Well, it has been an awesome first year of learning, meeting new folks and spreading the Good News to the homeless community in downtown Augusta. While the first year has taught us many new lessons, we have found several truths to be consistent:
1. God is working in downtown Augusta in numerous ways
2. There is an awesome opportunity and need for local folks to get involved in our community
3. We have a daily impact on the people we meet, and potentially an everlasting impact!
We have also been blessed with contributions and donations, and the partnership with Fireside Ministries and Industries. However, since we make trips every other week, and average seeing 60+ folks a trip you can imagine how any supplies we build up diminish quickly. Currently, our biggest areas of need are toiletries (soap, deodorant, shampoo) and winter clothing (stocking caps, gloves, socks, jackets). We are also in need of a self storage unit where we can store supplies and clothing. If you can help us with any of these we'd be most grateful.
Thank you for taking a few minutes to read about this ministry, and we ask that you pray for our continued progress. We would love to have anyone join us for an early morning trip! We leave out from Warren Baptist Church's parking lot every other Wednesday at 6:45am. We hope you'll consider joining us.
From all of us at Kingdom Here Ministries we wish you a Christmas filled with Christ's blessings and a New Year of love and HOPE!
Graham for Kingdom Here
Monday, December 12, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Kingdom Here on The Morning Show With John & Cleve
Hey folks!
In case you missed it this morning, we had an opportunity to visit with John & Cleve on The Morning Show at 88.3 WAFJ. You can listen to the entire interview below.
Click here for Interview
Special thanks to them for allowing us the opportunity to stop by and tell them about some of the awesome things happening downtown.
Be Love!
Jamie for Kingdom Here
In case you missed it this morning, we had an opportunity to visit with John & Cleve on The Morning Show at 88.3 WAFJ. You can listen to the entire interview below.
Click here for Interview
Special thanks to them for allowing us the opportunity to stop by and tell them about some of the awesome things happening downtown.
Be Love!
Jamie for Kingdom Here
Friday, September 9, 2011
What's Been Going On?
Greetings supporters and encouragers!! It has been a while since we posted a blog, but let me assure you this is NOT a result of us twiddling our thumbs. In fact, the last few months have perhaps been the busiest we have had as we near our 1 year anniversary as a God-focused, feet on the streets, Bible-sharing, biscuit-providing crusade to reach the physical and spiritual needs of the homeless folks in our downtown community. I thought I would just update you on what we’ve been doing.
It seems that each time we make a trip (every other Wednesday) we are learning some new way to be more efficient, more effective, and more impactful. We have had more “first timers” in the past 2 months, and I am sure I will leave someone out so I apologize: Tim Smith, Alan Smith, Drake Carter, Pastor David McKinley, Don Brandenburg (Beau’s pop,) Sean Allen, some youth from WBC, Wade McNeil. These folks give us great encouragement…we usually have a “de-brief” after our trips, and when newcomers share their experiences and thoughts it really means a lot to us and gives us more motivation to keep on keeping on!
We have also been working (in coordination with our ministry partner Fireside Ministries and Industries) on some video clips to better share our story with a larger audience. You can check those out here and here and let us know what you think. Another thing we have done a little differently to better serve and keep some inventory is to focus on 1-2 clothing items and 1-2 hygiene items per trip. This has worked very well on many levels, and helps us monitor inventories and requests much better. For example, we may bring just toothbrushes and toothpaste for hygiene, and just socks and underwear for clothing. We will always have breakfast and juice and water (thank you for you consistent support Mrs. Lynn Winters), and Bibles. One of the most exciting days is what we call Shoe Wednesday. We do this once a quarter, and our next day to bring shoes is Nov. 16, so if you have some softly worn or decent shape used shoes, we’d love to have them! Our last Shoe Wednesday was August 10th (huge thanks to Hitch-n-Post for their help,) and it just warms our hearts to see these folks putting on their new shoes. They show them off to other folks and they are so proud of their new kicks! Also, we would like to extend a big thank you to Drs. Will Anderson and Adam Scott for donating a ton of toothbrushes and toothpaste recently—that was awesome! They will go to great use soon.
We have shared some very applicable and powerful scripture lately as well. This is another fairly new adjustment we have made—having a Bible Study/Devotional time. They last few weeks we’ve read from Heb 4:12-13, Col 3:23-24, and 1 Peter 2. We start at each location (Salvation Army and Mercy Ministries) with the devotion, then we ask one of our friends to say the blessing, and then we hand out the food and clothes. Actually, our friend Donnell (who was baptized a few months back) won’t let us start the devotional without praying first!! Is that awesome or what?!?! I can’t tell you how good it feels when these guys pray for our group, the ones physically there and the folks supporting us. They do appreciate what is happening what we’re all doing.
