There are a few neat things to report tonight.
GOD has been putting it on my heart for the past several weeks, to start a Bible Study in PB... I tossed the idea to the crowd a few weeks ago, and a few said they were interested in joining that... but I hadn't brought it up again. Tonight one of the guys asked me when that was going to start because he's really eager to have that time getting to learn GOD's word with me. Seven other guys heard us discussing it and also want to get in on the study!
We will be starting that next week at 1pm, right on the grassy area above where we serve dinner. (Please pray with me about this and GOD's plans.)
I discovered that GOD provided transportation for Pockets and helped meet his needs. Sadly, Pockets was in & out of the hospital for the past few weeks. His drinking is wrecking him. His health is deteriorating and unless he fully surrenders and allows Jesus to work in his life, his days on Earth are numbered.
Our precious friend, Lisa, made it out tonight! She is always a joy to see. I thank GOD that He has given her strength and for Him healing her fragile body. Weeks ago, she fell while she was at home and broke a bone.
We had a great number of volunteers tonight. It freed some of us regulars up, which allowed us to move around as the Spirit led and minister to our neighbors.
Jason was able to make it out again and bless us with his anointed worship music. Through worship music, GOD brings an indescribable peace to the area. You can almost feel the presence of His angels standing guard and singing with us.
Something very interesting happened with Amanda and a regular attendee...
Trials and tribulation hit all of us at certain times. There is no escaping it, but comfort comes to those who put their trust in The Lord when they come your way. The time for Amanda and I is now. I've chosen to withhold burdening those close to us with what we are experiencing, but GOD knows. For whatever reason, Jesus sent Eva, an elderly woman, to share His good news to Amanda. It was delivered in the form of Psalm 41:1 - "Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble".
I look forward to seeing what happens next. I'm thankful that I have a Heavenly Father who promises to look after His children and provide our needs. I'm thankful to be in a position where we can serve and share our hope in Jesus Christ with others.
GOD is so good!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
A new season has started... (Friday 6/10/11)
It was a good night...
Though in the 26 months we've been done in PB, there is still a majority of the same people coming through our lines... we always have a sea of new faces from time to time. We call those seasons.
The Lord showed Himself faithful again. He stretched the amount of food so that those who came were able to fill up, literally... some got 2nds and some even got 3rds. Although the crowd seemed smaller last night, the food logically couldn't have spread out as much as it did, without Him doing it. Thank you Lord!
We were able to sit and pray with those who asked for prayer.
Our worship leader, Jason was able to bless us with a few songs towards the tail end of the evening. His anointed guitar playing and singing really blesses all of us. I can't even begin to think how much it pleases GOD.
We've been running really low on men's clothing the past few weeks, and last night I met a local resident of the area, who shared with me that he would like to donate some things to our Ministry.... including clothes! GOD is so rad. He doesn't always use "Christians" to provide for the needs of the people, but He is still the GOD of all things, and this is just another way He gets the glory. GOD rocks!
As I shared the devo with the group, I was really encouraged to see more and more people listening to what the Bible has to say. Another proven sign that GOD answers prayers.
While we were packing things up for the night, I stood back and took a long glance at what we have going on down there. I couldn't help but laugh with joy. Amanda and I started with just the 2 of us, 1 small pan of spaghetti, 1 loaf of bread, and 1 table. Now we have a full blown team of volunteers, 3 large pans of pasta, a crock pot full of meatballs, bowls of salads, 4 loaves of bread, dessert, an assortment of hygiene materials, misc clothing, and 5 tables.
I've also discovered that the local churches have added us to a list of 'feeds' for people to come to find a hot meal of Friday nights. As encouraging as that might be... I really wish that those who did that would have at least spoken to us first. Many people show up later than 5pm, because "the list" says we start serving at 6pm. I really need to straighten that out. Understandbly, alot of hungry people get angry when they arrive by 6 and the food is gone. It's not their fault, nor is it ours. This is still a learning process for us, so I've learned that communication is essential.
