A new small shelter comes to town

At church I began to hear that a few folks were going to start a real shelter in town. Our 6th grade Sunday school class was planning a Thanksgiving trip to this shelter on Sunday after church. The teacher (Mrs. Tammy) Ask if I wanted to go with them. When she ask I instantly got a witness. I said sure I would. So.. Sunday off we went. My wife Susan and I just hung back and let the class minister with a meal and music. It was a very nice time. Went spent a few hours there with them. This shelter was an old house that was donated to the group running the shelter. It was a small house.. But it had running water and shelter from the cold. It was only a few weeks old and it was FULL already. While we visited I was waiting for God to give it to me. You see... I was sure that I had been ask to go for a specific reason. Because I got a witness when Tammy ask me the week before, So I was sure that God had me there to accomplish a task. I was just waiting for it....

And then, I noticed NO BEDS AT ALL ! This home had not one bed in it they were sleeping on the floor, now, the floor was much much better that a box or behind a building but, I thought THEY NEED BEDS RIGHT AWAY ! And I instantly got that witness again. There it was, the reason I was invited on this trip. My mind started running 1000 miles per hour. On just how we were going to get the beds to the shelter.

Soon it was time to end our visit. I spoke with the lady that had set this shelter up before I left. When I ask about the beds, She started to cry and stated that she could not afford them just yet but they were working on it. I told her that God had sent us there for that reason and that the beds would be coming soon. Then she really started to cry. Tears of happiness.

Jason and I went right to work. We started a "Donate your "old bunk bed drive" at our Church. Beds and money came over and over. We spoke with furniture stores and and other outlets in town looking for the best price we could find. In just a few weeks between our ministry and our church God allowed us to deliver enough beds to sleep 26 people and had a few beds left over for expansion. More beds than they could sleep in ! Isn't that just like God...To meet the need and then some ?

Oh, there is a PS on this story. About a week later I was on the way to church thinking about those folks in the shelter. How were they going to get to church ? I got a witness right then! I spoke with Pastor Sims that day and the next week we started running a bus from the shelter to our church and back every Sunday and Wednesday. (Bus ministry was born). Over the last few months I have seen at least 8 people from the shelter saved right there in our church. SAVED !!!

I have to ask this question........What is your need ? Don't you think God knows where you are and what you need ? He knows about our friends in the shelter. He is answering there needs every day. Just ask him....I am sure that he will answer I am SURE !

A Big day for the growing Ministry

A few days ago we were having a planning session for the Ministry when God showed up and took over our conversation. David and I were discussing our plans when cousin April (one of our best supporters) joined in, but she wasn't the only one. God had a wonderful agenda that he planned for that meeting. You see, it is clear to us that to see our vision realized for the Help Out Guys to become a full time ministry, and to put the "Hope Mobile" into action, God will have to open up some big doors for us. We will need to obtain the RV and gather the support needed to do this Kingdom work on a full time basis. We had a mission, the motivation, and a plan, but we still needed something else. It came out in this discussion that God had given April a dream of her own some time ago. She was bold enough to confess that dream in another type of meeting some years ago. April shared her dream with us at this divinely appointed time. She had the desire to be a "Fund Raiser" for a non-profit organization. The words were spoken and excitement filled the atmosphere. This was God's BIG plan for our little meeting. She was hired by the Help Out Guys on the spot! She is now what she always wanted to be, and the Help Out Guys Ministry has been given another wonderful and necessary part of the plan. It is a beautiful thing to me that April and I will share in this Godly heritage together. We have the same Grandaddy that serves God faithfully, and in his younger years Baptized many people with his homemade baptismal in the bed of his pickup truck. More than that we share the same Heavenly Father who is bringing our dreams to pass. The word declares: "Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart". We are seeing His word being fulfilled. What a might God we serve! Thank you Jesus!

Another junkyard story......

Some time ago, about 2004 The LORD led us to a junkyard on highway 15. When we looked around the junkyard we found 8 people in various stages of transition living there some in an old camper, some in a school bus, some in a car. The LORD instantly went to work both on us and the folks living there. I look back over the past few years in the junkyard and I can't help but think of that place as a schoolroom. It seems to me that God himself taught Jason and I so much in that place. We were able to minister, help, and befriend all of those folks during those years. They became our friends and we became theirs. As I look back I can't think of one time when we were in the junkyard that we did not learn something profound about God and His grace. Every time we were able to give something to those folks we got something back usually a profound lesson.

