I've been uncomfortable for two weeks. Everything I thought I had going for me fell apart, and I've been living on faith since. I was approached shortly after that happened, and questioned as to whether I was supposed to really be down here or if it was my own desire. It was already a thought on my mind, and it actually has been ever since I moved down here. Does God really want me in Charleston? It's beautiful here, is this my own desire?
In Acts 13:2-3, and many other places in the Bible, we can read about the importance of prayer and fasting, and that God rewards those selfless acts by making Himself known. So, that's exactly what I've been doing. Through my time seeking God on this, I've made sure to talk to some of my closest friends because God often chooses to talk to us through the people in our lives. God has revealed a few things to me through this time.
God is a God of clarity. While talking to a friend, I was sharing with him what has all happened since I've been down here. I told him I didn't know what God wanted me to do. I don't mind staying here and being patient, but I don't want to be an idiot and ignore something that God is showing me. He told me that when God has a plan for us, He wants us to know that plan. Imagine your dad wanting something for you. He doesn't sit back and not tell you. He comes to you, and he tells you what he wants you to do. That's the same for our Dad in Heaven. When He wants us to go one way or another, He's going to make that clear to us, so that we know it's from Him. All else, all confusion, comes from the devil. God called me to come down here and be patient in finding a job. It seems that the confusion of everything going on with that has made me uneasy. It was a great reminder that God doesn't want me confused and that He'll make His ways known.
While meditating on a number of late night beach walks I realized that I'm extremely uncomfortable and would love to move back to the comforts of my parents house and the community that I have in Wisconsin. If God were to say "move", I'd do it in a second. Those thoughts helped me realize that I'm not down here because of what I want. I want comfort. There's a desire inside every person to be comfortable. Usually, in our American society, comfort is sought out through our financial status. Our true comfort should come from God, and knowing that we're in His plan and not our own, because when we're in His plan, He promises to take care of us and lead us. Every day I spend money, and there is none coming back to me. That's financially uncomfortable, and I know that the solution would be to move back home and seek out one of the opportunities that was previously offered to me. But, I can't let my lack of financial comfort drive me. I have to let my comfort in God drive me, and I know that right now He wants me here.
When I first moved down, I decided that I'd be in a pretty needy state financially by the end of August. I thought I had about three months before it was necessary for me to have a job. Well, due to the love of the people down here, and the living situations that God has made available to me, I have spent a lot less than I originally thought I was going to be spending. I started praying the other day that I wouldn't have to spend up everything I have in savings in order to continue in this season of patience. I quickly got hit over the head by my Father, who asked, "Why not?". It's true! Why is it so scary to me to spend something God has given me to spend? If I'm truly trusting in God to supply for my needs, then I don't need a financial "padding". Once again, I was seeking the financial comfort that we often seek as Americans. The same financial padding that many believe is the reason we don't experience the miracles in our country that they do in the third world countries around the world. I need to trust God more than I trust money, otherwise I'm a fool.
I'm so excited that Dylan is coming down. I'm picking him up tomorrow evening from the airport here in Charleston. He's had a few curve balls thrown at him over the last week, so he's currently seeking out God's will for his future like I am. Regardless of where God takes him, I'm extremely thankful for the time we'll get to spend together. Although there are not many men here, the few that I know are great guys, but there's nothing like someone who knows your heart and the path you've been on. It will be great to talk about what God has been doing in our lives and what He wants to do with us in the future. Dylan was living in the national forest in Colorado while working in the town of Estes Park as a waiter. He was approached at work and told that he had 24 hours to get out of his campsite. As God closed the door on Dylan's plans, He felt God directing him to move out here. We had a short conversation on the phone where he told me he was considering it. I told him I'd love it if he were here, but that first we needed to pray about it and wait for God to tell him to move. A few days later he told me that he was going to be coming to Charleston. I don't know what God has planned for either of us here, but I'm excited to be with a friend as we wait for the Lord to reveal Himself to us!
HOMELESS MINISTRY
Due to my current living situation, it has been much more difficult to get out and minister to the homeless. I'm about a 20 minute drive from downtown Charleston right now, and most of the homeless aren't out in the areas I go until later in the evening, so it has been difficult to spend much time seeking them out and spending time with them. Before I moved to Isle of Palms I had met Leon and Stan, two men who hang out a couple blocks away from the apartment I had been staying in. I've stopped to talk with them and hang out for a little bit a couple times since then, and it's been awesome! There's about 4-10 people that hang out in their group, and they all truly cherish whatever time I spend hanging out with them. Although I wrote in "My Dream" about having a beach house that could be used to bring people together, I think that right now God is calling me to be downtown. I'm really hoping that things will come together soon and, Lord willing, Dylan and I can move into the apartment and sign a lease there together.
NEW MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY
The church I have been attending just watched God come through with a miracle yesterday, and we were able to have their first college aged worship night downtown, just a few blocks from the College of Charleston, and right in the middle of the bar scene. Here's a short video on what happened and how God moved: http://vimeo.com/48308295. I feel like the season that just came to a completion with the Well is the season that I've just started. It was an encouraging night!
God also showed me how great this is as a ministry opportunity I have for all the people I've been meeting and will be able to meet if I move back downtown. Every time I walk around the city of Charleston I meet new people. I knew how to treat those opportunities when it was with the homeless, but could not figure out what to do with the college students and young adults who just wanted to go out to the bars all the time. God provided an opportunity. Who can turn down free food?!? I hope that God will bring me back to that area so that I can be used to pack the house on Monday nights. It's a huge opportunity to have something so close to campus, and I can't wait to see how God uses it.
PRAYER
Well, Dylan is coming and neither of us know what God has us in Charleston for. We need a place to live, and we both could use jobs.
Dylan is in need of clarity for what God wants him to be doing for the next year.
I'm praying very heavily that God moves with a job by the end of the week. Sometimes we need to ask big things of God and trust that He will answer. I will not lose faith if I do not have one, because I know God has a plan, but the Bible teaches us that sometimes the answer is to "wrestle with God" as Jacob did in Genesis 32. (Thanks to my current roommates for this insight, and Beth Moore for what I heard was an amazing conference last weekend.)
Please pray for The Well and the new opportunities available through a downtown location.
Thanks!!! Love you all!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Friday, August 17, 2012
Leroy: A Reminder
I've spent a few days determining whether or not I'm supposed to continue with my time in Charleston or consider moving and job searching somewhere else. Although it is very uncomfortable, I am convinced that Charleston is where I'm supposed to continue job searching right now. I have recently found out that a friend of mine is moving down here, and there is a really good chance that we can rent the apartment I was staying in on a month by month basis, which would allow me to continue being flexible with future plans. At the time of moving in I'll be able to take a job waiting tables or something similar so that I can start saving money to use to pay back students loans after the grace period expires.
I've noticed a couple things over the last couple weeks that show me God still wants me here. I really questioned whether my time in Charleston was done after I had two jobs fall through, then had to leave the apartment very soon after. Shortly after all this happened my friend called and told me that a lot of crazy stuff had happened to him recently, and that he was considering moving down here. I just told him to pray about it. A few days later he told me that God had confirmed that he should move down here. It seemed as if everything was closing down, and that God was pointing me in a different direction, but I found clarity through my friend moving down that I'm supposed to stay.
I also have had a lot of car trouble recently. I guess it wouldn't had been so bad if I had taken it in right away, but I thought I would be able to fix it so kept it out of the shop for a few days to try figuring it out. I remembered yesterday that I had prayed a ton before I left Wisconsin in early June that God would break down my car before I came down if He didn't want me down here. My car didn't break down on the way down from Wisconsin, but it did break down recently when I was considering possibly leaving South Carolina.
I used to call these types of things coincidences, but I've learned that God has power over coincidences. I believe that if a coincidence is going to point me in the wrong direction that God will turn me around and use something else to point me in the right direction. So, because of those two situations and the fact that I am still being told that people "may have opportunities" for me, I'm convinced that God is just asking me to continue being patient, and that a door will open in the near future.
A NIGHT WITH LEROY
It's funny how sometimes our plan is so different than God's plan. I rode my longboard down to the dock again yesterday. I was thinking I would ride down there and spend a couple hours praying and listening to what God had to say. He had different plans.
I sat down and spent a couple minutes praying before a tour sat down right next to me and the guide started telling a ghost story. Within minutes of the end of that distraction a man walked up to the water right next to me and started playing a recording of a Seaside Sparrow. I recognized the call and knew that it was a bird I haven't yet seen in South Carolina, so I approached the guy which led to us hanging out for a little while as we hunted for one of these small marsh birds with No luck.
I returned to my bench and spent another couple minutes in prayer before two kids that I have been forming a relationship with ran up to me and started hanging out with me. Their grandmother, Trudy, sells sweetgrass baskets and palmetto roses near the dock. I've met her niece and nephew during the time I've spent down there and they recently taught me how to make my own roses! They asked me to hang out with them and help them sell roses, so I decided to go spend some time with them.
After a couple hours selling roses to tourists the kids got hungry, so I decided to treat them to some pizza a few blocks away. We ate the pizza and I got to talk to the kids about how much they are blessing their grandma by hanging out and helping her. The kids used some money they made earlier in the day to get a ride back to the dock on a bike taxi, while I decided to walk. I ended up running into Leroy on the way back.
I had met Leroy previously one night when my friend Neil and I were walking around downtown. Neil had taken him out to eat once before and I guess he had left a great impression because Leroy remembered a lot about him. He remembered my face last night too, so I sat down and spent some time talking to me. He asked me how my job search was going and talked to me about his current financial troubles. He is not homeless yet, but if his unemployment checks don't keep coming then he will be soon. He told me that he doesn't want to sit there and beg, so he just prays that someone will recognize his need and that God will use them to provide for him.
I went back to the dock for a minute to say bye to the kids, then returned back to Leroy and told him that we could go out to eat. We ended up going to a bar nearby that surprised me and told us they were still serving food at midnight. We spent a lot of time there because Leroy really really enjoys taking his time eating, so we had some good conversation. I told him about the blog and that I really have a heart to share time with people who are struggling in the ways that he is struggling. He was a man of faith, so encouraged me and reminded me of times in the Bible when Jesus did the same thing. We talked a ton about the plans God has for us, and the things He has done and is currently doing in our lives.
