This morning I was told by a 5 year old that God wasn't real and neither was Jesus for that matter. Now, I've been in ministry for 10 years and, without a doubt, I've prayed with...encouraged...and taught many along the way. I've learned that you never really know when "ministry" happens. Even in all your preparation, planning, scheming, and dreaming....you just never know when God will use you...we just have to be ready. We have quite a blessed family...7 kids in all. They range in ages from 16 down to 18 months. On good days I can recall birth dates and ages (and even my anniversary if I try real hard). Our youngest ones have been saturated in Christian living since birth...as long as they can remember. It's been a lifestyle for them...church, AWANA, and they are even blessed to attend a Christian school. Most mornings I have the honor of driving my daughter and my son to school. We have a blast on this 15 minute trip! Usually singing praise songs (lately they've been begging for Tomlin's "sing, sing, sing"). We rock it out...just our little 3-man air band. This morning, between songs, Corban (my 5 year old) makes his big announcement (that God wasn't real)...and my response is just as important for me to remember as it is for him.
I loved watching the smile on his face as I responded to the crisis of belief in his little mind. He didn't even need to respond, it was a big "amen!". I said, "Corban....if God isn't real then: who made the sun rise this morning, can any person do that? And who hung the stars in place, could any of us ball up stars in our hands and toss them up to the sky? And what about the air we are breathing, who gave us that? And where does love come from, can we make that? And why would we sing to Him every morning?". Bless her heart, my 8 year old daughter chimes in with the rhetorical question...."yeah, and who heals us?" His grin confirmed his error and was proof of his re-affirmed belief.
So, I guess God addresses the doubts in my little mind the same way this morning. He says, "Ron...am I really able to be the giver and sustainer of your whole life? And will you trust Me with every part of your life...even the parts you don't think you need My help with? And am I able to provide your every need even in a troubled economy? And am I able to heal the hopeless around you? And, by the way, where does hope come from anyhow, who created it? And am I able to humble kings and kingdoms for My sake? And who can over-throw the proud and raise up the humble? And who fills the hungry and ushers in justice? And who brings mercy to generation upon generation?And....and....and......" This morning I feel a little like Job and utter similar sentiments..."Lord, I know that you can do all things, and no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who am I to worry...or doubt....or question? You are sovereign and you supply our every need. We have heard of You but, because of Your work in our lives, we can now see Your love and provision. I repent in dust and ashes."
After my declaration of truth in the car, we went on to the next song in our set and I have to tell you, our little 3-man air-band sang "sing, sing, sing" with more belief than ever.....
He's worthy of everything we have...it's all His.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
and they do crash...
There is no greater impotence in all the world like knowing your are right and the the wave of the world is wrong, yet the wave crashed upon you.
-Norman Mailer
I was born and grown in Indiana. Darcy and I met in a field, near a pig barn, north of US 33 in the mid-80's. We never dated until after we both were out of high school. Our life together was jump-started with the birth of our boys...just 13 months apart. It wasn't long after our boys were born and we were "doing" life that we began to stumble on questions of how to raise our them. Because of an invitation, we began getting involved with a community of believer's in an growing church. Our life would never be the same. I guess you could say that our hearts were as fertile and the black fields of Northern Indiana. Seed fell, it was nurtured, and our Spirits grew.
One of the families that we spent many years serving alongside ended up leaving the church the same year as us...and for the same reason: to go and serve a people group. They too have an amazing God story. As we left for the mountains of Arizona, they left for Zimbabwe. In just 10 years time, I am in awe of what God has done through them. They have established a self-sufficient AIDS orphanage, and all from nothing. This is a farm that feeds the community and is a home for precious children that need care...Eden's Children Village has become an amazing work of God, and all through simple servants...
I'd say it's true that what may be a dangerous idea to some almost makes sense to others of us. And as witnesses and servants to the Almighty, the messengers of His good news...I hope that we are all intently working on the destruction left by the storms of this life. As our battle here against the effects of alcohol, drugs, and physical and mental abuse rages on, our friends in Zimbabwe face the tyranny of a corrupt government and a ruthless leader that threatens to burn down the farm and kill. Both atrocities cry out for Divine interruption. Let's be honest...we are fools if we don't recognize that we have an enemy that seeks to fight until we lose hope and stop believing that He can make all things right. I know that I've been slapped around more than once and I have to admit that my faith is sometimes weak as doubt and frustration creep in. But lest I get too comfortable in my pity and entertain thoughts of apathy (to come and take the pain of being so close to suffering away), I must find the strength to pray and claw my way back to understanding that my Hope is in the Lord...the battle isn't mine.
