Dependance On One Another....Written by Mike

In a day when we pay tribute to the individual who can make a success of themselves and become financially independent, we are confronted with the reality of the New Testament. In the New Testament we are reminded of the interdependent nature of the Church.
I was reminded of this recently in a conversation. People have often asked why I don't get another job and support my family. The answer? We are called as a family to live by faith. I had a full time job, but had to make a choice when God opened the flood gates of ministry to the homeless.
If every follower of Christ were financially secure then half of the Church would be unnecessary. In I Corinthians 12 Paul gives us the picture of the Church as the body of Christ. EVERY PART is NEEDED and EVERY PART is DEPENDENT on the other parts. There are NO independent parts of the body.
In the Church God has ordained some Christians to make a good income, while others have been called to live by faith. Those who are called to live by faith must depend on the giving of those who are called to make a good income. Those called to make money are dependant on those who are called to live by faith so that they can fulfill their ministry of giving. BOTH are NECESSARY and BOTH are NEEDED in the Church.
There is much work needed to be done in the Kingdom that requires a full-time commitment whether it generates income or not. There are many people in the Bible called to leave security behind and live by faith. It seems like a wonderful thing that they did that,we look at their faith and look up to them, but we tend to think someone is off their rocker if you see someone do that now and we tend to not ever think of doing that ourselves. Acts 4 gives us an example of the Church made up of rich and poor. Those who had possessions sold them. The money was then given to the poor and there were then no needy persons. May we realize that those called to make money and those called to live by faith are dependent on each other for the glory of God. What an awesome gift God gave us of being able to work hand in hand together.

Advocating For the Homeless

Advocating for the homeless is something very important that more people need to do. As I have shared in past blogs, it can be a daily struggle of attacks from adults, teens, security guards, and the police, individuals along with state and county people taking their possessions illegally. Advocating doesn't mean you always take their side. One of the things they know is that we will fight for their rights if that is being taken away and they are being disciminated against, but if they are in the wrong...we expect them to do what it takes to make it right.

Advocating is one of the things that has really spoken love to the homeless. They can't believe we are out there each day and if they give us a call even during the night, we are off and running to see what is going on. You can't stand from a distance and advocate. You have to be willing to walk the road with them and see first hand what they are doing. I'm not even talking about a big protest for one day or even a week, but when someone is harrassing them, stand up for them.

A couple examples of this is where my husband works in the court where they assign the homeless to him as a volunteer in order for him to help them do what the judge requires of them doing. The judge gets my husbands input a lot of times on whether he thinks it is fair or not. This is another way of helping them instead of just tossing them in jail and they come out just to do it all over again. This is one way of advocating for the homeless.

Another example is something that just took place the other day and does happen quite often. We got a frantic phone call from one of the guys saying the police were kicking them out of their camp. They knew that they were suppose to get a 5 days notice prior to being kicked out, but until now nobody has kept that law because nobody has ever stood up for the homeless out here before. So, my husband goes out there and the police proceed to threaten to arrest him, make fun of him, and really became mean about it all. He kept trying to talk to them and they wouldn't listen. So, he called an attorney who was going to call our lawyer about this. The police realized my husband knew the laws and really did know people high up and so they backed down. They finally agreed that they would give them the 5 days that they were deserved. They did arrest the guys though because they were drunk and my husband told them they needed to pay for doing that. He wasn't standing up for them and getting them out of that one.

So, there you have it. It is a daily thing though. It is tough when you are dealing on a constant basis of being put in jail yourself, ridiculed, attacked, made fun of, but God tells us in the Bible that we are suppose to stand up for the rights of the poor over and over.

"Defend the cause of the weak and 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

Mothers Day

Mother's Day is a special day that is well deserved to all those women who have sacrificed so much for those bundles of joy they receive. It is wonderful to see those mothers out there that love their children unconditionally and are so proud of their kids and who they grow up to be.

This year as we celebrate, it has been different for me. This is our first Mothers Day in the ministry God has called us to with the homeless. I can't help but think of those women out there that came from such horrible, abusive homes. One of our women that we are very close to was raised in a home where her parents were strung out on drugs, tortured her, didn't feed her, and gave her up as a child prostitute. Eventually she was even sold to their drug lord as a child, he took off with her, got her pregnant and then left her all alone. Where was her mother? Her mother was suppose to love her, take care of her, protect her. I'm sure today is a tough day as she thinks what kind of mother she had.

I have also met several women who gave up their children because they didn't know how to take care of them. I know they hurt and they miss their children. It breaks your heart when you talk to them and you see in their eyes the hurt and pain. I have left many times from talking to these women and I'll be in tears with such a heavy heart. I put myself in their situation and can't imagine losing my children. I would think that you would just lose all hope and joy in life when you know you can't be with them, love them, and care for them.

So, as you celebrate this day for the mother you had who loved you or the children you have that you love with all your heart and would do anything for them...think and say a prayer for those children out there that don't have a mother to protect them or those moms who have no means to care for their children.

Keep up the good work, ladies!
Keep sacrificing for those children.
Keep loving them unconditionally.
Watch for another child or even a woman who could use your example and love.

"Out of mouths of Babes" written by our almost 12 year old.

For me, "Knowing Me Ministries" is a good ministry that helps the homeless. We take them to the hospital when they need it, diciple them, take them places they need to go, be their friend, ect. We don't just give them food and tracts twice a year, we are with them EVERYDAY OF THE YEAR! I, as a person am very exited about all the people that have come to know Christ...12 in 10 months! Wow! That is so cool!
I can't wait to be out of school, so I can start going out with Dad more to Bible Studies and meeting more of the people that Dad is working with.
It LOOKS like we are going to be homeless by the 1st of June. I have been struggling big time with this because I don't really want to be homeless, but I will be homeless if I have to. I have to get rid of a lot of my things, but I am willing to do so in order to reach these people. I am praying hard that God gives us a nice RV so we can tell others about what we do and maybe they will help the homeless in their city. I love this ministry and working with Mom and Dad on it. God loves these people and so do I!

Following His Purposes...written by my husband

It was no accident that Christ came to Israel. It was no accident that He was born in Bethlehem, for the prophets had predicted this location long ago. But now the nation was broken, disengaged, and headed their own direction. They had not heard from God for 400 years. Why would He now come to these people? It was because He had given Himself to them and was committed to their redemption. He is faithful. So it is with His people. As His people we are called to place and time, to specific people to serve His purpose of redemption. In the Springwater Corridor along SE 82nd Ave in Portland is the place and the people God has called me to. Lives lay in shambles all around me. Brokenness is the normal expectation. Those who drive through this area on their commute just shake their head in wonder at the waste of humanity they see on the streets.
Yet it is in this brokenness and seeming human trash pile, just like it was in Israel long ago, that God is calling out a people for Himself. Among the human wreckage, in the ashes stories of victory and restoration abound. Joel, a violent, uneducated drug addict is now a peace seeking, free servant of Christ. Each day he is learning how to give his life away, though he used to live only for himself. A man that used to make a second home in prison is now truly set free. Steve was lost in darkness to his own destructive desires, but now he as a follower of Christ joins me on the streets to show others the way to true life. Larry was someone you did not want to meet alone. The authorities shook in fear at the mention of him. In federal prison for 34 years for violent crimes he was hated and he hated everyone. Now Larry has one goal and that is to know Christ intimately. His thoughts are no longer consumed with anger, but rather with love for God. He is blown away that God could love him in all his brokenness. The stories go on.
There is no magic to seeing this happen. I am out there everyday as a friend and advocate surrendering to God’s purposes. My prayer each day is “Lord, lead my steps so that your purposes are accomplished today.