I may not have had the time praying that I wanted to have, but I got to spend some awesome time with some people that just needed a friend. Leroy and I prayed for each other multiple times throughout the night. He prayed that I would be able to find a job and that I would continue to be a warrior for the Lord. It was really encouraging to hang out with him and spend some time talking about God's plan and our place in the world.
PRAYER REQUESTS
I told Leroy, whose given name is Carnes Lee Watsen, that I was going to write about him and that people would pray for him. He asked that you would pray for him and that God would continually provide for his needs. He also has a 36 year old daughter in Atlanta, named Michelle, who he said is lost in the world. She has 3 kids named Q, Destiny and Chico. He has a 40 year-old step-daughter who is also not saved named Angie. He asked me to pray for his family before himself. He was very confident in knowing that he's going to go to Heaven when he dies, and he wants the same for his children and grandchildren who haven't given their lives to the Lord yet. Please keep Leroy, his children, and his grandchildren in your prayers, especially for his family's salvation.
Everything is the same for me as it was previously. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!
I've noticed a couple things over the last couple weeks that show me God still wants me here. I really questioned whether my time in Charleston was done after I had two jobs fall through, then had to leave the apartment very soon after. Shortly after all this happened my friend called and told me that a lot of crazy stuff had happened to him recently, and that he was considering moving down here. I just told him to pray about it. A few days later he told me that God had confirmed that he should move down here. It seemed as if everything was closing down, and that God was pointing me in a different direction, but I found clarity through my friend moving down that I'm supposed to stay.
I also have had a lot of car trouble recently. I guess it wouldn't had been so bad if I had taken it in right away, but I thought I would be able to fix it so kept it out of the shop for a few days to try figuring it out. I remembered yesterday that I had prayed a ton before I left Wisconsin in early June that God would break down my car before I came down if He didn't want me down here. My car didn't break down on the way down from Wisconsin, but it did break down recently when I was considering possibly leaving South Carolina.
I used to call these types of things coincidences, but I've learned that God has power over coincidences. I believe that if a coincidence is going to point me in the wrong direction that God will turn me around and use something else to point me in the right direction. So, because of those two situations and the fact that I am still being told that people "may have opportunities" for me, I'm convinced that God is just asking me to continue being patient, and that a door will open in the near future.
A NIGHT WITH LEROY
It's funny how sometimes our plan is so different than God's plan. I rode my longboard down to the dock again yesterday. I was thinking I would ride down there and spend a couple hours praying and listening to what God had to say. He had different plans.
I sat down and spent a couple minutes praying before a tour sat down right next to me and the guide started telling a ghost story. Within minutes of the end of that distraction a man walked up to the water right next to me and started playing a recording of a Seaside Sparrow. I recognized the call and knew that it was a bird I haven't yet seen in South Carolina, so I approached the guy which led to us hanging out for a little while as we hunted for one of these small marsh birds with No luck.
I returned to my bench and spent another couple minutes in prayer before two kids that I have been forming a relationship with ran up to me and started hanging out with me. Their grandmother, Trudy, sells sweetgrass baskets and palmetto roses near the dock. I've met her niece and nephew during the time I've spent down there and they recently taught me how to make my own roses! They asked me to hang out with them and help them sell roses, so I decided to go spend some time with them.
After a couple hours selling roses to tourists the kids got hungry, so I decided to treat them to some pizza a few blocks away. We ate the pizza and I got to talk to the kids about how much they are blessing their grandma by hanging out and helping her. The kids used some money they made earlier in the day to get a ride back to the dock on a bike taxi, while I decided to walk. I ended up running into Leroy on the way back.
I had met Leroy previously one night when my friend Neil and I were walking around downtown. Neil had taken him out to eat once before and I guess he had left a great impression because Leroy remembered a lot about him. He remembered my face last night too, so I sat down and spent some time talking to me. He asked me how my job search was going and talked to me about his current financial troubles. He is not homeless yet, but if his unemployment checks don't keep coming then he will be soon. He told me that he doesn't want to sit there and beg, so he just prays that someone will recognize his need and that God will use them to provide for him.
I went back to the dock for a minute to say bye to the kids, then returned back to Leroy and told him that we could go out to eat. We ended up going to a bar nearby that surprised me and told us they were still serving food at midnight. We spent a lot of time there because Leroy really really enjoys taking his time eating, so we had some good conversation. I told him about the blog and that I really have a heart to share time with people who are struggling in the ways that he is struggling. He was a man of faith, so encouraged me and reminded me of times in the Bible when Jesus did the same thing. We talked a ton about the plans God has for us, and the things He has done and is currently doing in our lives.
I may not have had the time praying that I wanted to have, but I got to spend some awesome time with some people that just needed a friend. Leroy and I prayed for each other multiple times throughout the night. He prayed that I would be able to find a job and that I would continue to be a warrior for the Lord. It was really encouraging to hang out with him and spend some time talking about God's plan and our place in the world.
PRAYER REQUESTS
I told Leroy, whose given name is Carnes Lee Watsen, that I was going to write about him and that people would pray for him. He asked that you would pray for him and that God would continually provide for his needs. He also has a 36 year old daughter in Atlanta, named Michelle, who he said is lost in the world. She has 3 kids named Q, Destiny and Chico. He has a 40 year-old step-daughter who is also not saved named Angie. He asked me to pray for his family before himself. He was very confident in knowing that he's going to go to Heaven when he dies, and he wants the same for his children and grandchildren who haven't given their lives to the Lord yet. Please keep Leroy, his children, and his grandchildren in your prayers, especially for his family's salvation.
Everything is the same for me as it was previously. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Leon and Stan
Last night I needed to get out of the apartment and clear my head. A lot has happened over the last couple weeks that I know could start feeding my doubts, so I knew I had to go and spend some time listening to the Lord.
Normally I would've stopped at my car and grabbed some cash in case I would run into someone that needed some food, but I decided I probably wouldn't need it because of the intentions I had for the evening.
I went down to the dock again and spent some time talking to friends, asking the Lord for open doors, and hanging out with a few friends that stopped by to talk for a little while. After a short rain storm everyone went their separate ways, and I decided I would walk back through the craziness of the downtown Charleston night life to get back home.
I had decided I would walk passed the spot where I met Jimmy to see if I could find him there and spend some time talking to him. Jimmy wasn't on the bench, but a man named Leon stood up and put his hand out to me as I walked by, asking me if I could help him. I immediately told him I didn't have any cash on me, but that I would love to help him in any other way. We started talking both standing up, then Leon sat down and kept talking for a little while. Eventually I felt comfortable sitting down on the bench next to him, and listened for a long time without having very much to say.
The spot where this bench is located is next to one of the most popular post-drinking food spots in the city, so there is a continual flow of traffic that made it hard for Leon to fully concentrate on anything we were talking about. He stopped our conversation every time someone new came in order to ask them if they could spare him some change or give him a cigarette.
He had asked me multiple times as we were talking if I would go buy him a beer or a cigarette. I continued to tell him that I didn't have any money and that I wouldn't want to buy him those things even if I did. As he was telling me his desire to go buy some beer, a young guy that looked like Dawson from Dawson's Creek starts grilling him about the poor decisions that he's been making in life. He told Leon that he was just trying to help him out, but continued to yell at him telling him that he could use the money he gets to buy something that can help him instead of continually buying those things that just hurt him more and more. Everything the guy said was very true, but he failed to talk to Leon in a loving way. Leon was getting very frustrated, and I slowly realized why some of these men are so thankful just to talk to someone who will just sit and listen.
After a little while God showed me why I didn't have any money on me last night. A college student had just bought some food and walked out of the little restaurant. Leon said, "Excuse me, excuse me young sir, do you have a dollar you could spare, I need uh... uh... uh... a water." The guy took a dollar out of his pocket and gave it to Leon. At that point Leon said, "I'm just going to get a water, you can wait and see, I'll just go in right now and get it." The guy replied, "Don't worry about it" and walked away. Leon turned to me and grinned, understanding that I had just witnessed him fake a guy out into giving him a dollar to go buy a beer.
Before all this had happened Leon had mentioned God, Heaven, sins, Hell, and talked about the bigger sins he had committed previously in life, including shooting people, being in charge of a drug run, and setting up a robbery at the store he worked at when he was younger. After he grinned at me, I wanted to take advantage of what I had just seen him do to talk to him more about his actions and how they affect his relationship with God. I said, "Leon, you said a lot of stuff earlier about God and your desire to go to Heaven. Do you think that God would've wanted you to lie to that guy in order to buy something that you must know isn't something God would desire you to be drinking right now?" He got very upset and pretty much told me that he wanted me to be there to listen to him, and if I was going to tell him how to live his life that he didn't want to talk to me.
I decided the rest of the evening would be listening. If that's what he needs, then that's what I can offer right now. As I listened I was very happy to hear that most of the restaurants in the area will bring out sandwiches or food of some sort at the end of the workday and give it to the guys on the street. He said, "Everyone knows Leon. They take care of Leon." I quickly realized that it wasn't food they needed or a place to sleep, but the love that comes from the Lord and a friend to talk to. I knew I could offer him both of those things by just sitting on that bench and listening, which I did for at least two hours.
As I was talking to Leon, his friend Stan came over on his bicycle and started talking to us. They asked me where I lived and I told them on the corner of Spring and Coming. There are a group of homeless men that hang out a couple blocks away from my apartment, and I learned last night that Leon and Stan are two of those men. As we talked they began to vocalize their appreciation for my time. They told me that I lived on "their block". I inquired a little into what they meant, and they proceeded to tell me that I was their brother and that we were family. Then they told me that family looks out for each other. As they continued to talk about their "family" and my place in it, I began to see that they pretty much thought of themselves as a gang.
They were scared. It was as clear to me as anything has ever been that although they were acting so tough, they were very very scared. They told me that they still pack heat just in case anyone starts trouble on the block. They told me they had my back if anyone tried to mess with me. I realized that they don't have any peace at all. They don't know the Lord, and because of it, they think that all they have is themselves.
I continued to listen to what they had to say. I was really surprised at what I had learned through my conversation with them, and definitely felt like the Lord was preparing me to meet a lot more people in the same position as these men.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Pray for Leon and Stan and their hearts. We learned that their physical needs are being met, but that they are in great need of love.
