Good bye 2010!

It was only appropriate to end the year off with a message of Hope & Refreshness. The crowd started off small which seemed fit for us, as we were short handed a few people tonight, but as I was wrapping up the message the crowd grew. The Lord spoke to one woman tonight. Her name is Kristy.

Kristy followed along in prayer and surrendered her heart to the Savior of the world. My prayer is that she would find somebody to help get her plugged into a Bible teaching church to start the new year right.

Thanks to some of our generous friends... we had plenty of blankets, beanies, socks, underwear, and scarfs to pass out this week! It couldn't have come at a better time. It has really gotten cold this season.

Our dear friend, Ron has been showing up to meet us as we arrive, but his health isn't well and he hasn't been eating and taking off after a few minutes of "hello's" with our group. Please take a moment to stop reading this entry and pray for him. Sadly, he has too many things wrong to name in a blog entry. Selfishly admitting... I do not want to lose another friend.

Over all I would have to say it was a good end to the year. People walked away with full stomachs and warm clothing on their heads and necks.

Bittersweetness...

This week, one of our friends was hand picked by God and escorted through the Heavenly gates into eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ. May we all cherish the special moments that each of us got to spend with Dennis.

While I was in Pacific Beach on Wednesday night, I learned they discovered Dennis' body that morning on Mission Blvd. He was no saint... he had his struggles to addiction... but he was a Believer who loved Jesus... and he was truly our friend. Dennis will be missed by many of us!!

In honor of his passing, I came to PB prepared to do a memorial service for his friends. Many appreciated the fact that I even bothered doing it, but I consider it a great honor to do something like that for anyone of them, especially if they are my friends.

GOD gave us an opportunity this week to remind people that tomorrow is promised to nobody, and yes... losing a friend hurts, but through faith in Jesus Christ... we find comfort knowing that this thing we call "life" is but a vapor and we will see our friend again soon, on the other side.

Tonight was very special. It was Christmas eve and I was able to get a number of people together to sing a Christmas carol and have some fun for the evening. The gifts from Danna & Marcy, that I'd mentioned before were given out to every person that came through our line. Nobody left our area without receiving a stocking stuffed with items as personal gifts.

Pocketz, a fellow Believer on the streets, was blessed with a cute & cuddly Christmas present to keep him company from now on: "Ezekiel" (an 8 week old Rottweiler).

The city (with the help of a certain someone) set up a Christmas tree on the boardwalk near the main Lifeguard tower, designed to give the homeless people of the area an opportunity to participate in decorating the tree... just as they would inside of a home.

All of the people joined together with Lisa and signed a Christmas card for Amanda and I. That was such a sweet and thoughtful thing for them to do.

The Lord helped turn a time of emotional distraught into a time of joy & laughter. Through His love, we've helped make it easier for those people to actually have a Merry Christmas this year.

Rain or shine... (Friday)

The poor weather did not prevent us from coming this week. The Lord provided shelter for us in case we ever ran into rainy nights like this.

We were unsure how big of a crowd we've get but prepared for the regular amount of people (average of 100). Once we had the canopies set up, a small number of people stood under them as we finished setting up the meal.

It was a real cozy night with everyone showing enough respect to at least not talk among themselves while the message was being shared, since we were in such tight quarters.

We didn't bring any clothes this week, due to the rain, but we did bring hygiene materials.
James shared an incident with me later this night, about the man named Daniel. He couldn't fully understand how or why we were giving things out for free. I'm sure that somehow, that type of genuine love will not be forgotten anytime soon.

It was nice that the crowd was smaller, because it gave us plenty of food to go around, and it also gave us the freedom to hang out after serving.

I think the absolute best statement made tonight is the fact that we were faithful to come even in the rain. Many did not expect us to show, which is why the crowd was so much smaller.

With next Friday being Christmas Eve, we made sure to announce that we still planned on coming down and wanted them to know that they can count on us being there.

Let the angels rejoice!

Earlier in the week, Jeff (the newest of our guys residing in the SDRM) prayed to receive Jesus Christ into his heart!!!

Please pray that he would use this time to soak up the Word of GOD and discipleship, to strengthen & grow in his new found faith.

I love watching GOD work!!

"Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided. When the LORD takes pleasure in anyone’s way, He causes their enemies to make peace with them." ~Proverbs 16:6,7

As previously mentioned, there have been a small handful of individuals 'on the streets' who've been somewhat enemies to us at one point or another.... particularly a guy named Daniel that we ran into while street evangelizing.

This week, we prayed for His peace among us and we got exactly what we'd asked for. I can testify that His peaceful presence was actually felt. There were no outbreaks, no disturbances, no harassing gestures. It really felt like GOD had His hand blanketing the area exactly like we'd asked for.

Okay, so a few things to mention...
First, Jeff was able to get into the SDRM a few weeks back with no problems at all. (I forgot to report that earlier) He's doing well and adjusting to his new life. **The biggest thing that we can together pray for, would be for those seeds that have been planted daily to continually be watered and would sprout into fruit in his life. Jeff went into the SDRM as an unbeliever that was willing.

Second, the team has been praying to receive more clothes for the crowd. Again, GOD showed His faithfulness. Throughout the week, we've received about 15 large garbage bags full of clothing, and a bag full of shoes, that Amanda and I still need to go through to wash & organize.

Third thing, another priority prayer has been blankets & sleeping bags. Surprise-surprise! GOD came through again... Ron (one of our regulars) arranged to meet with us before we arrived to the spot for set up. He was blessed with numerous sleeping bags (some brand new!) and wanted to donate them to the Ministry, so we picked them up. I also got a call from a brother in Christ, who had some blankets he wanted to donate. When he arrived in PB, he literally had a minivan FULL of blankets to give us. We took what we could fit in the cab of our truck, but made plans for him to drop the rest off at our home. While we were serving... a young woman (complete stranger) walked over and donated a brand new sleeping bag too! It's so crazy to watch GOD work and answer prayers!

Fourth, our buddy Pockets (who'd previously been reported as dead) is 100% sober and clear headed. Just last week he was in the worst shape of his life, drunk as a skunk, but has love for Jesus. This week he had a moment of clarity and decided to hand it over to Jesus once and for all. He's clean shaven now and a real pleasure to talk with. I did not recognize him when he walked up to me this week.

In the beginning of this post, I brought up Daniel. When I met him a few weeks ago, he wanted nothing to do with hearing about the Bible unless I "broke bread" as he called it. My heart broke because I didn't know how to get through to him at that moment, but I remained calm and invited him to our dinner. He actually showed up this week. I doubt he remembers our prior encounter, but it doesn't matter to me. I'm glad that he came because he needs to see the love of Jesus just as much as anybody else.

It was a very sweet night. After all the serving was finished and the truck was packed up, we spent a good amount of deep intimate time with a couple of guys that stuck around. It's been awhile since we've gotten to just hang out with them, like we started off in the beginning.

On a side note, our house is starting to look like a storage facility and we're considering that we build a large shed in the backyard... unless GOD wants to donate an actual facility to the Ministry. ** Keep that in your prayers please.

Thanks for reading and may the good LORD richly bless each and every one of His children!

Another cold week, new faces...

It finally feels like San Diego is feeling the winter weather at night. The air is so sharp & cold coming off the ocean shore. I know it's not my fault, but I feel guilty every week as I have the luxury to choose which clean sweatshirt or jacket I should wear for the evening, knowing that our friends don't have that choose. I do my best to always be thankful for the things GOD has given us, but the truth is... I fall short most of the time. It's so easy to take the smaller things for granted, and I'm asking the Lord to work with me on that. "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." (Job 1:21)

For those that may not be aware of this. Yes our primary night for this Ministry is Friday, but the ministering goes on throughout the week as well. Some of us return to PB to witness or just pour out some extra love when it's needed. My roommate, Spencer and I encountered alot of encouragement & complete sadness, as we went evangelizing this past Saturday. AS we walked up Garnet Ave with backpacks full of 'John gospels', I noticed a familiar face. It was Richard (with the injured leg)! We stopped to speak to him and the group he was hanging out with. Richard was the only guy I knew of the bunch. He welcomed us, but the others wanted nothing to do with us... unless we gave them money. It was a frustrating experience. The loud mouth of the group- Daniel, started threatening violence if we didn't walk away. Richard tried to explain that we were 'friends', which in turn got him into a heated match with Daniel. The gospel was not welcome there by the group. Richard stood his ground and made a bold stand for Jesus Christ. Almost immediately after that, a young couple came walking up with arms full of blankets for everyone. Richard got a blanket and together we walked down Garnet Ave talking about Jesus some more. He encouraged me alot, telling me that we are making a difference what we're doing and the word on the streets is that we help others "find hope" again. It was a sweet time spent.

Spencer and I then ran into Totally Todd (one of our regulars) & Dave. Spencer spent time explaining the difference of being a Believer and a Follower of Jesus Christ. Both men struggle with alcoholism. Spencer handed them both some John booklets and gave them passages to look up while they felt temptation to drink. We prayed with them, and they too shared encouraging words of the Ministry!

Shortly after that, we run into some more of our buds from the beach, Keith & Dave. Keith is no longer on the streets and has a full time job now. He gives credit to the inspiration & love that came from Loving Thy Neighbor. He started crying when he gave thanks. I gently urged him to give credit where it's properly due... and it's not to any of us. He quickly changed his praise and called us 'Godsends' then, which I'll accept that because if it weren't for Him sending us, we wouldn't be there anyways.