We continue to meet new folks and learn their stories each week. Just this past week, we met a sharp gentleman. His name is Porter, and he gave me a copy of his resume! He has a college education, is well spoken, and seems to be the type of guy who just needs a break. This is actually one of the goals of our group; of course to reach them spiritually, but also line them up with work and folks who can give them work. That is one of the many reasons we partnered with Fireside and Phin Hitchcock—someone who is actively rebuilding and reclaiming downtown, Harrisburg, etc…one block at a time!
As you can see, things are going well, but we are always looking to share our story with new folks, so please pass this blog along. There a many ways to help us: pray for our visits and that these folks would be open to what we have to share, donate anything you are getting rid of—clothes, shoes, etc.., ask folks you know who may be able to make similar donations, make a financial (tax deductible) contribution, or simply join us one Wednesday morning. Thank you for all you do, and we’re making a difference!!!
Graham for KH
It seems that each time we make a trip (every other Wednesday) we are learning some new way to be more efficient, more effective, and more impactful. We have had more “first timers” in the past 2 months, and I am sure I will leave someone out so I apologize: Tim Smith, Alan Smith, Drake Carter, Pastor David McKinley, Don Brandenburg (Beau’s pop,) Sean Allen, some youth from WBC, Wade McNeil. These folks give us great encouragement…we usually have a “de-brief” after our trips, and when newcomers share their experiences and thoughts it really means a lot to us and gives us more motivation to keep on keeping on!
We have also been working (in coordination with our ministry partner Fireside Ministries and Industries) on some video clips to better share our story with a larger audience. You can check those out here and here and let us know what you think. Another thing we have done a little differently to better serve and keep some inventory is to focus on 1-2 clothing items and 1-2 hygiene items per trip. This has worked very well on many levels, and helps us monitor inventories and requests much better. For example, we may bring just toothbrushes and toothpaste for hygiene, and just socks and underwear for clothing. We will always have breakfast and juice and water (thank you for you consistent support Mrs. Lynn Winters), and Bibles. One of the most exciting days is what we call Shoe Wednesday. We do this once a quarter, and our next day to bring shoes is Nov. 16, so if you have some softly worn or decent shape used shoes, we’d love to have them! Our last Shoe Wednesday was August 10th (huge thanks to Hitch-n-Post for their help,) and it just warms our hearts to see these folks putting on their new shoes. They show them off to other folks and they are so proud of their new kicks! Also, we would like to extend a big thank you to Drs. Will Anderson and Adam Scott for donating a ton of toothbrushes and toothpaste recently—that was awesome! They will go to great use soon.
We have shared some very applicable and powerful scripture lately as well. This is another fairly new adjustment we have made—having a Bible Study/Devotional time. They last few weeks we’ve read from Heb 4:12-13, Col 3:23-24, and 1 Peter 2. We start at each location (Salvation Army and Mercy Ministries) with the devotion, then we ask one of our friends to say the blessing, and then we hand out the food and clothes. Actually, our friend Donnell (who was baptized a few months back) won’t let us start the devotional without praying first!! Is that awesome or what?!?! I can’t tell you how good it feels when these guys pray for our group, the ones physically there and the folks supporting us. They do appreciate what is happening what we’re all doing.
We continue to meet new folks and learn their stories each week. Just this past week, we met a sharp gentleman. His name is Porter, and he gave me a copy of his resume! He has a college education, is well spoken, and seems to be the type of guy who just needs a break. This is actually one of the goals of our group; of course to reach them spiritually, but also line them up with work and folks who can give them work. That is one of the many reasons we partnered with Fireside and Phin Hitchcock—someone who is actively rebuilding and reclaiming downtown, Harrisburg, etc…one block at a time!
As you can see, things are going well, but we are always looking to share our story with new folks, so please pass this blog along. There a many ways to help us: pray for our visits and that these folks would be open to what we have to share, donate anything you are getting rid of—clothes, shoes, etc.., ask folks you know who may be able to make similar donations, make a financial (tax deductible) contribution, or simply join us one Wednesday morning. Thank you for all you do, and we’re making a difference!!!
Graham for KH
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Zac's Take on Kingdom Here
Our bro, Chuck Young, put together a great video of our other bro, Zac Martin, talking about his involvement & the heart of Kingdom Here. You can check that video out here. A huge thanks to Chuck & Zac for making this thing happen!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Strength For Today
I heard a homeless man pray Wednesday morning and what he said was profound. I am ashamed to say that I don’t even know his name, but his words have resonated with me the last few days.
As he prayed for the biscuit and random articles of clothing, bags, socks, etc. he was preparing to receive in the mid-July early morning Georgia heat, he asked that God would “be with me on this journey…. today.” Not that profound you say?
I often think of, and many times refer to, my life as a journey. We’ve all heard it said before… life is a journey not a destination. I fully expected that man to say “life”, not “today”, and when he didn’t it caught me by surprise for some reason. It’s a very slight difference, but I think it is significant.
Here’s a thought. Have you ever thought of the day you are in as a journey? A journey is the long haul, right? It’s supposed to be this far-reaching voyage that will take many years to work through.