Though in the 26 months we've been done in PB, there is still a majority of the same people coming through our lines... we always have a sea of new faces from time to time. We call those seasons.
The Lord showed Himself faithful again. He stretched the amount of food so that those who came were able to fill up, literally... some got 2nds and some even got 3rds. Although the crowd seemed smaller last night, the food logically couldn't have spread out as much as it did, without Him doing it. Thank you Lord!
We were able to sit and pray with those who asked for prayer.
Our worship leader, Jason was able to bless us with a few songs towards the tail end of the evening. His anointed guitar playing and singing really blesses all of us. I can't even begin to think how much it pleases GOD.
We've been running really low on men's clothing the past few weeks, and last night I met a local resident of the area, who shared with me that he would like to donate some things to our Ministry.... including clothes! GOD is so rad. He doesn't always use "Christians" to provide for the needs of the people, but He is still the GOD of all things, and this is just another way He gets the glory. GOD rocks!
As I shared the devo with the group, I was really encouraged to see more and more people listening to what the Bible has to say. Another proven sign that GOD answers prayers.
While we were packing things up for the night, I stood back and took a long glance at what we have going on down there. I couldn't help but laugh with joy. Amanda and I started with just the 2 of us, 1 small pan of spaghetti, 1 loaf of bread, and 1 table. Now we have a full blown team of volunteers, 3 large pans of pasta, a crock pot full of meatballs, bowls of salads, 4 loaves of bread, dessert, an assortment of hygiene materials, misc clothing, and 5 tables.
I've also discovered that the local churches have added us to a list of 'feeds' for people to come to find a hot meal of Friday nights. As encouraging as that might be... I really wish that those who did that would have at least spoken to us first. Many people show up later than 5pm, because "the list" says we start serving at 6pm. I really need to straighten that out. Understandbly, alot of hungry people get angry when they arrive by 6 and the food is gone. It's not their fault, nor is it ours. This is still a learning process for us, so I've learned that communication is essential.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Jude 1:22-23
"Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear..."
This week I struggled with concentrating what to share with our neighbors. Just this very morning, GOD gave me what was to be shared, through a daily devotion that my Pastor shares, via email. I asked GOD if that was what I was supposed to share, and tonight He proved that it was exactly what somebody needed to hear. The devotional was from the Gospel according to Mark, where Jesus warns about the one & only unforgivable sin... blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
GOD spoke directly to an older gentleman named Rupert. He and I discussed in detail what that really meant. After explaining it to him, he asked for prayer to be cleansed of all his sins and made a decision to accept Jesus Christ into his heart. Praise be to the King of Kings!!!!
We had a smaller crowd... probably about half of what we're used to serving. Once in a while we enjoy those smaller gathering, because it allows us to slow things down and everything seems a bit more intimate & personal.
Jason blessed the immediate area with his beautiful worshipping to the Lord with his acoustic guitar. Our sister Dina just returned from a mission trip to Scotland and surprised us with her presence and assistance. It still amazes me how well our entire team flows as far as the Ministry is concerned.
We celebrated our sister, Danna's birthday tonight. I was able to have a handful of the neighbors join us in song to bless her..... Lord knows I have a horrible voice, so getting others to drown me out worked really well.
Over all, it was a really fun night. I announced my future plans to have a mid-day Bible study before all the food arrives. I asked to see who may be interested in attending and got some positive feedback, so I will soon be adding that to the Ministry.
This week I struggled with concentrating what to share with our neighbors. Just this very morning, GOD gave me what was to be shared, through a daily devotion that my Pastor shares, via email. I asked GOD if that was what I was supposed to share, and tonight He proved that it was exactly what somebody needed to hear. The devotional was from the Gospel according to Mark, where Jesus warns about the one & only unforgivable sin... blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
GOD spoke directly to an older gentleman named Rupert. He and I discussed in detail what that really meant. After explaining it to him, he asked for prayer to be cleansed of all his sins and made a decision to accept Jesus Christ into his heart. Praise be to the King of Kings!!!!