Late last summer I gave a message at the funeral of a 16-year old Apache girl. It was a heart-breaking ordeal but I had the chance to spend time with some of her friends that really needed hope. One of the girls, that I tried to reach out to during that time, still comes around our youth center. I always go out of my way to try to talk to her. I'm usually the last person that she wants to see...and she usually makes sure that I know that. I've gathered that she's been mis-handled her whole life and her scars show it. It saddens and disturbs me that such a precious child has had to take such abuse. And even though she was always sure to reject and curse me, I tried to show Jesus's love and model of His grace. That pattern didn't stop until yesterday. As I was working behind the counter at our youth center she came up to me and asked me if I had time to talk...
I love the word empathy (the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another). And I think that Jesus had a lot of it. This is the word that best describes my feelings as I'm listening to broken and confused souls. Empathizing with someone helps me to understand where they've been. And with that understanding comes a realization that answers aren't simple, and solutions will take resources, sacrifice, and discipline. As she cried she shared what I had suspected all along and what the cuts on her arms testified to...I was talking to a lovely girl who had been broken by her environment over and over again. And each time she healed her scars got a little thicker. So there I was looking at a very scarred little 16-year old...afraid to let anyone close to her again for fear of the hidden weapon. This hurdle between us was only knocked over by showing continued love and grace amidst relentless rejection. Which is exactly the kind of patience God shows towards us (thankfully). So she shares that she's been neglected, used, and abused everything from alcohol to cocaine to meth. She sobbing that she doesn't have any hope and doesn't know where to turn. She thinks her alcoholic mother and non-existent dad both hate her. She considers suicide but stops short when she thinks of her little sister...who would take care of her? She shared, I listened, we prayed and as I headed to my car (asking God why it has to be)...I see her and her sister walking down the sidewalk towards home...alone.
I wish it weren't true. I wish it didn't have to be like this. I wish I had a solution for her, to pluck her from her sin infested environment. But I don't. And although I could list many, many wishes I'll always come back to the Gift. The Gift given to me (and her) that if I would only trust...and wait...and pray...and perservere....He is faithful to give us more than we could ever ask for or imagine. And oh, how I wish we could all pray that prayer on behalf of others hurt instead of our pocketbooks, or church buildings, or vehicles...or comfort.
So...Sarah....Kevin....Susan....the families of "Eden"....and those of you who may be hurting too....this song's for you.....May the Lord empower us to fight through these storms together and I pray that we will not be made impotent by the waves of wrongs in this world.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Hearing Voices
I've been thinking over the past few weeks about voices. There are so many "voices" all around us. I watched an incredible teaching by John Elderidge on quieting ourselves to hear the voice of God. Heck, I'll admit, I can barely quiet myself long enough to listen to God among my long list of requests and inquiries. I had a student come into my office and confide in me that the reason he doesn't want to go home at night is because he hears voices whispering bad things to him. And no, I don't think he's crazy. Our enemy wants to torment us...make us miserable. And these things freak me out. It's during these times that we pray for miracles and hope that the words that trickle out of our mouths are planted into hearts of fertile soil and take hold. These things take incredible faith and trust in our Lord. This student told me his faith is weak and he doubts...and so mine can be, brother. I don't deal with these demonic voices. Sometimes I deal with worse. Apathy, sarcasm, fear, doubt, judgment, discouragement...and I could go on. But, this is what I expect. If we are going to press on and believe that our God wants us to serve Him and others and make gains for Him...shouldn't we expect some opposition? Is my "martyrdom" somehow worse than those who've gone before me? I hardly think so! And when I need strength, He is there. And I...I share the setiments of Moses in Exodus 33. God, If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. And He promises me that His Presence will go with me, and He will give me rest. And I pray, like Moses, God...if your Presence does not go with me please don't even send me because I'll just end up looking like everyone else (and probably make a mess). And I pray that God will show me His glory...it's all around. In the mountains, in my friends, family, co-laborers, in the canyons, and if I look real close and pray real hard...I will see it in my "enemies".
Lord, hide me in some cleft...protect me...and help me to know exactly when you pass by. You alone make this life enjoyable...help me to reach out to others and love them like you love them (and me.)