As Spencer and I were walking back to the car, we ran into William. He is a Believer and keeps to himself. He purposely stays away from the crowds of other homeless people and buries his head in his Bible. We spend a good amount of time with him this night talking about the sweetness & blessings of GOD. Spencer prayed for him and we closed the night off with big warm hugs. (It's been years since some of these people have felt a hug!) I asked him if he had any needs, which he shared, and the following day those needs were met as Amanda and I returned back to PB.

* I share these things, not to boast about us or what we're doing, rather to maybe help others realize that we are genuine and do care about the people of PB. It's nice to get positive feedback from others and to see fruit starting to show after 21 months of labor.

On to last night now.... (Friday)
The sun has already set by the time we got there. The city lights are so dim that they don't help us any. We are fighting against the time of light left during this season. It is a big help seeing willing hands standing at the curb to help unload the truck. Every minute really counts for us.

The message was from Exodus 22, explaining that GOD has compassion for the needy.

A newer friend from church returned to help give a hand. James surely appreciated the help on the hygiene table. The Ministry was blessed was pallets of hygiene supplies this week... and yes I literally mean 2 pallets. "Where GOD guides, GOD provides."

There were no outbreaks this evening, everybody was fed, respectful and seemed happy to enjoy a warm home-cooked meal with friends.

I do not consider LTN my Ministry at all. Everyone brings something special to the tables in their own special way, and together we make Loving Thy Neighbor what it is. We would not be what it is today, without the help and contribution from others. With that being said... two of my favorite ladies are a big part of that... Danna & Marci. They are the sweetest and most thoughtful women. I won't ruin the surprise coming but they are awesome and the crowd will definitely be blessed this month.

Jesus is far greater than anything else...

There is so much to tell tonight!!

We had a large group of volunteers that made up the team, which is always a real delight to watch it grow as it has. Like normal, we formed a circle together and invited Jesus to join us and to bless the evening. I shared another message and closed with an invitation to accept Jesus... nobody steps forward or made any movement. (It's those very moments that I begin to wonder what I'm really doing down there.)

Being the day after the huge Thanksgiving outreach, there were alot of happy faces in the crowd tonight. For some of them, this year was the first time they'd experienced the outreach at our church. I know I've mentioned this before, and I certainly don't mind repeating it... I absolutely love the Love that is poured out by the people that congregate and make our church what it is. I have never seen or heard reports of hypocrisy. Almost anyone can tell when somebody isn't being 100% genuine and our crowd said they loved the atmosphere at the outreach and felt very loved and welcomed.

Jeremy has finally reached his time at the SDRM to earn passes again. Tonight, he and two of his buddies (also from SDRM) rode their bicycles to join us and hopefully encourage souls to take a leap of faith and give the SDRM a shot. In GOD's perfect planning, one of Jeremy's friends, Stacey, just so happens to be the intake manager, so he has the inside scoop on the available beds. If Stacey tells somebody they are getting in, there's no way around it... they will have a bed. Jeremy, Stacey, and Jeff spent the evening talking with the crowd one-on-one. My favorite part about the SDRM is the fact that everything is founded on Jesus Christ. It is not a shelter, it is a stepping stool to help others grow into a wonderful relationship with Jesus, and through that comes deliverance from whatever addictions one might have.

We had a hiccup again with Patrick. For whatever reasons, he decided to act out again. This time he was upset with another person of the streets: cussing, yelling, threatening violence... pretty much just causing another scene. My first response was to look towards the condos where the rich neighbors are. Sure enough several of them were on the balconies with camcorders and cameras. We'd asked Patrick to please calm down. It's this very thing that doesn't help what we are doing at all. I quietly said a prayer to myself while trying to calm the situation with my brother, Ray. He said some things to me that I shall not repeat, but I would like to share just one. He said that none of us really cared about the homeless! That was the opportunity for Jesus to make His presence known before all of us... the whole group standing in line (and I mean the whole entire group) all stood up for what we are doing. "They love us!"... "Stop it Pat!"... "These are good people!"... "Why do you think these people are here if they didn't really care for us?!?" Everyone down there knows what we stand for and why we come back each week. We come in the name of Jesus Christ as a love offering to help the needy.

Of course 3 SDPD officers showed up within minutes and they had a few words with Patrick. I'm not sure what his deal is. I wonder if it's possible that he might actually be demon possessed. He eventually came back and stood on top, watching us. I walked up to him and asked if everything was okay now, offering him some food. He accused me of being the one who called the cops, so I walked away. Please, I urge, I beg, I encourage all readers to PLEASE pray for Patrick. Something is not right with him.

After dealing with that, I tended back to the crowd and thanked them for backing us up. One of the men, came to me and admitted that when I gave an invitation for Jesus, he was too scared to stand in front of this group. I asked him if I could sit with him during dinner to talk more about this, but he got his food and I didn't see him again. His name is Ray.

Alyse joyfully received the gospel of John! I didn't see how it happened exactly, but I do know that James was able to give it to her and I'd overheard Alyse thanking him for it. That is just soooooooo cool!!!!!

Richard, who has a horrible leg injury due to a robbery (I've mentioned him before) was around tonight. He's been taking antibiotics for his leg and said it was improving, but the poor guy is still hobbling around with crutches.

Towards the end of the evening, I introduced a man named Jeff (who Amanda spend alot of time speaking with at the Thanksgiving outreach) to the SDRM guys. Jeff eventually made a decision to go on Monday and see if he can get in. The funny thing is... while Amanda had spent so much time encouraging him to check it out the day before, he was very evasive about the whole idea and said it wasn't for him. As I'd said earlier... in GOD's perfect planning, He'd orchestrated for the right people to come at the right time to speak with the right person.

Making a difference one life at a time...

The highlight of the evening was definately Alyse!

The dinner went by in a flash, and yeah there was alot of people saying encouraging words, but I can honestly say that the best part was hearing that our friend, Alyse enjoys listening when I share from the gospel according to John.

It's strange, because the 3 verses that I taught from tonight, was clearly from John, but not once, did I give referrence to the scripture address. Next week I'll attempt to offer her a small pocket-sized gospel of John.

It's pretty obvious that God is doing some work in this woman's life! Amanda and I are just so blessed to be a part of it and get a front row seat in seeing how God works.

I gave a reminder about the Thanksgiving outreach that our church is putting on next week, and got a total head count of 34 people this week who want to go. We'll see what happens!

Personal Perspective (From Danna)

It has been a few weeks now since Beau asked me if I’d like to share anything God has taught me while serving in Pacific Beach with “Loving Thy Neighbor” ministry. First of all, it has brought my husband, Ruben and I closer because we serve together. We used to think (use excuses) that we couldn't serve in a capacity like this because we wouldn't have the time or money. We both work full time and have a teenage son and a college aged son still living at home with us. First thing God taught me right away is that He is in control of time and money and He can (and will) multiply both right before your very eyes and if you aren’t careful to look for Him; you’ll miss it. I think in my life, He does that so I will know that it is He who is beside me every day. He wants fellowship with me but will not force it upon me. So it is with the friendships we’ve developed on the beach. It takes patience to develop trust with those we serve because of the lies pain has told them.

I’ve never seen Christians work so well together. I don’t see anyone trying to force their own agenda, be in charge, etc. We just seem to work so easily together. Prior to this experience, I had a saying... "It would be so much easier to serve Jesus if I didn’t have to deal with my brothers and sisters." Looking back, I can’t believe I honestly felt this way! God does have a sense of humor. Ruben and I have been helping since last March. We find that God has always provided the money and energy/time to help. It really surprises me sometimes the money He provides because I would have never have thought we could help but it seems like there isn’t a hole in budget when it comes to the ministry. All of our needs are met. I know that it is His economy, budget and calculator so I just go with the flow and it seems so easy.

One of the biggest lessons and most appreciated that I’ve learned is just to love people where they are at in life. I think Amanda was the person I first noticed it in. It is so easy to emulate when you have another sister or brother who is so authentic and make it easy to follow their example. I’ve learned it doesn’t matter who shows up drunk, high, mean spirited, mentally ill; I can honestly love them because Jesus has put them in my path and His love seems so natural pouring out of me. I don’t think I’d ever experience prior to helping serve at the beach. I’ve volunteered for different events in the past but this is different and maybe because we’ve sensed God’s calling to be faithful on a weekly basis. It is so much easier for me to talk to homeless people now because God opened my heart to see them as people not as homeless. They have stories, lives, family, struggles, dreams and heart breaks... they all need Jesus. It is amazing how many have faith or know of Jesus but addiction or mental illness has lied to them for so long that they now believe that perhaps nothing will change. Jesus does change people though! It is so exciting to see people show up after being missing for weeks and they show up sober and with a job! That makes Ruben and I want to make more salad and serve more meatballs!

I’ve also learned to let go and let God work. One young man really stole our heart and we so wanted to help him, but he really wasn’t ready and I wonder sometimes if he just wasn’t ready to be loved. He hasn’t been back since we reached out to him. I know Beau and Amanda also reached out to him so my prayer is that whatever path He is on in life; it leads him to Jesus.

This has been one of the best experiences in my life. I watch the volunteers grow and wonder what is going to happen to our ministry and where God will lead us but in the meantime, I am enjoying the ride. I’ve made friends there and some Friday nights I’ve hated walking away from them to go home but I trust Jesus for the whole experience and every aspect of it. I’ve often gone down on Friday night just absolutely exhausted or feeling spiritually dry but during the short amount of time it takes to serve Jesus’ children; I find my heart lifted and my energy level return.

