A day of love

     Today was a phenominal day at the DDC. It was electric, unbelievable, and yet, just God inspired. I have been bringing a brother down to the DDC with me on a regular occasion, his name is Johnny Smith and he is a very impressive man of God, he has jumped into the shelter with both feet which is very impressive, but I suppose when you are able to have a good deep faith base, there is no more fear. As we went through our day it seemed like it was a day of wonder and awe, and love. Not a romantic love, but the true love, an unconditional love for your fellow human being.
     I have had the priviledge to see God not only enter the DDC, but today, I feel like He has really taken root. My new found brother Matt is such a case. Matt was a ward of the state for a long time, a product of foster homes and wrong choices. Well, one week ago, Matt accepted the Lord into his life and has also been sober since then. In that time I have been privy to a beautiful transformation. Matt and I have been down many of the same life paths, a life of violence and addiction. A life of apathy for the world, and selfish ways to make our own ways. In turn I have felt a kindered with Matt almost from the beginning. Two Wheeler Greg introduced me to Matt a short time ago, but since he was in his old life, and I have been doing my best to walk in the new one that I was given, he didn't want to have much to do with me. Until the day that Greg brought him to me and said, 'this is my friend Matt, he was wondering if you would pray for him.' I quickly agreed, I consider it an honor and a priviledge anytime someone requests that of me.
     The center was especially busy that day, and there was alot of commotion, it was one of those days where everyone has a chip on their shoulder and wants to fight. As Greg asked me this question, I caught a glimpse of Matt's eyes, and knew all too well that look, as I had seen it in my own eyes time and time again as I quested to see who I truly was and what my purpose in life was. It was a look of being lost, tired, alone, angry, and afraid. A look of disbelief in myself and if I even had a purpose in life. Before I could second guess myself, I had agreed. Since the DDC was in the stage that it was we decided to head to Listening House, another day shelter where people can escape the streets for a few hours, to try and bring some sanity to their day, but it was also packed to the gills and had the same feeling to it. We requested that we were able to use one of their side rooms, but unfortunately, they were all being used. I could see the desperation in Matt's face, and it was like Johnny could feel the same thing, so we decided to find a quiet place where we could pray, we all hopped into my truck and headed to the Frogtown McD's. When we got there we grabbed some drinks so we wouldn't be ejected for loitering, and prayed. Now, I have been told that I am an awesome prayer warrior, but at the same right, I am not used to holding that title yet, and I may never be, but I started praying. All I can say is thank you God for giving me the words to pray, for it was elegant, precise, and to the point, so, for me, it was His prayer, not mine. As we finished Matt seemed very relieved, and spoke of how he felt better, and what he felt had happened to him during that prayer. It has been almost a week since that day, and in that time Matt has been moving at lightning's pace with his spirituality. He has been reading a bible I gave him almost constanly, praying, and debating biblical scripture with Two Wheeler Greg and the others that have started to amass in our group.
     Which brings me to today, I had headed down to do my thing, and had a great and wonderful morning with the folks down there, had run to check on a few of my guys who are not shelter folks, I guess I'll call them the Frogtown Wendy's Crew. I had returned to the DDC and was headed back to see Matt, I had told him that I would walk with him to a place close by so he could get a new t-shirt, as the one he was wearing was way too large and had seen much better days. We tend to travel in packs down there as it is a place where anything can happen in the blink of an eye, and there is safety in numbers. As I approached the courtyard, I could see Matt sitting with Greg and a new person. Her name is Nikki, she was originally from Ohio, and had run away from an abusive household at a young age, she had made her way across the United States to Portland to where she had lived a vagabond lifestyle for many years. Somehow she had made her way back east, and was trying to start over, I think we all know how that feels, just trying to get a good start, trying to start over. As I approached, I heard her say, 'I hate God, all I can think about is how come He left me like this.' After a life of addiction to escape the torments of her past, she has multiple health issues, and has not had the ability to properly take care of herself. 'I sometimes feel like He doesn't hate me, but I hate Him.' As I was trying to figure out how to softly address this, Matt spoke up, I would love to be able to type down what he said, but I think I was as transfixed by his words as she was. He was eloquent and soft, and expressed his life, and how God had fashioned him a new life, and how his feelings toward God had mirrored hers, until that day at McD's. I was floored. As I sat there in shock, Matt, looked at me and said,'hey Preach, can we pray for her?' I could feel the angels cheering, but that cheer was about to turn into a deafening roar, he finished with, 'and if it's ok with you, I would like to lead the prayer.' I could feel my eyes well up behind my sunglasses, I quickly agreed.
     As many of you know, it has been a overcast day, we bowed our heads and started to pray. Once again, Matt came forward with this regal eloquence, and once again I would love to type out exactly what he prayed, so I could share it with you, but I was lost in the moment. The most wonderful part, as we began to pray, lierally as we all bowed our heads and became lost in the prayer, God opened the clouds and we were able to bask in the sun's glow, the sun stayed out for the prayer, and then quickly was covered again by the clouds as we came to 'amen'. I can say that not one of us was untouched for that breif moment. We then spent the rest of our day discussing what had happened, and how God had lead each one of our lives to that single moment. I think that we all would agree, if we had not led our lives in any other way, we would not have all been in the same place, at the same time, for that precise moment. The question that is asked alot down there, and I am willing to believe, many other places, is this, 'Why does all of this stuff happen in my life, why?' Well, for me, today, if I hadn't led my life the way I had, every single moment, every single second. That moment may not have happened, many of the most wonderful wonderous moments of my life may not have happened, because by sopme other decision, I may have not been able to make it to that moment. I pray that we all realize that our God is an awesome God, and every plan that He has is perfect, even if we cannot see His plan, we must learn to trust in Him and believe that if we have faith, He will show us His plan. In His time, not ours. LLLAKYFOTPA