ANOTHER CHRISTMAS FOR JESUS

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

Well, that's another Christmas in the books. Or as we like to say at the SoupMobile---Another Christmas for Jesus! How so, you say?

2,000 years ago there was 'No Room at the Inn' for baby Jesus. However in 2010 the SoupMobile made 'Room at the Inn' for hundreds of homeless folks. We just celebrated our 6th Annual CELEBRATE JESUS Christmas event. We took 500 (YES 500) homeless men and women right off the streets of Dallas and put them up at the downtown Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel for Christmas. They all received new clothes, fabulous gifts, lots of love and we held a huge mega banquet in their honor. Most important when they woke up on Christmas morning it was in a warm safe bed at the Hyatt---not in a cardboard box under some bridge.

Once again the special guest server at this years event was Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert. He was joined by over 1,500 volunteers who came to the Hyatt to help out with the event. For the 2nd year in a row, Lon Ricker was the Chairman of the Celebrate Jesus Christmas event. He did an amazing job as he coordinated and ran this massive event. Our special thanks to Lon for giving of himself to this wonderful cause.

In reality it all keeps coming back to Jesus. HE said "Feed My Sheep." At the SoupMobile we believe he meant more than just food. He also meant love, caring, compassion and shelter. The SoupMobile does this on a daily basis throughout the year. Celebrating Christmas at the Hyatt with our 500 homeless guests is the grand finale of our efforts every year. My special thanks to all the volunteers that attended the event and to all those that supported the SoupMobile during the year.

Yes, it was another 'Christmas for Jesus.' Now its back to 'every day for Jesus.' The SoupMobile is on the front lines on a year around basis as we wage a war against hunger in the Dallas area. Every day we are spreading the love of Jesus as we go about our mission of 'Feeding' and 'Sheltering' the homeless. The SoupMan would be honored if you would join him in 2011 and work shoulder to shoulder with him as we 'Feed HIS Sheep.' For more details about the SoupMobile go to: www.soupmobile.org

May the Lord Bless Bless & Keep You.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Dear SoupFriends,

What's the true meaning of Christmas?

Is it just about Christmas trees, lights, holiday dinner and gifts? Or is it more? For me its all about the birth of Jesus. More specifically its about giving. My wife Shana says it this way, "If you're not giving, you're not living." We know from the Bible that Jesus was all about giving.

So what will you be doing this Christmas? Will you be giving? No I don't mean giving in the 'commercial' sense. I mean giving of yourself to help others in need. I mean reaching out to your fellowman in love. I mean stepping out of your comfort zone to make a real difference in the life of someone less fortunate than yourself.

In just a few days the SoupMobile will be celebrating its 6th Annual SoupMobile Celebrate Jesus Christmas event. We will be taking 500 homeless men and women right off the streets of Dallas and putting them up at the downtown Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel. They will all receive new clothes, fabulous gifts, lots of love and we will hold a huge banquet in their honor. Most important is that when they wake up on Christmas morning it will be in a warm safe bed at the Hyatt---not in a cardboard box under some bridge.

How would you like to be part of a group of more than 1,500 volunteers who will be coming to the Hyatt this Christmas. How would you like to join us in making it a magical Christmas for 500 homeless men and women. How would you like to experience the most magical Christmas of your own life. A Christmas of giving---not the giving of gifts but the giving of yourself.

Let this be your year---your Christmas to make a real difference in the life of a homeless person. For more details how to volunteer, go to www.soupmobile.org and click on CELEBRATE JESUS.

Merry Christmas and may the Lord bless and keep you.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

MAYOR WITH A HEART

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

2,000 years ago a child was born in Bethlehem. As this child grew into manhood he did some amazing things. He did miraculous things like turning water into wine. Then he topped that by walking on the water. He went around laying hands on people and healing them. Then he bumped that up a notch & started healing people that he had never seen by simply speaking the Word. Not satisfied with that, he began raising people from the dead. Even that was not enough as he raised himself from the dead. His name---Jesus!

