January 2024 - Hit the ground running

As we enter into 2024, we reunite with students coming back from a long winter break. Often times, we kick our time off with some added fun, usually in the form of a field trip or two. January also saw the return of Open Court, taking the previous two months off due to holidays and "cold" weather.

The two:fiftytwo After School Program got piled into our giant van and drove to the end of Pearl St. to a park near the St. John's River. We were definitely full of energy and taking over every part of the playground with excitement. Getting to spend time with students outside the four walls of our church always brings future memories and future conversations of, "Remember that one time we...." Our high school workers took on more leadership roles as they each planned an outer space activity for our January space focus.

The BLOCK Middle and High School Program started off the year with arcade games and laser tag. We also harvested some carrots from our garden that they planted in September and baked a carrot cake with them. I've been super impressed with not only how these students have embraced everything new we've done, but also how they've been growing in relation to each other. I can see friendships growing, no one kid is not included with the group, and everyone genuinely gets along, which has not often been the case across these many years of ministry.

Park field trip, high school BLOCK student in middle

Open Court returned, most people to come!

Getting on our game face for laser tag

Carrot cake!

New building, exciting things to come!

November and December 2023 - Alley Oop

Game 5. 2021 NBA Finals. Series tied at 2 a piece. Bucks up by 1. Suns ball. Under 25 seconds to play.

Ever play the worst case/best case scenario game? What's the worst thing that could happen? What's the best thing that could happen? My mind tends to hang out in the worst case scenario world.

Devin Booker is looking to score for the Suns. He doesn't see Jrue Holiday come to double team and strip the ball from him. The worst case scenario of the Suns pulling ahead is eliminated. Holiday leads a fast break but only has to keep possession until the clock runs out. Giannis sprints down the floor, looks at his teammate and points to the sky. Holiday lobs the ball towards the basket, Giannis catches and throws it down, all while being fouled.

The Bucks lost the first two games of the Finals that year, but this play marked the changing winds of that series.

Why do I share that story other than to talk about the Bucks again? I think that when looking back on the past two months of ministry, I can't help but think about how unbelievably clutch God has been. When thinking about raising $300,000 for a building, having never been done in our history before, yes it is nice to imagine what success looks like, but it's almost too easy to assume it won't happen. One thing I realized when looking back at those few months was that our faith got stronger and more resilient the less we knew how it would happen. When things are so out of our own control, I believe that is when God wants us to get the ball out of our hands, and trust him to complete the alley oop dunk.

In case you do not follow 2nd Mile Ministries on facebook or instagram, we got the building! Our building campaign is set up into two phases. Phase 1 was to raise $300,000 by mid November to purchase the building. This phase had a quick deadline, and boy did God use unexpected places to bless us. Phase 2 is to raise another $300,000 for renovations with no deadline, a lot less stressful if you ask me. Currently, we've given the old owner some time to clear out the building so we can make plans to get to work.

At 2nd Mile, we've been blessed to win some grants that help fund a good chunk of our program expenses for the next few years. At the two:fiftytwo After School Program, students have weekly Bible lessons, weekly social and emotional learning exercises, special guests sharing about their careers, talking circles, and a monthly focus like science, art, cooking, etc. The students also have written job applications, conducted job interviews, and have little jobs at the program to get paid "money" and go to the "bank" or "store" and learn about saving and spending. At the BLOCK Middle and High School Program, students took some career quizzes online to see what jobs could fit their passions in the future, they went downtown to paint the scenery, constructed ginger bread houses, and helped plan, advertise, design, and decorate for our Christmas party. I wish I could spend separate blog posts about each activity we've done, because I feel that each of them plays a small part in who these kids will grow to be one day.

As we enter the year 2024, look for updates on building progress, new added roles to 2nd Mile, and new projects at the garden and at our programs. 

Kids surprisingly got really into these career tests

Dereon (6th grade) building an edible house

BLOCK painting downtown (go to block_brentwood on IG for more)

3rd grader made Moses parting the Red Sea

 

October 2023 - A chance to grow in faith

We have $160,000 raised for the home campaign! Praise God for how he's provided thus far. There is still $140,000 more to go. In this last week of raising money, I'm trusting God for something beyond my understanding. As I wonder where this amount will come from, I lean into him, holding fast as if to the main mast of a ship in a storm. How did Peter, a fisherman who probably knew what falling overboard a boat would be like, have the kind of faith to step out onto the water where Jesus was? Yes, he saw the incoming waves and began to sink, but at first, steps.