How could it be? That God would lead us to a junkyard to teach us such lessons. I can't think of another place that we could have been taught the lessons in such a "hands on way". Think about it…what we miss when we don't follow His instructions…What if we had not gone to the junkyard?

I am happy to report that today the population of the junkyard is "O" They all have moved on and I think they all in are in a better condition that they were. During that time in the junkyard we saw blessings flow like a river. We were able to be present when 4 of them made that decision to ask Christ in to their lives. Salvation came to 4 of them in that place

Another day in the junkyard

A week later.OK, so we have some new friends now. They just live in the junkyard. Jason and I wanted to do something nice for them, You know? We thought we would have a nice back yard cook out. You know, just the normal stuff you and I do all of the time. So off we went to the store shopping. We bought the good stuff too. We didn't scrimp on anything. Our thinking was, that we were sure that Christ truly gives us the good stuff all of the time. So we would also.OK, so we pull up to the junkyard with all of this stuff. Grill, bags and bags of good stuff. Pee wee and some of his friends are there some folks we had met and a few we had not met. But wouldn't you know...We had enough for them all and then some. (Had to be a God thing)We ask them if they had plans for lunch.... They just looked at us...Then we said "Lets have a back yard cook out'...Then they looked at us like we were nuts!So the fun was on... We cooked big fat messy burgers with everything you could think of on them. We had a great time we got to know each other and shared life stories. We just sat under the trees in the junkyard and had a great afternoon. I noticed Pee wee sitting on an up side down bucket looking at that giant sloppy burger. He looks right at me and said this. "Man this is the life". aint it ? With a big smile. When he said those words I was knocked over. He was so happy and content right then. He was feeling like some one in this world cared a little.A lady that was living in the back part of the junkyard said to us don't we have to study the bible now or something. You are ministers right? Pee wee spoke up and said...Don't you see it they have been doing it the whole time they have been here. This brought up a good discussion about God and his goodness.While the others were talking I noticed the traffic speeding up and down the highway...Up and down. Back and forth. I watched and no one. Not one person even turned their head in the direction of the junkyard. NO ONE. But then again why would they? It made me think. How these folks must feel here in the junk yard being passed by all day every day. In my heart I hoped they hadn't noticed it that way. Then I thought.... How did we find them? It was like I knew them forever. How did we end up here? It was so clear to me right then. They had a need God knew it and sent us right here right now. ON TIME! I will write on this one more in a bit.... But I must close for now. With this thought...What if...God was too busy to notice us in our own junkyards. What if no one even looked our way? What would you do? What would you think? How would you get by?Last Sunday who sat next to you or your family? Did you notice them? Were they bound in their own junkyard? Did they need a friend? Or just a smile? What about that cashier at the gas station yesterday or that person in traffic? WOW!!!!!!!!!!! They are everywhere.Lets all slow down and listen to that small great voice inside...Feel his leading and reach out every time we can! What if we missed a chance to just smile and be nice...MAN THIS IS THE LIFE!!!

Oh my! I put two rakes out this morning

This day we were riding and praying. No direction yet none at all! Or so we thought. We find ourselves on the south side in a neighborhood. As we ride by a house Very small (modest house) we saw a lady in her front yard with a rake in her hands. She looked to be 80 or so years old. She was kind bent over and was taking very short rake strokes. (Doing the best she could).

It was breezy and a bit cold on this day, As we rode past Jason and I both smiled. There she is! Ok let's go.... We stepped out to meet her. She was very soft spoken and nice. Her posture was a bit defensive she held the rake in both hands across her body. We had a nice conversation with her and she then declined our offer to rake her yard for her.

I felt my help come on me as sure as im writing this now! I said to her." Yes mam, but look over at that top step. The son (Sun) is shining on that step just for you. Why don't you just sit in the son (sun) and warm yourself and let God carry this load for you. Just rest in the Lord today." With that her eyes lit up he posture changed her rake went down there was nothing between us any more!

Then she got tears in her eyes. She said these words to us. Oh my! I put two rakes out this morning, look over there.I was blown away. She had put another rake against the house that morning and she had a rake in her hand. It was like she knew we were coming TWO of us! Sure why not. God sent us and he let her know in some way. Why not! She was flabbergasted . We were convinced we were on the right track.

