Winter Garden Florida remembers.

I received an unexpected gift from Hope and Joy a few years ago...2 of the 12 EXTRAordinary women. I still think back to receiving that gift and how perfect & thoughtful it was and how God spoke to me that day through those women. I never figured out who sent it to me, but just wanted to say thank you once again!!! I am always so blessed to read the thank you’s and stories of the women you’ve blessed. You all are incredible and compassionate women. Thank you for doing for others.

Deena 

Winter Garden

1/27 I am just who I was born to be!

My name is Eva, and I am one of those chosen ones who received gifts from the ladies of 12 Ordinary Women! I am humbled, very surprised and very grateful for the fact that someone has thought about me as one of those who deserves this honor! But, I am just who I was born to be! I am still in shock, and I do not know what to do with this feeling, because I am the one who always gives, but almost never receive. And honestly I don't ever expect to get anything, because for me giving is what makes me happy! To see the joy on other people faces what gives me everything that I need! I have never heard of you ladies, but what y'all doing is more then just ordinary! You ladies are the ones who are EXTRAORDINARY, and very, very special! I wish I could have an opportunity to thank every single one of you, and I wish I could tell you my story so you would know for sure if I am the right person, who deserved such recognition? I also wish to thank the men or women who referred me to receive such a wonderful gift! I know that y'all can't tell me who she or he is, but y'all can give my thanks to that person!

Once more I am very honored and very grateful for you ladies! God Bless you all!
With best regards,
Eva C

1/23 Thank you for pulling away from the needs of your own family, to take time to come and bless mine.

Hi – I wanted to reach out, because I received a gift from you today and I don’t have any other way to extend a thank you.

I wasn’t able to meet the two women who left the gift just inside my front door (which I regret immensely…) so I don’t even know who they were to hug their necks and express my gratitude! Clearly, we are connected somehow as you had not only my name and address, but enough information to write a sweet personalized note about the current season we are in. 
I am absolutely blown away – not just by the gift itself, but the generous, thoughtful, selfless, soul-touching act itself. “Thank you” seems like such a disproportionate response to what was extended, and I don’t know why/how I was selected to be a recipient, but I’m immensely grateful, and feel overwhelmingly blessed. 
Thank you for the gift. Thank you for taking the time to reach out, the thoughtfulness, the prayers and the encouragement. Thank you for pulling away from the needs of your own family, to take time to come and bless mine. Most of all, thank you for the reminder of God’s provision – we have a good God who supplies all our needs according to the riches of HIS glory!! (Phillippians 4:19) Shana

1/20 A Thanksgiving Blessing

Ladies,

I want to say thank you for your gift of love that was given me last year. Your gift was on time and truely God ordained.

Thank you may Our Father continue to bless each one of you this year.

Thank you again,

Your sister in Christ

Dedra J

1/15 Completely overwhelmed

Whoever you are, wherever you are, Thank You from the bottom of my heart! You gals seemed to know just when we needed a little pick me up. After our sons surgery and 5 week hospital stay and we were re-acclimating to being a family of 5 under one roof, this amazing gift was on our door step or garage step. At first I thought it was something for my husbands work and asked him once my daughter and I got in the house. He had no clue what it was. My daughter and I brought it in and looked it over. I found the cards and started to sob. I was completely overwhelmed by your generosity and it did not go unnoticed. You included something for everyone and knew specific details of what the kids liked, Cameron-paw patrol, Kendall-a little purse and earrings, Benjamin a football and a Barnes and Nobles gift (we cannot keep up with his love of reading). I know I won't be able to find you all and thank you in person. Believe me I have tried and no one I know has slipped up. So thank you again! I hope to someday pay it forward! The Moskowitz Family

1/15 Everything purple!!!

I came home to a beautiful gift basket left at my home. I couldn't imagine who would have been so thoughtful! We lost our son Ben in September and have been struggling with grief and acceptance. I had prayed a prayer just the day before asking God to give me a sign of His love and presence. This is such an amazing show of Gods love through His people. I have been thinking about the color purple lately and how it makes me feel calm. What an answer to prayer, the basket was filled with everything purple!! There were so many beautiful gifts just for me to enjoy (and some chocolate too). Thank you so much for the thoughtfulness. Robyn

1/15 surprise gifts!

I was touched by the surprise gifts I received before Christmas. I still have no idea who they are from & I guess I will never know. I don’t know if the sender personally picked the gifts for me. If so, they did a wonderful job! I love the candle and the inspirational silver bracelet both very mych! Thank you for the bright spot in my on-going health struggles! Warmest Regards, Laura S

1/6 Every once in a while...

Every once in a while, if you're very lucky, God shows his/her face to you. He/She certainly has done that to me through the love and generosity of your support and gifts.

Please know that that your gifts made both my husband and me cry. It's been a tough, tough fall and winter and you helped us through. You allowed us to keep our Christmas as normal as possible, you carried us through as wr carried our family through a tough time, you bought us propane to keep us warm. Besides all these wonderful and much appreciated gifts you let us know that good, wonderful women have our backs.
God bless you all and thank you so very, very much. May God show each of you his/her face when you most need it.
Veronica and Rick

12/28 Humbled

Dear 12 Ordinary Women, I was humbled and blessed to open a card and gift from you all. It's not always easy when you are going through time times to accept help. I have to remind myself that it is a privilege as Christians to help one another and support each other. Praying a prayer of Thanksgiving for women like you! Thanks again for your generosity, Jessica

12/27 You don’t know how much I needed this...

I don't think you all know how much I needed you at the moment you rang my doorbell. That day would have been my parents' 49th wedding anniversary. My dad passed away in June from a long battle with rectal, lung and liver cancers. My mom had fallen and broken her wrist in November. I broke a pipe and flooded my bathroom and damaged my family room in October. We had a mini vacation in September that got cut short from Hurricane Florence. My husband got diagnosed as a type 1 Diabetic (he almost died from Diabetic Ketoacidosis in July) so that change has been a struggle. OH, and my sister in law found a lump putting on a bathing suit on vacation for her 40th birthday that turned out to be aggressive breast cancer. So we have been helping with my nephew and doing what we can for her during her chemo, double mastectomy and radiation. Needless to say, this has not been a good year for me.

The gift that arrived was PERFECT for me. Obviously, someone knows me very well. I have to tell you about the most touching gift. Someone made a painting of my cats. I'm a graphic designer and went to school for art. I know a little about what I'm talking about. The canvas on this painting was hand stretched on a custom wood frame. This wasn't a made in bulk canvas from an art store! It took a ton of time and skill just to get to the starting point. Then, the painting that was done of the 2 cats I just adopted this year was MAGNIFICENT and done by a very talented artist. It was based on a photo from my Facebook page. I have made the photos public so that the rescue group can follow them. It was not a dumpication of the photo but a touching image to capture their personalities with the artists' style. It is truly a TREASURE. 

The other items in the gift were so touching and perfect for me. Chocolate and coconut - cookies and coffee. And a beautiful necklace. Also a treasure. 

Perfect items that were perfectly timed from some perfect angels! Thank you

Elena