Encouragement for the Weary

Street people. The homeless. Alcoholics and addicts. Most of us know ABOUT them; relatively few of us KNOW them. We see them walking the Downtown streets. We see them sitting in the doorways of abandoned and delapitated buildings. We see them or have experienced them asking for spare change. But, do we really SEE them? Do we really KNOW them? We find it hard to empathize with them or their plight. We just can’t relate! We don’t understand why they do what they do or live the way they live!

We find it hard to walk a mile in their shoes! Our lives are so different. We have homes. We have cars. We have all the “niceties” of life. Many of us have enough money to sustain our basic needs-and many of us can afford to live a pretty comfortable lifestyle without much care.

So, let me ask you the question again, Do we really SEE them? Do we really KNOW them? Or are we looking at them with stereotypical blinders? What do you think of when you see a homeless person? Do you think “Alcoholic, Drug addict, Lazy”? In some cases that is the absolute truth. But, do you realize that there are many other causes to people becoming homeless?

1. A single mother making minimum wage who loses the struggle to afford rent, childcare, transportation, and food?
2. A family living in their car because they can’t afford to rent an apartment; the parents terrified they will lose their children?
3. A young man caught up in the despair of drug and alcohol addictions?
4. A woman escaping an abusive relationship with nothing but the clothes on her back?
5. A man who, because he is homeless without an address, phone number, clean clothes, and a place to shower, can not secure gainful employment despite having the needed skills.

Do we SEE them? Do we KNOW them? Do we hear their cries for help? I mean really SEE and KNOW them! Do you see them as “Children of God”, just like you? Have you ever taken the time to just say “hello”? Have you taken the time to just smile? These things do not cost anything, but could mean everything to someone on the streets. Not just people on the streets either! Most of us do not SEE and KNOW what people are going through on the inside that we have contact with everyday! Let’s stop “judging the book by it’s cover”! Get to KNOW people and SEE who and what they are all about, instead of judging by the outside. Build relationships. Be there for one another.

Do you really want to make a difference? I am not telling you to run out and give a homeless person $20 bucks. I am not asking you to donate to this cause. I am asking you to be what you claim, a Christian. A Son or Daughter of Jesus Christ. Encourage others through YOUR actions. Let His Spirit impart from you. Don’t follow the crowd. Take the time to lift someone up instead of tearing them down. Take the time and ask  someone “How are you doing?” and mean it from the heart. Not just in passing or idle chit-chat, but ask because you truly care how they are doing. Hey, sometimes even just a smile helps! That doesn’t cost a thing! Be blessed.

That is an essence of living a “Saved Life”! Are you living it?

See ya on the road,

Jason

Change of plans!

Hello everyone! I want to thank everyone who has supported this benefit ride thus far! You all have been blessings! After meeting with my of advisers and team members we have decided to change the launch date from February 7th to March 20th, 2010, the first day of Spring!  We would finish this benefit ride  on September 6th, 2010 which happens to be Labor Day, and the official ending of Summer. This would mean we would have 169 days to travel the 2,800 miles from Jacksonville Beach, Florida to Santa Monica, California to spread our message of hope.

Many factors have went into this decision. The time-line has been a major factor in this change. We want to have ample opportunity to speak with Church members, recovery and homeless advocates, the public, and the street people themselves about our mission and purpose. I do not want to be in a rush! This is about an awakening to me! We want the ability and opportunity to have a positive effect and bring about the much needed change we all desire. Our budget is still a major concern. We are in need of sponsorship for this benefit ride. Although this mission is definitely not motivated by money, we need to raise approximately 5k in the next several weeks to formulate this launch plan according to the vision God has laid on my heart. We want to be successful in bringing Glory to Him! We do not want to leave here half-prepared! Peace be with you all! Please help us to help them!

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

Proverbs 21:5

See ya on the road!

Jason

Does anybody hear her?