Please also pray for me as I try to understand them as they are talking. There is a very different dialect down here called Gullah. It originated in the rice fields during the era of slaves and plantations so that the slaves could communicate with each other without anyone else being able to understand them. The men I have been talking to clearly have the Gullah tradition and dialect as part of their background. Just like we struggle to understand someone speaking English with an accent from a different country, it is very difficult to understand these men sometimes when they were raised speaking Gullah.
Today is also the first day of a very uncomfortable unknown future for me in South Carolina. I pretty much told a friend I'd be sleeping on his boat tonight, but I don't know what I'll be doing in the days to come. If you want to send some thanks, he's a great guy- Neil Lamm!
Love you all!
Normally I would've stopped at my car and grabbed some cash in case I would run into someone that needed some food, but I decided I probably wouldn't need it because of the intentions I had for the evening.
I went down to the dock again and spent some time talking to friends, asking the Lord for open doors, and hanging out with a few friends that stopped by to talk for a little while. After a short rain storm everyone went their separate ways, and I decided I would walk back through the craziness of the downtown Charleston night life to get back home.
I had decided I would walk passed the spot where I met Jimmy to see if I could find him there and spend some time talking to him. Jimmy wasn't on the bench, but a man named Leon stood up and put his hand out to me as I walked by, asking me if I could help him. I immediately told him I didn't have any cash on me, but that I would love to help him in any other way. We started talking both standing up, then Leon sat down and kept talking for a little while. Eventually I felt comfortable sitting down on the bench next to him, and listened for a long time without having very much to say.
The spot where this bench is located is next to one of the most popular post-drinking food spots in the city, so there is a continual flow of traffic that made it hard for Leon to fully concentrate on anything we were talking about. He stopped our conversation every time someone new came in order to ask them if they could spare him some change or give him a cigarette.
He had asked me multiple times as we were talking if I would go buy him a beer or a cigarette. I continued to tell him that I didn't have any money and that I wouldn't want to buy him those things even if I did. As he was telling me his desire to go buy some beer, a young guy that looked like Dawson from Dawson's Creek starts grilling him about the poor decisions that he's been making in life. He told Leon that he was just trying to help him out, but continued to yell at him telling him that he could use the money he gets to buy something that can help him instead of continually buying those things that just hurt him more and more. Everything the guy said was very true, but he failed to talk to Leon in a loving way. Leon was getting very frustrated, and I slowly realized why some of these men are so thankful just to talk to someone who will just sit and listen.
After a little while God showed me why I didn't have any money on me last night. A college student had just bought some food and walked out of the little restaurant. Leon said, "Excuse me, excuse me young sir, do you have a dollar you could spare, I need uh... uh... uh... a water." The guy took a dollar out of his pocket and gave it to Leon. At that point Leon said, "I'm just going to get a water, you can wait and see, I'll just go in right now and get it." The guy replied, "Don't worry about it" and walked away. Leon turned to me and grinned, understanding that I had just witnessed him fake a guy out into giving him a dollar to go buy a beer.
Before all this had happened Leon had mentioned God, Heaven, sins, Hell, and talked about the bigger sins he had committed previously in life, including shooting people, being in charge of a drug run, and setting up a robbery at the store he worked at when he was younger. After he grinned at me, I wanted to take advantage of what I had just seen him do to talk to him more about his actions and how they affect his relationship with God. I said, "Leon, you said a lot of stuff earlier about God and your desire to go to Heaven. Do you think that God would've wanted you to lie to that guy in order to buy something that you must know isn't something God would desire you to be drinking right now?" He got very upset and pretty much told me that he wanted me to be there to listen to him, and if I was going to tell him how to live his life that he didn't want to talk to me.
I decided the rest of the evening would be listening. If that's what he needs, then that's what I can offer right now. As I listened I was very happy to hear that most of the restaurants in the area will bring out sandwiches or food of some sort at the end of the workday and give it to the guys on the street. He said, "Everyone knows Leon. They take care of Leon." I quickly realized that it wasn't food they needed or a place to sleep, but the love that comes from the Lord and a friend to talk to. I knew I could offer him both of those things by just sitting on that bench and listening, which I did for at least two hours.
As I was talking to Leon, his friend Stan came over on his bicycle and started talking to us. They asked me where I lived and I told them on the corner of Spring and Coming. There are a group of homeless men that hang out a couple blocks away from my apartment, and I learned last night that Leon and Stan are two of those men. As we talked they began to vocalize their appreciation for my time. They told me that I lived on "their block". I inquired a little into what they meant, and they proceeded to tell me that I was their brother and that we were family. Then they told me that family looks out for each other. As they continued to talk about their "family" and my place in it, I began to see that they pretty much thought of themselves as a gang.
They were scared. It was as clear to me as anything has ever been that although they were acting so tough, they were very very scared. They told me that they still pack heat just in case anyone starts trouble on the block. They told me they had my back if anyone tried to mess with me. I realized that they don't have any peace at all. They don't know the Lord, and because of it, they think that all they have is themselves.
I continued to listen to what they had to say. I was really surprised at what I had learned through my conversation with them, and definitely felt like the Lord was preparing me to meet a lot more people in the same position as these men.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Pray for Leon and Stan and their hearts. We learned that their physical needs are being met, but that they are in great need of love.
Please also pray for me as I try to understand them as they are talking. There is a very different dialect down here called Gullah. It originated in the rice fields during the era of slaves and plantations so that the slaves could communicate with each other without anyone else being able to understand them. The men I have been talking to clearly have the Gullah tradition and dialect as part of their background. Just like we struggle to understand someone speaking English with an accent from a different country, it is very difficult to understand these men sometimes when they were raised speaking Gullah.
Today is also the first day of a very uncomfortable unknown future for me in South Carolina. I pretty much told a friend I'd be sleeping on his boat tonight, but I don't know what I'll be doing in the days to come. If you want to send some thanks, he's a great guy- Neil Lamm!
Love you all!
Friday, August 10, 2012
How Strong is Faith
I originally told myself I was going to live in Charleston until August, and if I still didn't have a job I would pray about moving back to Wisconsin. I knew God wanted me down here, but I was never sure whether it was something temporary or permanent. Ever since I moved here God has continually opened doors to keep me comfortable and trusting that this is where I'm supposed to be. I found a place to live, great groups of friends, and the doors to job opportunities, although they have all closed, were opened to give me faith that being down here was exactly where I was supposed to be.
I recently had two separate job opportunities get back to me and tell me that they'll "keep me in mind for future opportunities." It was honestly really discouraging. I know a lot of people look at me and value the huge steps of faith I've taken due to my trust in the Lord. It's hard for me to admit that I was discouraged, but I was so convinced that God was finally going to award my patience that I had already started planning my future around jobs that I hadn't been offered yet. The reason I posted about Lecrae a couple days ago is because it wasn't until I started listening to the truth in his music that I put the discouragement behind me. God is good, and if I continue to be patient, I know that He'll provide for my needs. I need to continually remind myself that things aren't going to come together in my own time, but that everything will come together exactly when God intends on it coming together. I just need to continue "staring at the back of the Hulk". (From Adventure in the Lowcountry).
So, I'm at a point now where I still don't have a job. I've had a lot of discussions with people about waiting tables or taking a part-time job until I can find something full-time in my field. The situation right now is that I have some money to hold me over for a little while, so it's not the biggest problem financially, but I only have health insurance under my parents for another few months, and as a diabetic health insurance is something that is necessary for me. I really need a full-time job that I can support myself with, and that also offers the benefits I need to maintain my health.
I've considered getting a job in order to make sure that I remain in the right spot financially, but I haven't felt that God is calling me to possibly sacrifice ministry opportunities to do that quite yet. I have recently gotten to a point in the relationships that I've made over the summer where God is coming out in conversation fairly regularly. I know God is moving in some of their lives. I also have been spending a lot of time walking around on the street hoping to come across some homeless people to bless with time and food. I want to continue having the time to put into these people until God calls me to find a job.
I almost feel like I'm back at square one. I'm once again at a point where I don't have any job opportunities that I'm waiting to hear back from, and once again I'm in need of a place to live. Fortunately, God has reminded me of the many relationships I've formed and the potential that can come from such a large network. One of my friends is currently praying about possibly moving down here to live with me and do ministry together. I think it would be great for both of us, spiritually and financially, but we're waiting for the Lord to say "move". Having someone else here with me would make it much easier to find a place to live, and it would definitely bless me with someone to conquer the temptations of life together.
I got worried for a little while, but I still have insurance for a few months! So many opportunities have come and gone in the last two months, so there is plenty of time for something great to happen. I know God is using me here, so there is no way I'm leaving unless He tells me that there is somewhere else in greater need. I've felt since I moved down here that God was going to supply for my needs through networking, so I will continue to meet people every day, letting my light shine into their lives.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Please pray that I would continue to trust in the Lord and be patient in His timing. I know that He wants me here, and that makes me confident in knowing that He will provide for my needs. I just need to be patient. Pray that I wouldn't act in a way that causes people to question who I am in the Lord. As far as I know this has not happened, but please pray for any conviction that needs to happen and against any misunderstanding.
Continue to pray that I would be able to find a job, and now a place to live, preferably a place that I could use to serve the community around me. (Read My Dream for more information on where my heart is in finding a place).
Also, pray that my friend would be led to go where the Lord wants him to be. It would be awesome to spend time living with an awesome brother, but it's something that God and him need to determine.
Thank you for continuing to read and pray. I love you all!
I recently had two separate job opportunities get back to me and tell me that they'll "keep me in mind for future opportunities." It was honestly really discouraging. I know a lot of people look at me and value the huge steps of faith I've taken due to my trust in the Lord. It's hard for me to admit that I was discouraged, but I was so convinced that God was finally going to award my patience that I had already started planning my future around jobs that I hadn't been offered yet. The reason I posted about Lecrae a couple days ago is because it wasn't until I started listening to the truth in his music that I put the discouragement behind me. God is good, and if I continue to be patient, I know that He'll provide for my needs. I need to continually remind myself that things aren't going to come together in my own time, but that everything will come together exactly when God intends on it coming together. I just need to continue "staring at the back of the Hulk". (From Adventure in the Lowcountry).
So, I'm at a point now where I still don't have a job. I've had a lot of discussions with people about waiting tables or taking a part-time job until I can find something full-time in my field. The situation right now is that I have some money to hold me over for a little while, so it's not the biggest problem financially, but I only have health insurance under my parents for another few months, and as a diabetic health insurance is something that is necessary for me. I really need a full-time job that I can support myself with, and that also offers the benefits I need to maintain my health.