How sad is it that as I stood there listening to the prayer of a homeless man downtown I was preparing to go hop back in a nice car, head back out to the nice part of town, hang out in a really nice air conditioned home, and have a couple of really nice meals later in the day. I didn’t even have to go to work. I really didn’t have a care in the world. God is good, right?
But what if I were to be standing in that homeless man’s shoes? What if I were preparing to battle through another day of uncertainty and chaos? What if I truly didn’t know where my next meal was coming from? What if my DAY were a journey? What kind of faith would I have? Could I stand and pray to a God who had allowed such things to happen to me?
It’s easy for me and most other “believers” I know to have faith. What reason do I have not to? I would like to think that I could trust as Job did in Job 13:15-16. But could I? I’ve never had to surrender all. I’ve never suffered significant trials or loss in my life. I’ve never had to awaken to the challenge of journeying through a day.
All I know to do is truly praise my savior for the unbelievable blessings he so undeservedly gives me and awaken each morning with a thankful heart. How could I ever keep from singing His praise? Thank you God and thank you my downtown brother in Christ for speaking to my spirit.
Bryce, For Kingdom Here
As he prayed for the biscuit and random articles of clothing, bags, socks, etc. he was preparing to receive in the mid-July early morning Georgia heat, he asked that God would “be with me on this journey…. today.” Not that profound you say?
I often think of, and many times refer to, my life as a journey. We’ve all heard it said before… life is a journey not a destination. I fully expected that man to say “life”, not “today”, and when he didn’t it caught me by surprise for some reason. It’s a very slight difference, but I think it is significant.
Here’s a thought. Have you ever thought of the day you are in as a journey? A journey is the long haul, right? It’s supposed to be this far-reaching voyage that will take many years to work through.
How sad is it that as I stood there listening to the prayer of a homeless man downtown I was preparing to go hop back in a nice car, head back out to the nice part of town, hang out in a really nice air conditioned home, and have a couple of really nice meals later in the day. I didn’t even have to go to work. I really didn’t have a care in the world. God is good, right?
But what if I were to be standing in that homeless man’s shoes? What if I were preparing to battle through another day of uncertainty and chaos? What if I truly didn’t know where my next meal was coming from? What if my DAY were a journey? What kind of faith would I have? Could I stand and pray to a God who had allowed such things to happen to me?
It’s easy for me and most other “believers” I know to have faith. What reason do I have not to? I would like to think that I could trust as Job did in Job 13:15-16. But could I? I’ve never had to surrender all. I’ve never suffered significant trials or loss in my life. I’ve never had to awaken to the challenge of journeying through a day.
All I know to do is truly praise my savior for the unbelievable blessings he so undeservedly gives me and awaken each morning with a thankful heart. How could I ever keep from singing His praise? Thank you God and thank you my downtown brother in Christ for speaking to my spirit.
Bryce, For Kingdom Here
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
His Mercies Are New EVERY Morning
We just wanted to share some neat insights from our last visit downtown to see our friends We have developed a lot of relationships, which was our first purpose. We want these folks to know we really care about their well being, both here on earth, and for eternity. We strive to be a consistent, dependable source of hope — we hope! In fact, that’s what we talked about today. Pastor David McKinley, from Warren Baptist, joined us this morning, and shared some scripture from Lamentations. We have hope in Jesus Christ EVERY morning. Our souls need hope, and the only source of hope--real, permanent, everlasting hope-- is found in Jesus Christ. The hope he gives all of us, every sinner among us, is readily available. Much like the soles of our shoes help to build a solid foundation for our physical body, hope in Christ gives our human souls the foundation we need spiritually.
We met several new folks, but the highlight for me was sharing the video I took this past Saturday during “Under the Bridge.” Our friend Donnell—Mr. 76 Days himself—followed through on his public commitment and was baptized. It was awesome. I showed him the quick 20 second video clip I took on my phone, and he put his arm around me and just said, “I love you man.” That one success story, even though he had turned things around prior to meeting us, has made all the trips and coordinating over the past 8 months absolutely worth it. As many of you know and experience daily, when you serve others, and put other’s needs ahead of your own, it seems that God rewards you with an unmatchable sense of accomplishment. That is how we feel; we are on fire with His mission for us, and every trip downtown we are more and more encouraged and determined.
On another note, we spent some time talking with our friend, Greg, this morning. He works as a volunteer at the VA and at Mercy Ministries. I have seen Greg on numerous occasions, but this is the first time I have had the chance to talk. He actually came up to a group of us and talked about how some of the guys really DO want to work. Another long term goal of ours is to do everything we can to line up the folks willing to work with people downtown who can hire them. He shared his own struggles with addiction and bad habits, but that he had turned things around—one day at a time, he got his life back on track. Not to paint an unrealistic picture, he mentioned that a lot of folks were in need of some serious adjustments in things like character, humility, discipline, selflessness, patience, etc…but encouraged us to keep sharing devotionals and continue to teach some of these principles going forward.