We had a smaller crowd... probably about half of what we're used to serving. Once in a while we enjoy those smaller gathering, because it allows us to slow things down and everything seems a bit more intimate & personal.
Jason blessed the immediate area with his beautiful worshipping to the Lord with his acoustic guitar. Our sister Dina just returned from a mission trip to Scotland and surprised us with her presence and assistance. It still amazes me how well our entire team flows as far as the Ministry is concerned.
We celebrated our sister, Danna's birthday tonight. I was able to have a handful of the neighbors join us in song to bless her..... Lord knows I have a horrible voice, so getting others to drown me out worked really well.
Over all, it was a really fun night. I announced my future plans to have a mid-day Bible study before all the food arrives. I asked to see who may be interested in attending and got some positive feedback, so I will soon be adding that to the Ministry.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sweet Fruit...
There are times in one's life where you start to feel worn out, but that's just life. Our retreat get away couldn't have come at a better time for me. I was refreshed, encouraged, and blessed while absent from the Ministry.
I see now that it was in His plan, to give me the strength and compassion to see what would come this week. Being a holiday weekend, Amanda suggested we arrive early for the sake of parking, which we did... Even arriving at 4:30, I was surprised to see such a large crowd waiting for us! I could easily sit here and share of the discouraging events of the evening, but I won't. I'd love to share what Jesus did and how He was able to work through everything.
My good friend, Jason, blessed us with some sweet worship music. It was a real treat, as it was totally unexpected. Many people passing by stopped and listened, while a handful of those we serve, joined in the praise songs! A few people received prayer, at their personal request, in which all of us were more than happy to lift to the Lord.
Another surprise was our friend, Mark, who is such a gentle spirited guy came down and was able to spend good, quality time one-on-one with individuals as was needed. It was great to have him back for the time being.
One might look at our Ministry as a waste of time serving a group of ungrateful people, but when we see the results of those few that are starting to bear fruits in their lives, and we see the slow transformation.... it is so worth it!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again.... this is surely a hard, difficult Ministry. It is ONLY by the grace of GOD and through His strength alone, that we are able to endure. Jesus never gave up on us, so we should we give up on them.
I see now that it was in His plan, to give me the strength and compassion to see what would come this week. Being a holiday weekend, Amanda suggested we arrive early for the sake of parking, which we did... Even arriving at 4:30, I was surprised to see such a large crowd waiting for us! I could easily sit here and share of the discouraging events of the evening, but I won't. I'd love to share what Jesus did and how He was able to work through everything.
My good friend, Jason, blessed us with some sweet worship music. It was a real treat, as it was totally unexpected. Many people passing by stopped and listened, while a handful of those we serve, joined in the praise songs! A few people received prayer, at their personal request, in which all of us were more than happy to lift to the Lord.
Another surprise was our friend, Mark, who is such a gentle spirited guy came down and was able to spend good, quality time one-on-one with individuals as was needed. It was great to have him back for the time being.
One might look at our Ministry as a waste of time serving a group of ungrateful people, but when we see the results of those few that are starting to bear fruits in their lives, and we see the slow transformation.... it is so worth it!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again.... this is surely a hard, difficult Ministry. It is ONLY by the grace of GOD and through His strength alone, that we are able to endure. Jesus never gave up on us, so we should we give up on them.
Monday, May 23, 2011
May 20th 2011 - Spring in The Air
We could definitely see Spring had arrived even though it was partially cloudy at the beach on Friday night. How? New things were sprouting all over the place in Loving Thy Neighbor Ministry!
Our fearless pioneers, Beau and Amanda were gifted anonymously by someone at Horizon Christian Fellowship to attend a married couples retreat. If that wasn't awesome enough on its own........the men and women who regularly come down to the beach were excited and happy for Beau and Amanda. We know the people we serve missed Beau and Amanda because we must have answered the question "Beau and Amanda aren't here. Where are they? Are they alright?" about a dozen or more times. It was so sweet to see people who are poor, homeless, and possibly living in terrible addiction be so genuinely happy for someone else.