In the dark night, His light was bright.

From the moment I woke up this morning, I just knew that it was going to be an incredible evening. I could feel it deep down in my soul. I anxiously waited all afternoon for the time to arrive. I did not know what to expect, but I knew it was going to be something good, something sweet, and something to reflect on later. The events of tonight are exactly that!!

First off, I normally do the packing and preparation before hand in the morning before I head into work. Today I was unable to do so because of an appointment I could not miss, which left me no choice but to do when I got home from work... giving me about an hour, including everything else involved with loading the truck and being on the road by 4:30pm.

As the season has changed, so has the time of daylight. The sun had just set when we arrived, so it was getting dark quickly. We were in rush mode, because there are no real decent lights in the area to see what we're getting our hands into, plus it makes things a bit harder for me to see my notes when sharing a message.

From the moment we stepped out from the truck, we had our help standing by. It's encouraging to see the help of others to make this work smoothly. To my surprise, we had extra guests come down to assist in whatever way possible. Our team was 15 people strong tonight! As we joined hands in prayer, I glanced towards the crowd and saw what I can only describe as an out-of-body experience, and seen a glow of joy, love, hope, truth, and sincerity radiating from our team because Jesus was with us.

We passed out invitations to the Thanksgiving outreach that our church is hosting, and gave information on where the shuttles will be picking people up from the area. A large number of people showed interest in coming and taking advantage of all the wonderful things GOD has opened for them. Perhaps the outreach will move some of them towards getting back on their feet and finding a job suitable for them.

The food lasted long enough for some of the crowd to eat second plates. Pasta is by far one of the wisest meals to feed someone who is hungry, because it fulfills their hunger needs throughout the entire night. All the additional items brought down are a big help when it comes to spreading the food to last and actually make it a dinner and not just a plate with a scoop of noodles on it.

As mentioned, we had a large number of people helping to serve, which gave plenty of opportunity for others on the team to co-mingle with the crowd, ministering one-on-one with people. GOD is so faithful to answer prayers and fill voids. I'd been asking Him for others to have the opportunity to sit with the people and tonight He honored that request.

We are asking for specific prayer for one of the guys, Richard. It was about a month ago, that his leg was severely beaten and shattered during a robbery by another homeless man. Richard obviously has no money for medical help. To describe his leg as in 'bad shape' would be a lie... it's in horrible shape! Tonight Danna, noticed that his foot has starting black. This is a very bad sign and may demand for his foot to be cut off. He needs medical attention and he needs it like yesterday, if you catch my drift.

Tonight we had no issues, in fact... we had alot of encouraging support from people stopping by to ask what was going on. GOD is so faithful. As I shared with some of those who stopped, I was reminded of this verse: "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

I think it's pretty safe to speak on behalf of all who make LTN Ministry what it is, in saying that our only goal/desire is to glorify our Heavenly Father.

A new Breakthrough!

Tonight something so special happened... actually a few things are worthy of mentioning.
It is customary for our entire team to open in prayer together, before we start the night and I give a message. From the beginning, prayer has always been the focus. We try to primarily keep that prayer circle to our team, but it's been open to others who feel as though they'd like to join in...

Alyse, a woman that Amanda has poured into over the past 19 months, has been opening up to her a lot because of the love shown. Through time, she's made it very clear to us that she does not believe in our God. She has deep emotional pains & bitterness and we've learned how to be gentle & step back when speaking with her.

Well, tonight she joined us in our prayer circle! That is an incredible step forward for her! Please note, that yes I am using exclamation points. We are excited to see this new breakthrough with her!!!! It gets even better though...

Our team members, Marci & Carl, donated a useful tool for the Ministry. A prayer request journal, so that people can quietly write what they'd like said, doing so anonymously if choosing to do so. Prior to the message given, I'd announced that this book was available and there for them to use. At the end of the night, one person took that opportunity to fill something out. Alyse! The good Lord is doing something in that woman's heart, and we're so thankful to be a part of that.

The Ministry has been blessed week after week, with clothing donations; financial support at just the right time; and the extra helping hands. There is no doubt that GOD is still the one orchestrating this Ministry. Due to the abundance of people willing to help serve and pass materials out, it's really freed me to roam around and meet people after the message. Tonight I spoke with several people who were just passing by and wanted to know what was going on. After telling them what we're about, some asked how they could get involved. It is so awesome to see how the act of Loving your neighbor as yourself, has an impact on others.

A man named David, whom I'd met last week, came to help out tonight. I noticed that James could use a partner on the hygiene/clothing table, so I pointed him in that direction. It was another large crowd (especially for the first Friday of the month) upwards towards 70-75 people. To my knowledge, everyone was able to eat and there were only a very few small scuffles between the crowd.

I'm also proud to announce that our church, Horizon Christian Fellowship, has put on a Thanksgiving outreach for the homeless, for a very long time. Normally the shuttles would pick people up from the Downtown areas of San Diego. This year, they have added PB to their pick-up location. When I made that announcement to the crowd, I saw nothing but shining faces... I could almost see their minds imagining the hot showers, hair cuts, and Thanksgiving meals filling their bellies. I am so pleased with the tremendous cooperation & assistance we've received from our home church. I thank GOD the Father, for raising up a strong God-loving, body of Believers, with hearts to help each other out, in the name of Jesus Christ.

One of the women from PB, Tanya, asked about coming to service on Sunday. She inquired about finding a female who could pick her up. I got her contact information (some of them actually have cell phones) and promised to look into seeing what could be done for her. My prayer is that the enemy would not snatch the seed over the weekend, and that she would have her needs met. My wife might be able to pick her up.

Tonight, what I feared would happen, did. One of the neighbors from the area came down and gave us a hard time due to the size of the crowd. He informed us of the permit requirement for large gathering (in a not-so-friendly manner). Please pray for us. It's very possible that we might not be able to obtain a permit for a few reasons... 1) They cost money. 2) We are feeding homeless people with hot meals and are not a resteraunt. We are trusting GOD to take care of this problem one way or another. We are there to love all neighbors, including those who actually have a roof over their heads at night.

Refreshing times (Friday)

It has been a very busy past few days for myself, so I apologize for yet another delay in posting the latest.

The crowd doesn't seem to thin out throughout the month anymore. It's been a steady 100+ people for quite some time now... some old time regulars, and some just barely hearing about it. No matter how big it gets, or how late we have to stay down there talking with the people, GOD is so faithful to provide even the smallest of needs.

A few weeks ago, I'd mentioned a newer guy named Sid. He and I had spoken about the SDRM earlier and he was interested in hearing more. I told him that we'd have a chance to sit down and talk in depth as soon as the line started to die down... I looked to my left, and become joyfully shocked with whom I saw standing next to me. Our young friend Quentin! He's been in the SDRM for the past 10months. He was able to make it down to visit us while out on his all-day pass. He looks so refreshed... so new... so happy... so relieved to be set free from his old addiction to alcoholism. It literally couldn't have been more perfect that he showed up this night. He was able to spend the next 1.5hr sharing with Sid about the SDRM and what GOD has done in his life.
It's awesome to see such a transformation in someones life, and hearing that individual give credit to where it's due. There are no 12 steps, there's 1... and that is the step of faith, handing it over to the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour!

Quentin reported to us, that Jeremy is back on a faithful walk and doing well in the SDRM. He's taken what he's learned from his fallen experience, and growing maturely from it. We also got word that Stephen is back in the SDRM too. Hopefully Stephen is touched by the hand of GOD this time, and surrenders his life to Christ our Lord.

I'm sure the rest of our team has their own incredible stories of their encounters with people down there in PB. Again, I'm thankful that GOD has built up a really strong and dedicated team of volunteers & servants to serve Him through love in action.

I think back to the very few lives that has been tremendously impacted by what we're doing down here, and if we were to stop today... it would've been worth it. The neat thing is that, none of us have any intentions of giving up. It's too exciting to see what GOD is going to do each week!

A sweet time spent (Friday)

Hello readers. I apologize for another delayed entry. I have been suffering from some type of illness for the past 12 days now, and am finally feeling well enough to sit down & write.

As for Friday, the best word to describe the entire night would be... SWEET!

From arrival, easy parking, lots of help setting up, to enough friends to help serve... everything was just perfect.

We were blessed with enough resources to this past week to pick up additional pasta, which was a great and (well needed) plan. The gathering was much larger than we'd have ever expected during the cold season. There was well over 100 people standing in line for dinner.

As always, before dinner, a message was given and of that 100+, I'd say maybe 30 people actually were listening & paying attention. GOD has patiently taught me that it's not about how many people listen, it's who listens. His word doesn't return void, and His Spirit speaks to certain people at certain times. My job is to only remain faithful and speak The Word of truth.

I could see what The Lord was doing in the hearts of those that He'd given the ears to hear that night, and I was given the opportunity to spend the next 1.5hr sitting with those and talk more about GOD on an intimate level. I am so truly thankful that I've been given such a unique opportunity to become a friend to some of these men & women, just by the love of GOD in their lives.

Loving Thy Neighbor (as a team of friends) has become such a powerful tool that GOD has used in Pacific Beach. None of us that volunteer, may ever know the full extent of what GOD is doing in the lives of those that we encounter, but it is exciting to see even just a glimpse each week. Each one of us, have unique gifts that God has handed to us, to be used in different ways for different people. As we are approaching nearly our 2 year mark down there... I look back and can only sit in awe of what GOD is doing. When Amanda and I first started coming down to PB, it was to feed some spaghetti to maybe 5 people... but it's become so much more because of what GOD is allowing.