Currently, our incoming wave is this deadline, this $140,000. I'm not oblivious to what a wave can do in the middle of the sea. It's been very tempting to lose heart, to fear, to want control over the situation, to know exactly if and how this home campaign will succeed. But I trust God. How do I get peace in this situation, perfect peace? By keeping my mind stayed on Him, because I trust in Him. (Isaiah 26:3).

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7. In this moment typing, I feel peace.

A couple cool things that have happened in October in 2nd Mile that I want to highlight. First, our middle and high school students planned, designed, built, and ran a Family Fall Festival game this year! With the simple prompt of Turn this disc golf basket into a game, the students all had creative ideas. The eventual winner was a cookie monster game, with discs designed like cookies. After researching and designing, the following week, we all put it together. Below are the creepy before  and the not-so-creepy after pictures. Two of the students sacrificed their Saturdays to volunteer most of the Family Fall Festival, ensuring that families enjoyed playing and received their candy. Second, two of the high school students, who have been in 2nd Mile programs a combined 13 years (!) got the first opportunity to get hired at our after school program to help with the littler ones. Normally shy, they've taken this responsibility to heart and it's been great to see their growth not only over the years, but even recently. Getting to see their faces when they got the first paychecks of their life was awesome.

Just as the sad disc golf basket was given vision and a plan and was built and used...

Just as the two high schoolers have been given vision of their growing responsibilities...

Just as Nehemiah assessed the ruins of his people and made a plan, a request, and did rebuild...

We too put our vision for a permanent home to work, hoping and praying to see God fulfill our request.  

Would you prayerfully consider helping us out? If you've made it this far in the blog and God has prodded your heart to give at all, I pray you consider what you can give in faith. Don't think about the incoming waves of deadline and amount left to raise (obviously there is a deadline though), but be open to if God wants you to partake in building more permanent walls for 2nd Mile.

If interested, click here to go to our giving page on our website. And you have my permission to share this blog. Please do.

Check out block_brentwood on instagram for more

The Beacons are Lit! 2nd Mile calls for aid!

 

In the lifetime of 2nd Mile Ministries, it has never had a permanent home. Ever since 2003, 2nd Mile has been conducted at the park, in the living room of a ministry house, a no-longer-used firehouse, and is currently in the rented basement of another church. Having a specific focus on the Brentwood neighborhood for 20 years, we have seen tremendous growth in relationships with local families, other local organizations, and nearby churches. It is quite humbling to have former students and their families return with fond memories of the ministry and all the love that was shown.

A rare and special opportunity has been dropped in our laps. Just a few blocks from our current operations, and directly across the street from our partner The Ville Church, a building has gone up for sale. The seller is from the neighborhood, actually had memories growing up playing basketball at our current location long before 2nd Mile existed, and is happy and willing to sell the building to an organization that will benefit the neighborhood.

The housing market has been crazy the past few years. Prices have gone up. I get random calls from out of state people trying to buy the house I live in. We are slowly turning into Mr. Potter's world from It's a Wonderful Life where less and less people in our neighborhood own their homes, rent has gone up, and people are forced out, some to the extreme of homelessness. So when we heard that a building of that size was being sold for $300,000, knowing that the seller could get way more from other businesses, we felt we had to at least put it before the Lord and weigh in on if this would/could be our future home. We're not sure when another opportunity like this will come about.

We've had a city inspector, private inspector, general contractor, structural engineer, and roofer all look at the building. The bones are good. Because it's an old building, there will be renovations and some repairs to be made. Right now, we need to raise about $300,000 by November 15th, 2023. Wow, that's a large amount. I'm well aware. That deadline isn't much time. Again, I know. This is the biggest ask in the shortest amount of time in our 20 year history as an organization. In all honesty, the seller has given us a lot of grace and time to have first dibs on the building, as there are others licking their chops, waiting to poach the building. We've raised about $35,000 already. The total estimated price including renovations would be approximately $600,000, but the purchase price is $300,000.

Since I like numbers, that's:

2 gifts at $50,000 = $100,000

2 gifts at $25,000 =   $50,000

3 gifts at $15,000 =   $45,000

3 gifts at $10,000 =   $30,000

3 gifts at   $7,500 =   $22,500

2 gifts at   $5,000 =   $10,000

3 gifts at   $2,500 =     $7,500

18 gifts                 = $265,000 remaining

I know we serve a big God. I know that God will use this building to glorify His name in Brentwood. God has been in the neighborhood before 2nd Mile. God doesn't need us to complete His mission. But time and time again, I've seen Him make such beautiful things in our neighborhood even more beautiful. I've seen Him lead students to want to live lives serving and helping others.

