Stories from the road, Part 1: Dwayne's Story

I need to tell you about 2 people I met while traveling this month. First, let me provide context.

The past few weeks have presented many circumstances that have been threatening to plunge me into despair.

Many of you are aware of some of the situations (i.e. The shooting in Vegas I witnessed), but there have been many more challenges that both myself and my loved ones are facing. Overall it has been a mix bag of internal and external difficulties, and it has all felt very overwhelming.

But, Christ is Lord and Savior, and knows what he is doing. He has very purposefully put 2 people in my path these last few days to minister to me: Dwayne & George.

First, Dwayne's Story.

Dwayne:

I met Dwayne at our Las Vegas laundry project. He was there to get his laundry done for free. So, naturally I thought to myself "I'm gonna go meet this guy and be Jesus to him." Only, I forgot that where the Spirit of God is, mutual transformation happens.

We ended up talking and sharing stories for over an hour. Dwayne told me his story of being involved in a gang, turning his life to Jesus, and becoming involved in church. He also told me of his eventual disenchanment with the church, his life of many struggles, and his desire for community.

However, what kept coming up with Dwayne was theme of Gods faithfulness. Dwayne told me that he has seen God come through too much to ever be done with him for good. Dwayne lives this out by being faithful to help others when given the chance.

Being that I was hearing this the morning after I witnessed a man kill a woman and then himself, I needed to be reminded of Gods faithfulness through even the toughest situations.

Dwayne provided encouragement and a new perspective, I am a better person for having spent time with him this past week.

Faded? or Glorious?

When I look at the stars...
well its hard for me to see any light at all.
They often seem faded.
Just a glimmer off in the distance.

Yet I know that so far away
that same star is burning brighter than I can imagine.
It's stunning.
It radiates glory.

Deep in the cosmos
I wonder what wonders await.
Because here on the Earth
I sometimes doubt things will ever change.

While wonders do await
Our goal is not detachment
from the things occurring right now
that deserve our investment.

Our investment is in those stars
shining around us all
our friends who seem faded
but who deep inside radiate glory.

The Candle

This started off as a poem, but seemed to lend itself more to a story format. Enjoy :)

"The Candle"

I can see the flicker of a candle burning off in the distance. The light is faint, but I can tell its there and that it is calling to me from what appears to be miles away. As I draw near the light grows no bigger, and I have no way to tell if it is a candle after all. Yet it still produces a sweet aroma, one that allows my nose to catch a whiff that reminds me of home. 

I get a sense though that where I'm heading, well it's not the home I once knew.  It's a new place I'm going to and even though I've never been, I feel a strange calm within. It feels like it's familiar, like I'll know what to do, how to act, and who to be. It feels like I'll recognize the light that is calling to me.

However, this isn't a tale of a journey complete. For I'm still far away from the light, wondering if it is what it seems. But  it's pulling me in and pretty soon I'll know whether to trust it or to run.

I hope I don't run. The existence of the option itself bugs me to no end. For the light promises hope and in spite of all that I possess, all I've sought, bought, wished for, and gained, hope is the one thing I've not been able to obtain. It's always been far out of reach.

Until now. The journey before was dark and it always baffled me because I was never in a tunnel or covering, the light just never came. But its here now and I wont lose it again. I will press on and I will not be overcome.

If all I ever have from this point on, is this one small light to guide my path, then I shall rejoice. I will sing and dance until I cant stand anymore, because this one small flicker is better than what I had before. If this light never grows bigger, never seems to draw near, I shall still walk upright in hope and bow no longer to fear.

The Dreamer Within

I've lost the dreamer within
It left, I just can't say when
Life became a game to survive
No place to thrive
It left but its coming again.

Over time you learn to see
Every loss and victory
The gateway to wholeness
The gateway to be
It's finding life in the misery.

The dreamer within was knocked out of the ring
Put on the sideline
Benched in the game
I forgot what it looked like
How it was to feel peace.

The feelings within buried
All the baggage carried
My soul put to the fire
My body burning away
My spirit endured all the flames.

The dreamer rose from the ashes
Made a vow to dream again
But now it's wiser
So when the misery comes
It wont crumble again.

Two stories of transformed lives.

I just want to give everybody a picture of how we are seeing God show up and change lives in the city of Canton.

I was at one of our Laundry Love Projects today in Southwest Canton and in the midst of the organized chaos of doing laundry and sharing in community with one another, I was able to have 2 very meaningful conversations.

The first was with my friend Valerie. A mom of two from my neighborhood who told me that she recently started going to church again because quite frankly, there was nothing better to do. In her return she is digging into the Bible and trying her hardest to follow Jesus.