A couple of thousand years later a man was born who would grow up to the Mayor of one of the largest cities in America. His name---Tom Leppert. You might be asking what these two men born 2,000 years apart have in common. The answer is simple---they both have a servant's heart.

At Christmas this year, Mayor Tom Leppert will be attending the banquet at the SoupMobile's 6th Annual Celebrate Jesus Christmas event. Just like we do every year, the SoupMobile will be taking 500 homeless men and women right off the streets of Dallas and putting them up at the downtown Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel for Christmas. Yes, I said THE Hyatt Regency. All of our homeless guests will receive new clothes, fabulous gifts, lots of love and we will hold a huge banquet in their honor. Most important is that when they wake up on Christmas morning it will be in a warm safe bed at the Hyatt---not in a cardboard box under some bridge.

Please note that Mayor Leppert isn't coming to the banquet to be served. He is coming to serve! He will be coming in his Tuxedo and he will be the chief server at the Homeless Banquet on Friday December 24th from 12:30PM to 2:30PM. He is coming with a servants heart---just like Jesus would do. Yes, I call him the Mayor with a heart---a heart for reaching out to the ones Jesus called the 'least of these.'

How about you? Care to roll up your sleeves and serve shoulder to shoulder with the Mayor this Christmas? Yes come and help us "Feed HIS Sheep." Come and experience the most magical Christmas of your entire life. Come not to be served---but to serve!

For more details about volunteering at the SoupMobile's 6th Annual Celebrate Jesus Christmas event, go to www.soupmobile.org and click on CELEBRATE JESUS.

May the Lord bless and keep you all.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

IF YOU'RE NOT GIVING, YOU'RE NOT LIVING.

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

My wife Shana often says, "if you're not giving, you're not living." I believe there is a lot of truth in that statement. This Thanksgiving I was privileged to join a group of 25 loving, passionate, committed volunteers who helped prepare and serve more than 500 Thanksgiving Dinners to the homeless in the Dallas area.

When most people think of Thanksgiving they think of what they are thankful for. Many families have a tradition of everyone at the table telling what they are thankful for before they eat their Thanksgiving meal. I think that's nice but I don't really think that's the true spirit of Thanksgiving. We need only to look at the second part of the word Thanksgiving to get a glimpse into what its all about. Yes, the 'giving' part of the word.

I believe the real spirit of Thanksgiving is giving of ourselves to help others. To take it a step further, I believe the real spirit of life is giving of ourselves to help others. I've lived my life both ways. Back in my younger days Thanksgiving was all about me. My wants, my needs, me--me--me! Looking back it wasn't a very satisfying or fulfilling holiday.In fact life itself wasn't very satisfying when it was all about me.

This year I was blessed to work shoulder to shoulder with those 25 volunteers serving Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless in the Dallas area, I felt a total sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. What was the difference? We weren't doing it for ourselves, we were doing it for those in need. And the more we gave the more we got. Each meal given to a homeless person was a gift to ourselves. Our hearts were filled with love, tenderness and joy as we served the ones Jesus called the 'least of these.' We were 'giving' and oh how wonderfully we were 'living.'

I don't know how you spent your Thanksgiving this year but the day is over and won't be back for 12 long months. So if you missed the 'giving' part of the day, I'm going to give you a second chance at the brass ring. A second chance to experience the same love, same tenderness and same joy that will fill your own heart by 'giving.'

That second chance is Christmas 2010. The SoupMobile will be celebrating its 6th Annual Celebrate Jesus Christmas event. We will be 'giving' a magical Christmas to the homeless in the Dallas area. Would you like to be part of a 'giving' Christmas! Would you like to help the less fortunate! Would you like for your own heart to be filled with the joy that can only be received by 'giving.' For more details on how to volunteer at the SoupMobile this Christmas, go to www.soupmobile.org and click on CELEBRATE JESUS.

Remember, if you're not giving, you're not living!

