Hey all,
This will probably be the shortest blog I've written ever. Just a few thoughts from this past week. As the Spring break groups have been gone for a week, I was hoping the transition back to normal would be easy. Honestly, it's been tough. I enjoyed having more people here, getting to meet new people, hang out with a bunch of guys for a change. There's only one guy with the ministry here this year and the rest are women. I've realized that not only do I miss being around a bunch of guys (in college, I lived at the MOB with between 19-28 guys at a time), but I miss going out and just doing things. I live at the ministry house, or the "Green House", where all interns live. My first internship, there were 11 people living here. Now, just 2 including me. There have been times I've gotten some cabin fever and just needed to get out. Last week I went to go play basketball four mornings in a row to just wake up. I played tennis Thursday. I got to help three people move on Friday. It's been anything but normal for me this past week. I'm hoping that getting into a routine again doesn't happen for a while. Is the Christian life ever supposed to be normal? Routine? Comfortable? Predictable? Although, I wish that I could say that this past year as an intern I've grown in the wisdom and knowledge of God's word and that I'm a better person now than before I came here. I can't. I've been made more aware of just how sinful I am and that there is nothing in my own power that will bring me to righteousness.
I can't remember a specific time when I've ever been in a real green house with plants growing, but I can imagine that the conditions in which the plants exist are set-up for them to grow well. Plenty of sunlight, lots of water, rich soil. I guess my prayer would be that this green house that I'm living in would be a place of growth and freedom rather than a constricting, life-sucking parasite. Ever been under solitary confinement? I don't know if there's any proof of this but I think my ability to complete tasks or homework might have something to do with the weird kind of loopy mindset I can get into sometimes. I might be making this seem more serious than it actually is. Sometimes I think that my lack of a vehicle restricts my freedom to explore and breath. I can't imagine how it would feel to live in Brentwood your entire life without a vehicle.
I'm not crazy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdjY6oy4Y2c
I'm okay with telling you that lately I have had a hard time being motivated. Motivated to read, motivated to build relationships, motivated to clean. There are a bunch of things on my to-do list this weekend that I don't even know how to begin to prioritize and knock them out. Please pray that I would not freak out because God has it under control, that God would be my only motivation in doing anything, and that my desires would line up with His rather than hope His line up with mine. I need some prayer and would love to know how I can pray for you.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Everybody Everywhere
Craziness is over. The Spring break groups have all left. Most all of us are tired. Duval County in Jacksonville goes back to school on Monday. Routine will commense; normalcy continue. However, I will not forget this past week and the ways I saw God move in the neighborhood.
38 students and staff from Kent State (Ohio) Navigators came and served some huge labors of love last week. Their energy, excitement, and willingness to glorify the Lord pumped me up, gave me strength and drive I'd been lacking and ignoring in the longevity of the entire school-year. Monday. Tuesday. Thursday. Friday. Working from 9:30am to 5:30pm with a lunch break. Groups of between 8 and 10 working different areas. Groups switched every day which brought each individual more variety in serving but also allowed for new teams and new relationships to be built and grown among these brothers and sisters in Christ. I loved just watching how these Ohioans experienced a new culture.
One group did some massive clean-up in our potential after-school program building. They ripped out curtains, partitions (see picture), chalkboards, some bathroom fixtures, and some gross-looking tiles in the entrance doorway. Work we planned to take the bulk of the week this group completed in approxiately two hours the first day! These guys were ready to work! Many enjoyed destroying old wooden chairs, smashing smashable things, and laying down the big 16lb. hammer on some old doors.
Another group helped an old 73 year-old man named Ron (white t-shirt in picture) with his community garden. Mr. Ron works for a company that helps rebuild and renovate old houses to be affordable for those with low income. I've seen some of the houses and they do some beautiful work. Ron has a big heart for his neighborhood but has a bad view of the church. He sees it as just a place people go to meet and then ignore the people and community around them. It's sad, but this is true of many churches. His heart for his garden, instead of planting a bunch of seeds, he has kids from the neighborhood plant one single seed and take care of it. He believes each individual is important. Please pray for him. He is greatly encouraged when Spring break groups come because it's his only positive view of Christianity.