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Finding Homes...for Hope
Not long after we moved onto the reservation one of the students that was attending our home bible study came slowly riding down our street on horseback. A completely awesome picture of a way of life I wasn’t accustomed to. Before I could even think, this good ole’ city boy asks, “hey Kayla, you should let me ride your horse.” I’m not even sure if she answered me as I hopped up on the horse and put Austin (my 10 year old son) snuggly right behind me and we were off! I had this nice idea that we would ride down near the river and then head back. The 10 minute ride down was classic. Me….and my son riding on the rez, could it get any better than this? When we turned around to head back and all of a sudden some bothersome dogs began barking at the horse. And that wasn’t really a problem until they came closer and relentlessly nipped at the horses heels. So, as the horse picked up a little speed I thought, ”yeah, great idea horse…we’ll just run away from the dogs.” But I soon realized the horse and I were mis-communicating as he kept going faster, and faster….and faster. I couldn’t get him to slow down and in a short time he was in a full sprint. This was bad. We could barely hang on. Little did I know that it would get even worse. In a full sprint this horse tucked his head down and shed my boy and I like horse flies. So here we go, flying forward onto the ground going at least 150 miles per hour. And as we are tumbling in the dirt I see the silhouette of this 2000 pound beast go flying over us both…his hoof landing inches from the chest of my son.
Oh, my goodness...my first thought was to see if Austin was breathing (I hardly could). When we finally established that we were still alive I began to wonder where the horse ran off to and how upset Kayla might be that her horse ran away! So, we limped home. As we were nearing the house I saw Kayla coming down the road. I told her, ”Kayla…I’m so sorry! Have you seen your horse?”. She informed me that the horse was safe and at home. And so I asked her, “ have you ever had problems like this with your horse…has it ever done this to you?” And without much thought she says, “ I don’t really even know the horse that well…I just got him yesterday and when you saw me, I had just gotten on him for the first time…”.
What? I tried to explain to her that she should have told me that BEFORE we got on! A little heads up or something, you know? Unbelievable experience!
As I think about it, this is how Apache Youth Ministries got started…we just jumped on! And sometimes it’s been smooth riding and other times we’ve sprinted, and….even been tossed a few times (And no, I won’t pull out the cliché about getting back on the horse when you fall off. I know that Austin and I didn’t that day!) And in this ministry, that serves the Apache, we have always sought to humbly love and walk alongside those that God puts in our path and serve the Lord with everything that we have. And God continues to do amazing things in our midst. It’s a beautiful and amazing ride with Him at the reigns.
God has certainly blessed our organization and, more importantly, given us favor among the Apache over the years. We have worked with hundreds of teens in different ways. As you know, we even continue to see hundreds every month come through our youth center! In 2004, a year after our youth center opened up, we began to ask the question, “how can we resource students in need even further?” We would see students come into our youth center, and participate in our studies, but have to go home to an environment that didn’t coddle them or resource them to be all that God had created them to be. The sin (that so easily entangles) was snatching them. We began to dream about getting some out and resourced.
The Homes For Hope model began when Darcy and I started taking kids into our own home and loving them as a part of our family. After all, isn’t this what we all want? Love and acceptance. Homes For Hope didn’t “officially” start until a dear 16 year old student of ours (one we were very close to) went to her closet one February afternoon and hung herself. One of the most painful things I’ve had to endure. You can check out a short story I wrote, a day or so after her death, you can read it HERE. This program, in part, was named with her in mind. She had so much potential, and we could have gotten her out.
Currently we are blessed to have another sweet girl in our home as a part of our family. I wrote a short story about her too…read it HERE. Over the years, and through the homes of some awesome partners, we have resourced a handful of kids, intervening in their lives to give them love and hope for a future.
I always dreamed that this would be able to take place near to the rez so that these students would have some contact with their loved ones. Over the past few years house prices have been so high that this has been unobtainable. But now we have an incredible opportunity to grab a home in Pinetop. It is a “fixer-upper” that would meet, hopefully, our need to get another student out, but at the very least a need for staff housing. God has blessed us with an amazing team. Some of our staff do, and always will, live on the reservation. We have to be a part of the community by being there 24/7. But not all of us can. Pray for this project. We have already raised over $70,000!!! Amazing! Whether it’s through this home, or others across the nation…I can’t wait to continue to experience the feeling of seeing God’s people come together to help those that He loves be completely resourced so that they can achieve and be empowered to impact the world in return!
If you’d like to know more about the status of the home we are looking at buying please go to THIS LINK (* some of the figures have changed, we are currently considering offering $81K or less for the home). Or, you can contact me at 928-521-3588 or ron.everingham@apacheyouth.com .
Oh, my goodness...my first thought was to see if Austin was breathing (I hardly could). When we finally established that we were still alive I began to wonder where the horse ran off to and how upset Kayla might be that her horse ran away! So, we limped home. As we were nearing the house I saw Kayla coming down the road. I told her, ”Kayla…I’m so sorry! Have you seen your horse?”. She informed me that the horse was safe and at home. And so I asked her, “ have you ever had problems like this with your horse…has it ever done this to you?” And without much thought she says, “ I don’t really even know the horse that well…I just got him yesterday and when you saw me, I had just gotten on him for the first time…”.
What? I tried to explain to her that she should have told me that BEFORE we got on! A little heads up or something, you know? Unbelievable experience!