I've considered getting a job in order to make sure that I remain in the right spot financially, but I haven't felt that God is calling me to possibly sacrifice ministry opportunities to do that quite yet. I have recently gotten to a point in the relationships that I've made over the summer where God is coming out in conversation fairly regularly. I know God is moving in some of their lives. I also have been spending a lot of time walking around on the street hoping to come across some homeless people to bless with time and food. I want to continue having the time to put into these people until God calls me to find a job.
I almost feel like I'm back at square one. I'm once again at a point where I don't have any job opportunities that I'm waiting to hear back from, and once again I'm in need of a place to live. Fortunately, God has reminded me of the many relationships I've formed and the potential that can come from such a large network. One of my friends is currently praying about possibly moving down here to live with me and do ministry together. I think it would be great for both of us, spiritually and financially, but we're waiting for the Lord to say "move". Having someone else here with me would make it much easier to find a place to live, and it would definitely bless me with someone to conquer the temptations of life together.
I got worried for a little while, but I still have insurance for a few months! So many opportunities have come and gone in the last two months, so there is plenty of time for something great to happen. I know God is using me here, so there is no way I'm leaving unless He tells me that there is somewhere else in greater need. I've felt since I moved down here that God was going to supply for my needs through networking, so I will continue to meet people every day, letting my light shine into their lives.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Please pray that I would continue to trust in the Lord and be patient in His timing. I know that He wants me here, and that makes me confident in knowing that He will provide for my needs. I just need to be patient. Pray that I wouldn't act in a way that causes people to question who I am in the Lord. As far as I know this has not happened, but please pray for any conviction that needs to happen and against any misunderstanding.
Continue to pray that I would be able to find a job, and now a place to live, preferably a place that I could use to serve the community around me. (Read My Dream for more information on where my heart is in finding a place).
Also, pray that my friend would be led to go where the Lord wants him to be. It would be awesome to spend time living with an awesome brother, but it's something that God and him need to determine.
Thank you for continuing to read and pray. I love you all!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Lecrae: Unashamed Worship
I decided I would take the longboard this time, so in case I started feeling sick again I'd at least have a quicker way of getting home. I was just cruising some of the streets of downtown Charleston without really having a destination in mind. I ended up finding myself right at the location that I go to pray sometimes: the dock at Waterfront Park. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to sit on one of the highly desired bench swings and spend some time in prayer.
I had been listening to my iPod the whole time, but it wasn't until I sat down that I started listening to the lyrics. I can't remember exactly what song was on, but I was immediately reminded that I need to be unashamed. As soon as that thought came to mind, I immediately had the peace I had needed in order to go to sleep. The song was by Lecrae, who changed my outlook on worship and evangelism when I was able to see him in concert two times in Milwaukee last year.
I was introduced to Lecrae and the songs "Jesus Muzik" and "Fanatic" when I was attending UW-LaCrosse. I liked them a lot at that time, but I quickly returned to mainstream hip hop. It wasn't until I heard that Lecrae was going to be performing at Rock the Lakes in Milwaukee that I looked up some more of his music. I also checked out the music of a few other guys that are on the same label including Tedashii, PRO, and Trip Lee. Everything I listened to from these guys was firing me up. It wasn't just music this time, but I realized that these artists, who call themselves the 116 clique had greatly influenced my life through their music and their love for the Lord.
Lecrae is a Christian rapper. Most people would hear that and automatically tune out everything that followed. The music that he produces is so much more than what most people consider worship. His music brings knowledge, conviction, and the encouragement to proclaim the name of Christ without shame. Every song is filled with scripture and truth. Every album is produced with Romans 1:16 as the backbone; reminding the listener that there is no need to fear anything while proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord.
I brought Lecrae into my Bible study at home which is all men from the ages of 15-80, and a weekly attendance averaging around 40-50. I told everyone I was going to play a song that they had never heard by a Christian rapper. God had been using the song "Boasting" to refine me and work on my heart, so I decided I should share it with the rest of the group. I could see in their faces that the immediate reaction from the men was a little bit of hesitation and doubt, but as the song came to an end I could sense a somber mood around the room as men were reflecting on what they had just heard. After they heard the truth that Lecrae had brought forward in his music there were fifty year-old men listening to Christian rap as they drove around, and even playing it at their adult Bible studies.
Classical worship music is great, and I love some Chris Tomlin, Third Day and other artists, but I think it's very rare that we're allowing the lyrics of those songs to truly change our hearts. God loves when we praise Him and adorn Him, but God also loves it when we seek out how to better serve Him and love Him. We can only learn how to serve and love by being convicted of those things that keep us from being fully committed to those things, and that's exactly what Lecrae's music does to my life. The words soak deep down into my heart, telling me that it's not at all about me, but all about Him. Those words remind me every day that there is no reason to fear the Gospel. There is no reason to hold back my love for the Lord. There is no reason to not share the gift of Christ with everyone I meet. I knew all these things before, and I thought I understood it all, but it wasn't until the Lord worked on my heart through the lyrics in Lecrae's songs that I fully understood what it means to unashamedly live for the Lord.
That's my whole life now. Every ministry I have here in Charleston is based off of the fact that I don't want to be ashamed of the Gospel. Everything I do is an effort to show the love of Christ to everyone I encounter. I would've never felt the freedom to do any of these things without the continual reassurance that comes through the music of the 116 clique. We can be unashamed because our Savior died for us!
WHAT I RECOMMEND FOR YOU
I don't care who you are or what your taste in music is- "Boasting" will impact your life, so go listen to it. Actually, here's a link! Boasting- Lecrae
What you listen to really does affect your thoughts and actions, just like who you hang out with can bring you reward or trouble. God gave His Son so that we could be redeemed, and because of that I've chosen to be a vessel that God can use for whatever purpose He desires. Ask God what you can do to make His name great. If you listen, I bet He'll tell you to be unashamed!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Emily: The Heart of a Champion
I recently posted about how I had found a place to stay when I originally came down to Charleston. The girl to the right is Emily. When everything seemed to be falling apart and I was considering that maybe God was ready to send me home, Emily stepped in and offered me a place to stay in her apartment. She didn't know anything about me, but told me she didn't even think twice. As soon as she heard that I had a need for a place to stay, she provided one!
Shortly after Emily had invited me to stay with her she introduced me to a guy named Joshua who was also staying with her. Joshua had needed a temporary place to live between the end of a lease and the beginning of another lease, so he stayed with Emily until this last weekend. During my time here Joshua spent a lot of time doing medical research through the Medical School of South Carolina. I didn't get to see him very often because our schedules were very different, but he was very loving and helped me feel extremely welcome.
Emily has been great. I said previously that she helped me meet a ton of people that she knew through church, which has allowed me to make some great friends over the last couple months! The picture above was actually taken during a mission's trip to Kenya that she took during the month of July. When I originally went to SeaCoast Church and met Emily they were raising money to go on this particular mission's trip, so it was awesome to see their support come in and now hear stories about how God provided and what He did through them during their time overseas.
Emily has a huge passion for Africa and hopes to somehow get more involved with ministry opportunities in that area of the world. She's currently a teacher for inner-city kids in Charleston, but feels that God may be calling her to something else. She has a lot of passion, but she doesn't feel like she is fully utilizing her passion and gifts through what she is currently doing.
A few days ago Emily found out that she was going to have an awesome opportunity to move into a beach house with a couple of our friends. She is extremely excited about the opportunity, and we're hoping it's the first step in God rearranging her life to allow for a different career or ministry opportunity. It has been great living with her and she was truly a blessing sent to me from the Lord. Without her open heart I would had never found a place to live that night at church. She's at an exciting point in her life where there are some opportunities for some huge life changes, and I'm excited to see where God takes her.
We're hoping to move her over to the beach house this weekend. The apartment is at least available as a place for me to stay until the end of the month, but I'm hoping to find something sooner. You can read my blog titled "My Dream" to learn more about what I would like to provide for people. I don't know yet what God is going to provide for me, but I trust that He has a plan and that His plan is great.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Let's thank the Lord for Emily and her heart. She was the reason I found a place to live for the summer, and she is very very passionate about ministry in Africa. We can pray that she would know where the Lord wants her to go with a career, and that she is blessed beyond measure by her decision to move in with Kristen and Megan.
Also, I need a place to live. I'm open to anything, but like I've shared previously, I really hope to find a situation where I'm able to use my home as a way to serve the people around me.
God is great and I know He will provide a home for me and a job for both Emily and myself!
Thank you guys. Love you all!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Walter: The Diabetic Solution
I just got back in from walking through downtown Charleston. I keep hoping to find Jimmy so I can talk to him more about his daughter in hopes of helping him find her, but he hasn't been in the place that we originally met. I ended up walking 2 miles through downtown to a park on the harbor. I went out searching for someone to talk to and hopefully have dinner with, but I didn't find anyone in need. I found out today that I didn't get one of the jobs I was waiting to hear back from, so I decided to take spend some time with God at the park. I think God just wanted it to be the two of us tonight, because I'm much more at peace about everything now than I was earlier.
I thought maybe since I had cleared my head that God would put someone in front of me on the way back. I walked for about a mile, then I started feeling low blood sugar coming on. There were a few bars open, but when my blood sugar gets low I get really really hungry. A soda at a bar may've helped me feel better, but my body convinces my mind that I want food. I knew there was a convenience store a few blocks ahead so I kept walking. I continued to feel my blood sugar going lower and lower as I walked. I decided to take precautionary measures and left my phone open with a text that said "I have diabetes and low blood sugar", just in case I didn't make it to the store and someone found me laying on the sidewalk.
I got there safely and bought a snack bar, chocolate milk and apple juice. I'm not sure why I got milk and juice. I love both of them, but I think maybe God was tricking me into being prepared for what was about to happen.
I had eaten the bar and just finished the chocolate milk. I started feeling a little better, and the apple juice just didn't seem appealing after drinking the milk. I decided that maybe God had me buy the apple juice so that I could bless someone with it on the way home. Within the next block Walter made eye contact with me, stuck out his hand, shook mine, and asked if I had any change I could spare him. I told him I didn't have any extra change, but that God had blessed me with an extra apple juice that he could have.
