Monday 28 July 2008 at 9:22 pm
So today I got a chance to see Destiny! It was the first time since Damian’s funeral. I was able to pull her to the side and chat with her for a moment or too.
It was an answer to prayer.
I exhausted and burned out but this week got off of an amazing start.
Just a short entry to the point and not very deep but here is a couple pictures of me getting to love on Sissy (Destiny)
Sunday 27 July 2008 at 08:14 am
Blessings:
What a blessing me and the MR summer staff received from the last team. They really loved on us at a time that we needed it. Sometimes Mission Teams don’t seem to get that while this is their one week here, and we praise God for them, that it may be our fourth or sixth or even eighth week here. This past team did a great job of just loving my staff as they loved our Kids. They did not complain or fuss or ignore them, instead they embraced them. They did not look down on them instead they used them as the resource they have the ability to be. The encouragement has given us the strength to face the final week coming up.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics:
The Second Law (Law of Energy Decay) states that every system left to its own devices always tends to move from order to disorder, its energy tending to be transformed into lower levels of availability, finally reaching the state of complete randomness and unavailability for further work. -- Scientific Creationism, edited by Henry Morris (p.25)
Wow I may be living proof of the second law of Thermodynamics right now especially, finally reaching the state of complete randomness and unavailability for further work. This week is going to be a challenge for me and I covet your prayers. I past Burned Out sometime last week. When asked what do I do when I am burned out I always reply, “I serve burned out.” I can not find anywhere in scripture where saying we are burned out is an excuse to stop serving. My favorite verse dealing with being burned out is: We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. -- 2 Corinthians 4: 8 – 9. I am tired of whinny Christians who quit every time things get hard. Suck it up and Serve was our rallying cry a few years ago.
An Uneasy Peace:
It may sound like a contradiction but God has given me an uneasy peace. I realize that I am going to have to shut down mission points at the end of summer. I hate shutting down Mission Points; I usually have to cry myself to sleep when I do. I have a peace that can only come from God that I can not keep living my life spread so thin. I do not have peace that people of God can be content with letting me shut down sites. How can the Church just turn their back on the Lost. I don’t know much but I know when God speaks! So I have a peace that can only come from obedience. I will do what God has told be to do but I don’t like it. I will scale back the work in Walnut Terrace and the Oaks but I will not shut them down I will not give up on them. I will continue to beg God to shake up the believers in Raleigh. I will shut down Valleybrook and I can not reopen Terrace Park or Stonecrest and I can not start Dover or Mayview.
I may shut down but I will not shut up! I will continue being God’s advocate for reaching these mission fields!
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 08:24 am
I grew up with a book in my hand. I started studying writing in 1984, the next year I was the editor of our College’s Literary Magazine. I was published in my first Scholarly Journal in 1992. I don’t write this in pride. I write this in utter humility as I try to express an emotion and I can not find words or a medium worthy of expressing where I am right now,
This week I have stood on two properties that I do not see how I am going to continue them after summer is over in two weeks. I have pleaded with people in my church to step up with not result. I have pleaded with other Churches to step up with no result. I have pleaded to the State Convention for help with no result. I feel confused and helpless. My wife can tell how hard it is weighing on me. I get futile support telling me “You can’t do it all.” “One church can’t reach all the apartments.” “Don’t worry God’s in control.” Yet, it is me who has to stand on that Mission Point and look Robert in the eyes and say, “I wish we could have a youth group for you but I can’t find anyone to teach it.” Or explain to Damian, “I’m trying my best to find someone to run youth night here”, then attend his funeral one week later.
How can we as followers of Christ set and watch Scrubs reruns and not answer the clear call of God to reach the Lost. We hide behind our families; we hide behind our schedules and go about our everyday life as people die without Christ. As I stand on that hill or at that basketball court, or the circle where the road ends, my mind rushes back to that first time God called me there. The kids, youth and adults who I saw God save are overwhelmed by the masses who have not accepted Jesus as Boss of their lives.
