Stories from September 17th Laundry Love Project

You know, it's one of the best things in the world when you get to see real change happening in the lives of real people. And that is exactly what we are starting to see over time at the Laundry Love Project. We are seeing those we set out to serve become our friends, become servants of others, and start to step into the love and work of Christ.

A prime example of this is our friend Dale. Dale has been to every laundry love project and when we first met him, he was just coming out of homelessness and starting to get back on his feet. Since then, dale has begun to bring other homeless folks he knows to the project to get their laundry done. He is living proof of how God's love changes lives.

Not only that, but we are getting a chance to meet people that have real need, and we are getting to love and take care of them right where there are at, showing them that there is a God in heaven who cares deeply for them.

As those of us who live in the Dueber missions house were walking around our neighborhood, we met up with a woman as she was handwashing towels in basins in her house because her family had no washer or dryer. We told her about the Laundry Love Project, and at this last LLP Cheryl brought loads and loads of laundry to do for her family that they would not have been able to do had we not met them.

And probably the biggest blessing for myself is watching those who have been called by Christ have an opportunity to be with those who are struggling and use their gifts to love those cast out by society. This project is as much for those who volunteer as it is for those we serve, and all are learning what a life lived for the kingdom of heaven looks like.

At this last project we also met Jerry. Jerry has been 12 years sober (praise God!) but unfortunately his girlfriend is dying. Jerry acknowledges how much God has rescued him from, and I know that in this time of distress God will rescue both Jerry and his girlfriend.

Lastly, we met Charlie. Charlie lives right next door to the laundromat, and because of this project we were able to find out about other needs she has for repair around her house. Which is a huge deal because she is very old and disabled, making even small things hard to do.

I praise God for how he is letting us meet people and draw together as a community. We got to spend $250 dollars and help over 50 people do over 75 loads of laundry at this last project. And also had a cookout where we got rid of over 100 hot dogs.

God is working in Canton my friends, bringing light to dark places through the hands and feet of his followers.

Perception is reality?

How I long to see what's on my heart
be spoken of on your lips
Because I don't know how to say
that my heart overflows

Perception is reality, they tell me
So I suppose
Your thought of me after the talk, the laughter
I've no clue where it goes

I only hope where I land
is that part of your brain
that allows you to have grace
for a broken man like me

My day to day, the unseen
it's more than you've yet to know
but the praise that comes
I wish it would never go

If it were up to me I'd always manage my personality
but that's constrictive
What I'd really like is for you to see
the parts of me that are wicked

I'd like to know if you'd stay or go
based on the depths of my heart
Because this perception of me, that you think you see
has been hard to maintain from the start

So I breathe, and I hope
I hope for a love deeper
I hope for a love
I hope for a love
I hope
I hope
I hope

that you could care about the parts of me
That no one else has yet to see.

I remember

I haven't forgotten
what was special, what was true
The dream had been fading
then all I saw was you

I remember how we used to play
passionately, with no fear

I remember what we used to say
we belong right here

I dont care
what happened to our goals
or every shovel we used
to dig ourselves these holes
all that matters
is we are pressin on
we kept believing
we stayed strong

Where was it
that we first said goodbye?
all I can imagine
is the tears in your eyes

it doesn't matter
cause now we're movin on
the dream is bigger
the battle's won

I dont care

what happened to our goals

or every shovel we used

to dig ourselves these holes

all that matters

is we are pressin on

we kept believing

we stayed strong

Its 5am

I dont know what sleep is

cause who could rest

with knowing where we've been

I'd like to wake up

to tell myself its not real

but its much sweeter

to let myself feel 

I'll keep on dreamin with you

you'll keep on dreamin with me

until we wake up and 

find it's reality

Direction

Can I create something from nothing?
Is it possible to do what you do?
Cause when I look in myself
and at everyone else
There's no way this reality's true

We need order and borders
and bosses to say
Here's the box
and here's where you fit in

But as I try to break free
I stumble and fumble
and my sin
gets the better of me

When I face isolation
my thoughts run away
and I chase them all day
but I dont know where their going to
When I am super inactive
my thoughts become captive
and I attempt to see
somewhere in me
to tell me where I'm going to

The fuller the schedule
the richer the life
these lies are painted on

The less that you do
no one could ever love you
this thought comes on so strong

But me,
I long for direction
not dissatisfaction
I'm trying, I'm trying
I'm trying, I'm trying
But what I'm selling myself
my heart is not buying
so I'll give it right back to you

Maybe you can show what use I have
what steps to take, on this well-beaten path
I refuse to cave in, to believe its not true
that in you, and through you, and with you

I'll know just what to do.

A New Style.

