March - Spring has arrived!

twofifty:two After School Program: This is year number 10 of this program! Over the years, we've had 39 boys and 43 girls in this program, 82 all together. With anywhere between 11 and 19 students each year, this program met every school day and we've gotten to know kids best during this stage of their lives. I've been compiling names, grades, and duration in 2nd Mile for many years. Our 2nd grade-5th grade program has seen 11 of the 82 students stay for all four years of the program (a great feat when considering how much people are transient and move away in our neighborhood. This year looks a little different, but the heart is still very much the same. Going completely virtual, this program's 15 students has 14 newcomers from various places in the city. They talk about emotional and mental health as well as doing fun and interactive activities over zoom. I've joined the calls a couple times and those kids have a blast doing impromtu show-and-tells and getting their chance to talk and answer questions.  Praise God for technology. We pray that we will be back in person in the fall, but for now, God has been sustaining this program through multi-year grants and generous donations.

BLOCK: Here at 2nd Mile, we started with elementary school, intentionally growing with those specific students to then create a middle school program, Connect, to continue those relationships and that growth. Eventually, those students would become high schoolers and another program would be started. I feel as though the middle and high school programs have had the least consistency in 2nd Mile's life. Contributing factors of this were probably having three leadership changes in about two years, as well as the program only being once or twice a week due to conflicting program schedules and limited meeting space. Currently, I lead BLOCK virtually where a small number of students get on weekly and we have had a great time and have gotten used to the format and each other. Please pray that more students would show up, that if/when we go to in-person in the fall that we'd be able to reconnect with students that have fallen through the cracks. We've had 130 middle school students in our programs over the 8 years of having programming for them. We've had 56 high school students in our programs over the 5 years of having programming for them.

BLOCK also has an instagram now, which I hesitantly agreed to manage. If you have instagram and know your way around it, please, PLEASE reach out to me because I am out of my depth. The handle is block_brentwood if you'd like to follow.

As We Gather: This relatively new program was created last fall to allow people over 55 years old to connect online, learn technology basics, socialize, learn about God, and do different activities. These 9wk long sessions are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings and the program is going to begin it's third 9wk run in April. Please pray that As We Gather would continue to grow in consistency and numbers so more and more seniors in this neighborhood can be served and loved in new ways. There have been over 20 people signed up already for this program.

Tapestry Talks: One of the things I've missed most about this past March has been mission teams. We usually get anywhere from one to four mission teams from colleges and churches across the country during their spring breaks and they help serve our neighborhoods, schools, neighboring organizations, as well as learn about God's heart for justice. Thanks to covid, we got cancelations from groups in 2020 and many of our previous connections showed hesitancy in traveling in big groups for their spring breaks. Enter Tapesty Talks. With all that has been happening in the news in regards to racial injustice recently (even though this problem has been around a lot longer than many want to believe or acknowledge), Tapestry Talks aims to not only be a prerequisite class for college students before they come on a mission trip, but for all people that want to learn more about racial reconciliation, God's heart for justice, and their own biases and leanings on issues. The first round of classes had a mixture of white and black people, a women's Bible study from Madison, WI, and members of the black community in Jacksonville. From what I've heard, it was a successful first 6wk course.  Please pray that this course would soften hearts to be more understanding of other peoples' experiences, would humble people's preconceptions, and would bring glory to God most of all. God's heart for us to "love our neighbors" and even "love our enemies" couldn't be more crucial in these times of stress, anxieties, and uncertainty. If you are interested in participating in this now 8wk long course (one virtual class per week) while it's still free, visit  www.2ndmilejax.com/tapestry-talks.