Imagine, it’s Sunday morning, and church service will begin in the next ten minutes. In walks a young girl, dressed in a super mini-skirt and cropped shirt with 5 inch heels and torn stockings. Instantly, heads turn and people start pointing and whispering among themselves saying things like, “how dare she wear something like that to church service?” and “Did she come straight from the club?”

What they don’t know is that this young girl was a call girl, a hooker, a street walker, an unfortunate, who had a dream last night where she was positive God reached out His hand and called her back to Him. She rushed to the church building this morning wanting to get her life on track and turn back to God. However, she sees the people (the church) talking about her and embarrassed she turns and runs back out the door …back to the streets from whence she came.

Unfortunately, this is just one of many examples of experiences that people are having “in Church” every week across the country. I believe we have lost sight of the fact that we are supposed to be “the Church.” It’s much bigger than the “building” we worship in. What happen to the Church being a place of support, love, forgiveness? When did we become so judgmental that we lost sight of our purpose?

Why are there so many Christians remaining in bondage because they are afraid to let down their guards and share their struggles with sexual immorality or drugs or lying because they fear what people will say?

There was a time when “Church” was a safe haven – a place where one could shed the layers of disappointment, bitterness and shame and through people … could embrace the grace and mercy of our loving God. Now all too often, people are so wrapped up in their own “issues” that we are no longer reaching out to the sick and brokenhearted.

Too often, we come to the church building and go through the motions of “just being there” and leave just as messed up as we were when we came in. We have to stop this and get back to being the Church God called us to be. We must realize that it’s not just a place for the saints that seemingly have it altogether come to gather each week … but it should be …

A place of prayer
A place of healing
A place of unconditional love and support
A place of compassion
A place of forgiveness
A place of refuge
A place of honor and respect

And this is not just an attitude to adopt when you walk into the Church building … but we as the Church need to be this way at all times. What do your words and actions say about “the Church” on your job, in your neighborhoods or in the marketplace? Can a person that is in search of God follow you to find Him? Or will they like the girl in the story be too embarrassed to come to you that they decide to stay in sin and bondage?

Let us remember to …Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven… Matt 5:16

AMEN

This is to be the essence of Saved Life. The previous story is TRUE. It happened at a Church pastored by a friend of mine last summer. This and many other experiences have  inspired me to form Saved Life. The video you see by Casting Crowns, my favorite band, also inspired this organization and this ride. We as the Body of Christ are meant to encourage, not condemn! Love, not hate! Help, not hurt! We are to impart that caring, gentle, and compassionate attitude of Christ to our fellow man and women. That is the essence of living a Saved Life. Are you living it?

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See ya on the road!

Jason

Real People. Real Problems. Real Hope.

“Prodigal” Courtesy of Casting Crowns. Theme Song of Saved Life: Coast to Coast. Video by GODROCKS23. This song has really inspired me along my own journey of awakening. If we can encourage others to take our Fathers hand and surrender, making that decision to live a “Saved Life”, imagine what the world could become! Help us make aa difference in the world! Donate Today! It just takes a minute, but could make all the difference in the world!

Saved Life Benefit Ride “Coast to Coast: A Mile in Their Shoes”

We are launching a nationwide homeless benefit ride titled “ Coast 2 Coast: A Mile In Their Shoes” from the Jacksonville Beach Pier, Jacksonville, Florida to the Santa Monica Pier, outside of Los Angeles, California. The purpose of this benefit ride is to first raise awareness of the plight of our homeless, addicted, and hopeless brothers and sisters that society perceives as invisible and forgotten.  Second, we promote the documented effectiveness of the Christian Recovery effort to fight addictions, the leading cause of chronic homelessness.  This awareness will be brought to 150 different cities by public speaking and through social media during the course of this trip beginning on Feb. 7^th 2010.  We are here to offer light to the lost, encouragement for the weary, and hope for the hurting. We are Saved Life, a registered non-profit organization.