My task for the week was to drive around in a truck and help supply the street-cleanup crew with water, tools, and garbage bags. The first day, I gave instructions on the basics of cleaning the streets. Pick up trash, one person on mower, one on weed-eater, couple on broomsand shovels, couple on raking, baggers and leaf blower at the end. Each successive day, instructions were passed on to the point where every person knew what to do. There were so many garbage bags full of trash and leaves and weeds and dead grass. Probably somewhere close to 300 bags, give or take. These guys got dirty! Dirt lines at the wrists and ankles. Many also got sunburned.
If people were out of their houses, we'd ask them if they wanted any yardwork done. Many accepted and it was cool to just joyfully serve a neighborhood that is often neglected by the city. Empty lots that should be kept clean just aren't. There were a handful of people that offered us water or orange juice. Even if we weren't thirsty (we were), it's best to accept anything offered. Knowing these people are poor, if I, with good intentions, say "No thanks. I'm good." To them, I'm saying, "You have nothing to offer me. Only I can serve you." One lady, who is a cake-decorator, offered us a cake that one of her customers never came to pick up. We gladly accepted and chatted with her. The cake was in the shape of a Bud Light bottle. It was delicious. One young adult saw us work and said, "Man, I've lived here for 15 years and never did any of this stuff." Probably some of the coolest things I saw as I drove the truck from group to group were the people out cleaning their yards, taking pride in how "swept" their sidewalk is, how leafless their yard is. Many neighbors in cars drove by asking us who we were and why we were doing what we were doing. So much encouragement and general attitudes uplifted. There was definitely and mutual edification going on between us and the neighborhood.
This is all just on-the-surface stuff. "Good works." 1 John 3:18 says, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Thank you Lord for filling me with a love for these neighbors this past week. I haven't even mentioned all the community just among the Kent State students and 2nd Mile Ministries. I got to know a bunch of these guys pretty well in just a week. There were many more opportunities to have good conversations one-on-one with these college-aged men and women. What's your major? What's been your favorite part of the week so far? How has God challenged you this week? What's your story? Do you play disc-golf? Wanna play disc-golf? Wasn't it fun playing disc-golf? I even went to the beach with the whole group on our day off. They were very inclusive which I really appreciated.
So I guess my two cents on life. Doing good and joyfully serving is contagious. Even the people most different from you understand a kind word, a good conversation, attention. We are all created in God's image. I am no more important to life than the next person. My purpose is different from yours. Not better, not worse. I'm not perfect. Neither are you. God has lavished His love on us in the human form of His son, Jesus Christ. Will you love others with your actions and truth? I'd like to gently challenge you with 1 John 3:17. There are people out there that don't have your clean water, your soft bed, your security system, your countless outfits, your vehicle, your access to food. If you want to take up the challenge, ask God to reveal opportunities for you to serve for His purposes. There's nothing you can do that God can't do. It's amazing how raking leaves can be used by God to bring His people to Himself.
(Doing something little to add to something big)
38 students and staff from Kent State (Ohio) Navigators came and served some huge labors of love last week. Their energy, excitement, and willingness to glorify the Lord pumped me up, gave me strength and drive I'd been lacking and ignoring in the longevity of the entire school-year. Monday. Tuesday. Thursday. Friday. Working from 9:30am to 5:30pm with a lunch break. Groups of between 8 and 10 working different areas. Groups switched every day which brought each individual more variety in serving but also allowed for new teams and new relationships to be built and grown among these brothers and sisters in Christ. I loved just watching how these Ohioans experienced a new culture.
One group did some massive clean-up in our potential after-school program building. They ripped out curtains, partitions (see picture), chalkboards, some bathroom fixtures, and some gross-looking tiles in the entrance doorway. Work we planned to take the bulk of the week this group completed in approxiately two hours the first day! These guys were ready to work! Many enjoyed destroying old wooden chairs, smashing smashable things, and laying down the big 16lb. hammer on some old doors.
Another group helped an old 73 year-old man named Ron (white t-shirt in picture) with his community garden. Mr. Ron works for a company that helps rebuild and renovate old houses to be affordable for those with low income. I've seen some of the houses and they do some beautiful work. Ron has a big heart for his neighborhood but has a bad view of the church. He sees it as just a place people go to meet and then ignore the people and community around them. It's sad, but this is true of many churches. His heart for his garden, instead of planting a bunch of seeds, he has kids from the neighborhood plant one single seed and take care of it. He believes each individual is important. Please pray for him. He is greatly encouraged when Spring break groups come because it's his only positive view of Christianity.
My task for the week was to drive around in a truck and help supply the street-cleanup crew with water, tools, and garbage bags. The first day, I gave instructions on the basics of cleaning the streets. Pick up trash, one person on mower, one on weed-eater, couple on broomsand shovels, couple on raking, baggers and leaf blower at the end. Each successive day, instructions were passed on to the point where every person knew what to do. There were so many garbage bags full of trash and leaves and weeds and dead grass. Probably somewhere close to 300 bags, give or take. These guys got dirty! Dirt lines at the wrists and ankles. Many also got sunburned.
If people were out of their houses, we'd ask them if they wanted any yardwork done. Many accepted and it was cool to just joyfully serve a neighborhood that is often neglected by the city. Empty lots that should be kept clean just aren't. There were a handful of people that offered us water or orange juice. Even if we weren't thirsty (we were), it's best to accept anything offered. Knowing these people are poor, if I, with good intentions, say "No thanks. I'm good." To them, I'm saying, "You have nothing to offer me. Only I can serve you." One lady, who is a cake-decorator, offered us a cake that one of her customers never came to pick up. We gladly accepted and chatted with her. The cake was in the shape of a Bud Light bottle. It was delicious. One young adult saw us work and said, "Man, I've lived here for 15 years and never did any of this stuff." Probably some of the coolest things I saw as I drove the truck from group to group were the people out cleaning their yards, taking pride in how "swept" their sidewalk is, how leafless their yard is. Many neighbors in cars drove by asking us who we were and why we were doing what we were doing. So much encouragement and general attitudes uplifted. There was definitely and mutual edification going on between us and the neighborhood.This is all just on-the-surface stuff. "Good works." 1 John 3:18 says, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Thank you Lord for filling me with a love for these neighbors this past week. I haven't even mentioned all the community just among the Kent State students and 2nd Mile Ministries. I got to know a bunch of these guys pretty well in just a week. There were many more opportunities to have good conversations one-on-one with these college-aged men and women. What's your major? What's been your favorite part of the week so far? How has God challenged you this week? What's your story? Do you play disc-golf? Wanna play disc-golf? Wasn't it fun playing disc-golf? I even went to the beach with the whole group on our day off. They were very inclusive which I really appreciated.
So I guess my two cents on life. Doing good and joyfully serving is contagious. Even the people most different from you understand a kind word, a good conversation, attention. We are all created in God's image. I am no more important to life than the next person. My purpose is different from yours. Not better, not worse. I'm not perfect. Neither are you. God has lavished His love on us in the human form of His son, Jesus Christ. Will you love others with your actions and truth? I'd like to gently challenge you with 1 John 3:17. There are people out there that don't have your clean water, your soft bed, your security system, your countless outfits, your vehicle, your access to food. If you want to take up the challenge, ask God to reveal opportunities for you to serve for His purposes. There's nothing you can do that God can't do. It's amazing how raking leaves can be used by God to bring His people to Himself.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Not a Circus
When a circus comes to town, there is a bunch of excitement. The tent gets set up, the animals and performers come in, the concessions begin making popcorn and cotton candy, people come from all over to see acrobats and elephants and clowns and jugglers and tight rope walkers. After a few days, or maybe even a week of the circus, the people leave, the grounds get cleaned up, the animals and performers rest and prepare for the next town, and the tent gets put away. Memories linger but only for a short while and the circus becomes a magical thing of the past.
To constrast, construction on the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City began under Pope Julius II in 1506 and was completed in 1626 under Pope Urban VIII. If you do the math, that's 120 years of building. The people who started building never even got the chance to see the finished structure. And now, the St. Peter's Basilica is still standing today and is regarding as one of the most impressive feats of architecture in history.
Why tell you about the circus and the St. Peter's Basilica? Glad you asked. This month has been a month of spring break groups. They bring numbers. They bring energy. They bring a burst of willingness to serve and do whatever needs to be done. If 2nd Mile Ministries existed solely on the backs of short-term missions trips to the Brentwood neighborhood, it would be ineffective. The Spring break groups, much like a circus, come with much anticipation of doing a lot in a short amount of time. The vision of this ministry is that of the construction of a much larger and stronger result, like that of a cathedral. The Spring break groups do get many things done because of their numbers and man power (woman power included), but they are just contributing as a part of this grander vision of changing the lives of everyone in this community. Change ultimately happens because the Lord's hand is directing and changing hearts. He has so graciously allowed sinners like myself to be a part of His bigger plan. Being here for one week looks a lot different from being here for an entire summer. This year-long internship looks a lot different from my first summer-internship. And finally, I'm sure living in this community for many many years looks so much different than this year-long internship. Whether someone has contributed by hammering a few nails and mowing some yards, or contributed by living in the community for years and building relationships with the locals, they all contribute to the larger vision.
This is just one neighborhood in a world of hurt, pain, and suffering. Thank you for taking time to read these blogs and for the prayers. Whether you see it or not, you have contributed in some way to the advancement of God's kingdom in Jacksonville. Please continue to pray, please continue to read, and if you are able, come visit sometime. The people here aren't dangerous or scary. I think there is just a general fear in this country of people that are different and we don't interact with as much. I'm not saying everybody, and I'm not even saying a majority, but we need to stop judging people of the opposite race, of the opposite political party, of the opposite gender, of a different age, of a different social standing. Relocate where you live if you can. Change your routine if you will. Ask the Lord for guidance in the decisions you make, not just because they are acceptable to the world, but because they are acceptable to God. Read Galatians 1:10 and ask yourself if you are serving the Lord.
The large Spring break group of 31 last week from Tampa was a lot of fun and very social and outgoing with eachother. I even got to play some soccer (leg got scraped up), some late night basketball (knees scraped, feet blistered), and some disc golf with many of the group. They were very helpful at the various after-school programs, the schools, and with street cleanup. A new group of 38 from Kent State in Ohio arrived last night and are here to help with the building!! (The building that we plan to grow into for the after-school program in years to come). I look forward to a week with rest from our two:fiftytwo kids (they have spring break) and to a week where I get to sweat and flex my muscles and do some manual labor of love for this megihborhood. Please pray for our strength and that God would use our weak human selves to add bricks to a long-lasting structure that will hopefully transform this neighborhood decades in the future with the fragrance of Christ.
Here's an article about how fear and injustice can play itself out when two groups are isolated from eachother.
http://news.yahoo.com/family-florida-boy-killed-neighborhood-watch-seeks-arrest-044537742.html
To constrast, construction on the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City began under Pope Julius II in 1506 and was completed in 1626 under Pope Urban VIII. If you do the math, that's 120 years of building. The people who started building never even got the chance to see the finished structure. And now, the St. Peter's Basilica is still standing today and is regarding as one of the most impressive feats of architecture in history.
Why tell you about the circus and the St. Peter's Basilica? Glad you asked. This month has been a month of spring break groups. They bring numbers. They bring energy. They bring a burst of willingness to serve and do whatever needs to be done. If 2nd Mile Ministries existed solely on the backs of short-term missions trips to the Brentwood neighborhood, it would be ineffective. The Spring break groups, much like a circus, come with much anticipation of doing a lot in a short amount of time. The vision of this ministry is that of the construction of a much larger and stronger result, like that of a cathedral. The Spring break groups do get many things done because of their numbers and man power (woman power included), but they are just contributing as a part of this grander vision of changing the lives of everyone in this community. Change ultimately happens because the Lord's hand is directing and changing hearts. He has so graciously allowed sinners like myself to be a part of His bigger plan. Being here for one week looks a lot different from being here for an entire summer. This year-long internship looks a lot different from my first summer-internship. And finally, I'm sure living in this community for many many years looks so much different than this year-long internship. Whether someone has contributed by hammering a few nails and mowing some yards, or contributed by living in the community for years and building relationships with the locals, they all contribute to the larger vision.
This is just one neighborhood in a world of hurt, pain, and suffering. Thank you for taking time to read these blogs and for the prayers. Whether you see it or not, you have contributed in some way to the advancement of God's kingdom in Jacksonville. Please continue to pray, please continue to read, and if you are able, come visit sometime. The people here aren't dangerous or scary. I think there is just a general fear in this country of people that are different and we don't interact with as much. I'm not saying everybody, and I'm not even saying a majority, but we need to stop judging people of the opposite race, of the opposite political party, of the opposite gender, of a different age, of a different social standing. Relocate where you live if you can. Change your routine if you will. Ask the Lord for guidance in the decisions you make, not just because they are acceptable to the world, but because they are acceptable to God. Read Galatians 1:10 and ask yourself if you are serving the Lord.
The large Spring break group of 31 last week from Tampa was a lot of fun and very social and outgoing with eachother. I even got to play some soccer (leg got scraped up), some late night basketball (knees scraped, feet blistered), and some disc golf with many of the group. They were very helpful at the various after-school programs, the schools, and with street cleanup. A new group of 38 from Kent State in Ohio arrived last night and are here to help with the building!! (The building that we plan to grow into for the after-school program in years to come). I look forward to a week with rest from our two:fiftytwo kids (they have spring break) and to a week where I get to sweat and flex my muscles and do some manual labor of love for this megihborhood. Please pray for our strength and that God would use our weak human selves to add bricks to a long-lasting structure that will hopefully transform this neighborhood decades in the future with the fragrance of Christ.
Here's an article about how fear and injustice can play itself out when two groups are isolated from eachother.
http://news.yahoo.com/family-florida-boy-killed-neighborhood-watch-seeks-arrest-044537742.html
Sunday, March 11, 2012
You Got Served!
March Madness! I'm tired. This month consists of various colleges and Christian organizations coming to visit 2nd Mile Ministries to serve on a short-term missions trip for their Spring break. This past week, we had the pleasure of partnering with a group of ten from Northwestern College in Iowa (nine students and one professor). I have to be honest here, when I meet new people, especially in bunches, my sinful nature tempts me to be judgmental and find ways to make myself feel better about myself, more comfortable. The Lord made me aware of this last week and I praise Him for it. These ten, with their own uniqueness and quirks, immediately had a heart to serve in whatever way they could. "Can we help you make dinner?" "No thanks, we got it covered." They were very eager to help with anything, almost so eager that they needed to fill every minute of the missions trip with serving. I'm the same way sometimes. How can I help? What can I do? Keep me busy. Sometimes the best way you can help someone is to just sit there.
I remember a story told by a Native-American Christian about a time a short-term missions trip came to his reservation to "serve" and how he was tired that they had such a desire to serve that the natives didn't want any more houses painted. He said how he justed wanted to have relationships and friendships made with these "pigmentally" challenged brothers. He was funny. What I love about the Northwestern group is that they show humility in their service. "What's the best way to help you this week?" Five of them helped out at two:fiftytwo and it was awesome. At one point, we had twelve adults and only nine kids. Three of us, including me, had actually periods of time where we could breathe, not focus on a particular child, just kind of oversee everything. Trying to help a kid in those times where they are already being helped would hurt more than help.
I'm getting physically and socially exhausted. I'm getting the same hours of sleep, but I've had more chances to engage with more people. The energy level that Iowa brought to the ministry this week had been awesome. I'm more excited, the kids are excited, and it keeps the wheels turning on 2nd Mile and the work God is doing in Brentwood. Please pray God would give us strength as we continue to try and serve a group from Tampa (31 people) this week and a group from Kent State (35~40 people) next week.
Opportunities God has given us to serve in the past couple of weeks:
-Dr. Seuss's birthday was a couple Fridays ago and North Shore Elementary (where Tiara and I volunteer each week) asked me if I would want to dress up like Cat in the Hat and walk around classrooms and take pictures with the kids. I think it's because I'm tall and a lighter skin-tone. I said yes. Result: Tail got pulled, many photo opps, many overly excited kids thinking I was the actual Cat in the Hat, they'd pet my white furry chest, even scared a couple kids too.
-Yard work at the Green House (where I live). Result: Garbage picked up, leaves raked, lawn mowed, palm branches cut up, bagged, old grill and broken basketball hoop picked up by a passer-by in a truck.
-Storage room at North Pearl Baptist (where the after-school program is). Result: Still messy storage room, just crammed into half the space and the other half painted (we're not done).
-2nd Mile prepares meals for everybody, Northwestern does dishes. Result: Mutual serving!
The name "Obadiah" means both servant and worshiper. Why should we serve? "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45. Jesus served us, and is God. That's a crazy reality in itself. Why serve? Jesus did it. We should do it. Serve. I'm done. I'm tired. If you are willing/able, I would love some encouragement throughout the week. I don't mean to sound selfish, I just know that when I get texts, God really encourages me through them. (414) 899-3835. I probably won't have much or any time to talk on the phone in the next two weeks, but a text would be much appreciated.
Preview of the next few weeks. Demolition!
I remember a story told by a Native-American Christian about a time a short-term missions trip came to his reservation to "serve" and how he was tired that they had such a desire to serve that the natives didn't want any more houses painted. He said how he justed wanted to have relationships and friendships made with these "pigmentally" challenged brothers. He was funny. What I love about the Northwestern group is that they show humility in their service. "What's the best way to help you this week?" Five of them helped out at two:fiftytwo and it was awesome. At one point, we had twelve adults and only nine kids. Three of us, including me, had actually periods of time where we could breathe, not focus on a particular child, just kind of oversee everything. Trying to help a kid in those times where they are already being helped would hurt more than help.
I'm getting physically and socially exhausted. I'm getting the same hours of sleep, but I've had more chances to engage with more people. The energy level that Iowa brought to the ministry this week had been awesome. I'm more excited, the kids are excited, and it keeps the wheels turning on 2nd Mile and the work God is doing in Brentwood. Please pray God would give us strength as we continue to try and serve a group from Tampa (31 people) this week and a group from Kent State (35~40 people) next week.
Opportunities God has given us to serve in the past couple of weeks:
-Dr. Seuss's birthday was a couple Fridays ago and North Shore Elementary (where Tiara and I volunteer each week) asked me if I would want to dress up like Cat in the Hat and walk around classrooms and take pictures with the kids. I think it's because I'm tall and a lighter skin-tone. I said yes. Result: Tail got pulled, many photo opps, many overly excited kids thinking I was the actual Cat in the Hat, they'd pet my white furry chest, even scared a couple kids too.
-Yard work at the Green House (where I live). Result: Garbage picked up, leaves raked, lawn mowed, palm branches cut up, bagged, old grill and broken basketball hoop picked up by a passer-by in a truck.
-Storage room at North Pearl Baptist (where the after-school program is). Result: Still messy storage room, just crammed into half the space and the other half painted (we're not done).
-2nd Mile prepares meals for everybody, Northwestern does dishes. Result: Mutual serving!