May the Lord bless and keep you all.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Room at the Inn

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

Believe it or not, Christmas is just around the corner. I remember as a child that it seemed as if Christmas would never get here. Now as an adult, it seems like Christmas comes faster each year.

If you are homeless, Christmas is nothing special. It’s a day, just like any other day. A day spent trying to find food and shelter. A day without a Christmas tree, no traditional dinner with all the fixings and no warm conversation with your family members by the fireplace. Christmas for a homeless person is typically a day without joy, without love and without hope.

Fortunately there are exceptions to every rule. 2,000 years ago there was no 'Room at the Inn' for baby Jesus. In honor of Jesus and to celebrate his birthday, the SoupMobile makes sure the homeless in Dallas have a magical Christmas every year. This year marks the SoupMobile's 6th Annual Celebrate Jesus Christmas event. We will be taking 500 homeless men and women right off the streets of Dallas and putting them up at the downtown Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel for Christmas. They will all receive new clothes, fabulous gifts, lots of love and we will hold a huge banquet in their honor. Most important is that when they wake up on Christmas morning, it will be in a warm, safe bed at the Hyatt---not in a cardboard box under some bridge.

Would you like to be a part of this magical Christmas? Would you like to step out in faith and help us touch homeless lives this Christmas in a way that you have never done before? Would you like for your own life to be touched in a powerful way. You can't do anything about baby Jesus getting locked out 'of the inn' 2,000 years ago, but you can do something to make sure 500 of HIS sheep have the most magical Christmas of their lives. This is your chance to go beyond your own 'traditional' Christmas and reach deep into the heart of the homeless world. This is your chance to move out of your own comfort zone and help 500 homeless men and women. This is your chance to make a 'real difference' in this world.

For more details on how to VOLUNTEER at our Celebrate Jesus event or to make a DONATION to support the event, simply go to www.soupmobile.org. This much we can promise you. Volunteering at the SoupMobile's 6th Annual Celebrate Jesus Christmas event will NOT be the best volunteer opportunity of the year for you. What it will be is the best volunteer opportunity of your Life. When you see the tears in the eyes of our homeless guests and the smiles on their faces, you heart will be touched in a way it has never been touched before.

May the Lord Bless & Keep you.

p.s. Looking for that perfect Christmas stocking stuffer? The SoupMan’s 2^nd book, “God is NOT on Vacation!” is now out and available exclusively on Amazon.com. Do you believe in miracles? You just might after reading this book, which time and again points to the glory and majesty of the Lord.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

On a Mission from God

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

I've been working with the homeless for more than seven years now. I have been privileged to meet and come to know thousands upon thousands of homeless men and women. I have fed them, bandaged their cuts and wounds, become friends with them, laughed with them, cried with them, visited them in jail, sat with them in the large cardboard boxes they call home, watched them fail miserably, and at times watched them succeed beyond anyone's wildest dreams. It's been an amazing journey with no end in sight.

Since the birth of the SoupMobile in 2003 my fabulous SoupTeam has served more than three quarters of a million meals to the homeless right here in the Dallas area. A staggering number to be sure. Those kind of numbers are proof positive of Gods grace and favor on our mission of 'Feeding HIS Sheep.'

As you may know the SoupMobile expanded its feeding operation in 2009 to include sheltering the homeless. We started a venture called SOUPMOBILE VILLAGE. It's a series of group homes located right here in the Dallas area. Each home designed to take a homeless person right off the streets, clean them up, put a roof over their heads and help them become productive members of our community.

Recently we had one of our women graduate from the Village Women's Home. (Let's call her Beth). Beth began her stay in the Women's Home on July 7, 2010. The day she moved in, she told me that if it weren't for the SoupMobile, she would have been sleeping in her car. We took Beth in, fed her, gave her a safe place to stay and most important showed her the love of Jesus.

I'm so very pleased to announce that Beth just moved out of the Women's Home into her own housing. We feel blessed that Beth's stay in the Women's Home gave her the breathing room she needed to get back on her feet. She stayed with us for 60 days---not a lot of time in the real world, but for someone who would have been sleeping in her car---those 60 days were a life saver.

