Hope Ministries

Last night and today I got to go on a mission trip with the Pulse youth at Grace Baptist.  This was an amazing trip full of amazing moments.  On the trip we got to visit a homeless shelter, soup kitchen and thrift store.

My favorite moment of the service trip was meeting a man named John.  John is a man that is going through treatment at Mission of Hope in Des Moines.  John had been homeless, lost and alcoholic for many years.  We got to hear John's testimony (we were the first to hear it).  John is an amazing man, but more importantly he follows an amazing God.

John spoke very openly about his alcoholism.  He spoke of drinking at least a 24 pack of beer every day.  He spoke about his homelessness.  He spoke about how he was a promising young man on a music scholarship who let it all slip away from him until he was living in a tent in the woods.

But get this, God was with John the whole time, even when John tried to kill himself.

John talked about how God woke him up and provided him with a place to grow in a relationship with Jesus.  John even spoke about how he recently led his sister to Christ and is working on his other sister.  How amazing is that?!  God took what the world said was broken, John, and used him to fix the brokenness in others.  God is great.

So John gave his testimony and then we were given the opportunity to pray with John.  It was unbelievable.  While we prayed with John he deflected the attention away from himself and prayed for others that he wanted God to save.  In the middle of his battle, he is not done fighting this demon yet, he prayed for others.  I can learn so much from that.

So, I could ramble for a long time and if you weren't with me in Des Moines you probably will be lost but I want to say a few more things.  First, I get to be around powerful kids.  The kids that went with me continue to astound me with their growing love for Jesus and others.

Secondly, please be aware of the hurt in our backyard.  There are so many that are in need of a miracle in our neighborhoods.

Finally, pray for John.  I will be.  John is going to change his family in breathtaking ways just like he has been changed.  So be a partner in what he will do for the Kingdom by praying for him and Hope Ministries (www.hopeiowa.org) today.