A Thank You Note

This is from last year, but I read it as I was organizing my new book and decided to share:

As I sit coffee in hand, lazily taking in the surroundings of my newly Christmas-decorated home, I am thankful.  Thankful that Maslow’s theory is at work and we have the basic necessities to be comfortable, thankful that we have a little extra to make our home comfy cozy and probably way more clothes than 2 people need. I am thankful for a husband who loves me unconditionally and cheers me on as I run the race Christ has set before me.  I am thankful for parents who raised me to be compassionate and to give out of lack or abundance cheerfully.  I am thankful for a Father who sent His only Son to stand in propitiation for my sins so I may live a redemptive life.  I am thankful for Grace and Mercy and Love.   I am thankful that whether I have a good day or a bad day, I am content as I fall into the arms of refuge each and every night. 

This is all relative to what I see in the world.  Some by choice, most not, there are those that live on the streets, beg on the corners, are mentally incapable of living a normal life or choose drugs and alcohol over food.  There are those oppressed by government, threatened by rebels, soldiers and racists.  Many spend their lives suffering daily bombings, rape and picking through garbage to feed their children and offer them one more day of life.  Others experience affliction from drought and unhealthy environments.

I feel like I’ve seen it all; unfortunately, I know I have not. 

We have, however, been privileged to work with those that have. 

Each missionary God has given us the honor of meeting has seen a different side of sorrow; some within our country and some outside.  Whether they choose to minister in a local church, community, a country or nation of people, their hearts are not their own.  Field warriors bear an uncommon compassion.  The dictionary describes the word uncommon as rare, unusual, exceptional; used to emphasize the great extent of something; concern, consideration, empathy and kindness.  The word compassion in Hebrew is “raham” and means “to love from the womb”; the tender love of a mother for her own helpless child.

(God uses “raham” when He describes himself to Moses in Exodus 34:6.  ‘Then the LORD passed by in front of him (Moses) and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in (raham) lovingkindness and truth’.)

Those called to venture into a world many of us are unaware of, are rare and tender lovers of people. Abounding in ‘lovingkindness and truth’ they share the devotion of Christ with those that don’t know what a Christmas decoration looks like, who couldn’t dream of having food on the table every night or a change of clothes each day.   They hug the little children, wash feet with hidden tears and tell silly stories just to bring a laugh.

I’m thankful that my vision has been increased by these unique elite.

A Deep-Breath Moment

It’s been a whirlwind month! We lost our 36-year-old parrot, Sylvester, which was devastating by itself but losing him in the middle of final packing for our yearly month in Kenya was really difficult. (I have to admit I forgot quite a few important items because of my lack of concentration.)  We have been moving so fast that there has been little time to process we are actually here in Kenya; 1 week and already 3 towns.

Today, I awoke in my own sweet home in Bungoma. The sounds of worship from the Bible School fill the yet-dark morning and I lay here in awe of the Father who chose to use me in this way. I don’t do much while I’m here…a little teaching, a little preaching; not like the team that just left after re-painting the Bible School and building Margaret real live cabinets for her kitchen! We visit other missionaries during the day, but come home each night to a comfortable dinner and relaxing evenings with our Kenyan brother and sister.

But, I know it’s where I am to be. The Lord planted this place in my very core as a child and now in the heart of my husband. It is truly a home to us. We live life with the people here. We know the bible students; they come over and hang with us to  share in the Word. Young and old working through living in this world, knowing we are from another. We wave at the kids coming and going past our window to pre-school. We have watched 15 of the kids at the Children’s Home grow from little boys to high school graduates and rejoice as more are welcomed in.

It’s different. The food is unique albeit tasty. Bottled water is used for everything, even the daily habits like brushing your teeth or making tea. Routines are shattered and though I will daily teach at the school it is admittedly more laid back in Africa. We are also spoiled. Hannah & Margaret do most of the cooking, cleaning and washing, though I have my small chores, as any eldest sister!

So, though I am used to a task-filled day when I am at home in the U.S., I find God has brought me here (at least this year) to regroup from a crazy change-filled year. Time to write.  Time to ponder. Time for conversations with Papa planning our upcoming season. It’s a deep- breath moment. Sometimes we just need those.

A Cruel Taskmaster

Time can be a cruel taskmaster.  One hand of the timepiece stretching toward the riches of future joys and one holding tight to the memories of the past.  I see it even in the décor of my own home.  The Victorian stylishness of days gone by slowly replaced by African treasures, new technology grace our work spaces and beautiful gifts of paintings, quilts and furniture fill our rooms.

In all that shifting of time sits a lovely coleus plant and whimsical giraffe where a birdcage once reigned. I miss Sylvester’s little voice that brought so much joy and laughter to our lives. 36 years ago, he called to me from across a pet store floor. “Hedddddo There”.  I fell in love immediately and never once regretted the moment I took him home.  Oh he was precocious and ornery and sometimes hard to handle but we were partners in life. Through the good and bad, happy and sad we stuck together.  We moved across states together, mourned the loss of Phil and Georgana while rejoicing in the delight Roy’s love brought to our home.  We came to Christ together, watched Barney and sang every Frank Sinatra song we could remember.  He sang with all his little might like he did everything.  He was so proud to show off his tricks to everyone that came over. He loved little children and was tender while talking to them. He poo-pooed Alex and gave us the raspberries when he didn’t like something. He was his own personality. And spoiled rotten. But I didn’t care. He was my best friend, the child I never was able to have, my companion, our pride and joy.  Roy & I are both grieving our loss.