Thank you for all of your support and hopefully, sooner rather than later, you’ll witness some of these stories firsthand. We meet up every other Wednesday morning at Warren Baptist’s, Fury’s Ferry parking lot…645am and we’re back by 830. You should join us. You have no idea how you'll be blessed.
Graham, for Kingdom Here
We met several new folks, but the highlight for me was sharing the video I took this past Saturday during “Under the Bridge.” Our friend Donnell—Mr. 76 Days himself—followed through on his public commitment and was baptized. It was awesome. I showed him the quick 20 second video clip I took on my phone, and he put his arm around me and just said, “I love you man.” That one success story, even though he had turned things around prior to meeting us, has made all the trips and coordinating over the past 8 months absolutely worth it. As many of you know and experience daily, when you serve others, and put other’s needs ahead of your own, it seems that God rewards you with an unmatchable sense of accomplishment. That is how we feel; we are on fire with His mission for us, and every trip downtown we are more and more encouraged and determined.
On another note, we spent some time talking with our friend, Greg, this morning. He works as a volunteer at the VA and at Mercy Ministries. I have seen Greg on numerous occasions, but this is the first time I have had the chance to talk. He actually came up to a group of us and talked about how some of the guys really DO want to work. Another long term goal of ours is to do everything we can to line up the folks willing to work with people downtown who can hire them. He shared his own struggles with addiction and bad habits, but that he had turned things around—one day at a time, he got his life back on track. Not to paint an unrealistic picture, he mentioned that a lot of folks were in need of some serious adjustments in things like character, humility, discipline, selflessness, patience, etc…but encouraged us to keep sharing devotionals and continue to teach some of these principles going forward.
Thank you for all of your support and hopefully, sooner rather than later, you’ll witness some of these stories firsthand. We meet up every other Wednesday morning at Warren Baptist’s, Fury’s Ferry parking lot…645am and we’re back by 830. You should join us. You have no idea how you'll be blessed.
Graham, for Kingdom Here
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
76 Days
This morning was an absolutely incredible time with our Kingdom Here family. We made our usual trips to The Salvation Army and Mercy Ministries in downtown Augusta to deliver biscuits, clothes, and Bibles to our friends. We had the opportunity to meet lots of new folks and, for the first time, God provided an opportunity for us to pray with our friends as a whole group. It was overwhelming to see God move throughout the morning.
Darnell is one of our new friends at The Salvation Army and his story seems fitting to help describe how blessed the morning was. I began talking to Darnell right when we pulled in. He walked up, shook my hand, and had a certain ‘joy’ about him. I asked him how he was doing.
His response was rather puzzling.
“76 days and blessed, man.” It didn’t register with me.
“76 days? What’s that, Darnell?”
“I’ve been clean 76 days. I was hooked on drugs but God restored my life on March 3rd.”
He went on to tell me how God had broken him and how on March 3rd he pulled out his Bible and wrote in it, “Jesus you can heal me and you can have me.” That day he rededicated his life to the cause of Christ.
Darnell shared with me how he feels compelled to minister to and share the Gospel right where he is in the homeless community. He’s made it his mission to boldly proclaim the name of Jesus, regardless of the cost. He is plugged in to New Hope Worship Center with Pastor Roger and also attends The Bridge church on Saturdays. He’s being baptized on June 5. Crazy. Awesome.
I believe he would have stood there all day long talking to me about his deliverance, mission, and the hope he has in Christ. This man has been transformed and truly believes that “he has been crucified with Christ and no longer lives (Gal 2:20).” His past is his past and he’s now focused on his future. The words he said keep echoing in my mind: “He never gave up on me”.
As we loaded up to move on to Mercy Ministries Darnell stopped us. He asked if he could pray for us and our ministry. And man, he put a prayin’ on us! He thanked God for the impact we are having down there. He asked God to protect us and our families. And that we would know that what we are doing down there is making a difference. His prayer was like fuel to the fire on this thing we call Kingdom Here.
All this to say…We are PUMPED about what we are seeing happen. This is just the beginning. God is faithful and true. He never changes. He never fails. He never gives up on me, you, or Darnell. He's moving in downtown Augusta and in the hearts of these men. And we are honored to be His hands and feet.
Please know that we are so grateful for your support and prayers.
Be Love!
-Jamie for Kingdom Here
Darnell is one of our new friends at The Salvation Army and his story seems fitting to help describe how blessed the morning was. I began talking to Darnell right when we pulled in. He walked up, shook my hand, and had a certain ‘joy’ about him. I asked him how he was doing.
His response was rather puzzling.
“76 days and blessed, man.” It didn’t register with me.
“76 days? What’s that, Darnell?”
“I’ve been clean 76 days. I was hooked on drugs but God restored my life on March 3rd.”