We've already had students tour the building. Regardless of the outcome of raising this money, the future of Brentwood will be influenced by those already here. We did some vision-casting, imagining the endless possibilities for a hollow, cubed-shaped canvas.

Please consider giving. If you don't feel like you fit as one of those 18 people in the numbers above, we will look at any donation with great thankfulness. If you want to hear more about the building, the process, the ministry, future plans, I'd love to tell you more. I'm an open book.

You can either write a check to 2nd Mile Ministries and send to 1650 Margaret St. Suite 302 #339, Jacksonville, FL 32204 or you can go to 2nd Mile Ministries and make a one time donation there.

Vision casting at potential new building, currently being used by a company that makes wooden pallets

August 2023 - His Ways Are Higher

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." -Isaiah 55:8-9

A new school year. A new after school program director. A new normal. Going into mid August, we knew that our after school program director was going to be new, as was the case the previous two years. We hired someone. School was starting in two weeks and things were looking up. She had lots of good ideas, but seemed a little distant, like something was off, like she had one foot in the door and one foot out. She had been contemplating moving back to Georgia. Long story short, she resigned, the after school program was beginning in like 5 days, and we had no new good leads. No former applicants that really fit the position. It's moments of surrender like these where God has been teaching us to rely on him when we can't see five feet in front of us.

In steps hope. I mean, in literally stepped Hope, a now early 20-something who had a couple siblings in our after school program years ago, even volunteered at the program herself for a bit, has lived in Brentwood almost her whole life, literally grew up next door to 2nd Mile, and on top of that, couple her sons in our Summer Day Camp this past summer. And, oh yeah, her dream job is to do something in community development. She inquired about the job after we had already hired the previous director so no application was made by her at the time. We put the job opening back out into the world and I don't know if an application, interview, and hiring has ever happened so quickly in my time at 2nd Mile, not just because we were in a time crunch, but because there was something almost divine in that whole process. We seemed to come out ahead of where we had been before.

two:fiftytwo After School Program - So the school year began, we have 14 amazing students, 9 of whom were either at camp or in the program last year. They all go to the same school. Nine of them have a sibling or uncle in the program. Hope is doing a great job planning lessons, activities, and getting used to the kids. We hope to focus on social and emotional learning, Biblical learning, academic excellence, as well as having fun. Luke 2:52 says, "And Jesus grew in wisdom, and in stature, and in favor with God and men." We pray these students would grow in so many ways. The girl in the picture below is Aminata. She is our first ever bilingual student and is much stronger in French than English currently. Her family doesn't speech English well so it's been very cool seeing her act as a translator for us. Here she started a water color of a sunset which would later show a mosaic of water and a boat. Cool kid. 

BLOCK Middle and High School Program - Since the pandemic began in 2020, we've lost a lot of momentum with this particular age group, and in many ways, has seemed like a restart period in the history of 2nd Mile. We tried a virtual program which had its challenges, we went back in person in 2021 while socially distancing ourselves. Already a month into the school year, I'm excited to see veteran students building on what they've learned as well as five new students who got to know us at summer day camp. It can be difficult for a completely new student to stay committed to coming to these programs that are voluntary. I've been encouraged that these students have the shared experience of camp that made the transition to BLOCK so seamless. My plan with these students is to teach them about Christ, how that applies to their lives, learn life skills that they don't get taught in school, and teach them how to be leaders. Please pray that they would be excited to come each week, that their attendance stays consistent and that I'd be sensitive to what God has for this program. Below are the five new students helping lead Open Court by playing/learning/teaching cornhole. Cool kids.

So if you ever think of us, think about a growing family. Think about a neighborhood making deeper connections with itself. Think about roots growing deeper and wider. Think about God infiltrating these open hearts and minds and creating something beautiful now and in the future. Think about God's perfect timing, God's perfect plan, and God's generosity with his love and grace.

July 2023 - Light of Mine

Summer Day Camp - Another year is in the books of "You ain't hype!" chants, bandages, paint-stained stables, smiles, sticky snack fingers, and all around God glorifying work. When you spend all day every day over six or seven weeks with the same kids, you get attached, and they get attached. I hope and pray that we see many of those kids again in some form, anything from signing up for our two:fiftytwo After School Program to waving to us on the street years in the future remembering fondly this summer they had.