There were few quiet times in our house! Now there are way too many. Ouch.

But that ticking hand; moving through seconds, minutes, hours and eventually days, takes away the immensity of pain and reminds me to look up as God so lovingly massages my grief yet again. His Grace is so sufficient, so amazing, so unrelenting. Africa looms ahead just 2 short weeks away. Products still need shipped, missionaries still require resource hunting and fundraising for more still ensues. Fall is in the air and with it comes my favorite season of the year. Crisp weather, ground-soaking rain and the promise of holidays.

This year will not look the same as most of my past life. But that is the mercy of Papa. Joy comes in the morning – a fresh, clean fragrance of what is to be.  The air crackles with expectation. There is nothing holding us back. Nothing to keep our feet planted. Eden’s Song will flourish throughout the nations. Our hearts will heal; the place left void from Sylvester’s death will be open to more of God’s goodness and pleasure. Eyes, weary from stress, tears and mourning, will sparkle once again.

The simple chime of another hour passing reminds me there are things to do. Time to move on. Deep breath. Head up. The nations are calling and we are ready!

We Get To Do This (Thank you, Lori Salley, for another incredible quote)

This morning I had to battle overwhelming discouragement, sadness and hopelessness! It is so NOT like me that I was able to see it for what it was. The enemy’s plot. Watching my little birdie boy decline is breaking my heart and at the same time so is the provoked racial division, the hurricanes, fires and floods, the immaturity of rioters, looters and murderers (in the name of some cause) and all the other negative things jamming our social media and news outlets! 

BUT GOD!

I have a good friend who has been through 2 near death experiences…a bout with cerebral malaria and recently another disguised as a cancer threat. One of the things she heard God tell her during this last ‘scare’ was “We get to do This”.  It’s become a mantra for me (and many others) as we go through things.  I’m so sad to lose my little friend of 36 years, but we get to do this.  I’m sorry to see our country being torn apart by a small percentage of people that want to cause division, but we get to do this. I’m hurting for those devastated by the storms, but we get to do this.  We get to come together. We get to praise God in it all. We get to thwart the devil’s plans by rebuking him and gather together in truth. We get to rise up as a church, a body of Christ, and claim what we have been given authority and dominion over.

It is time to take it all back. It is our decision to sit back and watch it all happen around us or stand up and fight! We can raise our voices against racial divide as we are all one in Christ. Together we can command the storms to stop, terrorism to cease, rioters to stand down. For this reason He says, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine (as dawn) upon you and give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14). Paul was not talking to sinners but to one of the best churches in the NT. Tozer writes, “Some of the Ephesians were in a somnolent condition, that is, they were morally god but unenlightened. They were religious but unanointed. It is perfectly possible for a good, faithful, loyal church member to be spiritually asleep – being in a spiritual state that parallels natural sleep. When your husband, your wife, your child, your relative, your friend or you go to sleep tonight, the fact that you are unconscious and out of the running for a while is not bothering you. You know that normally you will wake up again. You are not dead, but you are cut off from your environment, all but that which is reflex-breathing and a few other things. Likewise it is possible to be a Christian, to be in the church and yet be asleep spiritually.”

I am proof that everything going on around us, personally, physically and/or spiritually, can be overwhelming and cause us to want to bury our heads for a bit. But I encouraged myself this morning with this reminder and pray it encourages you as well. We get to love, undergird, encourage, embolden and keep each other in the fight.

WE GET TO DO THIS. Together with our Triune Godhead and each other. 

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Today, I am wearing a T-Shirt that our dear friend’s from Show Mercy Intl gave to us. It states “Living on Purpose – Be the Difference”.  From the day we met Mike & Lori, 8 or 9 years ago now, I have embraced their mission statement. Live on Purpose. I even titled my to-do list the same so I would remember to prioritize what needed to be done according to God’s plan.

To live on purpose takes on a different meaning almost daily.  Some days my purpose is to run through the administrative to-do list resolving paperwork, email, website, travel and (yes, even) Facebook issues that keep the ministry flowing. Other days involve total attention to our teams or missionaries and their needs. I walk through days of praise and intercession; prayers for friends, family and the two nation’s God has put in our hearts. Once in a great while I even do my nails.

But today Living on Purpose means embracing my immediate family. Sylvester hasn’t been well and I find he is a bit clingier than I’ve known him to be in 36 years. He wants to be held and petted, kissed and loved. I can’t say no. I can’t be too busy. For all these years Sylvester has been there with and for me. The many moves into new homes, jobs and routine changes, Phil’s death and the ensuing years of grief, gaining a new Daddy. Even while Roy and I travel and leave him with babysitters, he sang, chattered and been the ‘home’ we return to. He is simply a joy.

Now we may lose him sooner than later.  I try not to wake up every day wondering if this will be the day that he can’t handle the pain any longer. I sing his normal songs with him and whistle the tunes we’ve perfected over the years; Roy plays with him in a less rowdy way yet still gives the boy the business that they laugh over. But in the back of my mind I grieve. I’ve had the little buddy over ½ my life.