Bottom line: WE are making a difference in the lives of the one Jesus called the 'least of these.' WE aren't just talking about making a difference---we ARE making a difference. And when I say 'WE'---I mean you. Yes, my faithful SoupTeam comprised of staff, supporters, donors, friends, volunteers and prayer warriors. YOU are the true heart and soul of the SoupMobile. YOU are the ones who make it all happen. My grateful thanks to each and every one of you. More important Beth sends her own thanks for helping in her time of need.

Jesus said 'Feed MY Sheep.' At the SoupMobile we believe he meant more than food. We also believe he meant love, caring, compassion and yes---Shelter!!! My thanks to all of you for sharing in my dream of reaching out to the less fortunate in this world. We--together, are truly on a Mission from God.

May the Lord bless & keep you all.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Executive Director---SoupMobile Inc.

Just A Guy!

Dear SoupFriends:

Greetings from the SoupMan!

As the Executive Director of the SoupMobile I see all the donations that come into the SoupMobile. After all we are a charity and we absolutely rely on donations. We do NOT have a deep pocket donor (YET), nor are we under the umbrella of any church or other organization. Since the birth of the SoupMobile seven years ago I have seen donations come in all sizes, shapes and forms. Financially the smallest donation I ever received was 9 cents from a homeless man. On a higher scale we have been blessed with many donations in the hundreds and some in the thousands. Donations have included food, clothes, toys for homeless children and many other items.

This past Saturday we were blessed by a donation that I call a 'behind the scenes' donation. Mike O'Neal--Owner of Offices to Go donated a entire new office setup to the SoupMobile. I'm not talking about a few desks and chairs. I'm talking about a complete transformation of the front office at the SoupMobile. Mike's team came with cubicles, desks, file cabinets and chairs. When they finished they had taken the hodgepodge that was our old office and transformed it into an beautiful, streamlined and very functional workplace.

You might say, 'what's that got to do with feeding the homeless?' The simple answer is: A LOT!!! Even though we are a charity, we are also a business. In fact because we are a charity our paperwork load is more than normal. We need to satisfy a high standard of financial integrity with both the I.R.S. and our donors. To do that takes a smooth running office and to have that you need a workspace that makes that process go efficiently. A smooth running office sets the table (no pun intended) for a smooth running feeding operation. So did Mike's 'behind the scenes' donation feed anyone directly. Nope, it did not. However it did make a huge impact on our office operation which in turn makes all the difference in our feeding operation.

Lets chat a moment about Mike O'Neal. Simply said, he's 'Just a guy.' A guy that about 3 months ago was volunteering at the SoupMobile and noticed how incredibly un functional our front office space was. A 'guy' that asked us (we didn't ask him) if we would like to have our office redone. A 'guy' who would not accept a penny for either the equipment or the labor. A 'guy' who reluctantly agreed to let me publicize his donation. I had to explain to him that by the SoupMobile being able to publicize donations, it often encourages others to give. Mike got that concept, but he's 'Just a guy' who neither wants nor seeks publicity for his good works. By the way, this was not the first time Mike has blessed the SoupMobile, but that's a story for another day.

Over the last seven years we've had our fair share of 'Just a Guy's' and 'Just a Gal's' making their own special gifts to the SoupMobile. People who share in my dream of reaching out to the ones Jesus called the 'least of these.' Yeah, Mike is 'Just a Guy', but one of many 'guys' and 'gals' who are the real heart and soul of the SoupMobile.

In a world where there seems to be too much hate, too much anger and too much greed, I am blessed to see givers who give in the true spirit of Jesus. The give because they can, because they care, and because they have the love of Jesus in them. I have always said that as Executive Director of the SoupMobile I have the best job on the planet. I 'get' to Feed HIS Sheep and I 'get' to be surrounded by 'guys' and 'gals' who have the most amazing kind and giving spirits. For me it just doesn't get any better than that.

May the Lord bless & keep you all.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Executive Director---SoupMobile Inc.