You make beautiful things out of us!

I remember like it was yesterday.  I wanted a family so bad, I wanted to be married, I wanted to be a father.  Maybe you were like me and had this plan in your mind.  I wanted to be married with kids by my 30th birthday.  That day quickly came and passed and my plan was ruined.  I remember looking back and realizing that I focused so much on my job and wanting to get things in order before I settled down. Sitting there at 30 I started to wonder if I would ever have a family, I wondered if I messed it all up focusing on the wrong things.

All this pain

I wonder if I’ll ever find my way

I wonder if my life could really change at all

All this earth

Could all that is lost ever be found

Could a garden come up from this ground at all

Little did I know that God had a larger plan.

All around

Hope is springing up from this old ground

Out of chaos life is being found in You

You see when I was 22 years old my sons were born, I just didn't know that. Nor did I know how these young men would change my life. I wasn't ready for them at 22, nor was I ready for them at 30.  God had work that he still needed to do in my life.

You make me new, You are making me new

You make me new, You are making me new

I remember when I received the call from Krista Davis asking me about the boys.  I remember the night before I met them, I got scared and thought I couldn't afford this-I couldn't pay for the adoption process, how would I be able to care for them?  I remember deciding that I couldn't move forward. No one would blame me, I felt like everything and everyone around me was saying you shouldn't do this or you can't do this (no one was saying this, it was just in my head). On my way home from "Food Club" the song "The Voice of Truth" came on and it felt like God was singing that song directly to me.  I sat in my truck listening to every word as tears rolled down my face. I felt peace, I knew I could only do this with God's strength.

All around

Hope is springing up from this old ground

Out of chaos life is being found in You

May 21st, 2012, three years ago today my life was changed forever. These two boys mean the world to me.

If things stopped there it still would have been an amazing God redeeming story, but it didn't.  You see God used these two to shape my life and prepare me for even more that He had in store for me. They prepared my heart for my future wife and family.

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of us

Today we celebrate much more than just the three of us coming together three years ago.  We celebrate the wonderful family God prepared for us all!!

The time is now! not after I… or when I….

I have been praying and thinking about this post for over a month.  I can't get it out of my mind for many reasons, here are some:

Every time I hear this song it brings me back to the same place and thoughts,
Every time I think about the Food Drive I think about this,
Every time the Care Center is open and I watch our volunteers serve our friends, I think about this!

This world is full of Christians, but for most its just words.  This world is falling apart and it is dying faster than we can make disciples.  There is evil, hurt, pain, suffering, sinfulness, pride, etc. in this world.  There are also busy schedules, selfish desires, and "let someone else do it" attitudes.

We just ended a 90 day challenge at our church. We have heard stories of life change as people spent 10 min a day in the word, gave 10% of their income and served 10 hours a month.  I have seen even more!  I have had the privilege of watching peoples lives changed forever!  They were busy also, they had little ones, they had all the things going on in your life.  They made a decision, and their action (not their words) has changed them forever.

The lyrics below will bring out one of two main responses.

Either Amen, I am in, Lets go! Or I can't, not now, I am too busy, or even rolling of the eyes. I pray that it is the first one.  If its not please take some time and really think if there is a change needed in your life.

Here are the lyrics to the Matthew West song "Do Something"!

I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”

Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

I’m so tired of talking
About how we are God’s hands and feet
But it’s easier to say than to be
Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves
It’s alright, “somebody else will do something”
Well, I don’t know about you
But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire
I don’t want a flame, I want a fire
I wanna be the one who stands up and says,
“I’m gonna do something”

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

We are the salt of the earth
We are a city on a hill (shine shine, shine shine)
But we’re never gonna change the world
By standing still
No we won’t stand still
No we won’t stand still
No we won’t stand still


If you agree that this world is a mess, the same world that your children will soon be responsible for-then its time our actions speak louder than words!

We are plan A and there isn't a plan B!

We need to stop living selfish lives, instead live loving lives serving others!

We need to be examples to our children and show them serving others DAILY is the only way!

We need to start now.
There are families around us all that need our help!
There are children that live in our neighborhoods who need our help!
People are hurting, lonely and starving next door to us and we can help!

I remember this poem or saying I read 15 years ago before I was a christian!

It 100 years it won't matter how much money I had in the bank, what type of car I drove and how big my house was.  It will only matter the impact that I had on the lives of the children (and people) around me.

When you and I look back 10, 20 or 50 years from now-will we wish we would have done more? Will this world be a better place for our children because of what you have done?

Where to start?
If you are not already engaged in something that is life changing for others on a weekly basis, then start somewhere.
If you are engaged in something, are you serving weekly? If not what could you change in your schedule to do that?

We can change this world, we can help those around us! We need to start now.  If we all do, I mean ALL of us-this world will change overnight! We can end hunger, I firmly believe we can.  To me that isn't a slogan or a life motto.  I firmly believe God has shown a way to start loving on people and changing this world and its through serving those who are hungry.  If that is true, or maybe its ending something else in this world through our actions, and we don't do it-that's not a legacy I want to leave!

I pray that you change your life and you start today. Whatever you are doing, can't you do more?
Jesus came and showed us the way. It was all about serving and loving those around us.

If not you then who?