Grief is balanced these days, though.  I’ve lost babies, a sister and a spouse. I know without a moment of doubt that my Papa always brings about the best for us because His grace is so very sufficient & His plans are always exciting. Steadied by the extraordinary love from the incredible man I get to share the rest of my life with, I look forward. And, frankly, I am strengthened with the belief that when I hit Heaven Sylvester will fly up to meet me.

I’ve learned a lot in these 60 odd years of life God has taken me through. Hello’s are usually tempered with good-byes, but good-byes are temporary in Jesus.

So today, I choose to Live on Purpose by doing laundry, mopping floors, vacuuming rugs and cooking our supper all while laughing, singing, joking and making the best of each minute. I choose to let a smile graze my eyes as the breeze blows through my overgrown bushes in the front yard and the sun warms my face. I may even read a book and/or study for the upcoming training in Kenya.

But one thing I will absolutely do…Praise the One who gave me life and that in abundance! My main Purpose in life is to share His goodness with everyone I can. Even though there are always valleys to walk through, we can be assured. Me in Him; Him in Me. Never alone. Always being cared for.

“Nothing is more powerful than His presence. Whatever mountain stands before you is reduced to dust before the One who lives inside you. So, keep your eyes on Him. Continue peering into the unseen. Listen to what He is saying and shout it from every platform He provides. Allow him to shape your perspective and to use you in unlikely ways and in unexpected moments.” (Bob Hazlett – Think like Heaven. 2015)

Living on Purpose – Be the Difference. It’s a powerful way to live.

Today there were Tears

This morning I cried. Really cried. I cried for our Nation that I love so much and for the senseless killings, ridiculous rhetoric, manipulation and control over unshared ideology. I cried over the intolerant tolerant; those lying to get their own way at our expense. I cried because after spending 13 years traveling to Africa I see little difference in the way people act towards each other. Tribal. I cried knowing God created us all equal and our country was founded on that premise. I cried as I felt the heartbreak of the Father though He is not swayed.

I thought about the many years ago when I was young and in college. I lived in Albuquerque, a melting pot of race and age and culture. We fought together....against Viet Nam, against socialism, for equality and freedom of speech, the right to bear arms and any other constitutional thing we agreed with. We tore down the University's Park sign and replaced it with a sign naming it Freedom Park. and Yes, we burned our bra's. But we didn't kill each other, burn down buildings or break windows. We didn't call the President names or come against those in office. We respected what the majority voted for.

I know that I can't fix this. There is little one can say, because it will be refuted by louder voices bearing rude and ignorant comments. Those with money will continue to buy people to cause riots and pay off those who will blame it on racism or fascism or words they don't even understand. The government will continue in corruption because money and power are more important than the people. The media will agree and everyone will blame it on the leaders that WE THE PEOPLE voted in. The President who doesn't even take a salary to prove he cares. The cabinet that is taking America back to where we used to be...a proud, strong nation. But we've come so far in dissension and so far from prayer.

But there is One. The only One.

As the tears fell and sobs shook my shoulders I heard His Voice. The Voice that stops all thought, all movement and calls attention to itself. "Remember the Boat"? Yes, Lord, I do. I remember. You silenced the wind and commanded the sea to calm itself while rebuffing your disciples of little faith. There is One who is faithful. It took only that brief moment; that one word from the Savior to cause me to throw off my despair and begin breathing in the truth. I grabbed my sword to stand once again. We fight from the Victory. Straightening my shoulders, drying those tears I began declaring the truth into the atmosphere. Is God's arm not long enough? Oh yes. It certainly is.

TIME FLIES

April - August. At least they both begin with an A. 4 months without a blog. How do people do this everyday? I love to write. I love sharing my heart. I love sharing my life and Jesus. And yet 4 months go by in a blink of an eye and I haven't penned one word! 

Well, I have really. In my journal, on Facebook, in my mind mostly.  My second books lies quietly on the shelf awaiting publication. God has given me the title, the cover and even a few extra pages...but, life just takes a hold. I know you know what I mean. Wake up, sing while making and drinking the elixir of morning, prepare for the day and then ... the phone rings, the texts come in, FB rears it's ugly head and the next thing I know all tranquility is interrupted and I am on the move. 

The other day, I decided to change my modus operandi. I examined my priorities. That should be easy for me to do. I spent half my life in the corporate world of management & the other half running a non-profit ministry where priorities are imperative. Yet, when it comes to my personal life I truly fall down on the job. So, I chose to change. Yes, it is a choice. I can let the world run me or I can run the world. So Papa God and I sat down and re-examined my days. I actually scheduled in writing into my calendar. In between emails and laundry. In between church and missions. In between teams and Sylvester.  In between sleep and eating. Well, maybe while I munch on chocolate. 

You may ask WHY, which is a perfectly legitimate question. Who cares if I blog. My words aren't earth-shattering or necessarily life transforming.  Maybe no one really even reads them. So why? Just. For. Me. Because it's what brings me back down to reality. I veg out when I write. I take deep breaths and smile at the end of it. I've expelled something that has been festering inside me, working it's way to the top needing release. It's my way of coming down. 

We all have that 'thing' that brings a sense of peace to a chaotic world. Now before I get lectured...I pray. I intercede for nations. I read the Word. I love that most and before anything else. The Word of God is life to me. 

Even God rested. He knows how crazy the world can get and wants us to step away from the ravages of life for a moment. Step into His arms of refuge and shake out the cobwebs so we are strong and mighty for battle. Writing is my release. Find yours. Prioritize it, spend some time in it and smile at the end of it.  

