b'SERMONCelebrating LifeBy Pastor Thomas Mayes, PhD helpwhere they can, when they cangency treatment facilities need approx-and as much as they canthis is animately:amazing way to pay it forward.II believe my role in the world mat- 29,000 units of red blood cellsam so excited to celebrate my 100th blood donation! Its a personal min- ters.5,000 units of plateletsistry the Lord placed in my spirit 346,500 units of plasmayears ago. I know it was the Blood When I give blood, I have the poten-Every two seconds, someone in thetialtohelphospitalpatientswithinYoure part of something bigger than U.S.needsblood.Thiscouldbeaourcommunityand,whentheneedyourself.Theultimatepay-it-forward little girl in the ICU or a mother witharises, others across the country. momentinordertomovelifefor-Stage 3 leukemia. I never worry aboutWhen extreme weather and unfore- wardis the simple act of giving blood. needles.Mostblooddonorscompareseentragediesoccur,experiencedYou have a source of life pulsing within the experience to a mild, split-secondnationwide team members jump intoyou that has the power to transform pinch! The entire process is very safeaction to quickly deliver blood whereanother life. andveryfast,andIfeelamazingits needed most. The benefits of their knowing I potentially saved the lives oflargerfootprintarevast,including up to three people. leveragingacoast-to-coastnetwork of donation centers so every donation We all need inspiration to find thehas the potential to impact more lives. Every two seconds, powertodoourpart.Iconstantly encourage blood donors to join me andThomas Mayes Manypeoplebelievethatmostsomeone in the U.S. worktowardacommongoal.Ifyoublood is needed after major disasters. just want to be part of something thatHowever,dailypersonalemergenciesneeds blood. This could helps people, or if you have a specifictomeetpatientneeds,sothisisanandongoingmedicalneedsofthou-desire to honor the memory of a lovedopportunity to transform my life andsandsofpatientsrequireaconstantbe a little girl in the ICU one, the time to act is now. the lives of so many others. I feel likeand ready blood supply. Its the blood Every one of us is essential to mov- Imapartofateamofpassionatealready on hospital shelves that savesor a mother with Stage volunteerstoensureasteadybloodlives.ing the world forward. Vitalant wheresupplyforpatientsthroughouttheEverydayintheU.S.,patientsin3 leukemia.Idonate,needstocollectasmanycountry.Icontinuetoinspireand as5,500blooddonationseverydayempower others to act on their urge tohospitals, surgical centers and emer-COLORADO SPRINGSFIND NEW MEMBERS BYADVERTISING YOUR CHURCH IN THE BOCNEWS! email information to:info@bocnews.comBODY OF CHRIST NEWS OCTOBER 2022 15'