In other news: We had a garden day last Saturday and it was super exciting! Students from a neighboring high school came out as well as some staff and other volunteers. Four high schoolers, four staff, three other adults, and seven youngens planted vegetable seeds such as sweet tomatoes, peas, jalapenos, yellow tomatoes, and eggplant. We also planted herbs like basil and rosemary (which smells amazing). Finally, for the first time in our garden, we planted some flowers such as sunflowers, morning glory, cypress vines, lavender, and cosmos drawf cuties (look 'em up). We weeded, built cement block benches, watered, and dreamed about future garden days.

We also finally installed both our new basketball goals. The old ones had broken backboards. I have high hopes for a three-point contest and a skills challenge in the summer which will immediately preface a late night outdoor viewing of Space Jam 2! But we'll see what happens.

Me teaching about companion planting and perennials vs. annuals

Companion planting sweat peas and basil

Hopefully these will all grow

Big thanks to Johan and Michael (and other Michael as well)

 

February in pictures

Ever since Summer Day Camp 2020, a lot of ministry and prep has looked like the following two pictures--divvying up individualized supplies for each participant, put them in a box, and then either delivery the boxes or have them picked up. Then, participants collectively get on a zoom call, and we do an activity together. Our two:fiftytwo After School Program is currently doing it, and I'm doing this as well with our BLOCK Middle and High School program.

 

To be very transparent about ministry during the pandemic, some roadblocks we've hit have been:

1.) Us being able to get into the schools (for volunteering or connections and communication with teachers)

2.) Students having internet access at home, or a device that would allow them to be on zoom.

3.) A large enough indoor space and the means to allow for a program to be run safely in person. 

However, roadblocks, quite literally, allow for new detours and roads to reach our destination. Some new avenues that the pandemic have allowed for us are: 

1.) Extending our reach to students outside of our immediate neighborhood who wouldn't have been able to come to our programs in person due to distance. 

2.) Being able to find grants that specifically help non-profits continue their work and be innovative with outreach.

3.) Time for future-planning, dreaming, and vision in our programs for when the pandemic dissipates.

Taking over BLOCK in January, I've taken to zoom meetings with a certain level of enjoyment. Being interactive and making up activities has been enjoyable so far and the students that come have seemingly enjoyed the time and keep coming back with enthusiasm. I've felt a great sense of freedom for planning and executing lessons. Every opportunity I can, I get the students' input on things they want to do and learn. For February, they gave suggestions for movies for an outdoor movie night, and of the four choices, the final vote was The Croods 2: A New Age. Our movie night in December had about 35 people at it, and this time there were about 50. We were still social distanced, but since it was a little warmer out (sorry rest of the country), we replaced hot chocolate with flavored lemonade. Popcorn with all the fixins was still a huge hit, as kids put anything from marshmallows to hot cheetos (and often both) in their popcorn. I can't wait for the next one.

And finally, the last big part of February for me, Max turned four years old?!? He is growing up so fast and he definitely makes parenting actually fun and enjoyable. We are making slow progress with eating and potty training, but it is progress. Thank you for continued prayers. There's a whole lot more that 2nd Mile is doing besides what I'm doing with BLOCK and hopefully I'll be able to make a longer blog the next time and include everything that's going on...it's a lot.

 

Watching vs. Doing

I love music. I love listening to music, all kinds. But listening to classical music, especially string quartets is possibly the most enjoyable for me. I not only listen to these other musicians making the music, but I can see and feel what it would be like to play that music myself. When I play the music myself, I enter the world of that song along with all others who have played it in the past. Music has been a place to express myself emotionally and mentally.

I love sports. I love playing sports, all kinds. But watching basketball and disc golf is my favorite by far. I can share in the experience and love of the sport because of the way I feel while actually playing those sports.

There's something about doing rather than watching that has hit me for the past year of covid. I've consumed a lot of media, youtube, sports, tv shows, and movies. I've gained an appreciation for people who do gardening, people who run, people who take care of their physical health, and even writers who come up with some very good tv shows. However, I feel a whole lot better when I am the one making things happen, when I stir the pond (I feel like that's an expression?). 