Let's Go!! DAY 10 - PICK ME!!

Then I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom can I send?

Who will go for Us?” So I said, “Here I am. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 (NCV)

Ever feel inadequate? Like you just don’t quite measure up to everyone else? You see others going out and advancing God’s kingdom, but you don’t think you’ve got what it takes for Him to use you. Mother Teresa? Billy Graham? Sure. You? Not so much.

Isaiah could certainly relate. When Uzziah, the king of Israel, died, his world was suddenly thrown into a tailspin. Isaiah had grown up around the king’s court, so the news of Uzziah’s death left him feeling lost, confused, uncertain and hopeless. But at this low point in Isaiah’s life, God appeared to him.

Isaiah writes, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted.” It’s an awe-inspiring scene—God sitting on His throne while heavenly creatures of fire fly all around Him crying out: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory.”

Face to face with a holy God, Isaiah is overcome with a tremendous sense of his own inadequacy and unworthiness. He cries out: “Oh, no! I will be destroyed. I am not pure, and I live among people who are not pure.”

Isaiah’s response is perfectly understandable. It’s all too easy to feel like we don’t measure up when we compare ourselves to those around us—how much more so when standing in front of God! It may be because of our sins, our mistakes or the circumstances of our past. However, the reality is, before God, we are all in the same boat. Before Him, all comparisons are meaningless.

But watch what happens to Isaiah next: God sends an angel to pick up a live burning coal that was so hot the Bible says the angel had to use tongs just to pick it up! The angel brings the coal over to Isaiah and places it on his lips, declaring: “Look, your guilt is taken away, because this hot coal has touched your lips. Your sin is taken away.” Immediately, while he’s still standing there processing all of this, Isaiah hears God ask a question: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”

When you were a little kid in school, how did you react when the teacher looked around the classroom and said, “I have a special errand that needs to get done today, and I’m looking for someone I can trust to deliver the message for me”? Did you slink back into your seat and hope you weren’t noticed? Or did your hand shoot straight up in the air with barely contained excitement? “Pick me! Pick me!”

That’s exactly how Isaiah responds. When he hears the Lord asking: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”, he doesn’t look around to see if anyone else will volunteer first. He doesn’t say, “I’m not qualified.” He doesn’t even ask where he’s going. Without hesitation, he jumps up and cries: “Here I am! Send me!”

Why does Isaiah’s attitude change? What causes him to change from declaring, “I am impure!” to saying, “Here I am! Send me!”?

It’s simple. He is cleansed by the fire of God. In God’s eyes, he is declared clean. All of his doubts about himself and fears about the future vanish in light of God’s cleansing, redeeming work in his life.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples found themselves in a situation similar to Isaiah’s. Before leaving, Jesus told them: “You will be My witnesses—in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.” But now, Jesus—their Master, the one who had spoken those words—was gone. Their future was uncertain. Timid, fearful and not knowing what to do, 120 men and women isolated themselves in the Upper Room and bolted the door shut.

Ten days later, however, everything changed. Those 120 men and women came out of the Upper Room filled with courage and boldly went out into the streets of Jerusalem proclaiming the message of Jesus to everyone they met.

Why? What changed?

It’s simple. The fire of God had fallen upon them, and they were filled with His Holy Spirit. All their fears, doubts, weaknesses and insecurities suddenly became meaningless in light of God’s all-sufficient power in their lives. And God used those 120 men and women to ignite a fire that continues to blaze today.

Don’t let your past and present mistakes or circumstances hold you back and keep you from answering God’s call. It’s not about you and your abilities, strengths or qualifications; it’s about Him. He has redeemed you. In His eyes, you are clean. And what God has called clean, no one—not even you—can call unclean.

God is asking today, “Whom shall I send? Who will go?” Will you answer and say, “Here I am! Send me!”?

A CHURCH THAT NEVER SLEEPS - DAY 10

Matthew 16:16-19 "Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God". Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father who is in Heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven."

As the son of a pastor, Matthew Barnett grew up in and around church. When he was 16 years old, Matthew was sitting on the hood of his car and God gave him a vision of one day going to inner-city Los Angeles and starting a church that would be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year—a church that never sleeps. That sparked a burning desire in Matthew to bring a message of hope to the hopeless by serving both the physical and spiritual needs of those who lived in the inner city, but he figured it probably wouldn’t happen until he was at least 40 years old. Little did he know just how quickly God would move.

Just four years later, his father came to him and asked if he’d be interested in going to L.A. for a year to pastor a small church in the inner city. His dad had tried asking 10 other pastors, but they had all turned down the opportunity. It wasn’t an ideal situation—the church only had 18 people and was meeting in a tiny building far off the beaten path—but Matthew eagerly accepted the position.

Having grown up in Phoenix, Matthew’s first encounter with inner-city L.A. was a total culture shock. The first thing he noticed was that he was the only white kid in the neighborhood. But as he began to really look around, the people immediately captured his heart. He saw kids who didn’t have anything or anyone—no fathers, no mentors, no hope. They spent all their time on the streets because there was nowhere else for them to go. God spoke to him in that moment and told him, “If you reach the people that nobody wants, then I’ll send you the people that everybody wants.”