As I think about it, this is how Apache Youth Ministries got started…we just jumped on! And sometimes it’s been smooth riding and other times we’ve sprinted, and….even been tossed a few times (And no, I won’t pull out the cliché about getting back on the horse when you fall off. I know that Austin and I didn’t that day!) And in this ministry, that serves the Apache, we have always sought to humbly love and walk alongside those that God puts in our path and serve the Lord with everything that we have. And God continues to do amazing things in our midst. It’s a beautiful and amazing ride with Him at the reigns.
God has certainly blessed our organization and, more importantly, given us favor among the Apache over the years. We have worked with hundreds of teens in different ways. As you know, we even continue to see hundreds every month come through our youth center! In 2004, a year after our youth center opened up, we began to ask the question, “how can we resource students in need even further?” We would see students come into our youth center, and participate in our studies, but have to go home to an environment that didn’t coddle them or resource them to be all that God had created them to be. The sin (that so easily entangles) was snatching them. We began to dream about getting some out and resourced.
The Homes For Hope model began when Darcy and I started taking kids into our own home and loving them as a part of our family. After all, isn’t this what we all want? Love and acceptance. Homes For Hope didn’t “officially” start until a dear 16 year old student of ours (one we were very close to) went to her closet one February afternoon and hung herself. One of the most painful things I’ve had to endure. You can check out a short story I wrote, a day or so after her death, you can read it HERE. This program, in part, was named with her in mind. She had so much potential, and we could have gotten her out.
Currently we are blessed to have another sweet girl in our home as a part of our family. I wrote a short story about her too…read it HERE. Over the years, and through the homes of some awesome partners, we have resourced a handful of kids, intervening in their lives to give them love and hope for a future.
I always dreamed that this would be able to take place near to the rez so that these students would have some contact with their loved ones. Over the past few years house prices have been so high that this has been unobtainable. But now we have an incredible opportunity to grab a home in Pinetop. It is a “fixer-upper” that would meet, hopefully, our need to get another student out, but at the very least a need for staff housing. God has blessed us with an amazing team. Some of our staff do, and always will, live on the reservation. We have to be a part of the community by being there 24/7. But not all of us can. Pray for this project. We have already raised over $70,000!!! Amazing! Whether it’s through this home, or others across the nation…I can’t wait to continue to experience the feeling of seeing God’s people come together to help those that He loves be completely resourced so that they can achieve and be empowered to impact the world in return!
If you’d like to know more about the status of the home we are looking at buying please go to THIS LINK (* some of the figures have changed, we are currently considering offering $81K or less for the home). Or, you can contact me at 928-521-3588 or ron.everingham@apacheyouth.com .
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
1 Corinthians 1:25
Last year I attended the National Missionary Convention. We, like a lot of other mission’s organizations, set up a booth to peddle our mission to would be supporters. We field a lot of questions and share, with anyone interested, what God is doing through our organization. I’ll have to admit, one question in particular threw me off. On my way back from the bathroom, an old acquaintance from church stopped me and we exchanged small talk. Not long into sharing my thoughts on our Homes For Hope program, and teens in need of a way out, I was asked pretty crassly, “what makes you qualified to take kids in, how have you been educated to do such a thing?” The question stopped me in my tracks and the awkwardness of the moment got very heavy.
For the second year in a row now, my kids’ junior high small group has done a pretty cool thing on Valentine’s Day. The sponsors lead the kids in holding an appreciation dinner for all of their parents. It’s an awesome thing. They decorate the place and prepare the food to serve. Last year Austin had the chance to serve Darcy and I. This year Marissa (our Apache step-daughter) is a part of the small group. I was getting back late from the rez and ran over to the church just in time to eat. Marissa served us our food and took care of us for the whole hour. This year Carly, the small group leader, tried something new. She made every one of the kids get up on stage to tell their parents how they felt about them. Ok, I’ll be honest, this is usually one of those times when you hope your kid doesn’t get up there and embarrass you and themselves. While other students were stepping up I couldn’t help but to listen to answers through Marissa’s ears. We sat and listened to kids step up and proudly make sincere statements to their parents. “You are always there for me.”, “I love you”, “You take me to my games.”, “You are cool.”, “You understand me and dad doesn’t.”, and so on and so forth. As I listened I only imagined how hard this might be for Marissa. All of these statements seemed to define what her real parents weren’t. My mind wandered a little as I thought of the past failures and let downs through most of her life. I remembered the little girl that didn’t want help, the little girl that ran from home, the little girl born into a family of addicts, the little girl that struggled with cutting herself, the little girl that gave herself away to cheap relationships, the little girl that numbed her mind with drugs.....and meth…and alcohol, the little girl that was born into a world that ripped the innocence from her tiny grip. She headed to the stage with a surprising confidence. And when she stepped up she said some things I’ll never forget.