I stand there helpless as the tears fall and I beg God not to make me shut down another Mission Point. I then I leave with a heavy depression that comes from this compassion that God has given me and the world, and even the Church, expects me to go on as if nothing is wrong.
Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. "What a huge harvest!" he said to his disciples. "How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!"
-- Matthew 9: 35-38 (The Message)
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 05:02 am
Inspired by Ashley and the rest of Nate's team I am going to do my best to blog daily for the next two weeks.
I was wiped out this weekend and woke up this morning feeling very sick. I am feeling much better now by the way.
It has been an amazing summer and we are not done it. God has blessed me with a great staff. They have grown so much this summer, even if other people don't see it.
We have had four great teams so far this summer with two more on the way.
Pray for Kenny's Team and Nate's team. Pray for the MR staff that we have the strength to finish the summer strong
Tuesday 15 July 2008 at 7:51 pm
So today I was standing somewhere I have stood many times in my life.
I heard fro God like I have heard from Him so many times in my life.
It wasn't what I wanted to hear.
Sigh
Sunday 13 July 2008 at 12:35 pm
Mission Raleigh is made up of seasons and moments. There have been seasons of Mission Teams, seasons of summer staffs, seasons of volunteers, seasons for people, seasons for programs and seasons for communities. Seasons are out of our control. God set the seasons for ministry just like He does for nature. All you can do is be flexible and adapt to the season that God has you in enjoy the ride.
Now moments are a completely different thing. You don’t want to miss the moments. Moments are small, quick and easy to miss. I love the moments.
The moments is when shy little Nadashia comes up to lead music. When find a moment to sit down with a kid who just made a profession and hear her give you a beautifully simple definition of Salvation. Don’t get so caught up in ministry that you miss the moments!
Last Thursday was a great moment. It was Thursday after the block party. Most everyone had went home, like sane people do, and there were about 5 of us left just setting around in my office. Did any great truths get shared? Yeah right! But what happened in that moment was true fellowship. While we knew we should want to go home we were enjoying being with people who had the same passions, the same calling and the same Love for the same Lord. I loved that moment!
Jesus caught some moments. Like in Matthew 14:13-21 Jesus realized the moment instead of sending the people away he fed them fish and loves. That was a moment that Jesus wanted to take in.
Sunday 06 July 2008 at 08:42 am
I am praying for a miracle right now. I have been blessed with many co-laborers over the years. Great servants like Rick Stover, Caroline Phoenix, Amy Smith and George Chou. These folks have always lain aside a time of their lives to pour it into Jesus through Mission Raleigh. The funds we have used to support these dear servants are coming to an end. It is overwhelming to try and imagine how I will carry on Mission Raleigh and my other duties without the blessing of such help. Sure I managed Mission Raleigh without such help before but the difference in the ministry is that I had more volunteers out working on properties and I did not have to run a site. I am currently running two sites and heavily involved with a third.
Please pray for one of two miracles:
• That God will meet the financial need to keep one person working with me.
• That God will call many more laborers into the field
Thank You for your prayers.
Joshua did what Moses ordered in order to fight Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. It turned out that whenever Moses raised his hands, Israel was winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was winning. But Moses' hands got tired. So they got a stone and set it under him. He sat on it and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side. So his hands remained steady until the sun went down. Joshua defeated Amalek and its army in battle. Exodus 17:10—13 (The Message)
Wednesday 02 July 2008 at 1:28 pm
We had 16 youth at Raleigh North Youth Nite this week. It has been so exciting to be a part of starting a youth group again.
The youth group that meets now has only on youth from last year attending this group, most had moved away.
I have been doing something a bit different than past groups I have started. You see after 14 years of ministry I am still learning, After helping with the Cedar Point youth group I learned the value of organize games. The youth are really enjoying that part of the youth nite.
That leads me to talk about how staying teachable is so important in ministry. Americans do not always grasp the concept of continual learning. We are so goal oriented that we think that we achieve a level of expertise. We become the expert! Well in Mission Raleigh nothing scares us like an expert. Mike use to say that God like used people who are F.A.T. (Faithful, available and teachable)
Let us continually be striving to learn more about the depth of our Saviour-God.