marketing" to an organization which does construction projects in low income communities. The Turners are presenting this program about once-a-month. As these organizations sell the products and sign up their own Shaklee distributors, they could add $10,000 to $14,000 to their annual budgets within six months. There is no limit to how much they could grow this fund raiser, especially when expanding into the currently open Shaklee markets of Canada, Mexico, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan and China.
Send Your Non-Profits Our Way
If you know of, or help a non-profit organization such as a church, private school, service organization, PTA, arts organization, or Sports club, chances are that they need the benefits of this opportunity. Please put them in touch with us: 760-445-9470, e-mail HealthIntheJungle@gmail.com. They can see an introductory video at http://tinyurl.com/freefunds2