Made For So Much More
I had one of those moments this past weekend that felt like a gut punch to my soul - a reminder from the Lord that I am not fully focused on His heart and His desire for us. It was both a beautiful and painful reminder. We were moving our son’s girlfriend out of her apartment in downtown Boulder where many of the university students live, as well as a growing number of people experiencing homelessness. It was 95 degrees, and we were loading up two cars while a man was digging through dumpsters across the parking lot. It was not what I wanted to be doing on a weekend afternoon, and I was pretty focused on just getting through it. We were all loaded up and left, but our son had to return to move one more load. When he got home later that day, he shared that he went over and talked to the man, shook his hand, and asked him if he could get him something to eat and what food he liked. He then went and got them both lunch and brought it back. I could not have been more proud of him for seeing this man the way Jesus sees him. For caring about him. For seeing his dignity as an image bearer of God. For showing compassion and the love of Jesus. At the same time, I spent much of the night thinking about the fact that, in this same moment, I didn’t.
“Jesus urges us to place our priorities on kingdom values, not material ones. And when we embrace God’s kingdom, we are moved by mercy to share our goods with the needy. The poor are the focal point of Jesus’ discourse.”
- Donald B. Kraybill The Upside Down Kingdom
As we look back on over 14 years of ministry in Gabon, Africa, our partners at MINE are a perfect example of the goals we always had for partnership. We hHomelessness has grown around us at a rapid rate. It feels like one of those things that is too big. The statistics of things like homelessness, war, slavery, child hunger, trafficked people, etc. is just so overwhelming. How do we help everyone? My son’s actions reminded me that God knows we can’t help everyone, but he will lay it on our hearts when he expects us to act if we will listen.
Sometimes, because of the work we are already doing with E4, I get overwhelmed and block out what is happening around me. I say things like, “I can’t do it all,” “I am too busy right now,”” We are already helping where we can,” etc. When I stand before God, that isn’t going to cut it…I need to die to myself each day and ask what God wants from me that day.
“Suppose God wanted to fulfill His plan of world evangelism and help an unprecedented number of suffering people. What gift would you expect Him to distribute widely? Perhaps the gift of giving? And what might you expect Him to provide for those to whom He’s giving that gift? Perhaps unprecedented wealth to meet all those needs and further His kingdom? Look around. Isn’t that exactly what God has done? The question is, what are we doing with the wealth He’s entrusted to us to reach the lost and help the suffering?”
- Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle
Since we founded E4, there have been seasons when we have tried to walk this out as best we could. However, there have been years when worry and trying to have control in my life took over even as we continued in our giving, and I was consumed by what we needed to take care of our family. And, as much as I hate to admit it, there are many times when my focus moves toward what I want, where I want to travel, and what I think I deserve in this life. I hate saying that out loud. I have spent today rereading highlighted sections in books that changed our lives over seventeen years ago. Instead of feeling shame for not always getting it right, I feel God’s gentle presence invigorating me to focus on our giving with cheerful hearts and to do more. Our focus should constantly be on God’s Kingdom and not this world that is not our home.
“If this world is not our home, then why do we spend our money like it is?”
- David Platt
sermon, 6.30.24
This passion led us to start E4 over 14 years ago. This ministry was birthed out of our desire to follow God and “defend the cause of the poor and needy” (Jeremiah 22:16). We desire to help those in the most need and share the love of Jesus with them. There will always be more people in need than we can serve, but we serve where God has led us and trust our partners to meet people’s physical needs while also sharing the Gospel. I think it is a great ploy by the enemy to make us think that there is nothing we can do because the needs around the world and at home are just too overwhelming. But as followers of Jesus, we can’t sit by - our time here is too short and precious to be wasted. Our giving will show what was most important to us while we lived our short lives here on earth in the scope of eternity.
When I look at our programs and what we see happening in Pakistan, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), I am reminded of what God can do when we give sacrificially. We are so thankful for those of you who partner with us to make this happen, and we cannot do this work without your generosity. In just the past couple of months, we have seen:
As I reevaluate where I am in my life and journey with Christ, I praise Him for reviving a passion I was letting slip. I pray that you will consider putting your finances before God as well, as there is so much joy available to us when we do this. It isn’t easy. We will continue to lose our course at times. However, the freedom found in giving it all over to Christ and remembering that everything belongs to Him, is one of the greatest blessings we have experienced in our walk with the Lord.
I don’t know if God will call you to give to E4 and our programs or elsewhere around the world and in your communities. But I know that we are made for so much more than the life many of us are living. I have personally seen Jesus show up in the most incredible ways in our family’s lives when we are obedient and giving sacrificially. I long for that for every one of us. Again, I remind myself that this is a daily surrender, and I cannot do it without His Word and guidance. I also remind myself that I never have more joy than when I am living within His will.
If you are interested, here are some of the books that have impacted our lives over the last 20 years:
