Please click on sermons at the top of the page to download/listen to my sermon from this past Sunday. Thank you for all of you that came out to support and encourage Katie and I, especially all of you from our Pequea family. You continue to overwhelm us with your friendship and generosity. We can’t tell you how much we love you and feel blessed to have you be apart of our lives and ministry!
I’m so frustrated right now…the last couple of days Katie and I have been noticing so many homeless people here in Baltimore City. It’s ridiculous, like every corner sometimes it seems like there is a man or a woman standing with a sign saying, “Homeless, Please Help,” or, “Will Work For Food.”
Last night I was driving down the road and we got to the corner by our house. There was a man standing there that I’ve seen before…Katie said, “Are you going to do something or what?” “The light’s green – I gotta go, babe,” I said. I drove away trying to avoid the guy behind me from honking away his road rage. I drove up the road, felt God pull me back to where He wanted me to be. So I did a u-turn, went back, and handed the guy $20 bucks.
Tonight he was standing on the corner again. Katie cooked a hot chicken dinner and I took it down to him. I walked up to him just a few hours ago and handed him the meal, “Hey man – I got a hot meal here for you.” He turned to me and said, “Ah, man, that’s awesome thank you so much.” I looked at him and said, “I lost my job a year ago, and I’ve been strugglin’ off and on, so I know what you’re going through.” He told me, “I can’t find any work anywhere…I almost had a job at Home Depot, but then they found out I didn’t have a permanent address, and they wouldn’t give me a job.” “Where are you livin?” I asked. “In a tent, in the woods,” He said. I continued to talk to him a while, promised to keep an eye out for him. The frustrating part, is that he was standing literally 50 yards from the front door of 2 churches. I asked him, “What can I do for you man?” He looked at me and he said, “I really need socks.” Did you read that? Socks people…he needs SOCKS. This guy is less than a football field from him house and he needs SOCKS! SOCKS!
Even more frustrating, the church up the road has a marquee that says, “Sign Maker On Vacation, Message Inside.” So frustrating – I wonder – Isn’t the Message Jesus? And, why are we telling people, if you want The Message, you have to come inside this building. Why aren’t we saying “If you want the Message, we’ll bring Him to you.” Even MORE frustrating, is that up the road a little further is a marquee in front of a church that says, “You Think It’s Hot In Here?” Katie looked at me last night when we passed the sign, I said, “Did you see that?” She looked at me and said, “Are you kidding me?” I just don’t know what to think I’m so frustrated right now.
While I was talking to him, handing him the meal, my neighbors passed the intersection in their car. As they drove by they beeped and waved at me. I waved back, thinking to myself, “Maybe it’s not even about me helping this homeless guy, it’s about my neighbors seeing that I’m serious about walking out my faith.”
Last month I had my first interview since leaving Pequea. The position I was interviewing for was to teach Bible at a small Christian School. Yesterday I called them to inquire about the status of my interview. Unfortunately, they said they are shutting down the school this year and (obviously) they are not hiring anyone.
I’ve been left feeling a mix of emotions…relief – I’d rather the school shut down before they hire me as opposed to losing my job halfway throughout the year. Frustrated, because I continue to put out resume after resume and I can’t find a career (not a job – there are plenty of those – a career is what I’m looking for). Now that we are in the month of August I often am reminded that it’s been almost a year since Katie and I moved to Baltimore. I feel amazed though, because God has provided for us so graciously and so diligently over this past year. I’m also blessed to have this time at home to work on projects around the house, study and most importantly to spend time with Maria, Justice and Katie.
Tonight Katie and I are going to dinner at Laruel and Dave’s house – they are a young couple we recently met through Harford Community Church.