As I handed it to him he said "God bless you". As he started opening it I stood by hoping to strike up a conversation of some sort. I was still not feeling 100%, and I was a little worried that maybe my blood was still in need of some more sugar, but I wanted to go further with the opportunity. I told him I could wait and take it to the trash with me when he was done, but he again said "God bless you" and told me he would take care of it. I was at peace that the conversation was over.
LESSON
Sometimes we think that we need to do everything. We feel that we need to plant the seed, water the seed, sprout the seed, and give the seed nutrients, but God may just want us to do one of those things or a part of one of those things. Maybe tonight was just preparation for another time when I run into Walter. I don't know why my role tonight was so short, but I know that although it may not seem very significant that it was ordained by God, and everything ordained by the Lord is significant.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Please pray for Walter. We don't know whether He knows the Lord or not, but we can ask that God provides for his needs. We can also ask God that I would come across Walter again and be able to have a deeper conversation with him. Or maybe Walter just needs us to pray for his heart and his life, and God just had me meet Walter tonight so that we would rise up together in prayer for this man.
Please pray that I continue to fully rely on God (FROG). It was a little disappointing to find out about the job situation, because I think I had already started planning my future as if I already had the job. I'm doing much better now, and I'm really looking forward to what God has planned for me next.
SUBSCRIBE
I added the option to subscribe to the blog by e-mail. That way you won't have to remember to come back or search through my facebook wall for a link!
God's love astounds me!
I thought maybe since I had cleared my head that God would put someone in front of me on the way back. I walked for about a mile, then I started feeling low blood sugar coming on. There were a few bars open, but when my blood sugar gets low I get really really hungry. A soda at a bar may've helped me feel better, but my body convinces my mind that I want food. I knew there was a convenience store a few blocks ahead so I kept walking. I continued to feel my blood sugar going lower and lower as I walked. I decided to take precautionary measures and left my phone open with a text that said "I have diabetes and low blood sugar", just in case I didn't make it to the store and someone found me laying on the sidewalk.
I got there safely and bought a snack bar, chocolate milk and apple juice. I'm not sure why I got milk and juice. I love both of them, but I think maybe God was tricking me into being prepared for what was about to happen.
I had eaten the bar and just finished the chocolate milk. I started feeling a little better, and the apple juice just didn't seem appealing after drinking the milk. I decided that maybe God had me buy the apple juice so that I could bless someone with it on the way home. Within the next block Walter made eye contact with me, stuck out his hand, shook mine, and asked if I had any change I could spare him. I told him I didn't have any extra change, but that God had blessed me with an extra apple juice that he could have.
As I handed it to him he said "God bless you". As he started opening it I stood by hoping to strike up a conversation of some sort. I was still not feeling 100%, and I was a little worried that maybe my blood was still in need of some more sugar, but I wanted to go further with the opportunity. I told him I could wait and take it to the trash with me when he was done, but he again said "God bless you" and told me he would take care of it. I was at peace that the conversation was over.
LESSON
Sometimes we think that we need to do everything. We feel that we need to plant the seed, water the seed, sprout the seed, and give the seed nutrients, but God may just want us to do one of those things or a part of one of those things. Maybe tonight was just preparation for another time when I run into Walter. I don't know why my role tonight was so short, but I know that although it may not seem very significant that it was ordained by God, and everything ordained by the Lord is significant.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Please pray for Walter. We don't know whether He knows the Lord or not, but we can ask that God provides for his needs. We can also ask God that I would come across Walter again and be able to have a deeper conversation with him. Or maybe Walter just needs us to pray for his heart and his life, and God just had me meet Walter tonight so that we would rise up together in prayer for this man.
Please pray that I continue to fully rely on God (FROG). It was a little disappointing to find out about the job situation, because I think I had already started planning my future as if I already had the job. I'm doing much better now, and I'm really looking forward to what God has planned for me next.
SUBSCRIBE
I added the option to subscribe to the blog by e-mail. That way you won't have to remember to come back or search through my facebook wall for a link!
God's love astounds me!
My Dream
After receiving a lot of positive feedback on my first blog I decided that this needs to be something I continue doing. I hope I can continue to bless you with encouraging stories of what God is doing in me and through me. I will continue to share about me, but I will also allow you to read into the things I see God doing around me.
I want to share a dream with you.
I'm just going to write out my raw thoughts so that you can understand where my heart is and how this dream is developing.
I'm at a point where I really need to find a new place to live. I have realized that I have a strong desire to serve people and bring people together. I really want to find a place to live where I can invite people from different areas of my life to come together and meet each other, allowing Christians from different churches an opportunity to meet each other, and people not involved in church the opportunity to meet fun Christian people. I also want to find a place where I can serve friends from around the country with a place to stay at if they choose to come and visit one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to.
I've been thinking about the different options I have that would be best for those two desires. The questions are what type of dwelling and where I would live.
The most affordable at this point in life would definitely be an apartment away from the water. The cost of an apartment is a huge benefit, but it doesn't really fit any of the desires I have for a home. Most apartments lack enough parking to have large numbers of people over. There is also not very much space in an apartment, and it's not very often someone gets really excited to go on vacation to, or hang out in an apartment.
In the same category as an apartment is a condo. A condo would be a little easier to host people at, but still wouldn't have very much room to have a lot of people over. Apartments and condos also don't really have yards to hang out in. The benefit of a condo is that I would own it so we could make changes to it that would best suit the needs of the people utilizing the home, but it still lacks the pull I think is necessary to attract people to hang out.
The option with the most benefits is to own a house. Renting a house is almost as good, except a lot of money is put into the home without seeing any return, and renovations can't be done to the home to better suit the desires of guests. I would love to be able to find a house that I could buy and make into a perfect place for people to come visit and spend time. Guests would always be able to have parking. There would be a yard to set up yard games, grill out, and enjoy the outdoors. In order to attract the most people to the home I would want to keep a tally of things that my guests desired the home to have. As a specific item, such as a large TV, dart board, pool table, grill, or something similar, became desired enough by guests, we would work on adding that item to the home to be enjoyed by everyone who came. An option would be to have jars sitting in an area of the home where people could donate money to an item that they think would be most beneficial, then buying the item once ~50% of the total cost was raised.
I started by determining which type of dwelling would be most beneficial because I think it's the most important decision. The other decision is what type of location. There are pretty much three locations: a beach, downtown, or away from the coast.
The biggest thing influencing this part of the decision is what area would have the biggest draw for people to come and visit. Unfortunately, I think the best place is also the most expensive. If I were to live on the beach people could visit from around the world and wouldn't need a vehicle in order to have a great time. They would be able to spend time on the beach and at the various small shops on the islands. I would also make sure there were bikes that could be used to ride off the island to bigger stores and other locations. I don't think it would be nearly as attractive to invite people to come stay at my house 30 minutes from the ocean. Unless I were to have a vehicle for these people to borrow, they would have to arrange transportation or spend most of their time away from the ocean. I just wouldn't be able to serve visitors the way I really want to serve them if I lived somewhere away from the coast. A place away from the ocean could still be used to bring people together, but I don't think that it would have the draw necessary to do it on a large scale, unless there were some other type of attraction.
CONCLUSION
I really want to find a place where I would be able to serve the people I know in Charleston, and also friends that I have from around the world. Personally, I think the best place to do that from would be a house near the beach. I think it sounds the most attractive to other people, and it has a lot more to offer for different options of what to do with time not spent on the beach. It would also be more attractive to the people I know in the Charleston area to offer a beach party followed by grilling out, rather than just asking people to come hang out in my grass yard.
As I was talking to the Lord about this earlier today and determining what situation would be ideal, I definitely had to ask myself if a beach house was really something that I should be looking for. Everyone would love to live in a beach house, and I didn't want my desire to live in a beach house stemming from selfishness and greed. I quickly came to peace with the idea of owning a beach house when I realized that I would be just as happy living in a shack as I would living in the beach house, as long as I was able to use the beach house to serve the people around me.
If you have any thoughts or ideas that could benefit me in finding a place to live that could be used to serve the people I hope to serve, please let me know.
PRAYER REQUEST
Please pray that God provides a place for me to live. God definitely met my needs for a place over the last few months and I know He will in the future. I really want to find a place that can be used to serve people, so please pray that God would provide something along those lines, regardless of location and type of dwelling. Maybe I'm wrong and the best thing would be to have an apartment away from the ocean, as long as God uses it to bring people together! I definitely don't have money right now to buy a house, and barely have money to rent an apartment, so my future is completely in God's hands, and I trust that He will provide something! I keep saying it over and over, but I just really really have a desire to serve people and bring people together, and I want my home to be a place that is used to do both those things on a daily basis. Please pray that my heart is in the right place in this desire, and that God would provide something where my passion for these things can be utilized.
I love you all. Thank you!
I want to share a dream with you.
I'm just going to write out my raw thoughts so that you can understand where my heart is and how this dream is developing.
I'm at a point where I really need to find a new place to live. I have realized that I have a strong desire to serve people and bring people together. I really want to find a place to live where I can invite people from different areas of my life to come together and meet each other, allowing Christians from different churches an opportunity to meet each other, and people not involved in church the opportunity to meet fun Christian people. I also want to find a place where I can serve friends from around the country with a place to stay at if they choose to come and visit one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to.
I've been thinking about the different options I have that would be best for those two desires. The questions are what type of dwelling and where I would live.
The most affordable at this point in life would definitely be an apartment away from the water. The cost of an apartment is a huge benefit, but it doesn't really fit any of the desires I have for a home. Most apartments lack enough parking to have large numbers of people over. There is also not very much space in an apartment, and it's not very often someone gets really excited to go on vacation to, or hang out in an apartment.
In the same category as an apartment is a condo. A condo would be a little easier to host people at, but still wouldn't have very much room to have a lot of people over. Apartments and condos also don't really have yards to hang out in. The benefit of a condo is that I would own it so we could make changes to it that would best suit the needs of the people utilizing the home, but it still lacks the pull I think is necessary to attract people to hang out.