If I can be of any encouragement to anybody... please don't keep GOD in a box, step out in faith, and allow Him to use you in ways you couldn't even imagine!

Blanketed by His love! (Friday)

I thank God Almighty for giving us another opportunity to share of His love and minister to all the people of Pacific Beach, in His name!

It was an incredible night. At home, we'd somehow managed to get everything prepared a few minutes earlier than normal, so we headed down about 20 minutes early. Upon arrival, it was no surprise to see our buddy, Ron already waiting by the curb ready to help unload for the evening. He and a few other guys have made things so much easier for us, so we've created a system that rewards them: They get firsts in line once we serve. It's a win/win system!

Our team was in full force, minus Marci (whom we miss)... so it was great to see everyone again. We were blessed by Papa Johns, with 3 cases of individually packed salads to contribute to the meal.

The message shared was based on a devotion written by my Pastor, so I take no credit for it, but it was very powerful and the Lord used that to minister to several people. Afterwards I was given the opportunity to pray with a handful of men, all of which are newcomers.

A few guys that stand out, that I'd like to mention are people like:

Herby, he's suffering from multiple blood clots throughout his legs, and has no money nor insurance to assist. He's afraid of losing his legs someday soon.
Justin, has been homeless for sometime now, but it's by his choice to follow his calling from the Lord, as a missionary to evangelize to the people living on the streets.
Sean, is a tourist from Ireland (another lad with a full blown Irish accent), who came to the States for a year long trip, but until last week was living in the local Hostel... until he was robbed and everything he had was taken from him, including his passport & credit cards. For the past week, he's been sleeping on the sand, with only the clothes on his back, and no blanket to keep him warm.
Sid, (I spent most of the evening with him)... he's a Believer, fairly recent to the street life and wants out before it consumes him. I let him know about the SDRM and what their program is all about. He sounded interested and prayerfully he'll take that step and use that year to dive into discipleship and soaking up the Word of GOD. He's currently not rooted in a home church, and plans to come with me tomorrow to service.

One of our friends, Julie came down to give us a hand, which was a real surprise and blessing for us. GOD used her to bless a few of the people with some brand new blankets, which as I mentioned earlier, where much needed. It has been getting alot colder as winter rolls in, and I can't help but feel guilty, even now - sitting in my warm room - writing this blog entry.
I wish there was something more that could be done, besides handing out hot meals and shampoos. So many are thankful for that, but their eyes cry out for real help, which I am unable to provide.

Would you readers please join me in prayer regarding a huge step of faith. I'm dreaming of a warehouse or shelter, for the ones that sincerely want change can come to as a refuge. I would love the ability to pour out as much time as possible and share the Word of GOD, building each one of them up, all to glorify The King of kings. That is my prayer!!

Integrity counts for something! (Friday)

With the piece of information I received last week regarding our area being used, I knew I had to speak against that and announce to the crowd that whatever they're doing in our area while we are there, must be put to an immediate stop or else there would be consequences... because no Christian would/should ever compromise their integrity for the sake of anyone else. I'm relieved that the announcement was so well received from the group.

The more I thought about the issue all week, the more I became thankful that we've been given grace from the City/Police, for not enforcing us to get a activity permit for the large gatherings. Whomever is in charge and has the say in the matters, has not pushed the issue to come down on our group. I thank the Lord for keeping that from happening this far.

Last night may have been the biggest crowd yet! The masses of hungry people came in sets, like waves. At one point, I'd given a quick head-count towards the remainder of the line, just to make sure Amanda gave proper portions accordingly... when I returned to give her that number, the line immediately doubled in size!

I met a few interesting people this week:
Michael- Recently new to the streets, grew up Catholic and took notice the to hypocrisy in his own church, now searching for his higher power & doesn't believe the Bible is inspired by GOD.
Ramon- First time guest to our dinner, very friendly, probably a little intoxicated, but showed great gratitude for the free meal and love shown to him and all of his friends.

I was encouraged by a few passer-byers who stopped to check out what was going on, 'Keep up the good work, you guys are doing such a wonderful thing. We can see the joy they have when they are here.' It's really nice to hear positive feedback.

Regarding October 1, 2010 -- Friday

I was unable to personally make it down this day, but the rest of our Ministry team did and I heard everything went well.

Joey shared a message.

I got word that either a Lifeguard or Police Officer came up to our group, and informed them of things being said 'on the streets'. Supposedly the homeless people are letting each other know that we permit alcohol drinking & naracotic use, while our Ministry is happening... all of which is a blantant lie!

God our Father, knows what we need and when we need it...

Our team was not the normal group tonight. We had several people who'd normally be with us on a gorgeous Friday evening, out enjoying some well deserved fun time. Of course my first thoughts would be to figure that we'd be short handed, but silly me and my way of thinking... God is the one who's in control, and He's the one who brings people down there. As was the case this evening. In fact we weren't short handed at all! The Lord gave us a few friends from church to participate in the blessings.

Amanda, in her discerning wisdom, decided to prepare extra food: sandwiches & chips, just in case we were to run out of pasta. Rick, a fellow brother in Christ, contributed by also making a box full of sandwiches & a large bowl of fruit salad.

It turns out we had just enough for everyone to eat this week. This crowd just continues to grow and grow! It's really sad to see so many hungry people standing in line waiting for a meal. I'm reminded why we are there, and when I'm sharing a message, I find myself comforted by the numerous Believers within the giant crowd, nodding in agreement. I look to everyone else and I'm confronted with emptiness in their eyes and growls of hunger from their stomachs. Most aren't listening, they want food... and then I hear that small; still; gentle voice asking me the same question over and over again.

As the food was being served, I joined Jason in some beautiful worship music. I can't even begin to express what it does for the atmosphere down there when worship music is being played. It's so peaceful! Whether or not the crowd understands whom the words are meant for, everyone seems to enjoy it and share smiles as they pass by. The music being sang to the Lord can change a loud, angry man... into the one of the most polite, gentleman. We've seen it happen! There is a newer regular guest, who's known to be rather obnoxious most of the time, but tonight he was so child-like, in the sense that he wanted to be loved and 'fit in'. As Jason was playing his guitar, I noticed this particular man sit right next to Jason, with his own beat up guitar. He watched for the chords being strummed, and attempted to follow along. It was actually quite a sight to see such a difference with this guy! The Lord showed us that it doesn't take preaching in order for Him to begin a good work in anybody.

They continue to be fed... (Friday)

I debated whether or not I should share this...

There have been times in the recent past, where we've come to nearly miss coming down to PB with a meal for everyone (due to lack of funds), and literally at the 11th hour, GOD has sent us exactly what we need to purchase everything!

I only mention this, to allow the readers to understand that we (The team of volunteers) are not an organization or any kind. We are not financially supported by 'the church'. I realize it may appear as though we are because of all the helpful hands on site and the spread of food layed out on the tables, but the reality of it... is that we're just a group of regular people that are friends, who happen to attend the same church, that have the same heart to help those in need, and have made ourselves available to be used by GOD. The only reason we are able to continue week after week is through people donating.

During those last minute moments, while sweating bullets... I was asked this question: "Even if you didn't have any physical food, would you still remain faithfull to feed my flock?" I found myself meditating on this question, searching my heart, for what I'd hope to be the truthful answer - Yes Lord, I will still feed your flock.

Whether or not, one would call that a test from GOD, the next thing I heard came from my wife: 'We should get a PO Box, so that others can donate if they like.' So... that is our next step.

***

We'd arrived and had everything set up, with the help our friends, by the time Joey had arrived. He shared the message this week. After he'd given the message, a man who'd been passing-by on the boardwalk, stopped to listen what was being said, came up to him... and Joey had the perfect opportunity to set down and spend nearly an hour pouring out into this man. We then introduced him to our team mate, Ruben to discuss matters. In short, the man now has a desire to come to church.

We had extra help this week! Our dear friend, Mark, came to visit and help us while out from school. His gentle presence alone, brings peace to the environment when he smiles. I love seeing him sit down to spend deep quality time with the guys. Last night was no exception.

Danna spent what seemed like most of the night (I can hardly call it anything more than 30 minutes anymore, because everything happenes so quickly now) one-on-one with our regular friend Alyse. It's beautiful to see the women spending that time with the women down there!

Everybody was fed, spiritual & physically. I'll be honest, it's discouraging at times to see those who disregard others by carelessly dropping their food and trying to grab another... or those few people who grumble and complain because another person got more of something. There seems to be a sense of entitlement down there for some... not all though. We just keep praying that the good Lord will do a mighty work for them.

We had a few conversations with curious people stopping by to see what was going on. Some said they'd like to help out, some inquired about donations. The cool thing is that each time somebody stops by & asks, we get to tell them about the love of Jesus.

It's all about love

There are things going on down there that the enemy is using to try and defeat what is happening at the boardwalk. The past few weeks, I've noticed that as we're driving into PB, I see alot more of the regulars hanging out, away from the boardwalk, and I've found myself wondering if they'd forgotten about dinner.

It wasn't until today, that it occurred to me why they're not waiting in line anymore.
The messages! It was no different today... in fact, there were so few people, that I thought people were going to be able to have 3 plates of food each.

The message was given, speaking on love and about sin and the separation of man & GOD because of sin... but as soon as I finished and walked down below, we were flooded with people jumping in line. There went the 3 plates each I'd just considered!