Walking in someone else's shoes

I sit here thinking about past conversations and postings people put on Facebook when it comes to helping others. My mind is flooded with thoughts, it feels like I live in two different worlds. Many of you will stop reading this before you get through the first world.  Its the second world that you need to read-it will change your life forever.

The first world
It's the one we all live in, average america where people are complaining about many different things and offering opinion as facts.
1. My personal favorite (not) is when people talk about those in need.  They need to just get a job, they are lazy, they are living off the tax payers money, they are cheating the system, they are buying junk food, they are doing drugs, etc. Really? What if all that is true? Couldn't we say the same about the people around us that are not on welfare? Also if you were in their shoes how would you respond? I am not sure I wouldn't do anything different. Living in survival mode, trying to make it day by day, is very different then surviving your day because of the busy schedule our over involved family members are in.
2. The person holding a sign in need is very black and white when it comes to reactions.

Either people give them money or they give you the opinion on why you are wrong to do so! I believe in giving them money, if God owns it all anyway-does it matter what they use it on? I am giving it with no strings attached. I am giving it as a means of hope. I am giving it to give back some of their dignity and let them know they are not invisible. As soon as it leaves my hand and I say goodbye, what they do with it is between God and them. I don't know about you but I still struggle and haven't figured out a way to live my life financially pleasing God with all my choices.  Since I have work to do with spending my money in a Godly way, not sure I should judge someone else in how they are spending their money. Also I have never been homeless, I have always had shelter and food.  I am not sure what its like to sit or stand in the brutal cold holding a sign hoping someone will give me something so I can eat that day or feed my family.  Not sure what it's like people driving by or walking by looking the other way as if I don't even exists. I don't know how it feels to starve and to not provide for my family who is starving. Would I turn to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain? To get a moment of escape from the life I am living? I think I would, I am only human.

So before you give opinions, thoughts or comments-go walk in their shoes first! I know I need to be reminded of this daily as well.


The second world
I get to experience this world on Monday and Tuesday's from 6-8 and Wed mornings from 10-12. I get to experience this with 200-250 other people every week as we share this experience with over 325 families. This world is different and even the people are different during the above time frames.  The experience that happens is one of molding clay-a work in progress so to speak.
These 250 different volunteers live crazy busy lives also.  They have work and school to get through, and after school activities. They have dinners to prepare for and stuff to do like all of us. But somehow they open their schedules just enough to allow the potter to mold his clay.


This world is different, judgement is replaced by Care. Looking the other way is replaced by an open hand. Busy unconnected lives are replaced by interlocking hands praying together and praying for one another.

In this world…..
To see the smile as the door is open,
To see the greeting as they walk in the room,
To see the comfort that is given to the first timer,
To see the explanation of the choices this week,
To see the hugs of embrace as they walk in the pantry,
To see the tears as they choose items their family needs,
To see the care of the items being placed from cart to bags,
To see the humble placement of their bags into their vehicles,
To see the Holy Spirit embrace the prayers,
To see the person in need walk through this and become a friend!
To see the volunteer be changed forever!

This world is different indeed.  Yes we feed those in need, but what is happening is way more than that. They walk in for food and leave with the sustainer of life. Along the way they become our friends and we are forever changed.

Tired of the first world? Come join us weekly!
If you are in need of help, we are here to become your friend.
If you are in need to help, God is here to change your life forever!

Find out more at gracechurchin.org/carecenter

Heartbreak to Love

February is a special month for many of us.  It is the month that I was born in, but to most of us it represents LOVE. I can think back over my lifetime and this month wasn't always special. For two of my loves, it also hasn't always been a special month.

Here is a special glimpse into their hearts...

The boys were abandonded by their biological mother in February 2011. It was a sad and scary time for both of them not knowing what was happening to them and what their future would be.  God knew exactly how the next few months would unfold, but today they shared something special with me.  A song came on the radio that really means something to them.  It was the first Christian song that comforted them and they quickly learned the lyrics.  Christian music has played a significant role in our lives and God has used music to speak to us.  Our family song is Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns, that song was used to bring the three of us together. But more on that later, there is another song more important that I want to focus on.

So the song on the radio today comforted the boys while they were in dark times. As I drove down the road it was hard to hold back the tears as the three of us sang the lyrics to this song.  The boys explained to me that the song gave them hope and drew them closer together during those rough times.  Their love for one another held them together and helped them weather the storm.  "My brother's keeper" has a very different meaning to them!

Here are the lyrics……

                   "Hold Us Together" Matt Maher

It don't have a job, don't pay your bills
Won't buy you a home in Beverly Hills
Won't fix your life in five easy steps
Ain't the law of the land or the government?
But it's all you need

And love will hold us together
Make us a shelter to weather the storm
And I'll be my brother's keeper
So the whole world would know that we're not alone

It's waiting for you knocking at your door
In the moment of truth when your heart hits the floor
And you're on your knees

And love will hold us together
Make us a shelter to weather the storm
And I'll be my brother's keeper
So the whole world would know that we're not alone

This is the first day of the rest of your life
This is the first day of the rest of your life
'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light
It's gonna be alright, it's gonna be alright

Love will always hold us together and now as a larger family we have more love that will shelter us through the storms of life! So always know you will never be alone again!