I remember a game growing up called Steal the Bacon. There were two teams lines up at opposite ends of the gym/court/field. Each person had a number assigned to them. The judge called out "Three!" or some other number, and that particular number from each team ran to the center and tried to bring back the football or bowling pin from the middle without getting tagged by your opponent. This knowledge that your number could be called at any time kept me on my toes, brought the adrenaline of becoming a doer, not a watcher, partaking in the game and possibly making something happen for our team.

In leading BLOCK for the first time, I didn't want to create a bunch of watchers in the middle and high school students. I feel that their entire day is made up of watching. Watch your teachers and listen, come home and watch tv. Although zoom meetings are pretty much watching a phone or computer screen, I've been convicted to make it more interactive and allow the students to partake more, knowing that at any time I could ask them a question, or want their opinion on a topic, or ask them to share about their lives, or ask them to balance a book on their head.

Since January 12th, I feel that BLOCK has been more interactive and less of them coming to watch and see how I am going to teach them, entertain them, etc. Sure I can share about my own life, and yes, there is something to be said of wisdom, but I gotta be able to let the students try to do things, let them make their own mistakes, and be there for the times they are going through new things in life. So far, we've gotten to know some awesome students (emphasis on some, because attendance is currently low), but I'm optimistic and feel momentum for an improving program is close at hand.

If you are reading this, I'm going to be direct and state the obvious....you are reading a blog. If I were to encourage you to be a doer, here is something very practical and not very time-consuming that will be beneficial to you, to me, and to us.

What you can do right now:

-Pray that God will use zoom to extend our reach to more students than we could have ever predicted or expected in our own limited minds.

-Pray for our country. If you lean politically one way more than the other, pray for the other side, not like the Pharisee in Luke 18:11 ("God, I thank you that I am not like other people.") but like the tax collector in Luke 18:13 ("God, have mercy on me, a sinner.")

-Follow or "Like" us on Facebook, 2nd Mile Ministries.

Thank you to those who have used smile.amazon.com and designated us your charity of choice when ordering things on Amazon. I think we made like four times as much last month than in the previous month.

Goodbye 2020

I've never run a marathon before, but I'd imagine the water stations throughout the race are a much welcomed gift for the runners as they either rehydrate or pour it on themselves to cool them down for the remainder of the race. I feel as though 2020 and beyond, for many, has been like running a marathon, but with no training whatsoever. We all desperately want the race to be over, but alas, it goes on for who knows how long.

Being able to spend a week to relax and be with family during Christmas week was a desperately needed water station for me.

Now back to the race. 

In a couple weeks, the middle and high school BLOCK program will begin meeting virtually on zoom. It has been repeatedly mentioned that the students that have been coming just want to meet up and hang out like they used to and not be on zoom, and I feel those desires myself. Doing ministry virtually has been like running with legs tied together. We've had great moments at camp, and even some amazing Bible studies since going virtual, but of course we hope and plan for the days when we can safely meet back together. On December 12th, we were able to meet up in person with families and others in the community and put on an outdoor family movie night. We watched Jingle Jangle (a Christmas musical on Netflix in case you're interested)! We had about 35 people show up throughout the night ranging from 3 years old to people in their 60s. Spread out in lawn chairs on our basketball court, families enjoyed hot chocolate, coffee, and popcorn with their movie. I'm excited to do this type of event again in the future!

My hope and vision for leading BLOCK virtually would be that we'd be able to reconnect with students that have been in our programs previously and that'd they would be the foundation for what BLOCK is. As students who've known each other for years regularly come, I pray and hope this creates a sense of belonging as many students and families have been isolated from each other for months. Please pray for the right students to show up. I can often feel the pressure to perform well in many aspects of life, and I don't want my identity to be bound to worldly success in ministry. I trust that God will use the next months to grow me, to humble me, and to use me as the marathon continues.

