Oh come to the church in the ghetto, oh come to the church in the Cliff!

It’s funny how every so often God reminds you of the good you are doing.

There are many time is ministry, and especially inner-city ministry when you feel like you are doing nothing productive. There have been many days where I have gone home, convinced that I wasted my entire day, teaching kids who refused to listen. “Those stiff-necked kids!” I would exclaim to God. “They are driving me crazy!” There was one week in particular where I thought I was going to loose it on a little girl. The entire service she sat there talking, disrupting, and making fun of everyone around her. We were talking about forgiveness, which for reasons a-million is important, so I was really wanting these kids to grab a hold of it. It came time to pray, and this girl wigged out. She wanted to spit, she was talking at the top of her voice… Needless to say I was less than happy with her. If there is one thing you don’t do to Pastor James, it is talk while he’s praying. After service I let her have it. I grilled that girl (with as much love as I could muster) and dismissed her to her bus. I was annoyed. ‘Why?” I thought. “This girl DOES NOT LISTEN.” (This isn’t the first time that she has done this) I was pretty discouraged.

Earlier this week, I was working at my desk, going about my E-Newsletter business, when my phone rang. It was one of my kids, who is no longer a kid. This boy is pretty special to me. I have spent a lot of time with him, and have invested heavily into his life. A few months ago, he told me that he was possibly diabetic. He was really worried about it, and actually pretty scared. I talked to him about it, and reassured him that if you take care of it, diabetes isn’t that big of a deal. When he called me this week, he told me that he had just gotten home from the doctor, and that he was diabetes free. I was very happy for him, and told him so, but then he said something that almost made me cry. (For those of you who really know me, you know I don’t cry. It takes a lot to tear me up.) He said, “I wanted you to be the first one to know.” It made me realize that I am making a difference in kids lives; that I was in such a position in his life that he felt like he could share important news with me before anyone else. I’m not boasting, I know that I have only reached this place because God has directed it, but I am very appreciative that He has allowed to have such a role in someone’s life.

I love what I do. Many people still don’t understand why I do what I do. I do it so kids like the above boy can have a chance. I try to live my life in a way that glorifies God, and that shows who He is. The kids I work with don’t have a lot of positive in their lives, and very few have a lot of positive men. I felt a couple years ago that God wants me to be a big brother. Someone who cares for, protects and helps out others. Obviously I can’t be brother to the masses, but out the many, God brings just a few that I can really connect with and be a part of their lives. I want to teach these kids all I can about God. It’s really exciting because this generation knows so little about Him. I get to be a part of shaping a generation for Jesus. For the most part, I am a seed planter. I am the one who lays the basic foundation in kids lives. Every so often, I get to do more than just plant.

I do miss normal life sometimes, but then again, who is to decide what is normal? Metro is about to get super busy once again, but it will be good. There are some pretty exciting things in the works that I will get to share with you all soon. For now, all I have to say is,

“As the deer panteth o’er the water…” I hope that refrain gets stuck in your head!