A few highlights for me include:

-the 10-12 year olds removing rotten wood from our picnic tables, screwing in new boards, and painting them to look brand new.

-the joy on Max's face the first time he hit a bowling pin with a football during Challenge Circle (if you know, you know)

-noticing that for independent reading time, some students requested Bibles to read

-teaching so many kids and counselors how to play four square and them taking over the rest of summer.

-Zoo field trip!!!!!

BLOCK Middle and High School Program - Although we haven't been meeting our regular once a week like during the school year, we've gotten together a few times this summer and focused on just having fun. A planned Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp baseball game got rained out, so we went to see the new Spiderverse movie. Our planned beach trip got rained out, so we went to Dave & Busters instead. The past couple years have been a small group of kids, but I'm excited to have more kids signed up this year and I pray that they not only would actually show up in a couple weeks, but that they'd stay and continue to be regulars. Please pray that God would prepared the kids' hearts to learn and grow, and also that He'd provide the program with more adult volunteers. One key volunteer last year became a mom again recently so there is a hole that needs to be filled.

School begins next week, and as a father, I can tell you that I'm a little on edge that Max in changing schools. I hope it's a good fit for him, but more importantly, I hope he adapts quickly and doesn't get traumatized by this big change. Please enjoy the following pictures from the past few weeks.

Bible station, asked kids to draw what they learned this summer

Dave & Busters with BLOCK

Action Day with Mayo Clinic and church members, built a new garden bed

Max feeding Naomi the giraffe

The 5-7 year olds rehearsing This Little Light of Mine

We get to pet sting rays at the Jacksonville Zoo

Fellas working hard at constructing and destructing picnic tables

Train ride at the zoo!

The crew

 

June 2023 - It's Been a Minute

In 2022, I took a sabbatical in the summer and didn't get to see much of summer day camp.

In 2021, we attempted an in person summer day camp while socially distancing, which was...different.

In 2020, the pandemic made us adapt to an online form of camp, which was unfortunate but we made it work.

In 2019, we had no summer camp.

It was back in 2018 when we had a summer day camp that resembled anything to this current summer. We've had between 40 and 50 students come through this summer's seven week long camp already, and we are only half way through. Our camp's theme, Blueprint, tells of how we are created by God, and built for a purpose. Our three age groups, the Builders (5-7 yrs old), the Constructors (8-10 yrs old), and the Engineers (11-12 yrs old) each rotate different stations such as art, Bible, education, dance, music, sports and games, and my personal favorite and brand new station, the garden station!

I have the privilege of leading the garden station once a week and the Bible station twice a week. Being able to share God's love for these kids and be present to answer any ponderings about God that the kids may have is something I do not take for granted.

If you've ever stayed in Florida for the summer months, you might know that the weather is, well, unpredictable. It is very common that each day will have brief moments of downpour and then hot sunny skies minutes later. The weather seems to always be either too hot, too wet, too windy, just too, too something. Week 2 of camp kept us indoors for the whole week due to lots and lots of rain, preventing us from going to the garden. I quite enjoy thinking about the parallels between the unpredictable weather and the behaviors of the students. Their personalities seem so out of our own control, yet beautifully unique nonetheless. The kids have learned the various jobs that one must do to maintain a garden, why flowers are important to a garden, and where certain vegetables were growing in the garden. I had low expectations for how exciting the garden would be for them, but they've loved it. I've never seen a kid so excited to take home some overripe okra to show their parents.

Builders (Max top middle)

Engineers (hopefully some future BLOCK students)

Looking back on those first years that I was at camp is when I see the biggest differences in my current life. Although the job is very similar to all those years ago, I've had some of the coolest life giving experiences this summer. What I mean is, way back in 2010, I met a bunch of kids in the neighborhood, had an amazing summer of camp, and had no understanding of what ripple effects that summer would have for the future. One kid in particular, a six year old girl full of smiles, would years later be the flower girl in my wedding, would this summer come back to camp to help volunteer and help out my son, who is now six years old, at camp. Max absolutely adores her whenever she comes through those church doors and it makes my heart happy.

Me back in 2010

Her 13 years later (top left)

Thank you for your prayers. If you have a minute, could you take a minute to pray for camp? Please pray that God would open hearts and minds to His love and truth. Pray God would raise a generation of students from the Brentwood neighborhood who love God, and love others.  I'll pause for you :)

Thanks!

Enjoy this last picture of Max at our water day covered in shaving cream. Love this kid!

I want an ounce of this kid's happiness