I'm reminded of Hebrews 12:1-2 which says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." The sin that clings to me often is pride, self-pity, resentment, and judgment. Lord, I throw this all aside for your name's sake. Let 2021 be a year we look back on with gratitude.

Question: How do we run this race that is set before us with endurance?

Answer: By looking to Jesus, who endured the cross for us, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God!

 

November (please read all the way to the end)

BLOCK Middle and High School Program: Starting in January of 2021, I will be taking over the BLOCK program. The previous program director will be stepping down but still hopes to participate when he can. In my history with 2nd Mile, I directed the after school program for two years, directed the middle school program for a little less than a year, and have only attended the high school program on a voluntary basis. I'm not gonna lie, I feel way out of my depth with this older age group. If I've known a student for many years, obviously it's easier to know where they're coming from, their families, their personalities, their future goals, etc. But new students, especially those with no previous connection to 2nd Mile or to church or to God (or even white people in the hood), I suppose that's where leaning on the Lord comes in. Next week Friday, 2nd Mile will be hosting an Outdoor Family Movie Night (socially distanced of course) with the hopes of bringing the relationships we've built back to the church for some good Christmas fun. Not meeting in person on a weekly basis has been a big speed bump in ministry, as I'm sure it is across the nation. Please pray that this night would be safe, enjoyable, and would have a big turnout (hopefully not too big where it becomes unsafe).

In case you want to watch what we will be watching, check out Jingle Jangle on Netflix. It's a family friendly musical and more importantly, has a cast where the majority of the actors are people of color. It's magical and entertaining. Get your hot chocolate, pop that popcorn, light a fire (only if you have a fireplace) and tap your feet with your family.

As We Gather: This newish program for the more elderly of folks has been going great. Created in order to allow members of that age bracket to connect, socialize, and learn about God, technology, and a host of other topics, As We Gather has been doing something brand new in the world of 2nd Mile--specifically reach out to non-youth. A few weeks ago I was asked to join the zoom call and talk about music and perform a few pieces of music. I miss being a part of a huge symphony, even a string quartet, playing with others, but it was good to get the old viola out and perform for others again. I played a few movements from the Bach Cello Suites to differentiate some different emotions that music has allowed me to express growing up (a slow and minor key for sadness, a peaceful major key to relax me or calm me down, and an energetically fast major key to pump me up). The response was great and then conversations began about people listening to different types of music to help facilitate their own moods. From what I've heard, participants in As We Gather have made art together, done daily devotionals together, and learned about different topics including health. We've also been blessed with an intern who specializes in computers, so she has been able to set up these seniors with laptops that we've received and help them troubleshoot, get online, and logged into zoom.

Max Update: Flashback one year, and Max would often vomit after feedings (maybe once a day). Since February or March of 2020, he has not thrown up. We were never really sure if the pukage was due to reflux or just a sensitive gag reflex. Without explanation or understanding, this has stopped and we have been so grateful to have to do less vomit laundry. This has since translated to more peed-on laundry but that's another story. Not puking anymore has given him more interest in tasting different foods. He would suck the life and flavor out of a chip or a bite of an apple, but swallowing, or "sending to his tummy" as we tell him, has been a difficult skill to master. Still sensitive to swallowing solids, Max could take up to an hour to swallow one bite of food. Chewing and moving food to his cheeks once inside of his mouth is hard for him to do. There has been progress, but it has been so slow that it's been hard for us to imagine him ever getting off his feeding tube. We just couldn't see it.

Fast forward to last week.

We noticed after being given a chip, he'd come back asking for another, only this time, it would only be a few minutes later. "He must've dropped it," I thought. But sure enough, he was doing a little bit of chewing and swallowing his bites with more consistency. On the long drive home from visiting family, he was eating Cheetos Puffs left and right. It seems that something may be clicking. This is honestly the first time in a long time where I could imagine him eating normally. This picture of him says a lot. It shows my hopes in getting him to eat more (I've never used that "plate" before with any sort of optimism). It shows him eating at the table (we rarely are able to eat our meals together due to his strict feeding schedule). It shows his face that I can't quite tell if it's just his normal silliness, him being shy, or prideful, or a "why are you taking a picture of me Dad?" face. Please pray for continued momentum in eating, patience and endurance on our end, and most of all a grateful heart in all circumstances.