More victory to report: 10 highschool kids from Ohio came to help us serve and they were such an incredible blessing. Sometimes the "regulars" allow the clothes giveaway table to be overwhelming. The sweetest high school girl worked that table with not only the skill of folding clothes faster than anyone but more importantly she had a pure servant's heart. She said she was a Senior and never wanted to leave San Diego. We laughed because once you've spent much time here; it truly is hard to leave.
It seems to us that God does things differently sometimes just to surprise us. The kids were so excited to serve that they started almost before the devotion was given but the man appointed to give the devotion did manage to read some scripture. It just meant the line started probably 10-15 minutes earlier than normal. That meant those that habitually come late came too late. Hopefully it teaches them to come earlier so that not only do they get fed physically but also hopefully feed their souls. It is sad to see someone rush up at the very end and give us their reasons for being late but have to tell them there is no more food when we know they are really physically hungry. Sometimes we think they probably could arrive on time but chose not to do so. It is all in God's hands and that is one of the biggest lessons we are learning at the beach.
Knowing God has annointed this ministry is what makes it so easy sometimes and yet so challenging. We always start with prayer and we did so as usual. The prayer circle was large and more of those we serve joined us in the prayer circle than on most usual Friday nights. Occasionally we have 3-4 homeless join us in the prayer circle but it seemed like that number was almost doubled this week. We look forward to the day when everyone we serve will join hands with us in prayer.
One sad note is that for the known time; pregnant women were in line to be served. Three pregnant women. It broke our hearts. Especially when Danna would recommend the San Diego Rescue Mission as a safe place to live and encourage them to check it out because they could keep their baby with them at SDRM and the women would say they didn't want to go to SDRM because they'd couldn't live with their boyfriend there. At SDRM, the men and women are seperated. Our Core Group prayed for the women and their babies that night at bible study. The lies of the enemy blind people and it is so sad. Blindness physically can be sometimes be overcompensated with skillsets and technology. Blindness of the heart can bring about problems here on earth but more importantly eternal devastation. This is what breaks our heart.
Oh, back to spring.........We rejoice in those 10 teenagers who joined us with joy and energy! They were the fresh air of Spring!!! May God always keep them close and may they sense His Presence in their lives. Our prayer is Col 2:2-3 and Isaiah 33:6 will continued to be manifested in these young peoples lives and God will always be glorified in their lives.
We remind Beau frequently how this ministry teaches those of us that serve as much as those we serve. It could just as easily in the blink of an eye be us on the other side of the serving table.
Thank you Lord for Your mighty acts at Crystal Pier every Friday night! You are GOOD!
Our fearless pioneers, Beau and Amanda were gifted anonymously by someone at Horizon Christian Fellowship to attend a married couples retreat. If that wasn't awesome enough on its own........the men and women who regularly come down to the beach were excited and happy for Beau and Amanda. We know the people we serve missed Beau and Amanda because we must have answered the question "Beau and Amanda aren't here. Where are they? Are they alright?" about a dozen or more times. It was so sweet to see people who are poor, homeless, and possibly living in terrible addiction be so genuinely happy for someone else.
More victory to report: 10 highschool kids from Ohio came to help us serve and they were such an incredible blessing. Sometimes the "regulars" allow the clothes giveaway table to be overwhelming. The sweetest high school girl worked that table with not only the skill of folding clothes faster than anyone but more importantly she had a pure servant's heart. She said she was a Senior and never wanted to leave San Diego. We laughed because once you've spent much time here; it truly is hard to leave.
It seems to us that God does things differently sometimes just to surprise us. The kids were so excited to serve that they started almost before the devotion was given but the man appointed to give the devotion did manage to read some scripture. It just meant the line started probably 10-15 minutes earlier than normal. That meant those that habitually come late came too late. Hopefully it teaches them to come earlier so that not only do they get fed physically but also hopefully feed their souls. It is sad to see someone rush up at the very end and give us their reasons for being late but have to tell them there is no more food when we know they are really physically hungry. Sometimes we think they probably could arrive on time but chose not to do so. It is all in God's hands and that is one of the biggest lessons we are learning at the beach.
