Greetings
dear friends in the name of Jesus - 'the hook on which all hope
hangs!'
When I think about how
thankful I am to be trusted with this great ministry, I am filled
with gratitude for you. Thanks for helping to release us to do
what God has called us to do. The ministry continues to stretch
us: Hannah House, Work Groups, The Coffeehouse, Good Gifts, The
Retreat Cabin, The Emergency Shelter, preparations for Summer
Kids Club/Summer Service and mostly the PEOPLE God has sent us!
God continues to supply JOY for the strength we need in answer to
your prayers. Thanks for supporting Good Works!
FAST
FROM SHELTER - # 11 Since 1990, our staff, volunteers and other concerned friends
have gathered each year on Good Friday to Fast From Shelter. We "abstain
from shelter" for one night as one might fast from food. Our purpose is
to better understand those who Jesus calls 'the least of these' in Matthew 25:31-46.
We take sleeping bags and stay outside in uptown Athens overnight. We spend
time in worship, prayer and share from scripture about the poor, especially
the widow, the orphan and the stranger. The Fast really enables us to grow personally
and spiritually. It is like a seminar experience. If you'd like to know more
about the Fast or would like to read the reflections of others on last years
Fast, click here.
THE
CULTURAL WAVE As many of you already know, I travel and
speak frequently throughout the year. During each season of
speaking, the Lord seems to give me a 'word' to emphasize to the
body of Christ. I sense that the prophetic word right now is a
warning against the sin of 'busyness' and what this sin is doing
to our human relationships. The tidal-wave of our culture is
overwhelming us with muchness, manyness and more movement. Fast
food wasn't fast enough, so drive-in windows, and microwave ovens
emerged. Speed has become an idol of sorts (along with
convenience) and has wormed its way into the dominant Christian
culture along with productivity and accomplishment. I fear that
it is all leading to a frenzied pace of life where, in our
efforts to do something for the kingdom, we walk right past Jesus
on our way to teach or take the latest seminar. Has talk of being
busy come up in your conversation with friends? Are you aware of
the cultural changes that have made 'being busy' an honored
status symbol? Who is it that suffers while we are moving at this
fiendish pace? Certainly family and friends. But may I also
suggest another group? I believe that the cultural wave of
busyness ultimately diminishes the care we provide the
vulnerable, powerless and the poor of our communities. Indeed, I
wonder if there is a connection between making time to serve the
poor and making time to serve God.
BIBLICAL
GRIEF One of the ministries of Good Works is
Hannah House, a place where recovering men and women can live for
up to 2 years in a supportive yet structured Christian Community;
where love is balanced with accountability and responsibility.
Each person who applies to enter the Life In Transition program
at HH must go through a 30-day process that includes a two-part
application and several interviews with the staff. From the
beginning, Hannah House has been designed not as a professional
recovery center, but rather as a place where the body of Christ
can work together to help hurting men and women to "rebuild
the inward ruins of their lives” (Isaiah 58:12); a place
where growing Christians can love and support people struggling
to get back on their feet. Our vision is that everyone who comes
to live at HH will, like the boy Samuel in I Samuel 3, learn to
hear the voice of God and become a prophetic influence into their
own generation. But God has clearly given us the understanding
that this ministry's success will depend upon volunteers
(interns) who are so radical in their desire to follow Christ,
that they agree to move into Hannah House for 6-12 months and
mentor a person in recovery. Unfortunately, right now we don't
have enough interns. I truly believe God has given us this model
of discipleship. Would you pray that God would move upon the
hearts of single men and women to serve HIM in this vital need?
We will soon need to turn down prospective residents simply
because we don't have enough interns. I know that there are
single men and women who want to serve Jesus in this way. Will
you pray we will find them? Will you ask God to lead them to us?
THE GIFT It is easy to become overwhelmed by the
needs of the poor and homeless. I know. Twenty years is a l o
n g time. The combination of limited resources and limited
staffing to meet unlimited needs can cause me to become weary and
often lose perspective. Occasionally I say to God "Lord, why
have you sent this person to Good Works? I cannot help
them." If I'm listening (and listening is THE KEY to
receiving wisdom), I can often hear the 'still small voice of the
Holy Spirit' say in response "I know, I have sent them to
help you." You see, through the lives of the poor and needy
come gifts—special blessings to those who serve them. Not
the kind of thing you get for your birthday or at Christmas and
not the kind of thing money can buy. No, God gives us something
through 'the least of these' that is more like a treasure so that
we can take hold of what scripture calls "life that is truly
life"( I Timothy 6:19). Consider some of the life-changing
volunteer opportunities through Good Works. Click
here for more info. Maybe
the very thing we are thirsting for will appear to us as we serve
those who cannot repay us!
PROJECT
2000 You will soon be receiving a letter asking
for your help with Project 2000, our new administrative offices
and hospitality business. Would you prayerfully consider helping
with this project? We are seeking funding, supplies and
volunteers. Would you pray for this project to succeed? Could you
help encourage (or organize) an adult work team to come to Good
Works and assist us with this project? If so, contact Paul
Richard @ 740.594.3336.
In closing, I want to
encourage you to visit Good Works sometime this year. If you are
coming from out of town please accept this invitation to stay
overnight at Hannah House. We very much want to show you what God
is doing here! If you would like to work with your hands, there
are many projects (garden, greenhouse, construction) you can help
with. You can even come as a family and teach your children the
value of serving the poor. Come for a day or stay for a week. Pop
in or call ahead. We'd love to visit face to face!
When I think about how
thankful I am to be trusted with this great ministry, I am filled
with gratitude for you. Thanks for helping to release us to do
what God has called us to do. The ministry continues to stretch
us: Hannah House, Work Groups, The Coffeehouse, Good Gifts, The
Retreat Cabin, The Emergency Shelter, preparations for Summer
Kids Club/Summer Service and mostly the PEOPLE God has sent us!
God continues to supply JOY for the strength we need in answer to
your prayers. Thanks for supporting Good Works!