With all the gangs, violence and brokenness surrounding them, Matthew and his dad decided the first thing they needed to do before the church could grow was to get busy helping the people rebuild their lives. They began reaching out to the community by providing food and clothing. They also bought 16 old houses in the neighborhood and turned them into recovery homes. Within one year, they were reaching almost 500 people each week. Their little church building couldn’t accommodate that many people, so they needed to find a larger facility right away.

One day as Matthew was driving down the freeway, he saw the old Queen of Angels Hospital. It had been vacant for over six years and was now for sale. The entire campus covered 360,000 square feet with a total of nine buildings and over 1,000 rooms. Located on 8.8 acres directly in the heart of L.A., the property was prime real estate. The Franciscan Sisters who used to run the hospital had already received numerous offers from people interested in purchasing it including Paramount Studios who wanted to use it as a location to shoot movies. Matthew and his dad sat down with the Franciscan Sisters and told them, “Look, we don’t have a whole lot of money, but we have a dream. And that dream is to have a 24-hour church that will be a place of refuge and rehabilitation for runaways, prostitutes, street kids, homeless people and drug addicts. When the sisters heard this, they got really excited and said, “Now that’s the kind of legacy we want to leave behind! Why don’t you go ahead and make us an offer?” So Matthew offered them 3.9 million dollars, and they accepted his offer even though they had another offer on the table for 16 million dollars.

They only had 18 months to raise the 3.9 million dollars. Although they didn’t have any money in the bank, they believed in their hearts that God had opened the door to purchase the hospital and He would be faithful to provide the finances. Sure enough, donations began pouring in from churches and individuals located all across the United States, and soon the Dream Center opened its doors.

In the first four years of the Dream Center’s existence, prostitution and gang violence in inner-city L.A. dropped 73%, the homicide rate dropped 28% and rape dropped 53%. Today, the Dream Center reaches more than 35,000 people each week through 40 weekly services and 273 ministries and outreaches. There are about 600 people actually living on the campus who have been rescued off the streets from prostitution and homelessness, and half of those are currently going through drug and alcohol rehab. What began as a God-given dream in a young 16-year-old boy’s heart has grown into a truly miraculous reality. The Dream Center is a church that’s reaching thousands of hurting people and offering them hope … 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It’s a church that never sleeps.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus asked His disciples one of the most pivotal questions in history: “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered Him saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” Not too long after Jesus made that declaration, the church was born on the Day of Pentecost.

The church is not a building. We are the church. We are called to be the living and dynamic Body of Christ to a world lost and dying in darkness. We are Christ’s hands and feet in the world. He lives in us and acts through us. Jesus’ work on earth didn’t end when He ascended into heaven. It continues today in the lives of those who believe in Him, those whom He has entrusted and empowered. And the best way to demonstrate His presence in a broken world is through our deeds rather than our words. Jesus said that the world would know us by our love for one another. The only hope for us to win people to Him is by going outside the four walls of our church buildings, living out His love and being a church that shines light in the night—a church that never sleeps.

Gateway Church "Let's Go" Devotional PDF

Let's Go! Day 9

God’s People

Day: 

9

“Then the good people will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food, or thirsty 

and give you something to drink? When did we see you alone and away from home and invite you into our house? 

When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison 

and care for you?’ 

Then the King will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did 

for me.’” Matthew 25:37–40 (NCV)

Ron Hall grew up in Haltom City, just outside of Fort Worth, Texas. After serving a brief two-year stint in the army, marrying his college sweetheart Deborah and earning his MBA, Ron went on to become a wealthy international art dealer who traveled the world buying and selling million dollar Picassos and Van Goghs. Ron and Deborah were living the American Dream. One day Deborah spied an article in the newspaper about homelessness and it mentioned the Union Gospel Mission, a place in Fort Worth that ministers to homeless men, women and children. As Deborah read about the mission, she immediately knew God was calling her to get involved.

Deborah, dragging her husband, Ron, along with her, set out to volunteer at the mission by serving dinner to the homeless for about three to four hours every Tuesday night. Driving home after their first visit to the mission, Deborah told Ron that although society tended to look at those who were homeless as victims of their own foolishness and laziness, she felt like there was so much more to them below the surface just waiting to be discovered. That night, she dreamt about the mission, and in her dream she saw the face of a wise man from the mission who would change the city. The dream reminded her of a verse she had once read in Ecclesiastes 9:15 that said: “Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom.” When she told Ron about the dream, he didn’t question it; Deborah was one of the godliest people he knew. She was constantly spending time with the Lord in prayer and seeking His will for her life.

For the next two weeks, Deborah and her husband volunteered on Tuesday nights at the Union Gospel Mission in Fort Worth. With a perpetual smile on her face, everyone could tell that she truly enjoyed serving at the mission. When she looked at the faces of the people she was serving, Deborah didn’t see their homelessness; she only saw Jesus. She made an effort to get to know each person, calling them by their first name, and always insisted on referring to everyone who came to the mission as “God’s people.”

On their third Tuesday serving at the mission, a huge, 60-something-year-old black man dressed in rags came storming in yelling and threatening to kill whoever had stolen his shoes. Deborah leaned over to Ron and whispered, “That’s him! That’s the man I saw in my dream … the one who changes the city.” Ron looked at her in disbelief as she went on to say, “And I really think God’s telling me that you need reach out to him.”

After asking around, the Halls discovered the man’s name was Denver and that he came to the mission every Tuesday. Each time Deborah served him, she would look him in the eye and say, “Denver, God has a calling on your life.” When Denver warned her not to mess with him because he was a mean man, Deborah replied, “You are not a mean man, and I don’t ever want to hear you say that!” Wanting to be left alone, Denver started to avoid her. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to get Deborah to stop talking to him.

After a few months of volunteering, Deborah began wanting to do more than just feed the homeless. She wanted to see lives changed and broken hearts healed. Racking her brain to figure out how she could bring some joy into these people’s lives, she decided to have a Beauty Shop Night where she and some other volunteers could pamper the homeless women with manicures, pedicures, facials and makeovers. That led to movie nights and then birthday nights. All the while, Denver was watching the Halls’ actions. And over time, he came to the conclusion that they were a genuinely nice couple who was serious about helping people.

At Deborah’s urging, Ron invited Denver out for breakfast, and to his surprise, Denver accepted. As the two men ate breakfast, Denver came out and bluntly asked Ron, “What do you want from me?” Ron was taken aback for a second, but then deciding to be equally forthright, he answered: “I just want to be your friend.” Denver was silent for a moment, but then he finally said, “Let me think about it.”

It wasn’t immediate, but eventually a true, lasting friendship began to blossom between Ron, Deborah and Denver. They started to hang out and spend time together. The Halls even helped Denver get his driver’s license. Moving in both mysterious and miraculous ways, God used the friendship between Denver and the Halls to draw each of them closer to Him and to work in and through their lives to reach countless others. Because of their story and a series of God-ordained circumstances, over five hundred thousand dollars were raised for a new mission facility called “New Beginnings,” and Deborah’s dream of how God would use a man from the mission to change the city was fulfilled.

The Bible is clear that whenever we go beyond the scope of our selfish nature and reach out to those in need, Jesus considers our actions as if we are doing it for Him. Deborah Hall truly grasped this concept, and although he was a little reluctant at first, her husband Ron did too. They stepped out of their comfort zones to go reach out to individuals the world had given up on—the hungry, thirsty, homeless, sick and lonely … those whom Jesus referred to as “the least of these.” They allowed their hearts to be broken by the needs around them, and they chose to view each person they encountered as a child of God.

Will you ask God to help you see those around you with His eyes?

Let's Go - Day 8 - Who is Your Neighbor

“So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” 

And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, 

“Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:36–37 (NKJV)

One day, a lawyer came up to Jesus asking, “Teacher, what do I have to do to get eternal life?” Jesus looked at him, and instead of answering, He asked the lawyer a question of His own: “You’re an expert at the law. You tell me. What does God’s law say, and how do you interpret it?” Without hesitation, the lawyer rattled off: “Love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. And love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

After commending the lawyer for his answer, Jesus told him he should go and do exactly that if he truly wanted eternal life. The lawyer had no problem with loving God, but he wanted clarification. So he continued to press Jesus further and asked: “And who is my neighbor?” In other words, he was saying: Tell me who I have to love and who I don’t have to love. Who do I have to accept, and who can I reject? Who do I have to reach out to, and who can I just ignore? Aren’t there some people deserving of love and others who aren’t?

Jesus refused to answer the man’s question yet again. Instead, He launched into a story. The scenario was almost comical: The lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” and Jesus responded with: “There once was a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho ….” Can you imagine the lawyer’s frustration? All he wanted was a simple answer, and Jesus started telling a story about some man who set out on a journey from Jerusalem to Jericho. But it was much more than just a story. There was purpose, depth and detail in this story that Jesus specifically included in order to expose all of the excuses we use to keep from loving and connecting with the people around us.

Everyone listening to Jesus that day knew the road from Jerusalem to Jericho wound 18 miles through the mountains and descended about 3,300 feet. And it definitely wasn’t a path you wanted to take after dark, because it was a notoriously popular hideout for bandits.

Sure enough, the man was attacked by robbers, stripped naked, beaten unconscious and thrown into a ditch to die. Eventually, a priest came riding by. During this time in history, priests held the wealthiest, most powerful and most respected positions in all of Israel. As both political and spiritual leaders, they were the pinnacle of Jewish society. When this priest saw the man covered in dust and blood lying by the side of the road, he angled across to the other side of the road to avoid him and passed on by. The priest was followed by a Levite—another spiritual leader. Seeing that the man had been beaten up by bandits and fearing for his own life, he hurried by as quickly as possible.

Now this is where Jesus did something that was absolutely gutsy: He introduced a Samaritan as the hero of the story. And here’s why it was so revolutionary: The Jews didn’t just dislike the Samaritans; they despised them. There was such deep hatred towards Samaritans that the Jews actually sang songs in their synagogues about how stupid they were. There’s even evidence that some of the prayers prayed in synagogues during the first century included requests to God to make sure the Samaritans wouldn’t be allowed to partake in eternal life! Can you imagine their prayers? “God, I pray for my wife, my kids, my parents. Oh, and could You please not let any of the Samaritans into heaven? Thank You. Amen.”

Well-aware of the Jews’ deep-seated hatred for the Samaritans, Jesus’ purpose behind making a Samaritan the hero of His story was both deliberate and significant. When the Samaritan came upon the wounded man, he was moved with compassion. He cleaned the man’s wounds and gave him first aid. Then placing him on his own donkey, the Samaritan took the man into the next town (which was most likely a Jewish town) where he booked him a room at an inn and paid for it.