The sad truth is, we ran out of food this week. Our team even brought extra sandwiches (just in case) and those were all handed out too. It was really sad at the end of the evening.... I wasn't aware that we'd run out when I saw a few guys sitting against the curb of a near-by business. I'd asked them if they'd enjoyed their dinner tonight, and out came a stomach-turning response: "We didn't get anything besides a slice of bread to share." I instantly felt guilty and didn't know what to say to that. Sometimes 'Sorry' just doesn't cut it.

Returning week after week, and being obediant to The Lords calling seems extremely easy, when compared to figuring out how we're going to start making enough food for the caliber of people coming these days. Ultimately, I know that before another move is made, we should lift all things to our Heavenly Father, for His direction & provision.

I often find myself reviewing the archive for this blog, and I look back at all of the ups & downs we've had; the miracles that have happened; all of the lives that have been touched... and I'm reminded, that is why we are here. The food is only part of this Ministry, we are sharing something much better than any gourmet chef could ever offer.... and it's Jesus Christ, the Living Bread!

I thank The Lord for the team that He's raised up beside us. I could not ask for a better group of faithful, loving friends to team up with. I'm grateful to be a part of their team. GOD is good!!

Getting Personal

Besides the traffic coming into PB, tonight went really smooth.

To start the night off, my buddy Ruben, shared his testimony to a captive audience. He gave a loving & sincere message, and as he spoke, he called out to some of the regulars, by name, which made it a bit more intimate for them. I strongly believe that it's instances like that, that are going to win over their hearts, and give us the guidance to direct them towards the things of GOD.

Thanks to Danna's wonderful idea, we started celebrating birthdays together down there for each month. This week, it just so happened to be one of our very own. Before Ruben finished speaking, he called Amanda out from behind the tables (also out of her comfort zone) and the entire group of maybe 60 people, all joined and we sang "Happy Birthday". It was fun! What I especially liked, was as each person passed down the line for their dinner, they each encouraged Amanda for her cooking and gave her another Happy Birthday wish. There was love for one another in the air tonight, and GOD was there!

We had plenty of friends to help make the team tonight: Ray (who's been a huge help); Joey (now back in town); and of course the awesome duet Danna & Ruben (with their amazing salads, crock pot of meatballs, and their hearts of gold); James (the one who can handle the hygiene & clothes, like no other!)

Towards the latter end of what pasta we had left, 3 young men (early 20's I'd guess) came over and asked how much we were selling the food for. Their eyes lit up with delight when they discovered it was absolutely free. They hustled into the line. As we hung out chit chatting, I learned they were backpacking tourists from Ireland. I enjoyed hearing their thick accents when they spoke. I had the chance to ask them about their beliefs. They believe in Evolution, yet they have a concept of GOD as well. They said that in Ireland, religion is shoved down everyones throats, and they aren't for it. I explained to them about Christianity, and the freedom that we have in Christ... that it's about a personal relationship with Jesus, and not about being bound to follow routines, or bowing to statues. As they listened, I could see them weighing this new found discovery, against what they've known. After 10 minutes of sharing, I asked if I may take their picture, so that my friends and I could continually pray for them, they said sure. Before we parted ways, I had the privilege to pray for Do'nald (Donald), Eghoan (Owen), and Dave right then and there.

A decent amount of people showed interest in attending the City Fest next week, which was awesome to hear. I'll try to get an accurate count next week, so that we can do what we can to make sure they get there.

All went well, and yes we were surprised that being the first Friday of the month, we still had a large number crowd... yet thanks to the addition from Danna's meatballs and salads, everyone was able to eat something tonight.

Everything happened so fast... and that's the way it's been the last few months actually. We were done and packed up by 6:30-6:45pm.

Even in the thickness, GOD is there! (Friday)

I apologize for the delayed posting. This past week has been anything but normal for me. I'd planned to be out of town on Friday, so I'd arranged for a friend of mine, Gio, to step in and share a message. He did share, but I actually stayed back and came down to witness the work of GOD.

Upon arrival, the eerie feeling of the oppression was thick.

A few guys were waiting for us as we pulled to the curb to unload. Amanda went to park the truck as we set up and prepared for the evening. To my very own surprise, Patrick (a common problem) actually helped set up. I instantly recalled the prayer request listed on his behalf, and thanked GOD for all the faithful prayer warriors, because I see that he's changing before our very eyes. Again, I thank Jesus!

As Gio gave the message, I sat behind him on the upper level. I scanned the crowd and quietly prayed for each person. I noticed there was alot going with most of them: drunk or high, and some suffering with schizophrenia, which leaves them with very little room (if any) to pay attention to anything being said. It's something I've never really noticed before, and it broke my heart to see it. One of the regulars, Lt. Ron, was taken away by ambulance from some sort of alcohol issue. Last week, he'd claimed to have fought with 12 SDPD officers and was full of scabs on his face. I'd mentioned him before, but he's a Reverand turned atheist. From the looks of this man, he doesn't have much life left in him... so please join me and commit to prayer specifically for Lt. Ron's salvation.

On the other hand... there were quite a few people who were paying attention and nodding in agreement with what was being shared. Those are the ones who came through the line during dinner, full of encouragement and thankful hearts.

I know that GOD is bigger than any drug, alcohol, or mental problem... and I rest in confidence, trusting that His word does not return void. I know that as long as we remain faithful, and continue to love on the people of Pacific Beach, GOD will continue to pour out His love and continue to give us the strength to always move forward, sharing the Good News, and His provisions will continue to come.

Man, oh man! I'm so happy to be a child of GOD... and I'm super excited to be a part of something that He is doing!!!

We've prayed about socks and hygiene materials, and we received them. We've prayed about financial support, and we received it. We've prayed about a strong team of fellow servants, and we received them. We've prayed about simple things like good parking when we pull up, and we received it. We've prayed about having worship music, and guess what..... we got that too!

There were some minor chaotic outbreaks during worship this week, but it didn't stop Jason from continuing to praise The Lord of Lords with his guitar. It was actually pretty awesome to see one of the guys, gently pull the disturber to the side and ask him to move along and 'let us be'.

The highest demand as summer has come to an end is blankets. I'm not 100% sure but I think it's still quite some time before the City Shelters open up for the season. It has really gotten cold quickly as the marine layer rolls right in, even while we're serving.

There is much more that could be told about the events for the evening, but I'm not the one to tell because I wasn't aware of everything that others experienced. I only found out their stories afterwards.

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. ~Psalm 33:22

Last night was absolutely, positively, super naturally Awesome! There is so much to write about, that it's taken me longer to recap everything and find ways to put it into words. The love of GOD, The Father is so good!

Where do I even start? I suppose that I should begin with the tail end of last week...

We received numerous large garbage bags full of clothes that have been donated by friends. Last Sunday morning, Amanda and I were given the opportunity to share about the Ministry to a group from our church, which may have opened some doors for other avenues that people can get involved with Loving Thy Neighbor. That same night, we received two fairly large sized bags full of hygiene supplies, which couldn't have come at a better time, since we were pretty much out of everything.

A new semester of HSE has started up this week, which means tons of new students ready to follow the call of whatever the Lord has for them. Lamarr (one of my roomies, and HSE student) had shared with some of his classmates about the Ministry. Upon arrival last night, I was introduced to a HSE student who was ready to help serve and be used where he was needed. Lamarr and Spencer (our other roomie and HSE student) both came down to Minister with us. I felt relieved to have the extra help. GOD answered yet another prayer! We have tons of help serving the meal (and I'm so grateful for all that are involved!) but I've noticed a gap that still needed to be filled when it came to having enough people for one-on-one time and prayer.

As we were setting up, Danna noticed two young boys (maybe 10 or 11 y/o) on the upper level observing us. The boys asked what we were doing. Danna explained to them why we were there, and they desired to help out! I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. These kids were in San Diego, on vacation from out of state, and wanted to help the needy. GOD was using these young gentlemen, to minister His love to all of us. We learned of their names: Joseph & Brayon. There's no doubt that these guys were brought up in a home with incredible values and a love for others. (I'm still in shock as I sit back and dwell on that.) Wow!

Danna kindly put them behind the table to help pass the food right along the makeline. The best part is something I discovered after they'd left... as each plate was passed, Joseph said: "Enjoy your meal sir/ma'am." It was said with such sincerity, that everyone present could see that GOD was pouring out His love on the people of Pacific Beach.

As I've been freed up to move/walk around to speak with everyone, I ran into a Pastor from another church that the crowd is familiar with on Weds nights. The Pastor informed me that their church has a generous amount of toiletries and wanted to know if we could use some for our Ministry. I took him up on the offer, and plan to see him next week.

Daniel. Two weeks ago he was in horrible shape and I feared the worst when he nor his brother showed last week. Well, they were both there last night... and Daniel looked like a completely different man! He was 100% sober, he was smiling, he was happy, and he was proud to let us know that shortly after Amanda and I'd prayed for him, GOD started working on him. He ran into a Pastor from another local San Diego church, who's been helping them out in more ways than one. Daniel gave the credit to GOD, because of the interceding prayers. (There is more to this story)

I ran into another man named Kieth. He also gave credit to GOD, The Father, for Him placing us to be used to speak to him and help encourage him. He now is working full time, has an apartment, and offered his availability to speak to the group and give his own personal testimony, to share what GOD has done in his life. Kieth and I plan to meet up for service at church on Sunday morning.