The name "Obadiah" means both servant and worshiper. Why should we serve? "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45. Jesus served us, and is God. That's a crazy reality in itself. Why serve? Jesus did it. We should do it. Serve. I'm done. I'm tired. If you are willing/able, I would love some encouragement throughout the week. I don't mean to sound selfish, I just know that when I get texts, God really encourages me through them. (414) 899-3835. I probably won't have much or any time to talk on the phone in the next two weeks, but a text would be much appreciated.
Preview of the next few weeks. Demolition!
The only cat who knows where it's at.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Can't Nobody
Double negatives are all over this neighborhood. "I ain't got no pencil." "I didn't do nothing." I think that along with the different way people speak here, there's a haze of negativity too on their outlook on life. The phrase "Things can't get much better than this" may sound positive to you, but I can imagine many here believing this phrase, that things won't get any better. In my Christian life, I've inaccurately used poverty and non-Christian interchangeably. If we measured wealth by the heart rather than money and possessions, would you be rich or poor?
Poverty can be a huge factor for whether or not someone will be educated and learn a lot but does not impede on their ability to be educated and learn. Opportunity is huge and I grew up with much of it, which made me think it was normal for everyone to have the same opportunities as me. Not true.
Living here for just over 6 months, I've learned some new words and phrases that I've never heard of before. "Put it up," means to put something away. "Can I hold this?" is asking to borrow something. "Where do you stay?" replaces where do you live since people often sleep wherever the closest friend is. The house is a place to sleep, not really a place to stay all day. At church, we sang a song called, "Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus." Another double negative but I still sang out with all the joy that the Lord gave me. There's something about gospel music that gets me excited. Maybe I will do a future blog just about the music here. This past week has been a great time to just rest in Him and claim the salvation that Jesus gave me. One thing I've been learning about what Jesus did on the cross is that not only did His blood take away the penalty of my sins, thus justification for my sins, but His blood also took away the power of sin, thus sanctification (or making us more like Jesus). Through faith in Christ, He becomes our representative to the Father saying, "It's all good. Andrew deserves hell, but I already paid the punishment for his past, present, and future sins. He's clean." Can't nobody else in history take away my sins but the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Last night, we got to go see the Harlem Globetrotters play. I know a guy who knows a guy that plays for the team. We also got to take three of our students with us. Emery, Alex, and Diallo. We got to sit in the front row! Alex kept asking players, workers, anybody if he could get a basketball. They were selling them for $25 and he admitted multiple times that he wanted to steal one. He even hopped over the ledge a couple of times when he saw other kids getting the chance the dribble their newly bought basketballs in a dribbling area off the court. "Why do these kids get to have a ball when I want one more than anyone?" I'm sure it's frustrating to see people with privilege that have the same ability and capacity to grow as you, maybe even less than you. Diallo loved everything. He doesn't get to leave his house much so he admitted to being scared of all the people in the stands. Big Easy, huge Globetrotter, came over to their row and gave them high fives. Diallo held onto his huge hands for as long as he could. He was touching someone "famous". He was super excited at all the gimmicks and dunks. Emery is shy and was mostly scared that the players would pick him in the stands to go on the court with them. He didn't get picked and I'm sure that allowed him to enjoy himself. Please pray that God would reveal himself to these three boys in ways that make them want to live for Him and invest back into the Brentwood community 10 or 15 years down the road. They had so much imagination and potential for great things. I can't wait to see how they grow from when he first started working with them.
The weather has gotten back up to the 80's. The next three weeks will be crazy. Three consecutive spring break groups from Northwestern College in Iowa, Tampa Florida, and Kent State in Ohio. Please pray that they would be a blessing to the schools, community, and the ministry. I'm super pumped and anxious to engage with people I've never met. It's been getting kind of lonely at the Green House, my home, with just me and one other person living there. I'm super pumped and anxious. Rejoice in the Lord for he made today. You are alive because of Him. Why not thank him?
(Diallo, me, Emery, Alex, and Papa Glen at the Globetrotters game. We got to move up closer after this. I look just as excited as the kids. I was.)
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