Big Plans!
Well, after several long years of prayer and searching, I believe that God has finally chosen to reveal His plans for my life, and let me tell you, from what I can tell, these are some huge plans. It all got started while talking to my fine friend Andrew Nippard about a vision that God had placed on his heart. After talking with him, the idea would not leave my mind, and a felt that God was calling me to share in this dream. Now just what is this dream you may ask (or maybe you've read Andrew's blog and already know!), but I feel that it bears repeating in my own words.
You see, this dream involves helping and ministering to the homeless, and being able to have a significant impact in their lives. I am not talking about some under-funded, run-down soup kitchen that hands out food once a day. I am talking about actually enabling the homeless to find work and integrate back into society, along with meeting some of their basic needs. Its like the old saying "give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he'll have food for life". And that is what we desire to do. In our minds, we envision creating a large facility that incorporates a cafeteria of sorts (all free to the homeless, of course!), places just for them to hang out and build relationships with us and each other, help with addictions in addition to providing them with any medical attention they require, and finally, having some sort of job placement program. This may sound like lofty goals, but we fully believe that, God willing, we will be able to fulfill this dream.
I cannot say with 100% certainty that this is for sure my calling, but God has been revealing many verses to me during my devotions that seem to point to this as my calling. In addition, after searching through many possible careers and vocations, this is the first one that seems like a perfect fit. For a while now I have felt called to some type of ministry, but all the traditional ministry roles (pastor, missionary, etc.) did not seem like the right fit. In short, I felt the need to innovate and create a unique job that was different from anything I had ever heard of. Almost immediately I began to worry about financial needs, and then began to doubt that this was even my calling, and was just a spur of the moment idea like so many I have had in the past. But then God stepped in and really spoke to me, seeming to erase any doubt and worry. Here are some of the verses that He showed me:
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:33-34)
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39)
"Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." (Psalm 82:3-4)
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." (Proverbs 22:9)
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." (Proverbs 28:27)
As you can tell, these verses all seem to confirm this calling for me, and I truly believe that God revealed them to me for this reason. Finally, the two of us cannot do this alone. As you can tell, an undertaking of this magnitude will not only require immense prayer support, but also other people with a wide range of skills and talents. If God has placed it on your heart to join us in this undertaking, please don't be shy! Let us know, as we welcome any help and support we can get. This whole idea fills me with such a great sense of both excitement and fear, unlike anything I have ever experienced before, which in itself also seems to confirm it in my mind. In closing, there is a chorus in a song by Starfield that effectively sums up my feelings at the moment: "I am alive in this moment, in this moment I am found. I am alive in this moment, in this moment I belong."
You see, this dream involves helping and ministering to the homeless, and being able to have a significant impact in their lives. I am not talking about some under-funded, run-down soup kitchen that hands out food once a day. I am talking about actually enabling the homeless to find work and integrate back into society, along with meeting some of their basic needs. Its like the old saying "give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he'll have food for life". And that is what we desire to do. In our minds, we envision creating a large facility that incorporates a cafeteria of sorts (all free to the homeless, of course!), places just for them to hang out and build relationships with us and each other, help with addictions in addition to providing them with any medical attention they require, and finally, having some sort of job placement program. This may sound like lofty goals, but we fully believe that, God willing, we will be able to fulfill this dream.
I cannot say with 100% certainty that this is for sure my calling, but God has been revealing many verses to me during my devotions that seem to point to this as my calling. In addition, after searching through many possible careers and vocations, this is the first one that seems like a perfect fit. For a while now I have felt called to some type of ministry, but all the traditional ministry roles (pastor, missionary, etc.) did not seem like the right fit. In short, I felt the need to innovate and create a unique job that was different from anything I had ever heard of. Almost immediately I began to worry about financial needs, and then began to doubt that this was even my calling, and was just a spur of the moment idea like so many I have had in the past. But then God stepped in and really spoke to me, seeming to erase any doubt and worry. Here are some of the verses that He showed me:
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:33-34)
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39)
"Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." (Psalm 82:3-4)
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." (Proverbs 22:9)
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." (Proverbs 28:27)
As you can tell, these verses all seem to confirm this calling for me, and I truly believe that God revealed them to me for this reason. Finally, the two of us cannot do this alone. As you can tell, an undertaking of this magnitude will not only require immense prayer support, but also other people with a wide range of skills and talents. If God has placed it on your heart to join us in this undertaking, please don't be shy! Let us know, as we welcome any help and support we can get. This whole idea fills me with such a great sense of both excitement and fear, unlike anything I have ever experienced before, which in itself also seems to confirm it in my mind. In closing, there is a chorus in a song by Starfield that effectively sums up my feelings at the moment: "I am alive in this moment, in this moment I am found. I am alive in this moment, in this moment I belong."
posted by Bassmaster Fehr @ 9:41 p.m.
1 Comments:
At February 16, 2006 4:00 p.m.,
Anonymous said…
Tyler and Andrew, truer words you could not have spoken. God loves the poor and His resources are infinite. If this is His goal for your life be sure to embrace it now while you can, and run this race set before you with perseverance. Because loving the poor is a love that is found in Christ, seek Him daily for it. Remember to each day cloth yourself with the armor of God and be slow to anger but quick to forgive. He is the one who holds the keys and opens so that no one can shut and shuts so that no one can open.
Do not be deceived bad company corrupts good morals so be sure to receive help from whoever the Lord sends you and abstain from the help of those who would pervert your cause. They come in like sheep but are as ravenous wolves. You can tell them by the fruit they bear.
Do not worry about the ‘how’ or the ‘when’ for this is the Lord’s work and even now He is preparing everything He would have you do. Just be patient and know that even if you have to wait until the last possible moment for His provision it WILL come for He is faithful to answer. I have read many a story about those who chose this way in life…it is hard but fruitful. Rejoice in times of trial and do not fear for God is not mocked, whatever you sow you will one day reap. Faith brings righteousness and Jesus justifies the faithful so do not be deceived from the simplicity of the gospel. Remember, He has anointed you with His Spirit and you will never be in need of any other counselor(read 1 John 2:27), so when in doubt go to His book and learn truth and peace. Remain in Him and He shall be with you always. I pray the Lord blesses you and causes you to prosper as He blessed Joseph in Egypt!
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
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