There was a gentleman who'd stopped by to give us encouragement. Before leaving, he gave a donation, which (I did not look at) and thanked him. I continued to hang out and love on the people, taking their trash for them... about 10 minutes later, that same guy comes back again. He said: "As I was leaving, I heard GOD tell me to come back because I did not give enough, so please take this too." This time, I had Lamarr and another guy with me, and we all looked at each other utterly amazed at what GOD just did. He doubled his original donation, to cover the entire cost the following week.

Things like that, remind me just how little faith we (I) have in GOD sometimes. Speaking for myself, I don't mean to but I often find myself guilty of putting GOD in a box when it comes to certain things. It's recently been a struggle to figure out where we're going to come up with the resources for the next weeks meal, because of low funding. (I mean really, how often does some random stranger just come up and do that?)

Amanda shared a neat story with me, about one of the elderly ladies who wanted to share a verse from Psalms with her. It was full of encouragement and blessed Amanda.

Amanda was also able to spent some good quality time with her favorite lady, Alyse. Those of us who were still hanging out at this time, all sang Happy Birthday and presented a slice of cheesecake to her. Before we left for the evening, we promised to return in the morning with a blanket.

----Saturday----

Earlier this afternoon, Amanda and I went to Walmart to grab a blanket for Alyse, as promised.
As we were walking out, I noticed a familiar face sitting in the Vision Center Dept of the store. It was Daniel and his brother Kieth!

With them, was their new Pastor friend. We were introduced to one another. It was so neat to see the smile on Daniel's face. Their friend was getting him the glasses that he needs. He's also generously put them in a hotel for the week. Together we agreed that GOD was definitely showing those brothers that He loves them and wants what is best for them.

I took that opportunity to invite them to church with us. We've made plans for next Sunday, because they've already made plans with somebody else for this Sunday. I'm so relieved to see that they are seeking the face of GOD, and that He has put people in their lives for a very specific reason. GOD has their full attention and I trust that one day, Daniel will have a very powerful testimony to share with others.

Once we returned to PB, we did not exactly know where to find Alyse. We know of her hang out spots, but nothing is ever a for sure thing down there. Oddly enough, we found her immediately and she was so happy to see us. We were introduced to one of her buddies, who welcomed us into their circle with an offer of some beers... twice!

The powerful thing about it, was that before either of us could even turn him down, Alyse proudly turned him down and said: "Hey no, they're Christians!" Amanda and I both agreed that her statement alone was so rewarding to be recognized by others as Followers of Jesus Christ and that we are set apart from the worldly things.

In closing....
I realize this is by far my longest post ever, but I'm sure now you might understand why. To sum it all up, I pray that the things shared, are an encouragement for all to put your Hope in GOD, because His love is unfailing and will never cease.

It was all smiles... (Friday)

I know that we should never scale the outcome of something based off feelings, but tonight really did feel special, and in a really good way!

1- We got hooked up with the closest parking spot possible, which for any of you who've come down to PB on a Friday night, know just how rare and awesome that alone is.

2- There was so many more people from the crowd smiling tonight. It seemed as though almost everyone was in a good mood.

3- I met tons of passer-byers who were just so full of encouraging words tonight!

4- The Love of GOD was evident and His protective presence was felt.

The message that I shared tonight was inspired by a scripture verse that my Pastor shared in this mornings devotion: Psalm 18:30 - "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him."

From the get-go, I was given the opportunity to pray for a man named, John Patrick. He has a desire to give up his nictotine addiction, through faith in Jesus Christ. I look forward to hearing from him next Friday.

I met a sister of the faith, who happened to be in the area tonight (by chance) and she was full of encouraging words and has a willing heart to serve with us in the future.

With the faithful help of Ruben & Danna, The Evans', Marci & Carl, and James... it's really opened the doors for me to move around and socialize with everyone while they eat. It's very rewarding and I'm continually thankful to have that freedom. It would not be possible without their help!

I spoke with a few familiar faces and got to meet some new ones. I'd prayed for a man named "Justice" back in February, for the Divine Deliverance of heroin through Jesus Christ. He came up to me to give a praise report that he's still sober and has had no desire what-so-ever since that cold February day. Justice asked to attend a church service with me soon. I'll be making arrangements to get him asap. He seems so happy and gives all the credit to our Heavenly Father! It's truly amazing to see the transformation in somebodys life out here on the streets. He hasn't even stepped foot into a church service yet, but he's so on fire for Jesus! God is doing such miraculous things on the boardwalk. Justice has made a commitment to sharing his personal testimony with a fellow homeless man struggling with the same addiction he once had. (I mentioned that individual last week.)

I met a few other believers who waited in line for their meals. It was neat to hear their stories and how GOD has helped them in their perilous times. I appreciate that they've opened up to me to share such details of their own lives.

Mr. Tim Tracy asked me and the team, to please pray for his application to process for his SSI. He's an older gentleman and fellow believer. He's always greeted me with such friendly smile. (I often use him as a focus point in the crowd when I speak to the group.)

Most of the hygeine items that we had are now in the hands of those who need them, but sadly we know the reality is there will be plenty more to come, with just as much need as the next... and at this time, it appears we don't have anymore to give out. I trust that GOD will provide, just as He always does week after week.

One comment that an individual said to me struck me, and stuck with me the entire time down there tonight. He noted that he's seen the homeless people of Pacific Beach become a bit more happier when Friday comess around. Praise GOD for that! Amanda and I consider it such a blessing to even be worthy enough to be a part of something that GOD is doing.

Living Water

To my delight, as we arrived, I noticed my buddy, Ron waiting to help us unload. I didn't care that he was there to help unload though, because I was more happy to see him mobile again. It was evident that he was in pain, but he said it was bearable for the time being. (Please continue to pray for a complete healing.)

The message I gave was based on the historical account of 'The Poor Widow'. Through that, God touched the hearts of 2 men, Doug & Mike, which lead them to making a decision to drink from the Living Water and follow Christ. (I pray that the seed planted would be secured by the Holy Ghost.) At a last moment's though, I brought down a case of booklets: Living Water (The Gospel of John) I handed out about 15 booklets to those that asked for them. We are starting to see fruit!

We were blessed with a hefty food donation, through left-overs from a benefit dinner, the night before. It consisted of a large salad & dressings, tons of spaghetti with a delicious meat/mushroom sauce, and close to 50 dinner rolls. Danna, contributed her crockpot full of meatballs. (Ruben is sick, and was unable to join us. Please pray for his health) Our dear friend, Lisa brought down her plate of cookies to provide dessert for the evening. Altogether, it was another wonderful spread of a feast.

Recalling that it's the first weekend of the month, we assumed that we'd have less of a crowd, but that was not the case at all! The amount of people waiting in line seemed to never end... unfortunately, the food ran out before everyone made it though the line with a bite to eat.

This week we also obtained a large pack of razors to hand out, thanks to a generous brother. Nearly everyone was happy about those being available. James passed out what few socks we had left, and took care of all the hygiene materials. (Standing from an observation perspective, I think the crowd has taken a real liking to James.)

Perhaps some of you might remember me sharing about 2 brothers, Daniel & Keith (June 2010). They went to Ramona to get in a rehab program. Well, sadly enough they returned to PB this week due to lack of funding. Daniel was in really bad shape. He's an alcoholic and to my surprise, he's also a severe heroin addict. He's trying to kick that habit on his own and was suffering with withdrawals tonight. Amanda almost had to call the paramedics for him, but he refused. As I sat with Daniel, I tried to reach out and encourage him that Jesus is bigger then any addiction and can deliver him from the torment, but he'd need to be the one to ask for His help. He's too hard on himself and doesn't feel that God would help him due to the path he's on. Another 'person in need' named Roberto, came to my aid and together tried to be encouraging and prayed with him. Daniel is aware that I've never been in his shoes having to struggle with such an addiction, and is quick to tell me so. I let him know that Christians aren't perfect and we come from many different walks of life before knowing Jesus. (I'm praying that God would help me find somebody this week, who has been in his shoes, that would be willing to come down next week, to specifically speak with Daniel.)

Love That Goes Beyond The "Normal"...

I am reading a book named "Crazy Love"... It's about Christians breaking out of the "Christian routine" and living a life that is extreme for the Lord, leaving aside all comforts and just going for it. There was a passage in the book that I recently read that talks about the profiles of people that are obsessed with God and consumed with Jesus. This one in particular was the profile of "Lovers". It talked about how we as Christians sometimes think that being nice or polite people will make people want to come to Jesus, but in fact there has to be more.

The Bible teaches us about how we should love and not just loving the people we care about or like, but our enemies; the people that are unlovable; difficult; will probably never love us back; that are hateful of us.

Luke 6:32-36 says... “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

It is so awesome and amazing to see this very act poured out by the people who give their time and resources to this ministry. The love of our Lord looks so different and it stands out. I felt so honored and thankful to have such a large group come along side of us and be able to love the way that Jesus tells us to.

With Beau and a few others being away at the men's retreat Lamarr gave the message. I had a lot of extra help (thank you all so much for your heart and willingness to help)... We had a large crowd and thank goodness for Dana's smart thinking she made some sandwiches in case we ran out of food (which we did). Nobody went away hungry thanks to the sandwiches. The food went very fast as well as the hygiene supplies.

We had a few pleasant surprises! Ron was back! He is in a lot of pain from the pinched nerve in his back so please remember to keep him in prayer. Despite his pain, which was visible, he was the first one to come and help us unload the truck and then helped me set up as he always does. He really is an amazing guy, really different from a majority of the people we minister to, always willing to help with a big smile on his face despite his circumstances.
Another wonderful surprise.... Jersey Jeff has been sober for 3 weeks, he has a job and he looks like a whole new person. We all are so proud of him. He commented that when he was drinking he knew God was with him but now that he is sober he knows that even more. He gave the credit to God for his sobriety and said that we (the people of LTN) helped him too.