So why is it that Jesus chooses us? Us, the pitifully inadequate. My heart resonates with the echoes heard from ancient times, God’s chosen. Those laden with lust, greed, pride, envy. Murderers, adulterers, thieves and liars. David, the adulterer after God’s own heart. Jonah, the reluctant missionary who just wanted to sit back and watch God toast some heathens. The guys that followed Jesus down the road and quietly argued about who was the greatest. And so on. I wonder, but deep down I know. He wants all of the glory. When he works through our humble weakness…He gets the credit. It’s the great fight against human nature. That pull to count ourselves more than we are. And I’m sorry to admit that many times it’s only when we bravely stumble into something bigger than us that we recognize our limitations. I’ve seen mine. But then there are those special moments when, without provocation, we follow Jesus like a child. And in those times we collectively stand awestruck at what seems to be such a mystery. When in reality we know that mystery unfolds like a beautiful puzzle in the Word of God. He has explained and instructed us so well that if we see, and live, this life His way we will find heaven on earth, and thereafter. But, lest we take Him at his Word, we sometimes fight the battle with our own strength and mind, and are usually overtaken by the pull of the world. My brother told me a story of his mentor who died recently. The son of this high school coach spoke of how special of a leader his father was. He reminded everyone of how special coach made everyone in the program feel. And it was true, no matter of seemingly insignificant of a role you had, he let you know you were a special cog in the machine. But as his son said so eloquently, ”even though you felt like an important cog in the machine…there was never a doubt whose machine it was.” And so I recognize this truth in my life too. Not only does God make us feel special, He calls us and empowers us to be special. Even when we are pitifully inadequate He works through us and there is never a doubt whose work it is.
She stepped onto the stage and, as tears welled up in her eyes, I could only imagine what all was going through her head as she choked out a few words. But words weren’t even necessary. She could have said nothing. I was caught in the moment. Maybe God provided this moment for me. I needed to know that the sacrifices that we make for God impacts souls, regardless of how qualified we may or may not be.
So here’s to those of you who allow God to work in and through your weaknesses to bless others. And through it all, we know that He get’s all of the Glory because we have not obtained anything with our own wisdom or strength…
Ron Everingham
For the second year in a row now, my kids’ junior high small group has done a pretty cool thing on Valentine’s Day. The sponsors lead the kids in holding an appreciation dinner for all of their parents. It’s an awesome thing. They decorate the place and prepare the food to serve. Last year Austin had the chance to serve Darcy and I. This year Marissa (our Apache step-daughter) is a part of the small group. I was getting back late from the rez and ran over to the church just in time to eat. Marissa served us our food and took care of us for the whole hour. This year Carly, the small group leader, tried something new. She made every one of the kids get up on stage to tell their parents how they felt about them. Ok, I’ll be honest, this is usually one of those times when you hope your kid doesn’t get up there and embarrass you and themselves. While other students were stepping up I couldn’t help but to listen to answers through Marissa’s ears. We sat and listened to kids step up and proudly make sincere statements to their parents. “You are always there for me.”, “I love you”, “You take me to my games.”, “You are cool.”, “You understand me and dad doesn’t.”, and so on and so forth. As I listened I only imagined how hard this might be for Marissa. All of these statements seemed to define what her real parents weren’t. My mind wandered a little as I thought of the past failures and let downs through most of her life. I remembered the little girl that didn’t want help, the little girl that ran from home, the little girl born into a family of addicts, the little girl that struggled with cutting herself, the little girl that gave herself away to cheap relationships, the little girl that numbed her mind with drugs.....and meth…and alcohol, the little girl that was born into a world that ripped the innocence from her tiny grip. She headed to the stage with a surprising confidence. And when she stepped up she said some things I’ll never forget.
So why is it that Jesus chooses us? Us, the pitifully inadequate. My heart resonates with the echoes heard from ancient times, God’s chosen. Those laden with lust, greed, pride, envy. Murderers, adulterers, thieves and liars. David, the adulterer after God’s own heart. Jonah, the reluctant missionary who just wanted to sit back and watch God toast some heathens. The guys that followed Jesus down the road and quietly argued about who was the greatest. And so on. I wonder, but deep down I know. He wants all of the glory. When he works through our humble weakness…He gets the credit. It’s the great fight against human nature. That pull to count ourselves more than we are. And I’m sorry to admit that many times it’s only when we bravely stumble into something bigger than us that we recognize our limitations. I’ve seen mine. But then there are those special moments when, without provocation, we follow Jesus like a child. And in those times we collectively stand awestruck at what seems to be such a mystery. When in reality we know that mystery unfolds like a beautiful puzzle in the Word of God. He has explained and instructed us so well that if we see, and live, this life His way we will find heaven on earth, and thereafter. But, lest we take Him at his Word, we sometimes fight the battle with our own strength and mind, and are usually overtaken by the pull of the world. My brother told me a story of his mentor who died recently. The son of this high school coach spoke of how special of a leader his father was. He reminded everyone of how special coach made everyone in the program feel. And it was true, no matter of seemingly insignificant of a role you had, he let you know you were a special cog in the machine. But as his son said so eloquently, ”even though you felt like an important cog in the machine…there was never a doubt whose machine it was.” And so I recognize this truth in my life too. Not only does God make us feel special, He calls us and empowers us to be special. Even when we are pitifully inadequate He works through us and there is never a doubt whose work it is.