The option with the most benefits is to own a house. Renting a house is almost as good, except a lot of money is put into the home without seeing any return, and renovations can't be done to the home to better suit the desires of guests. I would love to be able to find a house that I could buy and make into a perfect place for people to come visit and spend time. Guests would always be able to have parking. There would be a yard to set up yard games, grill out, and enjoy the outdoors. In order to attract the most people to the home I would want to keep a tally of things that my guests desired the home to have. As a specific item, such as a large TV, dart board, pool table, grill, or something similar, became desired enough by guests, we would work on adding that item to the home to be enjoyed by everyone who came. An option would be to have jars sitting in an area of the home where people could donate money to an item that they think would be most beneficial, then buying the item once ~50% of the total cost was raised.
I started by determining which type of dwelling would be most beneficial because I think it's the most important decision. The other decision is what type of location. There are pretty much three locations: a beach, downtown, or away from the coast.
The biggest thing influencing this part of the decision is what area would have the biggest draw for people to come and visit. Unfortunately, I think the best place is also the most expensive. If I were to live on the beach people could visit from around the world and wouldn't need a vehicle in order to have a great time. They would be able to spend time on the beach and at the various small shops on the islands. I would also make sure there were bikes that could be used to ride off the island to bigger stores and other locations. I don't think it would be nearly as attractive to invite people to come stay at my house 30 minutes from the ocean. Unless I were to have a vehicle for these people to borrow, they would have to arrange transportation or spend most of their time away from the ocean. I just wouldn't be able to serve visitors the way I really want to serve them if I lived somewhere away from the coast. A place away from the ocean could still be used to bring people together, but I don't think that it would have the draw necessary to do it on a large scale, unless there were some other type of attraction.
CONCLUSION
I really want to find a place where I would be able to serve the people I know in Charleston, and also friends that I have from around the world. Personally, I think the best place to do that from would be a house near the beach. I think it sounds the most attractive to other people, and it has a lot more to offer for different options of what to do with time not spent on the beach. It would also be more attractive to the people I know in the Charleston area to offer a beach party followed by grilling out, rather than just asking people to come hang out in my grass yard.
As I was talking to the Lord about this earlier today and determining what situation would be ideal, I definitely had to ask myself if a beach house was really something that I should be looking for. Everyone would love to live in a beach house, and I didn't want my desire to live in a beach house stemming from selfishness and greed. I quickly came to peace with the idea of owning a beach house when I realized that I would be just as happy living in a shack as I would living in the beach house, as long as I was able to use the beach house to serve the people around me.
If you have any thoughts or ideas that could benefit me in finding a place to live that could be used to serve the people I hope to serve, please let me know.
PRAYER REQUEST
Please pray that God provides a place for me to live. God definitely met my needs for a place over the last few months and I know He will in the future. I really want to find a place that can be used to serve people, so please pray that God would provide something along those lines, regardless of location and type of dwelling. Maybe I'm wrong and the best thing would be to have an apartment away from the ocean, as long as God uses it to bring people together! I definitely don't have money right now to buy a house, and barely have money to rent an apartment, so my future is completely in God's hands, and I trust that He will provide something! I keep saying it over and over, but I just really really have a desire to serve people and bring people together, and I want my home to be a place that is used to do both those things on a daily basis. Please pray that my heart is in the right place in this desire, and that God would provide something where my passion for these things can be utilized.
I love you all. Thank you!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Adventure in the Lowcountry
I've never wanted to be a blogger before, and I'm not sure if I will continue to do this or if it is a one-time thing, but I know there are a lot of people at home wondering what I'm doing and what my life looks like in South Carolina. Plus, I had an experience tonight that led me to prayer, and during my time of prayer I felt God calling me to share my life with friends and family around the world. I'm going to break down my adventure into different sections so that you only have to read a little if you just want to know about one aspect of my life. At the very end I will share with you what happened tonight and why God put it on my heart to share all this with you.
HOW I GOT TO CHARLESTON
God has done so much to lead me here. I know that this is where I'm supposed to be. In December 2011 I was in Mexico with Max Oakes and his family. I met a man down there (Mark) who, after talking to me, had a very strong desire to help me find a job that I would love. He helped me start networking in Raleigh, NC and Greenville, SC. For a few months I did online job searches in these two cities, along with networking with whoever I could through the connections that Mark helped me get in touch with. I had no luck at all finding a job or even talking to anyone that could remotely help me.
I had a spring break the first week of April. Max asked me if I wanted to go out to Colorado to visit our friend Dylan for the first weekend of my break, and I couldn't say no to the mountains, so we went! I came back Monday evening with plans of possibly going down to the Carolinas on a prayer tour. I had really felt like God wanted me to come down here and check the area out to see if I was job searching in the right locations. Well, I didn't feel well after the trip to Colorado. I think I had a little altitude sickness and I was very tired from all the driving. I prayed heavily that if God wanted me to continue on my prayer tour the next day that I was going to have to feel better. I also prayed that if God didn't want me to come down that my car would break down before I left the state of Wisconsin. I didn't want to go on a wild goose chase.
I woke up that Tuesday, feeling great! So, I got in my car with what I needed for a week and drove down to the Carolinas. My plan was to go to Raleigh, Wilmington, Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. I saw God direct me to and from those cities by the experiences I had while I was in them. For example, I had car trouble in Raleigh, and I had a horrible time trying to get my car fixed so I could continue on my trip. Also, in Charleston I was able to talk with some of the nicest people I had ever met and got to spend some really good time in a couple great places.
So, I returned to Wisconsin feeling as if God wanted me in Charleston. It seemed like a great city. I had been praying that God would lead me through my passions and use my likes and dislikes to guide me. I love the mixture of people in Charleston. There is a constant flow of tourists that come in for the history of the city, plus a few tourists on the beaches. There are a lot of locals on the beach islands that are very easy to get to know. There are also a lot of college aged students and a large mixture of financial statuses. I didn't want to make the wrong decision though, so I continued to pray.
One night after having a lot of worry and doubts about my future, I prayed, asking God if this is really where He wanted me. I prayed for a long time, then went to sleep. I woke up the next morning having received an e-mail from a guy in Charleston telling me that he was trying to help me find a job and a place to live. I had emailed the guy like a week before, and I had concluded that he was never going to get back to me, but God showed me that the door was still open.
After a couple more weeks I started to worry again. I asked God if this was really where He wanted me and if He wanted me here for a long time or just for a short season. Immediately after praying I decided to go online and see if I could find any jobs available in the Charleston area. I found the first, and only, posted entry level architectural engineering job that I have found during my entire job search. God continued to show me that doors were going to be open for me to come down.
Here's the tricky part. Why would I come down to Charleston without a job or a place to live? I lived in my car for 3 or 4 days after moving down here. It wasn't comfortable. It wasn't what I wanted. But, God had put people in my life who shared their stories of how God provided for them and their friends when He had called them out of a place of comfort into an unknown area. God opened my eyes to the fact that He wanted me down here right away. He didn't want me to wait, so I came.
HOW GOD PROVIDED
After sleeping in my car for a few days I was to the point where I needed to find something else. I had spent time searching couchsurfer.com, craigslist, facebook, and emailing churches, trying to find any type of sleeping situation possible. I was tired of sleeping in my car, and really hadn't gotten any sleep because of the heat/humidity at night. I thought God may've been closing the door.
It was a Saturday and I was laying on the beach trying to figure out where God wanted me to be and a friend called me. I started talking to her about what I should do and she helped me remember that I was going to go to a Saturday church service at SeaCoast church. I got up from the beach real quick to go to Starbucks. (Side note- The GPS broke upon my arrival into Charleston. God clearly didn't want me to leave. I'm good with directions, but we'll call it a sign that I shouldn't leave. So, whenever I had to go anywhere, I had to take my laptop into Starbucks and look up directions.) I looked up directions quick and headed to church.
The church service was good, but I was really expecting something great, like... a place to live. So, after church I figured I'd see if the church had wireless, and they did. I got on my computer and started trying to figure out an affordable place to stay for that night. As I was on my computer I noticed a large number of young adults hanging around church. I went in to figure out what was going on. They were hosting a mixture of young musicians from the church in a concert-like setting in order to raise money for a mission's trip that some of the students were going on to Africa.
I started talking to students because I had nothing better to do. I had no where to go and no one to visit. The leader of the mission trip came up to me at one point and started asking me about me. The conversation got to the point where I told her I was sleeping in my car and that God had told me to come to Charleston, but that I was still unsure why. A girl heard me telling this woman that I was sleeping in my car and immediately told me that she had an extra bed available in her apartment that I could stay in as long as I needed to. I thought for sure God was going to provide something else quickly, so I jumped on the opportunity to have a place to stay for a few days. (God still has me in the same apartment, but the people I live with are great and loving and I couldn't ask for better roommates!)
Emily, the girl who offered her apartment to me, started bringing me with her everywhere she went. I was able to meet a ton of people very quickly. I also spent a lot of my time at the beach playing volleyball where I have also gotten to know a lot of great people. God has been bringing people into my life from so many different areas. I'll talk more about it later in WHAT GOD IS TEACHING ME.
JOB SEARCH
It was very difficult to sit back and wait for a job for the first couple weeks I was here. I felt worthless. I felt like I needed something right then. I thought God was going to bring me down here and give me something right away, and after I didn't get it I started to grow in concern with whether I was going to stay here or move back to Wisconsin.
After those couple weeks God began to show me the importance in being in Charleston without a job. He showed me that if I had been given a job before I came down here that I would most likely be going to work every day, followed by going to the gym, then going to wherever I was staying and calling it a night. I never would have been able to meet any of the people I have met and I would have been miserable, feeling lonely, and not knowing anyone here. God has definitely showed me the importance of patience and trusting Him.
During my time down here doors have opened, just to close. I think God wants me to stay awake and not give up on Him by reminding me that He can open a door if He wants to open a door.
I had an interview three weeks ago for a company called DWG. The position was for an architectural engineer with a mechanical emphasis. It was exactly what I went to school for. It's actually the company and job opening that I found and applied for after praying in mid-May. They had turned me down at that point in time, but my resume had re-entered the office through a connection I had made on LinkedIn with one of two principals from the company. They called me a few days later to bring me in for a second interview. The first interview had been short and sweet over the phone. They said they were going to call by this last Tuesday. I have called and emailed to find out what's going on, but I have not yet heard back.
This morning I went to an energy company where I was supposed to meet with a man I had met at church to talk to him about what I want to do in a career. Things went very well and I may be able to tell more later, but the company sounds great. It is a new company so there is a lot of opportunity for growth. I feel like I have a lot to offer the company and that God has placed it right into my hands. The owner talked as if maybe he would be offering me a job soon, but we will see. I know that God may close this door like He has with other things many times since I've been down here.