In closing, it was a great evening. The power of the Holy Spirit was evident. I was blessed by so many helping hands and hearts that over flow with the love of our Lord. Many people were fed, physically and spiritually. I know with out a shadow of a doubt that God is doing a mighty work among us (the volunteers) and the people we minister to. I thank God for this opportunity that He has given us to be involved in what He wants to do and my prayer is that day by day our lives as Christians will be transformed into lives that are completely sold out for Him and completely obsessed with Him.

A huge thank you to all of you that help, support and pray for us and most of all thank you for loving the people that are unlovable, difficult, and will probably never love us back. You are making a difference! We know it and the Lord sees it!

God Bless!!

Rest In Peace...

A few weeks ago, while Jeremy was back down in PB hanging with his crowd of drinking buddies, we had the privilage meeting a guy named "Pockets". He was a very funny guy. He had a gentleness to him. He was quick to share with us some scripture he'd memorized over the years.
Before we parted ways, we'd asked to pray with him... but he reversed the offer and wanted to pray for us. Although, we'd only met him this one time, he'd made an everlasting impression on me and I won't forget him.

I received word today, that this man Pockets passed away. I do not know the details of his death or if he has any family. What I do know is this....

The men that called Pockets their 'friend' have a desire to do some type of memorial service for him. I would certainly like to be involved with this. My prayer is that this sad incident would be an eye-opener for all of them.

A full circle (Friday)

Earlier in the week, I'd been praying about the message I was supposed to share. I was led to return back to the Romans Road, which is exactly what I'd started off sharing with. It was a full circle for me, and it was rewarding to see how GOD stirred the hearts of at least 3 men that surrendered their hearts to Christ, our Lord.

The attendance was another large number and unfortunately we ran out of food before everyone could get a bite to eat. We're so blessed to have such a powerful source of support, which makes up the Loving Thy Neighbor "team". Although some of the people didn't get to have some dinner, they chose to stick around for the fellowship with us. I encouraged the new Believers to get plugged into a Bible Believing/Bible Teaching church before we parted ways. I informed them of our church and gave them directions, should they desire to go.

A guy standing in line, informed Amanda of some great news... he is currently staying in the SDRM, and brought a message that Jeremy has made it back into the SDRM as well!! Prayers have been answered and hopefully he has learned from his recent experience and he uses it to grow in his walk.

The night ended early.

Jehovah Jirah (Friday)

GOD is faithful to provide. GOD uses people as vessels for His Holy purpose and that is exactly what Amanda and I experienced this past 2 weeks. Loving Thy Neighbor, now has a brand new stove top to continue cooking hot meals for the people of Pacific Beach. With the new stove top, we're actually able to cook faster and now have the capability to cook more if necessary. I am genuinely in awe at the goodness of GOD and so very thankful for the people He channeled through to make this happen.... from the most deepest, bottom part of my heart... I THANK YOU!!!!

Soooooo, to the point....

It doesn't matter how long we've been doing this, or how many times I've spoken to the numbers of people.... I still get butterflies in my stomach as we pull up near Crystal Pier, because I'm confident that something positive is going to happen, and I'm excited to be able to participate. I'm only speaking for myself of course, but if I had to take a guess, I'd say that some of our team may feel the same way. I've said this over & over, and I'll continue to say it... because it's the truth - I'm strongly encouraged by the strength & support from so many people who have joined LTN and become part of the Ministry. Ultimately yes.... Glory be to GOD, but my wife and I could not have gone this long without all of the help from so many people who have given up themselves and their own time on Friday nights, to be a part of what GOD is doing. (I'm man enough to admit this... so here it is... as I sit and consider everything that has gone on and all the love we've been shown, I sit here crying with tears of joy!)

Our friends Marci & Carl arrived with a huge bag of brand new socks to pass out for the guys. Danna & Ruben arrived with their enormous and delicious salads. John & Benni brought the awesome chocolate chip cookies that everybody raves about. My buddy Ray came and made himself available to serve. Our good friends John and Lamarr joined us and helped with one-on-one ministering.

There is absolutely no room for any doubt, that the Love of Jesus Christ is being poured out week after week to so many in PB. As summer time thickens around us, it brings alot of hungry youth through our line.

I was inspired by GOD to share a message on the topic of faithfulness this week. In the message was a story of a young man, who'd lost his entire family, who had no income. As he passed near a bakery, he smelled something good. A old woman noticed the young man, paid him some attention, showed him a Love offering and shared her fresh bread with him. She than, began to open the door to share who Jesus was, referring to Himself as the Bread of Life.

As always, I do what I can to study the faces and eyes when I share. (It was so much easier to do this week because we only had about 40-50 people). I felt a few connections that may have struck a nerve with the visual story. My prayer is that these people start to hunger for Righteousness above all else. All we can do is continue to be faithful to our own callings, by showing up and love our neighbors, as they are.

I was informed of something rather strange that happened, that I did not notice early on in the evening. At the same moment I'd started to share the message, a flock of pigeons formed into an attack pattern and started diving at the crowd. Although people wailed their arms and tried to scare the birds away, the birds continued to come back with a vengeance. I'm not sure how I missed that activity, but I'm glad I did, because there's not a doubt in my mind that it was a distraction sent by the enemy. Do you recall Mark 5 or Matthew 8 involving the herd of pigs???

Jeremy is nowhere to be found again. I'd heard that he was trying to get back into a program but I'm not positively sure. I pray that he is in good hands wherever he may is. Ron is another guy that I'd consider a friend, and nobody seems to know of his where-abouts either. It's really sad when you think of the possibilities where somebody who has no place to call "home", might be. I pray that GOD would shield him and keep him healthy & safe.

I know that GOD is faithful and will never leave us, nor forsake us... and that He is our strength & refuge. I can't help but wonder when the crowd will see that for themselves.

Love is patient, Love is kind... (Friday)

I'll openly admit that there are times that I find it harder to love certain people, but GOD knows what He's doing... and I'm thankful that He's the one in control.

We're nearly settled with getting our new stove top issue, but we're not there yet. We took our neighbors up on their generous offer in allowing us to use their kitchen for the meal this week.

Our team arrived on time as normal, and a message was given, like normal... but I found myself getting distracted because of a few people in the crowd. One 'trouble maker' in particular, stood directly in front of me and downed a few shots of whiskey and then started a conversation with others... (which I found out afterwards, was all to get a reaction out of me. Those are the types that I find harder to love, not for lack of respect, but because they have a personal issue with me, and hope that they can be the cause to stir something up to see if what I preach, is that of the same that I practice.

It's really encouraging for me to see how this Ministry has grown. Specifically with the Servants that have been touched by the Holy Spirit, and have made a decision to join our team. I'm very thankful for each and every one who has been a part of this Ministry!

Besides the previously mentioned distraction, all went well for us. We had our opportunities to spend one-on-one time with a few people. One guy named Mikey stands out most to me. I'd never met him before, so I didn't want to pry much. As we sat talking by the sand, he mentioned that he'd appreciate some prayer, so I took that chance and lifted his needs to GOD.

Amanda was able to speak with her buddy, Alyce for nearly an hour. She is like a delicate person that will need alot of gentleness & time to break through her walls, but it's been working over the past year. Alyce, now greets us with warm hugs.

There's so much more to share, but due to complications with my home computer... I'm keeping the next few posts short and direct, because I'm on a borrowed pc.

Salvation is a sweet thing... (Sunday)

We met with our buddy, Simon this morning for service. I'm proud to announce that everyone greeted him well with open arms, as he waited for me to arrive. It's such a beautiful thing to know with confidence that I need not worry how others from our congregation will treat guests.

Simon enjoyed the service and shared with me that the sermon message had a lot of things in it, that really spoke to his heart and made a promise to return for further services with me.

After service, Amanda and I seized the opportunity to spend a little bit more time with Simon, over some lunch. The entire time we waited the 20 minutes for our seats and during the meal, it was complete Q & A, followed with Biblical responses. He kept referring to Jesus as 'The Prophet' and Amanda took the open door asking him his own personal belief of who Jesus was to him. He admitted that he wasn't completely sure about that, but confessed he realized there was something very special about Him and His impact on this world. Before we parted ways, I took the risk of asking Simon what was stopping him from putting his trust in Jesus according to what the Bible says. He was honest and said nothing was stopping him.

In the parking lot of IHOP, we stood there and prayed with Simon, where he confessed Christ as his Lord & Savior, asking for his sins to be forgiven and to start his relationship with Jesus from this very memorable day. GOD is sooooo good!

Love is a powerful thing! (Friday)

We had to do another bar-b-que, due to our stove top still being broken. Using this method for the meal adds up nearly tripling the cost it takes to do the pasta dishes, and yet GOD provided again this week. Using the word "amazing" doesn't even come close to describing our GOD and His love for us all.

Our team was strong in numbers this week. We all came prepared to feed another small army of hungry people. We just forgot one thing... it's the first week or the month, which tremendously cuts down the size of the group, as they receive their SSI or welfare checks. We've discovered this to be a routine thing as they get whatever income they can, it's used to get a hotel for a few nights and maybe some not-so-healthy things to consume before they're back on the streets.

