I was reminded tonight…

that God has called us to a field that is ripe unto harvest…He has called us to the “near” Southside district of Fort Worth.  He planted Southside City Church; it is His Church.  He has given us the ministry of reconciliation and He has caused our paths to cross with those who have no shepherd.

Honestly it is so easy to slide back into comfortable ministry.  A frame of mind that allows me to go to “work” every day, but not really touch others with the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Today I was reminded.

We celebrated the 4th of July with folks from Southside City Church.  J and B opened their home and allowed over 50 of us to come out and swim and cook out.  It was a wonderful time.

One little girl from SCC got out of the car and said, “is this the country?”  I wondered if she had ever left the city in her short years.  Maybe not.  Her and her siblings had a blast with the other 27 children who jumped and swam and showed off on the diving board.

I watched our ladies caring for the little ones as if they were their own children.  I watched our men interacting with the youth and becoming young again.  GO RICK AND RICK and CHRIS!

I watched our older women sitting and taking it all in…enjoying the fun and laughter.

Tonight.  One of our young mothers who is struggling so hard to make a life for her 7 children was driving back home.  Thank God she had already exited the highway when her wheel completely fell off.  No one was hurt.  I received the call from Lori and Jennifer that they were all stranded on the east side of 35 on Berry and needed help.  When I pulled up, I saw our dear Lori and Jennifer sitting on the pavement with the children all around.  A young mother K, and a great grandmother G….waiting to see if the young man that stopped to help could repair the wheel.  To no avail…only good enough to get the car the the apartment.  I watched K cry as she said, “this is such bad timing, I have appointments with the children this week.”  We paid the young man, J.  and as we were leaving he asked for my number.  he needs to talk.

Kim picked up H and her 5 children (one was the little girl who asked if it was the country).  The mom shared her life story with Kim on the ride home and opened up to Kim about some of her struggles.  This mom is so close to yielding her life to Jesus.  She laughed and played with her kids in the pool tonight and had a great time….a moment of joy in the middle of a real struggle to keep going.

I wondered about A…and her 7 children who we have not seen in 3 weeks.  she needs food for the family.  she requested meat for the kids.  we will meet this need early this week….and pray that the children are all safe and well.

C.  a young man who has been staying in a shelter called tonight.  he was kicked out because he relapsed again.  he is on the street, sleeping in the park.  how do i minister to him?  how do i encourage him.

L.  called me tonight.  i could tell he was lonely.  wanted to spend some time with him tonight, but it didn’t work out.  this week, L. is a priority in my life.  he needs to be reminded that he is loved and needed.

B.  called with a need for help.  she broke a window at her apartment and will have to pay to have it fixed.  I think I can fix a broken window.  Anyone want to help?

J.  is trying so hard to be a good father to his grown daughter but tonight i could tell he was at a real place of hurting himself.  he’s not doing well physically and i prayed that God will heal him.

T. was full of joy tonight.  He has brought so much joy and laughter to our lives and to our church.  I thought about how well he is doing and how much he has a heart to serve others.  Christ is really growing closer and closer to T.’s heart.

I have a list of names of men and women who need financial help this month.  We can help most of them with some part of their need, some of them we can meet all their need.

Others need a miracle.  God is able.  I am not.

I was reminded tonight that God has called us to a mission field.  Tonight Fort Worth felt like a foreign place to me..as if God had called me to minister in another part of the world.  And yet, it felt like home….

I believe God is calling others to come alongside us in this ministry of fathering, shepherding, loving and caring for and meeting the needs of those who are hurting and in such desperate need.

Pastor Darrel