Wrapping up His story, Jesus turned to the lawyer and asked: “Who do you think was a neighbor to the man who got beaten up?” Looking down at the ground, the lawyer couldn’t even bring himself to say, “The Samaritan.” Instead, he mumbled, “The guy who showed mercy.” “That’s right,” Jesus replied. “Now go and do the same.”

So what’s the major difference between the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan? It all comes down to one word … compassion. When he saw the wounded man, the Samaritan didn’t say that the man “should have known better,” that anyone who was foolish enough to flirt with danger by traveling down the rugged path from Jerusalem to Jericho deserved to reap the consequences of their own poor choices. No, he picked him up and brought him to a place of healing.

Ask yourself today, “Who’s my neighbor?” It’s those who’ve been robbed by the thugs and bandits of the world—fear, despair, grief, pain, poverty, disease, hate, hopelessness, misery—then beaten up and left for dead. They’re around every corner we turn—from all walks of life. No one is exempt. No one is left untouched.

Do we keep our distance? Do we pretend not to see their pain and hurry on with our lives? Do we think to ourselves, “I’ll just pray for them” and then go on our way? Or will we allow our hearts to be moved with compassion? Will we stop what we’re doing—even if it’s something good, something spiritual—and kneel beside those who are hurting … those who are lost and alone … put our arms around them and carry them to a place where they can find life, hope and healing?

Ask God to soften your heart to those around you—towards your neighbors, your co-workers, those you come in contact with. Ask Him to stir up a love and compassion within you for them and their needs. Ask Him to give you the courage and wisdom to walk with them and offer them hope and life.

Compassion is the ability to see past the arrogance of sinful men and women and into the broken soul of human beings … into the heart that is desperately in need of the grace of God.

Matt Chandler

Do Something - Day 7

This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.

1 John 3:16–17 (MSG)

Have you ever been watching the news, listening to the radio or sitting in church and heard a story about some kind of crisis or injustice going on in the world and thought to yourself: “Somebody should do something”?

Have you ever considered the source of that thought? Where did that thought come from? Do you think that maybe … just maybe … that thought could have come from God? And maybe He’s wanting you to be the somebody who does something?

Nancy Zirkel and her husband, Doug, first learned about the AIDS pandemic when Princess Zulu came to speak at their church. Princess Zulu grew up in Zambia and lost her baby sister to AIDS … then her mother … then her father. At the age of 14, she dropped out of school and got pregnant. When she was 17, Princess married her boyfriend, a man 25 years older than her who had already lost two wives to AIDS. Now, at 28 years old, she is HIV positive. Although she knows that she will one day leave behind her two daughters, Joy and Faith, Princess says that God has given her joy and hope in the midst of her devastating circumstances. Because of her desire to do whatever she can to help others infected with HIV, Princess now travels around the world telling people about the AIDS crisis in Africa and urging them to do something to fight its spread.

When Doug and Nancy heard Princess Zulu speak about the devastating effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, they were blown away by the fact that the greatest humanitarian crisis in history was happening right now and they didn’t know anything about it. They thought to themselves: “We’ve got to do something! We’ve got to help. And if we didn’t know anything about it, most of the people we know—our family and friends—probably don’t know anything about it either. And if they knew, they’d certainly want to do something.”

So the Zirkels decided to raise awareness of this global crisis by throwing a party and inviting everybody they knew over to their home. They asked Princess Zulu to come explain to 50 of their friends and family about what was happening in Africa because of AIDS and then ask them to help by sponsoring children. Speaking about that night, Nancy says: “Doug and I planned to ask everyone at the end of the night to help by sponsoring a child in Africa through World Vision. But we also wanted to make sure people continued to respond after the night was over. We thought it would be a great idea to ask everyone if they’d like to throw a party of their own for their friends and family. I was the one elected to get up in front of all my family and friends and speak, and I was nervous about it. At the last minute, I started to chicken out and told my husband ‘I can’t do it! You go ahead and do it!’ And Doug, being the wonderful, supportive and encouraging husband that he is, simply said, ‘You can do it. I know you can do it. Now go.’ And he just kind of gave me the little push that I really needed. As I walked up there, I threw up a quick, ‘Please help me, Lord. Give me the courage, and put the right words in my mouth.’ Then I got up there and did it. I asked everyone if they would be interested in having a party. I told them, “If two or three of you guys have parties, and two or three of your friends have parties, this could grow and multiply. And who knows how many kids could be sponsored and how many lives could be saved!’”

Because of that night, new doors started opening for the Zirkels and wonderful things began to happen. World Vision approached them about taking their idea of throwing house parties and turning it into a national program to promote in churches across the United States. Nancy was also asked to speak to a group of children from kindergarten through fifth grade about how they could get involved in helping kids infected with AIDS in Africa. Knowing that many children feel like they can’t really do anything significant because they’re young and nobody pays attention to them, Nancy wanted them to fully understand that the opposite of that is true. So she talked to them about how the apostle Paul told Timothy, “Don’t let anyone treat you as if you’re unimportant because you’re young.” Nancy then gave each of the kids a little coin bank to fill up with change. Within a few weeks, the children had raised over $15,000! Recalling that moment, Nancy says, “It was amazing! These kids came in with their banks filled to the brim. We had them dump their coins into buckets. They brought in so much change, the handles even broke on some of the buckets because they were so heavy! But these kids kept bringing in money with joyful hearts and compassionate spirits … it was just beautiful to witness.”