She stepped onto the stage and, as tears welled up in her eyes, I could only imagine what all was going through her head as she choked out a few words. But words weren’t even necessary. She could have said nothing. I was caught in the moment. Maybe God provided this moment for me. I needed to know that the sacrifices that we make for God impacts souls, regardless of how qualified we may or may not be.
So here’s to those of you who allow God to work in and through your weaknesses to bless others. And through it all, we know that He get’s all of the Glory because we have not obtained anything with our own wisdom or strength…
Ron Everingham
Through the eyes of a child
Everyday I’m reminded of what a privilege it is to serve the God of all creation. In my heart, I know my deepest desire is to be close to God. Actually, I share that desire with you. It’s always there even when we try to pile it underneath the everyday tasks that bog us down and seek to kill our spirit. The Spirit that is within us that desires to dance with us every moment of our lives. The Spirit that frees us and makes us want to dance through life. If I’m honest with myself I realize that my friend, the world, is only making me an enemy of God. And, God within me envies intensely (James 4:4-5). So I, like you, are dealt with this great battle. So, how are we doing? I feel so comfortable in my ignorance, it’s quite bliss. But my God will not let me be. He is constantly disturbing my mind. He won’t go away. He is a persistent lover. And, when I’ve been brave enough to heed His call, His persistence has paid off in my life…I have been blessed. I love the story in Numbers 9:15-23. The Israelites danced with God. They moved and camped upon His guidance. Check it out.
Some of you know the story…in 1993 Darcy and I heard Him calling. It was a weekly invitation for us. That call to believe and follow became consuming until we decided to go forward. (On a totally unrelated note…you’ve got to know that, because I think plugging my nose makes me look like a sissy, I’ve got this little “trick” that I do when I go under water for short periods of time. I blow out air of my nose slowly so that water can’t come in. It’s my thing. I’ve never had a problem doing it, frankly nobody ever knew about it…until the day I was baptized. So, while I was underwater comptemplating the biggest thing I’ve ever done in my life, my body automatically began the process of keeping the water out of my nose. And I came up out of the water to cheering and laughter. I guess in the quietness and through the amplification of the microphone, the air coming out of my nose perfectly replicated the sound of a toilet flushing.) Anyhow…from that point on God has taken my hand and we’ve gone to new places. So we served in the church faithfully. Doing all of the “churchy” things that we are all familiar with. And we grew spiritually. In 1996 I went on a mission trip with our youth group to Arizona. Amazing. God spoke to me through the eyes of a 7-year old Navajo child. Through that glance He spoke…service, surrender, commitment, selflessness, sacrifice, love, grace, and what it meant for me to really live. And, even to this day God is clearing my ignorance and making me realize new things. It consumes me. And usually sometime after I’ve finished building a nice little kingdom for myself God comes in and tears it down and rearranges things. It’s a continued cycle of the beautiful refining of my life. And in this cycle God allows me to say “enough is enough” and take a break, but why should I desire to?
How could I when there are souls suffering? The vision is clear: give all you have to build His kingdom, not ours. And I have to ask myself what exactly does his kingdom look like? And the question even worse for my flesh, what am I doing to conform my kingdom to His. Let’s cut to the chase for those of is who know Him well…we are pulled away from living His kingdom on earth by the gravity of those believers around us that enable our complacency so that we all look the same. We should all have people in our lives that challenge us spiritually. Thankfully, God has put a few in my life. And, actually, we all share a mutual friend that challenges us…Jesus. If all of us are honestly desiring be more like Him (and not the most faithful among us), how are we looking? I know what I look like, pitiful but improving and with tons of potential. But this improvement in conditional. It’s conditional upon my surrender and faithfulness. I have to continue to ignore the pull of this world and, more importantly, not ignore Jesus' teachings on who is blessed.