All I want to do is put down the pen
but there's no end
to my feelings or my thoughts
while this storm carries on
it reminds me of a time, long gone
where I hoped, and I saw
what I needed.
But tragedy came
so I begged
and I pleaded
but the lightning kept striking
and the thunder was rollin
until I saw the end of myself
lost all control and
just when I thought
that the skies were always gray
sunshine came in
and wiped my fears away.

And now I rise with the sun
and shine brighter than the moon
because a prince was made
out of this once gone buffon

And now peace
rests
deep in my soul

And my
thoughts
can
slow down.
No
more
calamity
in control.

But I wait for the day
when the storm comes again
because I'm ready for it this time
I'll face it head on.

Now I'm strong
I have a rock
a foundation
to which I cling.

Jesus never fails
never falls
never loses
always trusts
always hopes......

and always perseveres.

Meet Walt.

Tonight at Refuge of Hope (a shelter for homeless men that also provides free meals to the community 6 nights a week) we served a record 207 people. To me this a very bittersweet fact. It stinks to know that so many people are in need in our Canton community, but amazing to know that God's people are meeting those needs for so many people in a very real way.

And as amazing as it was to be able to see 207 people get the help they so desperately need, my biggest joy came from meeting 1 man by the name of Walt.

Walt's story is a tale of redemption, restoration, and of one man giving all he's got for the benefit of others.

About 7 years ago Walt was a normal middle class guy with a family, until one day when he found out that his wife was doing crack cocaine behind his back. Out of a broken heart and a deep love for his wife, Walt found himself trying the drug and eventually getting hooked. Over the next few years all of their money went towards supporting his drug and alcohol addictions, until he found himself and his family broke and without a home.

To make matters worse Walt has several health problems, including degenerative disk disease in his back, which makes it hard for him to get around or even move sometimes.

No way the story ends there though, not with our mighty and loving God in the picture. Just when he was at his worst moments, Walt moved into one of the 34 beds at Refuge of Hope where the staff and the other men in the shelter gave him the accountability, love, and grace he needed.

Today Walt is 2 1/2 years sober and finds himself teaching others and sharing his testimony in hopes that they will learn from his mistakes and avoid the traps that force people into homelessness. He told me that he regularly gives seminars at the Canton Department of Job & Family Services to young kids where he teaches them what it takes to stay off the streets and away from drugs, and where he shares the saving work of his Lord Jesus Christ.

Not only that, but he also gives back his time by helping at every Refuge dinner service and by taking the men of the shelter with him to church. Walt is a leader amongst the people and is a daily example to many that God can heal and restore all things.

I was absolutely blown away talking to Walt. To hear about how much he is physically held back and how he still gives every ounce of himself to the work of God is incredible.

Walt has very little to give both financially and physically, but gives every  bit of himself to God.  As someone who is young, healthy, and who has been given many blessings, that challenges me in a very profound way. If Walt can give it all to Christ with the little he has, how much more should we be giving? Should we not use every ounce of our strength for the kingdom as well?

May you be encouraged by Walt's story, and may it challenge you to give every ounce of your life to the God who gave his for us. God loves you immeasurably more than you could ever know, our response to that should be nothing short of our all.

Meet Tanya.

I want to tell you a story about my friend Tanya.

Tanya is a single mom with 6 kids who works full time as a homecare nurse for people struggling with various types of sickness.  Almost everytime we have a Laundry Love Project she brings loads and loads of laundry from her clients houses and takes the opportunity to get a few outfits washed for her kids in addition to the people she takes care of.

Today at the Laundry Love Project she made us aware of the fact that the dryer at her house broke down, leaving her with no option to wash her kids clothes other than spending money at the laundromat.

Well it just so happened that we had a dryer we were looking to donate to someone, and who better to give it to than a single mom with 6 kids who works full time taking care of others?

So thats exactly what we did. We picked up the dryer and delivered it to her house today. If that wasnt enough of a God thing, it turns out that a house me and a few friends spent time fixing up as part of a service project is the very same house that Tanya lives in. So not only did we catch her at a great time of need in her life today, but we had a past relationship with her and her family and didnt even realize it!

You should have seen the look on her face when we told her we were giving her that dryer, you would think we were giving her a million dollars from the excitement she had.

Praise God for this amazing story and for his divine timing. This is why we do the Laundry Love Project, because it gives us the chance to connect with real people and help them in significant ways. We are called to be agents of Gods grace and love, and thats exactly what we had the opportunity to do today.

I talked to Tanya and I want to gather some people to go help her clean up her yard and take care of her house since she doesnt have the time. If you would like to be apart of that let me know.

Thank you for believing in the Laundry Love Project and in Love Canton. It's real stories of love like this that are perfect examples of how God moves when his church is faithful to our calling to love in real, practical ways.