He went on to tell me how God had broken him and how on March 3rd he pulled out his Bible and wrote in it, “Jesus you can heal me and you can have me.” That day he rededicated his life to the cause of Christ.
Darnell shared with me how he feels compelled to minister to and share the Gospel right where he is in the homeless community. He’s made it his mission to boldly proclaim the name of Jesus, regardless of the cost. He is plugged in to New Hope Worship Center with Pastor Roger and also attends The Bridge church on Saturdays. He’s being baptized on June 5. Crazy. Awesome.
I believe he would have stood there all day long talking to me about his deliverance, mission, and the hope he has in Christ. This man has been transformed and truly believes that “he has been crucified with Christ and no longer lives (Gal 2:20).” His past is his past and he’s now focused on his future. The words he said keep echoing in my mind: “He never gave up on me”.
As we loaded up to move on to Mercy Ministries Darnell stopped us. He asked if he could pray for us and our ministry. And man, he put a prayin’ on us! He thanked God for the impact we are having down there. He asked God to protect us and our families. And that we would know that what we are doing down there is making a difference. His prayer was like fuel to the fire on this thing we call Kingdom Here.
All this to say…We are PUMPED about what we are seeing happen. This is just the beginning. God is faithful and true. He never changes. He never fails. He never gives up on me, you, or Darnell. He's moving in downtown Augusta and in the hearts of these men. And we are honored to be His hands and feet.
Please know that we are so grateful for your support and prayers.
Be Love!
-Jamie for Kingdom Here
Friday, April 8, 2011
Our New Friend, John
We had an incredible day this past Wednesday with our friends downtown at the Salvation Army and Mercy Ministries. I call them "friends" because I really feel like we are making progress in connecting with the folks in the community. We are learning their names, their stories, and their true needs. One of our new friends is John.
I met John right when we arrived at Mercy. I immediately noticed his long hair & cowboy boots. If we had been anywhere else I would have bet money that he was a guitarist for the Allman Brothers. I struck up a conversation about his well-worn boots and we immediately hit it off.
John is a former United States Marine. He served our country faithfully in Vietnam and is quite an interesting character. He is clearly hardened and obviously jaded from a life of war, poverty, and misfortune. He's struggled for a long time and you can tell. He told us the story of how he ended up in Augusta. His bags and all his belongings were recently stolen from him at the bus station in Atlanta but he still had his bus ticket. So, he went to the only place he could really go...here. On top of that, John was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Despite all of this, what I'm going to share with you next will likely break your heart. It broke mine.
When we were talking about John's broken in boots I pointed out his long hair and told him he looked "like a rock star". He chuckled and brushed it out of his face. "Yeah, I know I look like I just walked out of a bar. But, I'm growing it out for Locks of Love. Those kids don't deserve that and it's the only thing I can really do to help."
Tears immediately welled up in my eyes.
This man who really has nothing & just had everything he owned stolen from him had found a way to give something of himself to help make someone else's life better. Although John's life has been tough and he's seen many hard times, he knows there is more to life than just himself. He'd found a way to make a difference and he was doing just that. Incredible.
John's had a rough go of it as of late but because of your generous contributions and donations to this cause we were able to give John a set of toiletries, a change of clothes, some food, and a new Bible. We are making a difference in this community and YOU are helping.
Our hearts are overwhelmed and grateful. So are our friends.
Be Love,
Jamie for Kingdom Here
I met John right when we arrived at Mercy. I immediately noticed his long hair & cowboy boots. If we had been anywhere else I would have bet money that he was a guitarist for the Allman Brothers. I struck up a conversation about his well-worn boots and we immediately hit it off.
John is a former United States Marine. He served our country faithfully in Vietnam and is quite an interesting character. He is clearly hardened and obviously jaded from a life of war, poverty, and misfortune. He's struggled for a long time and you can tell. He told us the story of how he ended up in Augusta. His bags and all his belongings were recently stolen from him at the bus station in Atlanta but he still had his bus ticket. So, he went to the only place he could really go...here. On top of that, John was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Despite all of this, what I'm going to share with you next will likely break your heart. It broke mine.
When we were talking about John's broken in boots I pointed out his long hair and told him he looked "like a rock star". He chuckled and brushed it out of his face. "Yeah, I know I look like I just walked out of a bar. But, I'm growing it out for Locks of Love. Those kids don't deserve that and it's the only thing I can really do to help."
Tears immediately welled up in my eyes.
This man who really has nothing & just had everything he owned stolen from him had found a way to give something of himself to help make someone else's life better. Although John's life has been tough and he's seen many hard times, he knows there is more to life than just himself. He'd found a way to make a difference and he was doing just that. Incredible.
John's had a rough go of it as of late but because of your generous contributions and donations to this cause we were able to give John a set of toiletries, a change of clothes, some food, and a new Bible. We are making a difference in this community and YOU are helping.
Our hearts are overwhelmed and grateful. So are our friends.
Be Love,
Jamie for Kingdom Here
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Little people with BIG HEARTS!