For Nancy and Doug, the act of “going” simply began by inviting friends and family members over to their home. When God placed a burden on their hearts, they didn’t sit back passively and say, “Somebody should do something.” No, they chose to act on it. And their willingness to trust and obey God’s leading bore fruit in ways they could have never imagined. Their simple act of obedience sparked a ripple effect that is continuing to impact the lives of countless others.

Maybe the thought of going out and doing something that God is leading you to do seems daunting. You may not even know where to begin. That’s OK. You don’t have to do something huge or complex. Simply ask God to show you how you can obey His leading. Then act on it, and trust Him to be faithful to do the rest.

Things great have small beginnings. Every downpour is just a raindrop; every fire is just a spark; every harvest is just a seed; Every journey is just a step because without that step there will be no journey; Without that raindrop there can be no shower; Without that seed there can be no harvest.

William Wilberforce

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Let's Go! Day 6 A Drop in the Bucket

A DROP IN THE BUCKET

Day: 6

One of the disciples—it was Andrew, brother to Simon Peter—said, “There’s a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.” … Then Jesus took the bread and, having given thanks, gave it to those who were seated. He did the same with the fish. All ate as much as they wanted.

John 6:8–11 (MSG)

Taylor first heard about Cans for Africa while serving on a leadership council at the University of Central Oklahoma during his freshman year. A man from Kenya by the name of John Kipsitet came and talked to the leadership about Cans for Africa—an organization he started because he wanted to do something to help African children affected by AIDS. His desire was to raise money to build a shelter, a clinic and a school for the orphans of Africa.

The concept behind Cans for Africa was birthed when John first visited the US and saw empty aluminum cans lying discarded everywhere he went. He was dumbfounded by what he saw, because in Africa, cans are a valuable commodity. You never saw a can on the ground, because to the people there, it represented money. John realized that if people would just collect the cans and turn them in to a recycling center, they could raise money and make an eternal impact in the lives of millions of kids affected by AIDS in Africa.

When Taylor heard about John’s vision, he was compelled to act. At this point, Cans for Africa wasn’t much more than the vision of one man, and John had come to the leadership council at the University of Central Oklahoma asking for help. As John spoke, Taylor recalled the words Jesus had spoken in the Sermon on the Mount: “If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much” (Matthew 5:46). He realized that Jesus didn’t do things for others based on what He could get back from them; He did it out of the overflow of His heart.

Challenged to step out of his comfort zone, Taylor decided to get involved. He was appointed as the leadership council’s chairperson responsible for overseeing the Cans for Africa project. He made it his mission to galvanize support for the organization by creating thousands of flyers and spreading the word as much as possible. And together, Taylor and John have raised 20 thousand dollars by collect almost one million aluminum cans.

What’s an aluminum can to you? Probably nothing whatsoever. It’s little more than a drop in a bucket. But to those whose lives are being impacted by Cans for Africa, a can is the difference between life and death.

The Bible tells us the story of a boy who didn’t have much but turned what little he had over to the hands of Jesus, and as a result, thousands of people were fed.

Jesus had been teaching and healing people all afternoon, but now it was getting late and people were starting to get hungry. Not wanting to deal with the prospect of a hungry mob of people at least ten thousand strong, the disciples came to Jesus urging Him to send the crowd home so they could get food for themselves. But rather than heeding their advice, Jesus told His disciples to go out themselves and give the people in the crowd something to eat. The disciples were stunned. There was absolutely no way they could get enough food to feed such a large amount of people. They would all have to work a month just to get enough money together to give each person a tiny piece of bread!

The disciples halfheartedly made their way through the crowd, checking to see if anyone had brought any food with them. Peter’s brother, Andrew, happened to stumble across a young boy who had brought his lunch with him to come hear Jesus that day. We don’t know much of anything about this little boy. We don’t know his name, his age or where he was from. What we do know is what he did … he gave his lunch—everything he had—to Jesus.

The lunch wasn’t much. It was simply five pieces of bread and two tiny fish. It amounted to nothing more than a drop in a bucket compared to what they needed to feed a crowd of five thousand hungry men, plus their wives and children. The boy was probably reluctant to even offer his lunch. In the face of such an overwhelming need, it must have seemed puny. Nevertheless, the boy surrendered his lunch of two fish and five pieces of bread. He didn’t make his decision to give Jesus his lunch because it was logical or practical; he made it based on faith.

Jesus took the bread and fish, thanked God for providing it, and gave it to His disciples to disperse to the crowd. The disciples looked at each other in confusion, shrugged their shoulders and proceeded to obey Jesus although they probably thought He was going crazy. As they distributed the bread and the fish, something miraculous happened. The more food they gave out, the more food kept appearing! Not only were the disciples able to feed everyone in the crowd until they were full, but they were able to gather twelve basketfuls of leftovers!

To the vast majority of people, five pieces of bread and two small fish or an aluminum can are totally insignificant. It’s a tiny drop in a massive bucket. But a tiny drop in the hands of God is more than enough to feed a multitude of more than ten thousand people or build a shelter, clinic and school for orphans in Africa.

What about you? Will you give everything you have—whether you think it’s much or just an insignificant drop in the bucket—and surrender it into the hands of God? If you’re willing, God can take what you’ve given and miraculously use it to bring glory to Him.

Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee … take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.

Frances R. Havergal