So, the difficult truth that God haunts me with now is this realization. God isn’t looking at how much I give…He’s looking at how much I keep for myself. In our ministry, we live life among people that are looking for a way out. Some have no parents, some don’t know how to read, some are addicted, some live in shacks with no plumbing, and some of these are seeking for Truth. And that is just here where I’m at. On a global level we know there are people dying from starvation, lack of clean water, disease, and natural disasters. And if I look at myself as God does, how can I justify the little hoard of things for myself that I could share? I have to ask myself, what do I really need? Do I have an extra bedroom? Could the money I use for pleasure be spent on an individual in true need? And most importantly, will I be brave enough to keep what I need now, trust God, and give the rest away to those in need for the sake of His kingdom? I can’t wait to see what happens when I do…or better yet…when we all do.
Might we all be brave enough to dance with our Creator and follow Him,
Ron Everingham
Some of you know the story…in 1993 Darcy and I heard Him calling. It was a weekly invitation for us. That call to believe and follow became consuming until we decided to go forward. (On a totally unrelated note…you’ve got to know that, because I think plugging my nose makes me look like a sissy, I’ve got this little “trick” that I do when I go under water for short periods of time. I blow out air of my nose slowly so that water can’t come in. It’s my thing. I’ve never had a problem doing it, frankly nobody ever knew about it…until the day I was baptized. So, while I was underwater comptemplating the biggest thing I’ve ever done in my life, my body automatically began the process of keeping the water out of my nose. And I came up out of the water to cheering and laughter. I guess in the quietness and through the amplification of the microphone, the air coming out of my nose perfectly replicated the sound of a toilet flushing.) Anyhow…from that point on God has taken my hand and we’ve gone to new places. So we served in the church faithfully. Doing all of the “churchy” things that we are all familiar with. And we grew spiritually. In 1996 I went on a mission trip with our youth group to Arizona. Amazing. God spoke to me through the eyes of a 7-year old Navajo child. Through that glance He spoke…service, surrender, commitment, selflessness, sacrifice, love, grace, and what it meant for me to really live. And, even to this day God is clearing my ignorance and making me realize new things. It consumes me. And usually sometime after I’ve finished building a nice little kingdom for myself God comes in and tears it down and rearranges things. It’s a continued cycle of the beautiful refining of my life. And in this cycle God allows me to say “enough is enough” and take a break, but why should I desire to?
How could I when there are souls suffering? The vision is clear: give all you have to build His kingdom, not ours. And I have to ask myself what exactly does his kingdom look like? And the question even worse for my flesh, what am I doing to conform my kingdom to His. Let’s cut to the chase for those of is who know Him well…we are pulled away from living His kingdom on earth by the gravity of those believers around us that enable our complacency so that we all look the same. We should all have people in our lives that challenge us spiritually. Thankfully, God has put a few in my life. And, actually, we all share a mutual friend that challenges us…Jesus. If all of us are honestly desiring be more like Him (and not the most faithful among us), how are we looking? I know what I look like, pitiful but improving and with tons of potential. But this improvement in conditional. It’s conditional upon my surrender and faithfulness. I have to continue to ignore the pull of this world and, more importantly, not ignore Jesus' teachings on who is blessed.
So, the difficult truth that God haunts me with now is this realization. God isn’t looking at how much I give…He’s looking at how much I keep for myself. In our ministry, we live life among people that are looking for a way out. Some have no parents, some don’t know how to read, some are addicted, some live in shacks with no plumbing, and some of these are seeking for Truth. And that is just here where I’m at. On a global level we know there are people dying from starvation, lack of clean water, disease, and natural disasters. And if I look at myself as God does, how can I justify the little hoard of things for myself that I could share? I have to ask myself, what do I really need? Do I have an extra bedroom? Could the money I use for pleasure be spent on an individual in true need? And most importantly, will I be brave enough to keep what I need now, trust God, and give the rest away to those in need for the sake of His kingdom? I can’t wait to see what happens when I do…or better yet…when we all do.
Might we all be brave enough to dance with our Creator and follow Him,
Ron Everingham
Saturday, February 24, 2007
If we don't love, we gain nothing
We are getting geared up for an awesome year with partners from all over the states. Starting spring break we will be hosting around 9 teams this year. We are also excited to be interviewing potential staff and interns! What a blessing. Jake hosted a Superbowl party yesterday and around 40 of our youth were here. Darcy and I traveled to Flagstaff to talk to the NAU student fellowship group about their spring break trip here. We are going to accomplish much for God this year!! We are feeling a bit overwhelmed, thank you for your continued prayers for perseverance and effectiveness.