The only hiccup throughout the night, occurred at the very beginning while we were setting up. (To the unbelieving readers, this might sound strange.) I'm pretty sure I stood face to face with a demon! I'd forgotten to bring a lighter for the food, and this person loaned us his. The man came and stood next to me while we were getting arranged and started saying he was hungry and demanded chips and water. I'd asked him to please wait while we finished setting up and blessed the meal. His attitude immediately changed, and started cussing at me, calling me names, barked orders at Amanda to return his lighter, and rode away on his bicycle. I was baffled at his response and studied his eyes while he was speaking. The best way to describe what I saw would be to say 'he looked unhuman-like'. I don't think I'm going to forget that hostile look anytime soon.

Moving right along... I felt almost guilty having so much help & food and not nearly enough people to serve & Minister to. The good news is that for those that did show up, they had the opportunity to eat as much as they wanted. I'd guess there was maybe 40 people (if that). We'd prepared 100 hot dogs, 72 hamburgers, and tons of side dish items to compliment everything. We ended up giving one of the men an entire pan of 50 hot dogs & buns to take with him to another place he knew of that could use the extra food. Later in the evening he gave me a call to report how the food did not go to waste and was greatly appreciated by the other Ministry.

The best part about this Ministry, is that it is not tied down or labeled as a Homeless Ministry. Our primary guests might fall into that category, but we'd never turn anyone down who stumbles across our path. Jesus commands us to 'Love your neighbors as yourself' and the way we see it is that everyone down there is our neighbor... even the tourists. A small group of college-aged girls stopped by and joined us for some food. Some of our team had an opportunity to speak with them a little bit. They approved of our Ministry and even contributed donations to help support us. Whether or not we shared the Gospel with them, they saw Love in action while visiting San Diego.

There was a flag vendor booth just a few feet from our set up, so I took the opportunity to give them some food, which they were very happy to receive from us. Spencer came with me to break the ice and speak with them. After a few minutes, I slipped away, leaving Spencer to converse with the man and his wife. Before Spencer was finished talking to the guy, the man asked to come to our church. It's exciting to see Jesus work through acts of kindness and a little bit of conversation!

My highlight of the evening was while we were packing up to leave. I was carrying some items towards the truck, when Simon offered to help. As we set some items down waiting for the truck to pull up (it was a few blocks away), he started some small talk, which lead to a very encouraging compliment. Simon is ex-military, where 'talk is cheap'. He's been coming for over a year, and confessed that he's been studying us. He knows the Bible and has met lots of Christians from different denominations who've invited him to church. He said there's something different about our Ministry that has caught his interest. The Love that we pour out week after week, match what we talk about. That Love can only come from one place and he wants to explore that for himself. He mentioned something specific that he needs prayer on, and as I prayed for him... I was lead to share scripture in my prayer, and a particular verse struck him while we prayed. Although our eyes were closed, it was very visible due to his shaking. When we were done praying, he had goosebumps all over and shared what hit him. He was shocked that I said what I'd said in my prayer was something he'd just read earlier. I told him that there was absolutely no way that I could know what he's going through and that whatever was said was from GOD through me directly to him for that very moment. I gave Simon my cell number, and he'll be meeting us at church Sunday morning.

I'm so encouraged to see what effect this Ministry has on all of us. I'd guarantee that for everyone one of our team members, this has been a positive impact on each of them, and it's all because of the Love that is found through Jesus Christ. I thank our Beautiful Lord for the work He's doing through the lives of everyone who's willing to step outside of their comfort zone and into His call.

"Romans 8:28"

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose".

I'm sure that most people have heard the term "We're winging it"... at one point in their live. This week, we did just that! Our stove top at home broke earlier this week, and immediately we thought about how we'd cook everything for the Ministry. With no personal savings or rainy day money, buying another stove top with 2 days notice, is just not an option.

Amanda made the decision to do a bar-b-que instead. We purchased and cooked nearly 200 hot dogs & hamburgers, along with a few cases of small chips. We spoke with our friend, Marci, who's become part of our Ministry, and notified her of the menu change for her contribution. So for this week's menu, we served: Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Fresh Fruit Bowls, Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Chips, Cookies, and of course... all the condiments. It seemed like everyone down there enjoyed the change up.

The funny thing is that we had far more food this week than we would have, had we served pasta, and everyone was able to get an abundance of food, which surely wouldn't have happened with pasta. Again, GOD knew exactly what was going to happen. So now we're trusting GOD and leaving our stove top situation to Him. "If it's GOD will, then it's GOD's bill".

The awesome thing about this week, was that even though most of our regular team wasn't available to join us, we still had an army of help! Tonight one of the guys, Chris, asked if he could help serve with us. It was his 2nd time helping out and it's so beautiful to see him getting involved to help serve his own and watch the transformation in his life. Two other guys decided to help us serve. One of the them had been a random passer-byer who'd helped out once before, but brought his buddy along this week. It's incredible to see how the Love of GOD is working through people... and affecting those who might not go to church, but desire to get involved. I find myself recalling the saying: "Your life might be the only church or Bible some people ever see."

It was sad to see Jeremy back in his old position. Stephen was also back on the beach scene. I find myself wondering how Quentin is doing and questioning if he's still in the SDRM. I admit that I find myself lacking compassion to it's full capacity. I'm truly saddened that they've chosen to return to the street life, by whatever means brought them back... but I don't understand why. I pray that GOD would continue to break me and chisel away any hardness in me.

The message tonight was from Mark 4, about the Farmer and sowing seeds. As I glanced at the crowd, I studied the eyes of those who were paying attention. I hope that some seed falls on good soil with them.

Our team had the opportunity to spend some one-on-one time praying with people after the meal. It's awesome to see how GOD has broken down the walls that these people have built up over their hard lives and has given us the privilege to witness that taking place week after week.

As we were just about to leave, some commotion arose between Stephen and Patrick. Patrick has always been a trouble maker the entire time we'd been down there. Awhile back, he'd threatened to cut my throat, and tonight that same threat was aimed towards Stephen. I'd asked Patrick to please show some consideration and respect for the family with children standing just a few feet from him. He didn't budge and became physical with Stephen, so I notified him that I was calling the Police and dialed 9-1-1. Patrick rode away on his bicycle yelling and throwing insults at me. He is a loose canon and I feel it's only a matter of time before he actually does try to cut somebody's throat.

I'm considering to ask the SDPD to make a more regular presence while we are there. In closing this post... again the verse Romans 8:28 seems perfect for the events of this week!

Opening up.... (Friday)

The presence of GOD was definitely felt while in PB, which made the night spiritually good... but circumstances made the evening emotionally sad for some of us.

In discussion last week, we'd made a decision to have our team members share their personal testimonies for the next few weeks, as The Lord directs us. As Joey stood in front of the crowd sharing his, my friend Eric and I were up on top, praying as the crowd listened. I gazed the crowd from a different perspective and noticed what looked like my gentle & loving wife, politely asking some of the men to stop talking among themselves as Joey spoke. It was very beautiful to see how well that was received with respect & reverence. As Joey wrapped things up, I shared the verse Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Before we said grace and started serving the meal, 4 of the men made a personal decision to accept Jesus, and asked Him to start that transformation in their lives that very moment.

There was a familiar face in the crowd. One that I never thought I would see there again... Jeremy! He was back on the streets. About 2 weeks ago, he'd started drinking and it was all over from there. The SDRM has a no tolerance policy, and he had to leave. I didn't know what to say to him. I did my best to love him and encourage him. "Nobody is perfect except for Jesus Christ"... "Everyone falls, but it's how fast we get back up that matters". He was too embarrassed & ashamed to stick around, so he left after our brief conversation. I let him know that we'll be praying for him. (I'll be honest, I'd gotten so confident in him before, that I'd stopped praying for him... and now I see the importance to continue to pray for everyone, regardless of their current circumstances. Talk about conviction on my part!)

It's really rewarding to have so many helping hands when it comes to serving, because it has freed me up to move around the group as they enjoy their meal. I've gotten to know some of the guys on a deeper level because of it. I stood there talking with another familiar face, although I'd never known his name until last night. Daniel shared some interesting and very personal things with me. I wondered how often any of these people open up to people outside their own groups and thanked GOD for the opportunity to be there and experience what we experience. We prayed together. Daniel struggles with alcohol. He and his brother, Keith, have plans to go enroll into a rehab in Ramona, CA this weekend. I gave Daniel a promise that if he makes it into the rehab, I'll make it a point to come out to visit and read the Bible with him. He's currently reading through the book of Daniel on his own... and was very proud to tell me all about King Nebuchadnezzar. It was so neat to see Daniel talk about the Bible.... it was innocently child-like.

After the food was gone, Amanda sat with Bobby. He's experiencing major health problems and last night his body was bloated due to his failing liver. As I sat there observing their discussion, I'd hate to say it this way.... but you can literally see him slowly dying. It's very sad! Bobby has alot of sadness in his life and just needs to feel loved. He shared with us an incident he'd had early in the afternoon. He'd run into an old friend, he hadn't seen in quite some time, walking with his family (who Bobby'd never met before) and the young child ran up to him, giving him a big hug. This loving act of kindness from that 3y/o child stirred him up and he was crying with joy as he told us the story. Amanda told him that kind of love is just a small glimpse into the love that GOD has for each and every one of us.

It trips me out how I still sometimes question if this Ministry is where it should be. Last night I was reminded that GOD is still there and doing things through us, exactly where we are. Week after week, He still provides financially for this Ministry to continue... and last night was no exception. I consider it a great honor to follow Jesus Christ and to be under His Lordship.