Kingdom Here Ministries would like to thank the preschool at Trinity on the Hill UMC. The preschool made Kingdom Here Ministries the mission focus for the month of February. As a result, hundreds of pairs of socks, gloves, hats, and other clothing items have been donated to us. These items will be distributed to the ‘less fortunate’ in downtown Augusta. Isn’t that AWESOME???!!!! We are thankful of the support of the community, and it is great to see our children developing servant’s hearts.
Galatians 6:9-10
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season
we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then,
as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone…
God Bless,
Beau from Kingdom Here
Galatians 6:9-10
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season
we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then,
as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone…
God Bless,
Beau from Kingdom Here
Thursday, February 24, 2011
“Greatest Mistake”
There is so much we can learn from King David. Like most of us, Mighty David had it all. Even so, he wanted more. His lust for another man’s wife, Bathsheba, could have been his downfall. However, David eventually chose to admit his sin and God used David to highlight the power of His grace and the power of His restoration. It was his “Greatest Mistake”.
My new friend Thomas is in need of that restoration. Thomas is like many people I know: smart, well spoken, clean cut, and hard working. Thomas grew up in a military family. He had the chance to see all corners of the globe. His family settled in Panama City Beach, FL, where he finished high school. After school, Thomas chose to follow in his father’s footsteps. He joined the National Guard and served for several years. Recreational drugs became a thorn in his side. Thomas was no longer the man that his parents had brought him up to be. A decision to steal a couple guitars and sell them to a pawn shop turned his world upside down.
Fast forward a year… Thomas, in his early 20’s, is on probation. According to him, he stays ‘here and there’. His only possessions have been lost along the way. He does have a Bible, but admits he ‘just needs to open it more often’. He has found work at a local BoJangles. He is down… but not out! God is restoring him… the work has just begun! We met Thomas at a local shelter. After sharing the story of David and Bathsheba with Thomas and praying with him this past Wednesday morning he told our group, “Thanks for what you are doing. I don’t plan on seeing ya’ll when you come back. I’m on my way out of this mess.”
I am thankful that God has chosen Kingdom Here to be a small part of an incredible transformation. I believe in Thomas and I believe in many of the men we have come in contact with. I hope that Thomas has made his “Greatest Mistake” and that God will continue to change his life. Pray for Thomas. Pray for the homeless men in Augusta. Pray for restoration.
God Bless,
Beau w/ Kingdom Here Ministries
My new friend Thomas is in need of that restoration. Thomas is like many people I know: smart, well spoken, clean cut, and hard working. Thomas grew up in a military family. He had the chance to see all corners of the globe. His family settled in Panama City Beach, FL, where he finished high school. After school, Thomas chose to follow in his father’s footsteps. He joined the National Guard and served for several years. Recreational drugs became a thorn in his side. Thomas was no longer the man that his parents had brought him up to be. A decision to steal a couple guitars and sell them to a pawn shop turned his world upside down.
Fast forward a year… Thomas, in his early 20’s, is on probation. According to him, he stays ‘here and there’. His only possessions have been lost along the way. He does have a Bible, but admits he ‘just needs to open it more often’. He has found work at a local BoJangles. He is down… but not out! God is restoring him… the work has just begun! We met Thomas at a local shelter. After sharing the story of David and Bathsheba with Thomas and praying with him this past Wednesday morning he told our group, “Thanks for what you are doing. I don’t plan on seeing ya’ll when you come back. I’m on my way out of this mess.”
I am thankful that God has chosen Kingdom Here to be a small part of an incredible transformation. I believe in Thomas and I believe in many of the men we have come in contact with. I hope that Thomas has made his “Greatest Mistake” and that God will continue to change his life. Pray for Thomas. Pray for the homeless men in Augusta. Pray for restoration.
God Bless,
Beau w/ Kingdom Here Ministries
Monday, February 14, 2011
Progress
Hey Folks,
Our intent is, and always has been, to develop a relationship with the homeless and needy in inner city Augusta while meeting their deepest needs in their darkest hour. We believe that, in doing this, we will be able to effectively minister to and deliver the Gospel of Jesus Christ to these people.
We are making progress.
We took our first trip on Thanksgiving Day 2010. Since then we continue to see many of the same faces. We are learning names and they are beginning to remember ours. More and more they are opening up to us about their situations. This past week's trip was incredible. We took a crew of 8 men and ministered to around 50 people. The numbers of people serving are growing in proportion to the number of people we are serving. God is good!
We also think it's very important that we give a special thanks to all the folks who have helped this ministry grow legs by donating their time, clothes,food, and resources. You are an incredible blessing to us & this community. More than anything, though, we are grateful for your prayers. Oh, and go visit Jason Adams' Chic-Fil-a in Evans, GA - Mullins Crossing, as well as the Bo Jangles on Washington Rd in Martinez. They donated breakfast this past week.
Check us out of Facebook and Twitter too!