She sat on the porch and rested in the Lord. We went to work. While we raked we had a time! Church broke out while we worked. It was wonderful. In some way, I knew that we were healing an old race related wound she had experienced. She hummed hymns and we raked. We got every leaf. EVERY leaf. We loaded the truck so we could haul it off for her. She said we could leave it in a pile but we had to finish the job and do it all of the way. Our thinking was that Christ finished the job and He never did any thing half way! So we did the same!!!

She said to us that her husband was working a double shift today and she wanted to rake the yard for him so he did not feel like he had to get it done today. She was doing her best to help her hard working husband. She said we try to keep up what we have been blessed with. My heart went out to her.I noticed many neighbors watched us work. I could tell they wanted to know where we came from and what we were doing. Then one man came across the street and asked what was going on here. Ms Emma said look what God sent me. He knew I was hurting and he sent these angels to help me. Then it was on!! Praise time!! We prayed and praised right there in her front yard with her, in front of the neighbors. It was great!
She was so happy and her yard looked great! She knew God had come to the rescue. She never ask for our names and we never offerd. All she knew is that God was working on her behalf. Every one was blessed that day. Especially us.

As we rode way that day we were feeling great. How great God is..He knows where you are and what is in your life.

Have you ever been moved to help someone? We are asking that when you feel that call to reach out to someone..No matter what you are call to door how crazy it sounds to you, that you just do it.

And so we go....In the name of Jesus.

Order Our Steps Lord

One Saturday very recently we felt that we needed to see a young brother in Christ that had been in a car accident. He was injured in the accident, and because his arm was in a cast his employer was thinking about letting him go. This young friend lives with his grandmother, and between what he makes and her fixed income they just scrape by. While we were there we noticed that their floors were mere plywood, with no carpet to walk on. After making a mental note of that for a future project, we slipped him a little cash and loaded our truck with their garbage since he was in no condition to take it himself. But before we left we agreed to go by the crash site to look for some glasses that he was concerned about. While driving near the crash site on Hwy 261, and enjoying the fellowship, our conversation turned to the topic of plantation houses. You see we just passed one and David is very interested in them, so I said something like" if you like that, I know a plantation house that you have to see". I grew up in a neighborhood across a field from where one of my best friends lived in a plantation house. Although my friend is grown and there seemed to be no reason for him to be at that house, we went there anyway. When we got to the plantation my friend was there, and he had bad news. His mother had been partially paralyzed, and my friend's wife has separated from him, so he is temporarily living at the plantation. At about the time that he told me, David and my friend's father really clicked and started a conversation that kept them occupied, and gave me an opportunity to talk with my friend alone. He really wanted his family back, and really needed some words of encouragement from and old friend. The Bible says that the steps of a righteous man are ordered of the Lord. It was not chance that took us from that trailer to that plantation house, or from one friend in need to another, but rather God directing us each and every step of the way. If we will allow Him to, He will direct our paths and order each step. Throughout that day needs were met, future plans set in motion, and David even got the grand tour of that old plantation house that holds so many fond memories for me. Isn't God great!

One Day in the Plumb Thicket.....

On this day Susan and I were driving around town. We found ourselves out in the country. Susan looks over and sees that we are passing a plumb thicket. "Oh ! Lets stop here for a bit".
While Susan and I were enjoying the plumbs and the great weather, Our discussion went like this... How good God was. He provided this great day, Beautiful weather, Great plumbs growing wild, and an enjoyable time for my wife and I. How great is God ? !...He provides !!!

Then it happened....A car rides by real slow. As he passed by we made eye contact. He pulls over down the road a bit and starts picking plumbs. I said to Susan.. There it is..The reason we are here right now. As he works his way closer to us, he says.." Great plumbs today". Susan replies God sure is great, we don't even have to go to the store for these, He put them here just for us...
As we talked with him his story unfolds like this... He has cancer and he is dying the doctor says it will come soon. He is poor and does not have insurance. He has two younger children and a wife at home. He cant stand to think of his kids watching him "Go down" "and suffer and die like that". So he left his home to spare them the sight on what he knows is coming. When he left home he even left his church family as well. He said "I'm just gonna go off and die alone" He a was concerned that he not leave his wife any debt so he has not gotten any treatment. HE JUST GAVE UP. HE HAD NO HOPE AT ALL.

Susan stepped right up and said we need to pray for you right now! As we began to pray and lay on hands, I noticed that he was silent. The spirit fell right there in that Church plumb thicket. Susan was speaking in that heavenly tongue. I could hardly stand up. Then I heard him. He was praying too asking for help, forgiveness. It was POWERFUL . He was praying !!!!!