Knowing God has annointed this ministry is what makes it so easy sometimes and yet so challenging. We always start with prayer and we did so as usual. The prayer circle was large and more of those we serve joined us in the prayer circle than on most usual Friday nights. Occasionally we have 3-4 homeless join us in the prayer circle but it seemed like that number was almost doubled this week. We look forward to the day when everyone we serve will join hands with us in prayer.
One sad note is that for the known time; pregnant women were in line to be served. Three pregnant women. It broke our hearts. Especially when Danna would recommend the San Diego Rescue Mission as a safe place to live and encourage them to check it out because they could keep their baby with them at SDRM and the women would say they didn't want to go to SDRM because they'd couldn't live with their boyfriend there. At SDRM, the men and women are seperated. Our Core Group prayed for the women and their babies that night at bible study. The lies of the enemy blind people and it is so sad. Blindness physically can be sometimes be overcompensated with skillsets and technology. Blindness of the heart can bring about problems here on earth but more importantly eternal devastation. This is what breaks our heart.
Oh, back to spring.........We rejoice in those 10 teenagers who joined us with joy and energy! They were the fresh air of Spring!!! May God always keep them close and may they sense His Presence in their lives. Our prayer is Col 2:2-3 and Isaiah 33:6 will continued to be manifested in these young peoples lives and God will always be glorified in their lives.
We remind Beau frequently how this ministry teaches those of us that serve as much as those we serve. It could just as easily in the blink of an eye be us on the other side of the serving table.
Thank you Lord for Your mighty acts at Crystal Pier every Friday night! You are GOOD!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Where there is faith, hope is found...
Throughout the week I'd given alot of thought and consideration to what was said to me last Friday by one of the men. I prayed everyday asking GOD for direction... I found myself repeatedly coming back to Psalm 40 and there I found my answer.
We got a late start tonight due to parking. Thankfully the security guard at local parking structure is generous enough to allow us to park there while Ministering. Parking is always an issue when the summer is around.... it is the beach.
Before I started my message, I'd asked for a show of hands for all who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ. To my surprise, a little more than 1/3 of the group raised their hands. Now please keep in mind, this had to be one of the biggets crowds we've had in a very long time... so I'm talking about 40 or 50 people raising their hands. I was really taken back when I saw that, but GOD is so good and I realized that just because somebody doesn't bear as much fruit as the person next to them, doesn't make it any less authentic. I now know the direction in which to prepare my future messages. This is church!
It's so funny that the crowd was this large... (that might not actually be "funny" the more I think about it) But what I mean is this- My wife usually cooks the same amount fo food each week, and for the most part everyone gets to eat... unless they show up an hour later and others have had second plates or what have you. There was a ton of people waiting in line and I for sure thought we were going to disappoint alot of people and run out before they got to the front of the line. We had just enough pasta in the pans up to the last person, and for whatever reason, that individual passed on the opportunity to eat just in case another person was still hungry. Considerate, huh??
GOD is doing an amazing thing down here! We had a few extra people (who I deeply care about) show up to help out, one way or another. My mom helped out with the cheesing, while a good friend and brother in Christ stayed up top. He was able to see things from a different perspective, and share with those who were passing by when curiousity got the best of them. I'm thankful that we don't always see how GOD is working, because it allows room for us to figure things out while He works.
The dynamics have started to change and GOD is opening up new doors, so prayfully things will become better. All glory be to GOD!
We got a late start tonight due to parking. Thankfully the security guard at local parking structure is generous enough to allow us to park there while Ministering. Parking is always an issue when the summer is around.... it is the beach.