The second was with my friend Sully, a great guy who is accustomed to tough circumstances and who has a big heart for people. Sully is set on putting away the old self, following Jesus, and becoming the man God wants him to be. The excitement in his voice for what God is doing was amazing, and his willingness to come volunteer at the Laundry Project was inspiring.

You have to understand, these conversations are so meaningful to me because I have been trying to walk alongside and consistently be in the lives of people who are struggling for the last 5 years. It can often feel like I experience more struggles and defeats in people's stories, but these conversations are evidence that there is reason to rejoice.

In the midst of the tough circumstances we may witness or hear about, God is actively working to restore and redeem lives. And while the growth in their lives may seem small, the fact that they are drawing near to God, even if they dont fully understand what that means yet, is monumental.

I wish I could unravel more of their stories for you because they are inspiring to me. I started the Laundry Love Project on a quest to help people tangibly and love them deeply, and never thought I would see life transformation happen right before my eyes.

Regardless of economic/social standing, any array of tough circumstances, or the feeling of impossibility in one's situation, nothing is too much for God to overcome. Nothing stops God from transforming lives and showing his greatness. Nothing stops him from loving us with everything.

We can't give up on people or write them off as hopeless. We can't believe that people will never get past their circumstances.  We must actively engage with people, walking alongside them and overcoming obstacles together.

And we can't for one second stop understanding that people are created in the image of God, beloved by their creator, and worthy of our all.

Hope for the hopeless (my friend Clarence).

I had an opportunity this morning to do a Laundry Love Project in Tampa, Fl.  It has become very normal at these projects to encounter ordinary people that have lived through extraordinary circumstances. 


Ive met people that have lived in extreme cases of poverty, been in gangs, the military, people who have traveled the world, graduated from a prestigious university, single moms, single dads, people in two parent house holds with five kids, households with no kids, drug addicts, homeless, Christians, atheists, etc. The list of the different people and their circumstances could go on forever.


But one common theme has existed no matter who the person is or what they have been through: Their story is important and they are very loved by God.


I met a man at the project today named Clarence. Clarence is 44, homeless, and has traveled the world. He has been to more places than most people will ever go in their lifetime, and he is also a highly skilled worker who has had great trouble finding employment due to some poor choices in his past.


I talked with Clarence for an hour. He kept reminding me over and over how appreciative he was of the laundry love project. He said what most people don't understand is that clean clothes can cost between 50-100 a month (10 bucks for 1 load, a few times a month), and that not heaving clean clothes means no job interviews and people don't want to be around you very often. 


Clarence hadn't been able to wash his clothes for 3 weeks until today.


Clarence confided in me that faith in God is what gets him through each day. He expressed some hopelessness for the future and I encouraged him to make the most of however much time he was given by loving people as best he could. He said: "that's exactly what y'all are doing."


I share his story because it's a reminder that what's at stake is not just clean laundry, a meal, or shelter. It's all of those things, it's genuine compassion, it's showing someone that they matter. 


Because of a stinkin load of laundry, God instilled hope in Clarence, God reminded him that he cared about Clarence and his story and that Clarence has a future.


Friends, I beg of you, keep your eyes open and your heart near to the Father. I don't want you or I to miss a single opportunity to give someone hope and show them that they matter.

How?

I feel a very strong responsibility to help the poor, a very strong call to see people in the most dire situations empowered and given new life and hope.

As unique as this call may seem to me sometimes. It's not. It is the call of all followers of Christ. It is the call to be like Jesus, to care about what he cares about and to model our lives after his.

I wish this strong sense of call was enough though. I wish it was the only thing I needed to live a life that models Christ. But honestly, living like Jesus just feels flat out impossible most of the time.

I often feel the need to give myself a pep talk before entering into a situation where I know love will be required of me and I will most likely get nothing in return. I find myself needing to grasp onto every ounce of strength and spiritual knowledge I have.

But the words of the apostle Paul in Galatians speak to that feeling: "Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal with human effort?" (Galatians 3:3)


How quickly we forget about the Holy Spirit!


A continued reliance on and connection with the Holy Spirit is the only way we can take the focus off of ourselves, experience the freedom of knowing Christ, and humbly serve one another in love. It's the whole reason Jesus said to the disciples that his departure from earth would be better for them, because he was sending his spirit.


You have a purpose, you have a calling. God has gifted you in very specific ways to do very specific things for his kingdom. The life you are living, no one else will ever live. Therefore we should not be fearful of the task ahead of us. We should not fear when we feel like we have nothing to give, or when  every obstacle comes against us.


We have direct access to God the father through the Holy Spirit. We have direct access to love itself. Let's use it to serve one another and to do what seems impossible. Let's use it to love without expecting in return. Let's draw all our strength from it.


"You were called to be free, do not use your freedom to indulge in the sinful nature, rather serve one another in love." (galatians 3:13)