Sometimes I Write

This is the article I submitted for the next Dry Bones newsletter which will be mailed out in January. I wanted to share it here because these things have really been on my heart lately. As you’re moving forward in life, sometimes it’s nice to look back and see how far you’ve come and how God has grown you through the trials and triumphs. The original article was twice as long and Matt politely told me he loved it but I needed to condense it – ALOT. So, this is the edited version from my long-winded self. As always, I welcome your comments.

As we prepare to start a ministry in the Boulder area, I can’t help but look back at all we have learned since our move to Denver and how we’ve been changed by our experiences here. God placed a love for the “throw away people” in us long ago, and moving here has allowed us to put everything we’ve learned up until now into practice in a very practical way. Though there is not enough space here to share everything we’ve learned during our time with Dry Bones, there are a few truths I felt were important to relay to you – friends and supporters of this ministry.

1. Never judge a book by its cover. It’s easy to make assumptions about others based on appearance, first impressions, or even lifestyles. Working with street kids has taught me that it’s always worth taking a closer look into who a person is. The people I’ve met on the streets have been mostly friendly, willing to talk, and looking for the same basic needs I enjoy – love, family, and a place to belong. They are mistreated all the time – people crossing the street to avoid them, looks of disgust with accusations like, “Why don’t you get a job?”, sexual propositions for pay, and more. It’s hard for them to trust, but they begin to – even if just a little – when you consistently look past their appearances and their language and see the child of God hidden in the many layers of who they are, and treat them accordingly.

2. It’s not about being homeless. That is a symptom of the problem, not the problem itself. Getting the street kids into an apartment and off the streets is no more our end goal than the church getting people to baptism is the final goal. There is more – for both. There is relationship with the One who made them, loves them more than any human possibly could, and has a plan for their life. We can help people find shelter and food, but nothing is more important than loving them to Jesus, the living water, and the One who can sustain them. Meeting the physical needs opens doors to being able to help meet the spiritual needs as well. It’s not just about where you sleep. There are many Christians who sleep on the streets.

3. Jesus said “GO”, not “invite them to come to you”. This is a hard concept because it requires you to go to places you might not be comfortable going. As much as people crave answers and meaning, sometimes there is no strength to “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” and get on with living. By us going to the streets and being with the street kids on their turf, relationships are forged and perceptions are changed, on both sides. Sometimes they come to church or Bible Study with us, or to our homes for meals, but here’s the point: They would never have come if we hadn’t first gone to them.