Now here is the “not so typical” update…
I sat across from a young man (18 years old) tonight in the kitchen of the Kennel. He a boy I’ve known since we opened to the public (2003). I haven’t seen him in awhile and here he is in front of me, crying, broken. It was a tough conversation. He was intoxicated and being very open and honest. Of course, I don’t condone drinking and we always wisk the kids off and out of the place when they come in, but, his honesty caught me again. He’s hopeless and looking for answers. He is surrounded by a clouded present formed by his own day-to-day decisions to waste away. It kills me when a young soul looks me in the eyes and asks, “how can you help me…will you help me…save me.” Honestly, he’s not looking for answers. He’s looking for a miracle. His life is like so many that we deal with. It’s great that I’m there to tell him that I’ll pray for him. I can even reassure him that he can count on me, because I’ve been here for so many years. But I’m not sure that these are the answers he’s looking for. As I’m stumbling for words, I’m realizing my own gaps of faith. I’m feeling hopeless for him because I don’t have a single answer that will meet his immediate need.
I pour him a glass of water as he tells me that he loves me. What he is really saying is that he needs someone to love him. I’m seeing an overgrown boy in front of me that needed to be cared for. He needed nurtured. He’s right, I could never understand the reality of his neglected life. It’s in these times I remember that God is strong when I am weak. I’m counting on it. I know that he is looking for quick answers and there aren’t any. The answers lie in him making a series of decisions, starting with the most important one, laying everything aside and following Jesus. Sounds simple, but so many forsake the thought for self-indulgence.
I’ll have to honest with you all. We’ve all got a long way to go. I feel a bit like the rich young ruler. I’m keeping a lot of God’s commandments but I won’t really be living until I give all that I have to the poor. Period. We are all missing something if we aren’t living to give up everything and love with the right motives. Sometimes I miss the point. I feel pride by how much I give. I miss the point because I put value in the things I give and not the person I’m giving it to. If we don’t love, we gain nothing. Sure, someone who is in need gains physically, but we gain nothing. If this sounds familiar it’s because it’s in 1 Corinthians 13:3. If I give everything to the poor and don’t love, I gain nothing.
From a ministry stand point it could be stated this way. We can give. We can run programs. We can serve those lacking fundamental needs here on the reservation. But if we do not love, we gain nothing. It’s my prayer that God will empower us to love the sometimes unlovable even more this year. And as we do, we will stand back and watch God work miracles in our midst.
Your fellow servant,
Ron Everingham, General Director
Now here is the “not so typical” update…
I sat across from a young man (18 years old) tonight in the kitchen of the Kennel. He a boy I’ve known since we opened to the public (2003). I haven’t seen him in awhile and here he is in front of me, crying, broken. It was a tough conversation. He was intoxicated and being very open and honest. Of course, I don’t condone drinking and we always wisk the kids off and out of the place when they come in, but, his honesty caught me again. He’s hopeless and looking for answers. He is surrounded by a clouded present formed by his own day-to-day decisions to waste away. It kills me when a young soul looks me in the eyes and asks, “how can you help me…will you help me…save me.” Honestly, he’s not looking for answers. He’s looking for a miracle. His life is like so many that we deal with. It’s great that I’m there to tell him that I’ll pray for him. I can even reassure him that he can count on me, because I’ve been here for so many years. But I’m not sure that these are the answers he’s looking for. As I’m stumbling for words, I’m realizing my own gaps of faith. I’m feeling hopeless for him because I don’t have a single answer that will meet his immediate need.
I pour him a glass of water as he tells me that he loves me. What he is really saying is that he needs someone to love him. I’m seeing an overgrown boy in front of me that needed to be cared for. He needed nurtured. He’s right, I could never understand the reality of his neglected life. It’s in these times I remember that God is strong when I am weak. I’m counting on it. I know that he is looking for quick answers and there aren’t any. The answers lie in him making a series of decisions, starting with the most important one, laying everything aside and following Jesus. Sounds simple, but so many forsake the thought for self-indulgence.
I’ll have to honest with you all. We’ve all got a long way to go. I feel a bit like the rich young ruler. I’m keeping a lot of God’s commandments but I won’t really be living until I give all that I have to the poor. Period. We are all missing something if we aren’t living to give up everything and love with the right motives. Sometimes I miss the point. I feel pride by how much I give. I miss the point because I put value in the things I give and not the person I’m giving it to. If we don’t love, we gain nothing. Sure, someone who is in need gains physically, but we gain nothing. If this sounds familiar it’s because it’s in 1 Corinthians 13:3. If I give everything to the poor and don’t love, I gain nothing.
From a ministry stand point it could be stated this way. We can give. We can run programs. We can serve those lacking fundamental needs here on the reservation. But if we do not love, we gain nothing. It’s my prayer that God will empower us to love the sometimes unlovable even more this year. And as we do, we will stand back and watch God work miracles in our midst.
Your fellow servant,
Ron Everingham, General Director
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