In closing, here are a few pics of Kingdom Here in action. More to follow soon!
Be Love,
Jamie for Kingdom Here
Our intent is, and always has been, to develop a relationship with the homeless and needy in inner city Augusta while meeting their deepest needs in their darkest hour. We believe that, in doing this, we will be able to effectively minister to and deliver the Gospel of Jesus Christ to these people.
We are making progress.
We took our first trip on Thanksgiving Day 2010. Since then we continue to see many of the same faces. We are learning names and they are beginning to remember ours. More and more they are opening up to us about their situations. This past week's trip was incredible. We took a crew of 8 men and ministered to around 50 people. The numbers of people serving are growing in proportion to the number of people we are serving. God is good!
We also think it's very important that we give a special thanks to all the folks who have helped this ministry grow legs by donating their time, clothes,food, and resources. You are an incredible blessing to us & this community. More than anything, though, we are grateful for your prayers. Oh, and go visit Jason Adams' Chic-Fil-a in Evans, GA - Mullins Crossing, as well as the Bo Jangles on Washington Rd in Martinez. They donated breakfast this past week.
Check us out of Facebook and Twitter too!
In closing, here are a few pics of Kingdom Here in action. More to follow soon!
Be Love,
Jamie for Kingdom Here
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Difference Black Pants Can Make
Daniel. If I had to guess I would say he was 17, maybe 18. We met him on our most recent Wednesday morning trip to downtown Augusta and meeting him was one of the many blessings we have received since we began this ministry.
See, in our ministry many of the people we meet are older, tired, worn down and, quite honestly, "street weary". They've been stuck in their circumstance for so long and everything they’ve done to try to escape their situation has failed. So they feel...well, hopeless.
But not Daniel. He was young & his enthusiasm and eagerness to "get out" was contagious. He still had hope.
He walked over to the back of the car where we were distributing clothes, biscuits, and Bibles. He introduced himself and I asked him if there was anything he needed. He looked at me and said, "I need black pants." I thought it was an odd request.
"Man, I've got lots of pants, just not any black ones," I said as I began shuffling through a box, looking for something that could substitute.
"They really need to be black," he said.
"Okay man, I'm sure I can get my hands on some black pants for you by the next time we come down." My curiosity was beyond peaked. So I asked him, "Daniel, why do you have to have black pants?"
He pulled his thin jacket back to proudly reveal a logo on his black collared shirt. I recognized the logo. Pizza Hut. “Cause, man. I’ve gotta have clothes for my job!” It was then that I noticed the pair of pants he had on. They too were black, kind of. It was clear that they hadn’t been washed recently & they were, no doubt, his only pair.
We talked a bit more; some about how he ended up standing outside the day shelter behind us, but mostly about his plans to, one day, never see it again. I could see it written all over his face – this kid was going to change his situation. I was inexplicably proud of this young man and I hadn’t known him 5 minutes.
The skeptics never fail to ask us, “How do you know that the guy you just gave that coat to isn’t going trade it for drugs?” Well, we don’t. Maybe he will. Hopefully he won't. But let me ask this: What if we allowed these questions to keep us from going to the needy out of fear that the clothes & food that our incredible, selfless donors give would end up on the “homeless black market”?
Then we wouldn’t meet people like Daniel.
Consider this: What if finding Daniel a new pair of black pants meant he could keep his job at Pizza Hut? And what if his job allowed him to save enough to afford and apartment? Then, what if he kept hope and was able to attend college one day? And what if Daniel, one day, became a successful business owner, a doctor, a judge, a senator, a pastor? What if Daniel became the next Martin Luther King, Jr.? Or the next Colin Powell? Or the next Billy Graham?
Look, I know it sounds “big”. But, what if the new pair of black pants we find Daniel are enough to make an impact for generations to come? I believe that the little things we do in life make the biggest impact.
So, we’ll find Daniel a pair of black pants. Or two.
Be Love,
Jamie for Kingdom Here
See, in our ministry many of the people we meet are older, tired, worn down and, quite honestly, "street weary". They've been stuck in their circumstance for so long and everything they’ve done to try to escape their situation has failed. So they feel...well, hopeless.
But not Daniel. He was young & his enthusiasm and eagerness to "get out" was contagious. He still had hope.
He walked over to the back of the car where we were distributing clothes, biscuits, and Bibles. He introduced himself and I asked him if there was anything he needed. He looked at me and said, "I need black pants." I thought it was an odd request.
"Man, I've got lots of pants, just not any black ones," I said as I began shuffling through a box, looking for something that could substitute.
"They really need to be black," he said.
"Okay man, I'm sure I can get my hands on some black pants for you by the next time we come down." My curiosity was beyond peaked. So I asked him, "Daniel, why do you have to have black pants?"