Easy way to help us this holiday season: Do you shop on Amazon? Did you know that if you designate 2nd Mile Ministries as your charity of choice, Amazon will donate to us a small percentage of the amount you spend? It's no cost to you and it helps us out in a big way!

How to set it up is just a few clicks.

1. Go to Account & Lists and look for AmazonSmile Charity Lists

2. Click Get Started at the top or bottom of the page.

3. Type in 2nd Mile Ministries and select the one located in Jacksonville, FL.

4. Boom! All done.

It's important to note, IF YOU SHOP ONLINE AT AMAZON.COM, THE DONATION WILL NOT GO THROUGH. YOU NEED TO SHOP ONLINE AT SMILE.AMAZON.COM AND THE DONATION WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE GENERATED. You'll still be able to purchase the same exact things as before, only now Amazon knows to designate a little of their money to our ministry through your purchases. Easy peasy.

Shaking off the rust

I had all but given up, desperate for a sign from love. Something good, something kind, bringing peace to every corner of my mind. Then I saw the garden. Hope had come to me to sweep away the ashes and wake me from my sleep. I realized You never left and for this moment You planned ahead, that I would see Your faithfulness in all of the green. I can see the ivy growing through the wall because You will stop at nothing to heal my broken soul. I can see the ivy reaching through the wall because You will stop at nothing to heal my broken soul. Faith is rising up like ivy, reaching for the light. Hope is stirring deep inside me, making all things right. Love is lifting me from sorrow, catching every tear, dispelling every lie and torment, crushing all my fears. Now I see redemption growing in the trees, the death and resurrection in every single seed.

-Lyrics from Kari Jobe's The Garden.

Hearing this song before, the lyrics never really meant much to me personally...until I heard it while working in our garden. Currently, the garden is in the growing phase. We did a complete do-over in late September, taking out all the old plants, weeding all the garden beds, and filling them with new fertilizer. We planted different vegetables and have started to seeing them surface above the soil. Will the plants produce fully ripe vegetables? We have no idea, but had we not prepared the ground, planted the seeds, and watered, they definitely won't. Putting the seeds in the ground and seeing their growth day after day, I get easily frustrated when I see things that hurt the progress. I'll see leaves eaten by animals, I'll see weeds come up and compete for nutrients, I'll see some of our sprinklers clogged with dirt and not supplying the water needed. Growing food is something you can learn a lot about, but predicting the results, the seasons, the exact growth seems impossible. Much like life. We learn from our experiences on what not to do, how to protect ourselves from pain, and we still get hit by unexpected obstacles. We toil, we strive, we writhe, we want to grow and produce lots of good fruit. Here's how that works. Hint: it's not what you do, but what you surrender to the Father and allow Him to do in you.

Jesus says in John 15:1-5, I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

I imagine those first few years in the Garden of Eden were just a learning process for Adam. Nobody had ever worked the land before (obviously since he was the first person), so he had to learn how God had created the world to grow food and trees from just a single seed. I wonder if Adam ever did something that would look idiotic today, like just placing seeds on rocks, or throwing them high in the air thinking that made them grow taller.

I think in a lot of ways, people are operating in this pandemic like Adam may have, being the first gardener/farmer. We have no previous experience of how to do life in a pandemic, especially in this technological world. Since March, 2nd Mile has been learning a lot of ways how not to do ministry. It's difficult to see the fruit when we are so much about in-person relationships. When you are limited to virtual ministry, it feels like trying to grow flowers in a dark room. It feels unfair. There aren't many resources to how to effectively to a virtual ministry in a community that may not have to resources to even take part. We've had some success in seeing lots fruit in a very small number of students; however, we are still searching for how to reach more students effectively in this time.