Between the two opportunities, I feel like I will have a job soon. Maybe God will close the doors to both of these companies, but I think there is a reason that the job search is starting to yield more opportunities, and I trust that God has plans to provide something soon.
WHAT GOD IS TEACHING ME
I have met a ton of people down here. People from a mixture of different churches, homeless people, college students, beach bums, gym rats, business owners, and many other people. God has been showing me very clearly that there is a problem with the "body of Christ". We are all supposed to be one body, yet the people I know from one church have no idea who the people are from another church. It seems that there are "bodies of Christ" that are all trying to survive and function separately. This shouldn't be. I have been seeing God use me to bring people together. Non-believers and believers. Believers of one church with believers of another church. God wants the church to be one community. Sure, there can be different leaders that may have different teaching styles, but God wants His body to be ONE, and I have been praying about that and seeking out how God may utilize me in bringing action into that thought.
God has taught me a ton about patience and listening. I never really knew how to listen to God. Everyone always told me to listen and sometimes I thought I heard something, but I was never sure. When you have nothing, and you trust God in everything, it's much easier to listen. And by listening in those situations, I was able to learn and understand listening to bring it into an area of my life where God has granted me a few things.
Growing from that thought. God hit me hard one of my first Sundays down here. I had gone from trusting God with everything to trying to take some relationships and situations into my own hands. God reminded me that we are supposed to crave pure spiritual milk, and also that He wants us to all come to Him as little children in order to enter into Heaven. When I came down to Charleston, I had nothing... everything I needed I had to get from God. I continually had to look to God for Him to lift the bottle of milk to my lips- the exact position He wants to have in every area of our lives. I realized that as I met more people and became more comfortable, I was trying to lift the bottle to my own lips. I was trying to "graduate" from certain areas of my life and trying to lift the bottle to my own lips. God doesn't want us to graduate. We're not smart enough or strong enough to do anything without God. We need to continually allow our Papa to lift the bottle to our lips in every area of our lives.
When I got down here I asked a guy at church to pray for me. I told him I wanted direction on what to do and where to turn. He told me he wasn't going to pray for direction, but for things to happen. At that point, I realized how selfish and non-trusting I was being by wanting God to show me where I was going. I have shared with a lot of people the picture God put in my head before I came down here. I was walking down a small trail behind God, who was the size of the Hulk. I kept trying to see passed Him, under Him, over Him... I couldn't see anything. After I struggled forever to see passed God, He turned around and said "Why are you so worried, you're following me." I realized I don't need to know where I'm going. I need to trust God to take me where He wants me to be. All I need to do is continue to walk, staring at the back of the Hulk, knowing that every step I take is a step in the right direction as long as I am staring at the back of God.
MINISTRIES (And the story from today)
God has been showing me a lot of opportunity for ministry, and I'm currently not sure where He wants me to be in the future. All I know is where He has me right now and what He has been using me for recently.
I have been meeting a ton of people at the beach. I spend a lot of time playing volleyball, and there is a pretty consistent group of locals that hang out around the volleyball court and play when we get enough people. It's been great getting to know people and meet new people. Having friends from church is great, but eating with the tax collectors is so much better! I see God using my attitude and my personality to be a part of these people's lives, and I hope that even after I get a job He will continue to use me in this area.
God has also been using me to bring people together. I have seen great relationships established through me inviting two groups of people to the same place and allowing them to meet each other. This is just an area where I feel God is showing me that His church is divided, when He wants to see us function as one body.
God has also placed it on my heart recently to get involved with high school or middle school ministry. I have not yet begun anything in this area, but I am praying about it and seeing where God may lead it.
So, what happened tonight!?!
I met with a homeless man a couple weeks ago. I thought I was going to go out to a bar with a guy I had met a few days before. I was on the way to meet up with him when this man asked me to buy him some sardines. Now, if I have the opportunity to talk to a homeless man instead of just providing for their needs, then I'm going to talk with them. I got the sardines and brought them to the man (Jimmy), which ended up leading us into a 2-3 hour conversation. He talked to me about his life, from his childhood, through his time in the navy, to his time as a father, and through tears... told me that he was told he had 9 weeks to live in 2009 and his wife got scared and left him for another guy, leaving him on the streets with nowhere to go. He shared with me that he hasn't seen his firstborn daughter since a few months after she was born, and that he has tried to find her but hasn't been able to. He desperately wants to meet her and hear her voice. She's 42 years old. This man broke my heart and I have been trying to help him find his daughter through the help of some great friends and the facebook newsfeed.
While I was talking to that man, other homeless men came up to us and talked to us. I couldn't help but offer them the opportunity to have dinner on me as well. No one turned it down. Three men had dinner that night.
Tonight, I went out looking for Jimmy to see if I could find more information on his daughter so that I could tell my friend who is trying to help me locate her. I didn't find Jimmy, but I found Patrick. Patrick was trying to sell sawgrass roses in order to make enough money to buy some dinner. I had a chocolate shake when I ran into him and told him I'd be happy to buy him one as well. We then talked for two hours. He told me about his history as an atheist and how God has been showing up more and more in his life lately. I told him all the ways God has provided for me since I've been down here, and how I really felt that God wanted me to meet with him tonight. He was extremely touched by my kindness and very encouraged by the things I was able to share with him.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP?
First of all, God listens to prayer, and He answers. So I ask you to pray for me. Pray for the ministries God has given me. Ask God to use me, regardless of where that may lead me. Ask God to use me as a light in dark places and to by continually unashamed by the Gospel.
Second, God really put it on my heart tonight to bring this to the people in my life who may have a tug on their heart to find a ministry to donate toward. I spent 18 dollars on homeless people tonight. That may not seem like a lot, but until God provides an income for me, it's 18 dollars I'm not replacing anytime soon. I was also embraced by 4 homeless men tonight, and got to share the reason for my gift with 2 of them.
I want to be able to continue to do this, and I will until I run out of money, but God put it on my heart to share this opportunity with you. If God is telling you to be a part in this, I want to guarantee you that every dollar I receive will go right back to serve the people in the Charleston community. If you have questions, please feel free to facebook message me, call me at 262-930-9046, or email me at kevdeboer@gmail.com. I want the name of Jesus to be known in this city. I want these homeless men to know that God loves them and that He cares about their every need. I want to feel their hugs and be able to calm the storms in their lives by offering them the Man who calmed the rage in the sea.
If you feel led to be a part of this, you can send a check to me at:
231 Coming St.
Apt C
Charleston, SC 29403
There is a ton more happening down here in my life and through my life. I wish I could write it all out but I've already written a book. Hopefully I can keep everyone updated with what's happening and how ministry continues to grow.
Definitely contact me if you have any questions or concerns. If you want to know more, contact me. If you want to talk, call me. Right now, ministry is all I have, and I want to make the best of it.
I love you all!
Kevin
HOW I GOT TO CHARLESTON
God has done so much to lead me here. I know that this is where I'm supposed to be. In December 2011 I was in Mexico with Max Oakes and his family. I met a man down there (Mark) who, after talking to me, had a very strong desire to help me find a job that I would love. He helped me start networking in Raleigh, NC and Greenville, SC. For a few months I did online job searches in these two cities, along with networking with whoever I could through the connections that Mark helped me get in touch with. I had no luck at all finding a job or even talking to anyone that could remotely help me.
I had a spring break the first week of April. Max asked me if I wanted to go out to Colorado to visit our friend Dylan for the first weekend of my break, and I couldn't say no to the mountains, so we went! I came back Monday evening with plans of possibly going down to the Carolinas on a prayer tour. I had really felt like God wanted me to come down here and check the area out to see if I was job searching in the right locations. Well, I didn't feel well after the trip to Colorado. I think I had a little altitude sickness and I was very tired from all the driving. I prayed heavily that if God wanted me to continue on my prayer tour the next day that I was going to have to feel better. I also prayed that if God didn't want me to come down that my car would break down before I left the state of Wisconsin. I didn't want to go on a wild goose chase.
I woke up that Tuesday, feeling great! So, I got in my car with what I needed for a week and drove down to the Carolinas. My plan was to go to Raleigh, Wilmington, Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. I saw God direct me to and from those cities by the experiences I had while I was in them. For example, I had car trouble in Raleigh, and I had a horrible time trying to get my car fixed so I could continue on my trip. Also, in Charleston I was able to talk with some of the nicest people I had ever met and got to spend some really good time in a couple great places.
So, I returned to Wisconsin feeling as if God wanted me in Charleston. It seemed like a great city. I had been praying that God would lead me through my passions and use my likes and dislikes to guide me. I love the mixture of people in Charleston. There is a constant flow of tourists that come in for the history of the city, plus a few tourists on the beaches. There are a lot of locals on the beach islands that are very easy to get to know. There are also a lot of college aged students and a large mixture of financial statuses. I didn't want to make the wrong decision though, so I continued to pray.
One night after having a lot of worry and doubts about my future, I prayed, asking God if this is really where He wanted me. I prayed for a long time, then went to sleep. I woke up the next morning having received an e-mail from a guy in Charleston telling me that he was trying to help me find a job and a place to live. I had emailed the guy like a week before, and I had concluded that he was never going to get back to me, but God showed me that the door was still open.
After a couple more weeks I started to worry again. I asked God if this was really where He wanted me and if He wanted me here for a long time or just for a short season. Immediately after praying I decided to go online and see if I could find any jobs available in the Charleston area. I found the first, and only, posted entry level architectural engineering job that I have found during my entire job search. God continued to show me that doors were going to be open for me to come down.
Here's the tricky part. Why would I come down to Charleston without a job or a place to live? I lived in my car for 3 or 4 days after moving down here. It wasn't comfortable. It wasn't what I wanted. But, God had put people in my life who shared their stories of how God provided for them and their friends when He had called them out of a place of comfort into an unknown area. God opened my eyes to the fact that He wanted me down here right away. He didn't want me to wait, so I came.
HOW GOD PROVIDED
After sleeping in my car for a few days I was to the point where I needed to find something else. I had spent time searching couchsurfer.com, craigslist, facebook, and emailing churches, trying to find any type of sleeping situation possible. I was tired of sleeping in my car, and really hadn't gotten any sleep because of the heat/humidity at night. I thought God may've been closing the door.