After the prayer we just stood there talking of the wonders of the Lord and how he works. We talked for a long time. I noticed while we were spending time together he was light hearted and smiling. He said that he was going home today and was going back to his pastor and back to the hospital. In the beginning of our encounter He was so down hearted , sad ,hopeless and now he was upbeat.

He had Hope again!! This encounter in the plumb thicket gave this man hope again! He was smiling and crying at the same time. He appeared to be happy and relieved. We spent a good long time in the plumb thicket on this day with this man. I am sure that he left the plumb thicket better than when he arrived there.

Think about this for a moment....How many events had to take place... To get all three of us out of our cars in a plumb thicket out in the country at the exact same time on that Saturday afternoon? Do you think this was a chance meeting ?
I THINK NOT ???

I wonder.... How many times in a day do we come across some person who has lost hope? And we miss it because we are in a hurry or on the cell phone or all wrapped up in our own lives.

I'M just saying it might be a better approach to slow down a bit LOOK for the opportunity to spread the Love of our Creator.

What a great day in the Plumb Thicket !!!

And so we go.........In the name of Jesus.

A Working Man Needs Transportation

This is a brief story about a guy named Bernard, and how God has recently poured out some wonderful blessings on him. We have known Bernard for few years now, and know him to be a hard working guy. Although he was homeless he was not afraid of hard work. He would work all day for whatever wage he was given for the day, and return to some meager place to lay his head. I often thought of how hard it must be to work and sweat all day and not be able to take a shower at the end of it all, before bedding down in a camper or even a car in the junk yard. In addition to being homeless he also had to depend on others to get him to his work for the day, and then back "home" again. I wonder how many times he was left to fend for himself after a hard and honest days work. Over the years Bernard has had some faithful friends to assist him with many of his needs, including a scooter that he had for a brief time that was "stolen" from him. Very recently we were moved to replace his scooter and the Lord provided the means for that to happen. We were very excited when this came together. In fact, we shopped out what we thought would be a really good scooter and carefully put it together when it arrived. This one has keyless start, and more importantly a SECURITY SYSTEM. We wanted it to be just right. After the Lord gave us great favor to get his paper work in order, and the scooter running just right, it was time to share the joy with Bernard that we were already feeling. When we took the scooter to him he was blown away. When we told him that it was for him, he exclaimed "NO!" in amazement. He no longer had to depend on anyone else to get him back and forth to work. Just afterwards we learned that another brother in Christ was going to let Bernard stay in his vacant rental house that he was working on. He was no longer "homeless". Oh, and I forgot to mention the best part of all--Bernard gave his heart to the Lord!

This is very nice... check it out.

Mr. Brown in Sumter

In our town there was a guy who we found living in the local cemetery. He was hidden very well. We began a long process of befriending him and helping him with many of his needs. Food, transportation, shelter and a number of other things. He came from California to South Carolina. After a good while were were able to find and speak with his family. During the conversation were told the "Leave him where he is". This fellows own family did not care a bit for his situation. But God did ! During the winter when we had ice and snow Jason picked him up and placed him in a nice warm hotel room for a several nights. (We did not a have a homeless shelter in Town at the time) He was so happy to have a "Real shower". Over time we found out that he had a connection to Tampa Fla. He had once worked there. As we had no real homeless services in our town we contacted the United Way in Tampa and set him up with someone that would help him when he arrived. Were able to buy him a bus ticket get him packed up, and off to Fla. he went.
we were able to have many conversations with him about the blessings of God and the whole Kingdom experience over the time we knew him. I smile when I think about him sitting up on the bus looking out of the window with that big bag of Burger King smiling at us as he left.

What is your troubling issue today? I'm sure that God will send someone with the answer !

God speaks.

God sends a Message of hope to people in Augusta GA. We felt an absolute calling to place this bill board in this neighborhood.

On the bottom of this sign was a cell phone number that we monitored 24 hours a day. When we receive a call ,we could speak with these folks and connect them with certain pastors from the area. On a three way call type of situation. Once the initial contact was made the local pastor could meet with the caller and provide the needed guidance and direction. We were thinking this would work like a "Dial 911" rescue effort.

Think about it..... Call and he will answer !!

The well..................

This is a well that God allowed us to put in a small town in Peru. This town had no drinking water before
this well was put in. Some members of our church went to assist in its installation. Now God has blessed this
town with drinking water. This well was installed for a cost of about $600.00

When I think about this rescue project, I can't help but think about what the bible says about " Rivers of living water'