From The Outside In

Hello, Praying Friend!

Welcome to August!

This past weekend, the church I serve at opened its doors again to an annual event we call Clothes for Kids. Parents “shop” and return home with new clothes, underwear, socks, shoes, and more. It’s a fantastic day and takes five months of preparation. More than 1000 people came through, and we helped their families with school clothing and more. At the heart of the day is a Christ-centered message of hope. Most of the families that attend are struggling financially. Some are in the midst of a crisis. Others never seem to get out of one. Many are in a spiritual desert. Though in a problematic spot, others are quick to thank and praise God for the blessing.

Our church family, united in our faith and commitment, comes together with over 200 volunteers to make this event happen. We understand that some of our church people also face financial struggles, crises, or spiritual challenges. Most of us, no matter our spiritual condition, at one time or another, have faced this most human condition; having too much month at the end of the money.

So, this event is not about an ‘us’ vs. ‘them’ mentality. It’s about ‘We’. We have all also been spiritually lost at some point. Can we show you how we’ve been found? During the event, we share the truth that the Lord can be your strength—in hard and easy times.

We must remember that going through difficult, challenging times is not sinful. However, in some situations, we may also need to acknowledge that our sinful behavior got us into this “mess,” and we must ask for forgiveness and guidance to be fully restored and free. But it is also possible that we find ourselves in desperate times due to other’s choices and through no fault of our own. The great news is that the answer in all these situations is to look to Christ for guidance through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to guide us through restoration. To get things right on the outside, we need to work on the inside.

As Christ-followers, let’s remember that meeting a physical need often opens the door to meeting a person’s spiritual need from the outside—in.

Jesus met both spiritual and physical needs throughout his ministry, as described in the book of Luke. One story is when Jesus healed a paralyzed man in Luke 5:17-26. Not only did Jesus physically heal the man, but he also forgave his sins, addressing the man’s spiritual need for forgiveness and restoration with God. This demonstrates the depth of Jesus’s care for us, understanding that our needs go beyond the physical and that our spiritual well-being is ultimately most important.

If you’re not a Christ-follower, I encourage you to seek Him today. In Him, you will find the strength and guidance you need to navigate life’s challenges, no matter how tough they may seem.

If you need help on where to begin this restoration process, I highly recommend this resource page on prayer from Christian author John Eldredge. (Click here)

Sharing His Wonder,

 

Ministry Update
I am flying at 40,000 feet as I write these words, returning from a conference in Las Vegas. I am excited about the opportunities that we have ahead! Would you please pray that the fall schedule is filled with our outreach events? If you are interested in how you can host this amazing day for local schools in your area, just reply to this Kneemail or using the link below.