It was a Saturday and I was laying on the beach trying to figure out where God wanted me to be and a friend called me. I started talking to her about what I should do and she helped me remember that I was going to go to a Saturday church service at SeaCoast church. I got up from the beach real quick to go to Starbucks. (Side note- The GPS broke upon my arrival into Charleston. God clearly didn't want me to leave. I'm good with directions, but we'll call it a sign that I shouldn't leave. So, whenever I had to go anywhere, I had to take my laptop into Starbucks and look up directions.) I looked up directions quick and headed to church.
The church service was good, but I was really expecting something great, like... a place to live. So, after church I figured I'd see if the church had wireless, and they did. I got on my computer and started trying to figure out an affordable place to stay for that night. As I was on my computer I noticed a large number of young adults hanging around church. I went in to figure out what was going on. They were hosting a mixture of young musicians from the church in a concert-like setting in order to raise money for a mission's trip that some of the students were going on to Africa.
I started talking to students because I had nothing better to do. I had no where to go and no one to visit. The leader of the mission trip came up to me at one point and started asking me about me. The conversation got to the point where I told her I was sleeping in my car and that God had told me to come to Charleston, but that I was still unsure why. A girl heard me telling this woman that I was sleeping in my car and immediately told me that she had an extra bed available in her apartment that I could stay in as long as I needed to. I thought for sure God was going to provide something else quickly, so I jumped on the opportunity to have a place to stay for a few days. (God still has me in the same apartment, but the people I live with are great and loving and I couldn't ask for better roommates!)
Emily, the girl who offered her apartment to me, started bringing me with her everywhere she went. I was able to meet a ton of people very quickly. I also spent a lot of my time at the beach playing volleyball where I have also gotten to know a lot of great people. God has been bringing people into my life from so many different areas. I'll talk more about it later in WHAT GOD IS TEACHING ME.
JOB SEARCH
It was very difficult to sit back and wait for a job for the first couple weeks I was here. I felt worthless. I felt like I needed something right then. I thought God was going to bring me down here and give me something right away, and after I didn't get it I started to grow in concern with whether I was going to stay here or move back to Wisconsin.
After those couple weeks God began to show me the importance in being in Charleston without a job. He showed me that if I had been given a job before I came down here that I would most likely be going to work every day, followed by going to the gym, then going to wherever I was staying and calling it a night. I never would have been able to meet any of the people I have met and I would have been miserable, feeling lonely, and not knowing anyone here. God has definitely showed me the importance of patience and trusting Him.
During my time down here doors have opened, just to close. I think God wants me to stay awake and not give up on Him by reminding me that He can open a door if He wants to open a door.
I had an interview three weeks ago for a company called DWG. The position was for an architectural engineer with a mechanical emphasis. It was exactly what I went to school for. It's actually the company and job opening that I found and applied for after praying in mid-May. They had turned me down at that point in time, but my resume had re-entered the office through a connection I had made on LinkedIn with one of two principals from the company. They called me a few days later to bring me in for a second interview. The first interview had been short and sweet over the phone. They said they were going to call by this last Tuesday. I have called and emailed to find out what's going on, but I have not yet heard back.
This morning I went to an energy company where I was supposed to meet with a man I had met at church to talk to him about what I want to do in a career. Things went very well and I may be able to tell more later, but the company sounds great. It is a new company so there is a lot of opportunity for growth. I feel like I have a lot to offer the company and that God has placed it right into my hands. The owner talked as if maybe he would be offering me a job soon, but we will see. I know that God may close this door like He has with other things many times since I've been down here.
Between the two opportunities, I feel like I will have a job soon. Maybe God will close the doors to both of these companies, but I think there is a reason that the job search is starting to yield more opportunities, and I trust that God has plans to provide something soon.
WHAT GOD IS TEACHING ME
I have met a ton of people down here. People from a mixture of different churches, homeless people, college students, beach bums, gym rats, business owners, and many other people. God has been showing me very clearly that there is a problem with the "body of Christ". We are all supposed to be one body, yet the people I know from one church have no idea who the people are from another church. It seems that there are "bodies of Christ" that are all trying to survive and function separately. This shouldn't be. I have been seeing God use me to bring people together. Non-believers and believers. Believers of one church with believers of another church. God wants the church to be one community. Sure, there can be different leaders that may have different teaching styles, but God wants His body to be ONE, and I have been praying about that and seeking out how God may utilize me in bringing action into that thought.
God has taught me a ton about patience and listening. I never really knew how to listen to God. Everyone always told me to listen and sometimes I thought I heard something, but I was never sure. When you have nothing, and you trust God in everything, it's much easier to listen. And by listening in those situations, I was able to learn and understand listening to bring it into an area of my life where God has granted me a few things.
Growing from that thought. God hit me hard one of my first Sundays down here. I had gone from trusting God with everything to trying to take some relationships and situations into my own hands. God reminded me that we are supposed to crave pure spiritual milk, and also that He wants us to all come to Him as little children in order to enter into Heaven. When I came down to Charleston, I had nothing... everything I needed I had to get from God. I continually had to look to God for Him to lift the bottle of milk to my lips- the exact position He wants to have in every area of our lives. I realized that as I met more people and became more comfortable, I was trying to lift the bottle to my own lips. I was trying to "graduate" from certain areas of my life and trying to lift the bottle to my own lips. God doesn't want us to graduate. We're not smart enough or strong enough to do anything without God. We need to continually allow our Papa to lift the bottle to our lips in every area of our lives.
When I got down here I asked a guy at church to pray for me. I told him I wanted direction on what to do and where to turn. He told me he wasn't going to pray for direction, but for things to happen. At that point, I realized how selfish and non-trusting I was being by wanting God to show me where I was going. I have shared with a lot of people the picture God put in my head before I came down here. I was walking down a small trail behind God, who was the size of the Hulk. I kept trying to see passed Him, under Him, over Him... I couldn't see anything. After I struggled forever to see passed God, He turned around and said "Why are you so worried, you're following me." I realized I don't need to know where I'm going. I need to trust God to take me where He wants me to be. All I need to do is continue to walk, staring at the back of the Hulk, knowing that every step I take is a step in the right direction as long as I am staring at the back of God.
MINISTRIES (And the story from today)
God has been showing me a lot of opportunity for ministry, and I'm currently not sure where He wants me to be in the future. All I know is where He has me right now and what He has been using me for recently.
I have been meeting a ton of people at the beach. I spend a lot of time playing volleyball, and there is a pretty consistent group of locals that hang out around the volleyball court and play when we get enough people. It's been great getting to know people and meet new people. Having friends from church is great, but eating with the tax collectors is so much better! I see God using my attitude and my personality to be a part of these people's lives, and I hope that even after I get a job He will continue to use me in this area.
God has also been using me to bring people together. I have seen great relationships established through me inviting two groups of people to the same place and allowing them to meet each other. This is just an area where I feel God is showing me that His church is divided, when He wants to see us function as one body.
God has also placed it on my heart recently to get involved with high school or middle school ministry. I have not yet begun anything in this area, but I am praying about it and seeing where God may lead it.
So, what happened tonight!?!
I met with a homeless man a couple weeks ago. I thought I was going to go out to a bar with a guy I had met a few days before. I was on the way to meet up with him when this man asked me to buy him some sardines. Now, if I have the opportunity to talk to a homeless man instead of just providing for their needs, then I'm going to talk with them. I got the sardines and brought them to the man (Jimmy), which ended up leading us into a 2-3 hour conversation. He talked to me about his life, from his childhood, through his time in the navy, to his time as a father, and through tears... told me that he was told he had 9 weeks to live in 2009 and his wife got scared and left him for another guy, leaving him on the streets with nowhere to go. He shared with me that he hasn't seen his firstborn daughter since a few months after she was born, and that he has tried to find her but hasn't been able to. He desperately wants to meet her and hear her voice. She's 42 years old. This man broke my heart and I have been trying to help him find his daughter through the help of some great friends and the facebook newsfeed.
While I was talking to that man, other homeless men came up to us and talked to us. I couldn't help but offer them the opportunity to have dinner on me as well. No one turned it down. Three men had dinner that night.
Tonight, I went out looking for Jimmy to see if I could find more information on his daughter so that I could tell my friend who is trying to help me locate her. I didn't find Jimmy, but I found Patrick. Patrick was trying to sell sawgrass roses in order to make enough money to buy some dinner. I had a chocolate shake when I ran into him and told him I'd be happy to buy him one as well. We then talked for two hours. He told me about his history as an atheist and how God has been showing up more and more in his life lately. I told him all the ways God has provided for me since I've been down here, and how I really felt that God wanted me to meet with him tonight. He was extremely touched by my kindness and very encouraged by the things I was able to share with him.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP?
First of all, God listens to prayer, and He answers. So I ask you to pray for me. Pray for the ministries God has given me. Ask God to use me, regardless of where that may lead me. Ask God to use me as a light in dark places and to by continually unashamed by the Gospel.
Second, God really put it on my heart tonight to bring this to the people in my life who may have a tug on their heart to find a ministry to donate toward. I spent 18 dollars on homeless people tonight. That may not seem like a lot, but until God provides an income for me, it's 18 dollars I'm not replacing anytime soon. I was also embraced by 4 homeless men tonight, and got to share the reason for my gift with 2 of them.
I want to be able to continue to do this, and I will until I run out of money, but God put it on my heart to share this opportunity with you. If God is telling you to be a part in this, I want to guarantee you that every dollar I receive will go right back to serve the people in the Charleston community. If you have questions, please feel free to facebook message me, call me at 262-930-9046, or email me at kevdeboer@gmail.com. I want the name of Jesus to be known in this city. I want these homeless men to know that God loves them and that He cares about their every need. I want to feel their hugs and be able to calm the storms in their lives by offering them the Man who calmed the rage in the sea.
If you feel led to be a part of this, you can send a check to me at:
231 Coming St.
Apt C
Charleston, SC 29403
There is a ton more happening down here in my life and through my life. I wish I could write it all out but I've already written a book. Hopefully I can keep everyone updated with what's happening and how ministry continues to grow.
Definitely contact me if you have any questions or concerns. If you want to know more, contact me. If you want to talk, call me. Right now, ministry is all I have, and I want to make the best of it.
I love you all!
Kevin
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