He pulled his thin jacket back to proudly reveal a logo on his black collared shirt. I recognized the logo. Pizza Hut. “Cause, man. I’ve gotta have clothes for my job!” It was then that I noticed the pair of pants he had on. They too were black, kind of. It was clear that they hadn’t been washed recently & they were, no doubt, his only pair.
We talked a bit more; some about how he ended up standing outside the day shelter behind us, but mostly about his plans to, one day, never see it again. I could see it written all over his face – this kid was going to change his situation. I was inexplicably proud of this young man and I hadn’t known him 5 minutes.
The skeptics never fail to ask us, “How do you know that the guy you just gave that coat to isn’t going trade it for drugs?” Well, we don’t. Maybe he will. Hopefully he won't. But let me ask this: What if we allowed these questions to keep us from going to the needy out of fear that the clothes & food that our incredible, selfless donors give would end up on the “homeless black market”?
Then we wouldn’t meet people like Daniel.
Consider this: What if finding Daniel a new pair of black pants meant he could keep his job at Pizza Hut? And what if his job allowed him to save enough to afford and apartment? Then, what if he kept hope and was able to attend college one day? And what if Daniel, one day, became a successful business owner, a doctor, a judge, a senator, a pastor? What if Daniel became the next Martin Luther King, Jr.? Or the next Colin Powell? Or the next Billy Graham?
Look, I know it sounds “big”. But, what if the new pair of black pants we find Daniel are enough to make an impact for generations to come? I believe that the little things we do in life make the biggest impact.
So, we’ll find Daniel a pair of black pants. Or two.
Be Love,
Jamie for Kingdom Here
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Snow Days...
The Southeast was abuzz last week with the arrival of the first snow of 2011. It’s funny how our society reacts to these situations… Many flocked to stores to buy some extra goodies to ‘survive’ the next couple days of being trapped at home. Kids, teachers, and employees from around the area watched the news to see if they had to report to work or not. The next morning, the old ski gear was dug out of the attic, and trashcan lids became sleds. All in all, despite the fender benders, it’s kind of exciting.
As I tried to sleep last Monday evening, I thought of the ‘less fortunate’ living in downtown Augusta. I would define my feeling as uncomfortably comfortable. There I was… warm bed, nice home, a fireplace, beautiful wife and son, plenty of food… tremendously blessed. But why? I thought about Wayne, Parnell, Quincy, Austin, James, Eric, and all the other homeless men of Augusta that where, quite possibly, sleeping outside that night.
What can we do about this issue? Make no mistake, Jesus tells us what to do. It’s easy to close our eyes and turn our backs to the issues that face our society. We see a homeless man on the street and assume that he ‘brought this on himself’. The reality is homeless men can have amazing stories. Some were business owners. Some battle addiction. Some hit a ‘financial brick wall’ due to the cost of medical care. Some are former star athletes. Some fled other countries. All are God’s Children.
A homeless man named James recently told me, “Just because you are homeless, don’t mean you are a drug addict.” Either way, we’ve got to step up to the plate and spread God’s Love.
Join us in our mission to be the hands and feet of Christ. Let’s bring His Kingdom Here!
God Bless,
Beau for Kingdom Here
As I tried to sleep last Monday evening, I thought of the ‘less fortunate’ living in downtown Augusta. I would define my feeling as uncomfortably comfortable. There I was… warm bed, nice home, a fireplace, beautiful wife and son, plenty of food… tremendously blessed. But why? I thought about Wayne, Parnell, Quincy, Austin, James, Eric, and all the other homeless men of Augusta that where, quite possibly, sleeping outside that night.
What can we do about this issue? Make no mistake, Jesus tells us what to do. It’s easy to close our eyes and turn our backs to the issues that face our society. We see a homeless man on the street and assume that he ‘brought this on himself’. The reality is homeless men can have amazing stories. Some were business owners. Some battle addiction. Some hit a ‘financial brick wall’ due to the cost of medical care. Some are former star athletes. Some fled other countries. All are God’s Children.
A homeless man named James recently told me, “Just because you are homeless, don’t mean you are a drug addict.” Either way, we’ve got to step up to the plate and spread God’s Love.
Join us in our mission to be the hands and feet of Christ. Let’s bring His Kingdom Here!
God Bless,
Beau for Kingdom Here
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Amos
I'm amazed at how the words from the prophets' of the Old Testament still beckon our hearts today. From Isaiah to Malachi, each message still applies to our lives, including this Word from the Lord spoken through Amos:
Amos 5:21-24
"I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it.
That's what I want. That's all I want."
God's Word is still true today. His promises never fail. And his love for his people in need never waivers. Nor does his demand for us to love and care for them in their darkest hour. All he wants is justice...oceans of it.
Be love,
-Jamie for Kingdom Here
Amos 5:21-24
"I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it.
That's what I want. That's all I want."
God's Word is still true today. His promises never fail. And his love for his people in need never waivers. Nor does his demand for us to love and care for them in their darkest hour. All he wants is justice...oceans of it.
Be love,
-Jamie for Kingdom Here
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