Before I started my message, I'd asked for a show of hands for all who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ. To my surprise, a little more than 1/3 of the group raised their hands. Now please keep in mind, this had to be one of the biggets crowds we've had in a very long time... so I'm talking about 40 or 50 people raising their hands. I was really taken back when I saw that, but GOD is so good and I realized that just because somebody doesn't bear as much fruit as the person next to them, doesn't make it any less authentic. I now know the direction in which to prepare my future messages. This is church!
It's so funny that the crowd was this large... (that might not actually be "funny" the more I think about it) But what I mean is this- My wife usually cooks the same amount fo food each week, and for the most part everyone gets to eat... unless they show up an hour later and others have had second plates or what have you. There was a ton of people waiting in line and I for sure thought we were going to disappoint alot of people and run out before they got to the front of the line. We had just enough pasta in the pans up to the last person, and for whatever reason, that individual passed on the opportunity to eat just in case another person was still hungry. Considerate, huh??
GOD is doing an amazing thing down here! We had a few extra people (who I deeply care about) show up to help out, one way or another. My mom helped out with the cheesing, while a good friend and brother in Christ stayed up top. He was able to see things from a different perspective, and share with those who were passing by when curiousity got the best of them. I'm thankful that we don't always see how GOD is working, because it allows room for us to figure things out while He works.
The dynamics have started to change and GOD is opening up new doors, so prayfully things will become better. All glory be to GOD!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Praise be to The King!
Arrival this week was a blessing. As we pulled up, we were greeted by our friends who were waiting in a parking spot, that they'd held for us. It's the small things that really help us out. Our truck was unloaded in record timing!
After I'd shared the message, one of the guys gave me some criticizing feedback. It was good to hear what he had to say, because it showed me that he was actually paying attention to what was said in the first place. I appreciate the fact that he came up to me and shared what was on his heart.
There is still so much sadness down in PB. We are still seeing some of the same faces from when we first started this. A few have moved on, some have passed away, and then we're always confronted with another sea of new faces... as it was this week. The homeless population is only growing. I'll be the first to admit that I'm far from a "homeless advocate". That is not my passion, nor my job. I am only called to share the Hope that my friends and I possess... and that is only found through Jesus Christ The LORD. Yes these people need help, and yes it sometimes feels overwhelming to be asked repeatedly if I can help get this or do that.
I've discovered that there are plenty of people down there who have an excuse for everything. I've given suggestions and offered ways to help when I can and unfortunately the majority don't want it. This Ministry gets harder and harder each week. That being said... we who continue to endure this each week must continue to look to the Scriptures for our strength and guidance:
"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing." (1 Cor 13:1,2)
"With all gentle and quiet behaviour, taking whatever comes, putting up with one another in love..." (Eph 4:2)
May GOD, the gracious and merciful Redeemer of our souls grant us the Love & Patience that He has for us.
After I'd shared the message, one of the guys gave me some criticizing feedback. It was good to hear what he had to say, because it showed me that he was actually paying attention to what was said in the first place. I appreciate the fact that he came up to me and shared what was on his heart.
There is still so much sadness down in PB. We are still seeing some of the same faces from when we first started this. A few have moved on, some have passed away, and then we're always confronted with another sea of new faces... as it was this week. The homeless population is only growing. I'll be the first to admit that I'm far from a "homeless advocate". That is not my passion, nor my job. I am only called to share the Hope that my friends and I possess... and that is only found through Jesus Christ The LORD. Yes these people need help, and yes it sometimes feels overwhelming to be asked repeatedly if I can help get this or do that.
I've discovered that there are plenty of people down there who have an excuse for everything. I've given suggestions and offered ways to help when I can and unfortunately the majority don't want it. This Ministry gets harder and harder each week. That being said... we who continue to endure this each week must continue to look to the Scriptures for our strength and guidance:
"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing." (1 Cor 13:1,2)
"With all gentle and quiet behaviour, taking whatever comes, putting up with one another in love..." (Eph 4:2)
May GOD, the gracious and merciful Redeemer of our souls grant us the Love & Patience that He has for us.
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