This pandemic, although it has dramatically altered what we do and how we do it at 2nd Mile, it has allowed us to see other tasks that have been left ignored. For example, at the church, so many thorny vines has taken over our chain-linked fence that have grown up into our outdoor shed where we keep our landscaping tools. Vines are relentless and only need the tiniest of cracks in wood or walls to completely rip through, rip apart, and take over. There were also overhanging branches above the shed that were actually helping to grow unwanted vegetation on top of the roof. Also, our office had so many different types of supplies, not exactly in the best order. These things were important to take care of and had we continued our normal ministry activities, may have gone overlooked and seen as lower priority.

I don't want to go back to normal. But I also don't necessarily want this to be my new normal either. As I, as we all, are being transformed by the world around us, by health regulations, by government, by the status of our jobs, and even by just the normal stressful things in life, I pray that we remain in the true vine, Jesus, holding on for life. I've been hit with some curve balls in the last few weeks and could use some prayer, actual prayer, not well wishes or good thoughts, but prayer in the only one that can either remove the pain, or be present with me through it. Thank you for reading.

As we gather (September)

" I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building." -1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Dark clouds above, gentle sprinkling of rain as we meet at the church to fill two wheel barrows with gardening gloves, water bottles, shovels, spades, and rakes, we anticipate a lot of work for the next couple of hours. Unsure of how many would show up to help spread natural fertilizer (3-yr old animal poop from the Jacksonville Zoo) on a bleak looking morning, we pushed on and we walked a couple of blocks from the church to our Nutritional Garden. The rain got heavier, the sky got darker, and I know everyone in their minds is going, "Are we really gonna do this right now?" Mr. Ron Pauline pulled up in his old squeaky one-mirrored pickup truck brimming with what was once animal feces and backed into the garden lot where about fifteen of us waited ready with shovels and dripping with rain. We had helpers anywhere from the age of 5 to 60. We took all that fertilizer and transferred it into all the garden beds which were previously weeded the week before in preparation for this day. A couple people shoveled the fertilizer into wheel barrows, another couple would walk the wheel barrows to the garden beds, and others would spread out the fertilizer with shovels and rakes. We were like a well-oiled, and might I say soaking, machine. After about a half hour, there wasn't a dry part of your clothing with which to dry your face. We had children, high school students, 2nd Mile staff, and other adult volunteers all serving together in battle.

Up until this day, a lot of the work in the garden has consisted of weeding, watering, and more weeding. The work we did at this action day has allowed us to start the planting process. It was like a clean reset button, a restart to what the garden is all about, growth. I've learned that even though I have nothing to do with the seeds sprouting, I can plant the seed, I can provide the water. With so much in life being out of my own control, I can still be faithful, I can still show up, not knowing what growth will be supplied by God.

After action day, I was amazed at just how good it was to see people in person, to work alongside people to achieve a common goal. It would've taken one person probably an entire day to accomplish what we did in an hour and a half. I agree with Paul in the Bible when he repeatedly talks about being encouraged to see believers in person or how he would walk miles out of the way in order to encourage another.

As We Gather - Currently, 2nd Mile has been developing a program for the older folks in our community. This will include some technological training as well as other activities. As the program develops, say a prayer for those it would help. We've gotten over a dozen computers and a connection with the Faith Building (a building close to my house for the elderly) in hopes that beginning this program will go smoothly, as smoothly as something can in this day in age.

I sincerely feel for those of you who are struggling, who feel alone, who don't know where to go with your stress. With each passing month I feel more and more the irony of our country's name, the United States of America. So much arguing, so much disagreeing, so much hatred, so little listening, so little compassion, so little humility. Covid, racial injustice, whatever that presidential debate was. I will pray that you trust in the Lord. "But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." - Jeremiah 17:7-8